Not Quite Tetrapod Tinder – The Feathery Flirts of Hatoful Boyfriend

Hello, my name is David Attenbirdie, and I’m going to be presenting a rare species for you today. Hatoful Boyfriend is a fine specimen of the genus Visualitus novelliticus. If we look to ascertain its dominant traits, we can quickly surmise it to be of the familiar variant that tends to express itself through song. It has lots of things to say, being conveyed in the form of different calls, hoots, chitter and chatter for one to go through.

Its most startling features are visual. Instead of the usual homo sapiens mangatus, we are greeted with the beautiful bills and plumage of our avian relatives, which are mostly of the pigeon or dove school. As an interesting catch, the setting is that of a human-bird interaction, which makes for some interesting mating habits. Otherwise, the presentation is lovingly structured with a calming atmosphere. Some viewers may have a hard time recognizing its appeal, but it can swoon you over quickly. The specimen is also playful and prone to some quirky comedic displays although is mostly down to earth. It’s pretty easy to woo the birds, you just have to be in the right place at the right time. Just don’t be too hesitant or it’ll be over quickly.

In contrast to its close relatives, it acts rather different. It does not parade itself with ample bosomed chicks lusting for reproduction but has some genuine heartfelt stories to tell. However, it cannot escape all the traits of its kin, the most notable being the educational setting and especially the repetitive nature of it all. One must sit through the same dialogue over and over again, which can get quite grating. All the stories aren’t even that enticing. Our representative has, however, developed the special ability to fast forward its perception of time, which is a neat evolutionary attribute to have.

How vital is the flock then? It has spread to many parts of the world from its natural habitat of the land of the rising sun and has managed to stay surprisingly viable. The few flaws it has aren’t going to drive it into extinction. This particular sample has even received upgrades to its camouflage. Its peculiar name is supposedly derived from the word “heartful”, which was deemed too close to “hurtful”. This workaround enables the name to be a reference to the Japanese word meaning pigeon (hato), while also being a tribute to its creator, Hato Moa.

Hatoful Boyfriend is a welcome breed. Its species has managed to shun the spotlight which does make it a rather niche fowl to interact with. If you hear its call, I suggest you at least take the specimen under your wing and see what kind of eggs it lays. You might be pheasantly surprised.

 

Basic info:

Title: Hatoful Boyfriend
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Developer: Hato Moa, PigeoNation Inc., Mediatonic
Platforms: PC, PS4, Android, iOS, Linux
Release Date: 2011
Genres: Visual novel, slice of life, dating sim, indie

Photos: Screenshots from Hatoful Boyfriend (2011, Hato Moa), taken by the author

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