Dinner Date

Dinner Date is an experimental indie game that places players inside the subconscious of Julian Luxemburg, a 27-year-old man waiting for a date who ultimately never arrives. The game is extremely short, lasting around 20-25 minutes, and offers minimal interactivity—players mainly direct subtle actions like looking around or eating bread, but these choices do not influence the narrative outcome.

Critically, the game is more of an interactive monologue than a traditional game, focusing on Julian's anxious, self-loathing thoughts. Many players found the protagonist unlikable and his inner dialogue to be pretentious, misogynistic, or simply boring. While the game attempts to explore themes of loneliness and inadequacy, it fails to evoke empathy or meaningful engagement for a majority of players. Despite some praise for its unique concept and voice acting, the lack of gameplay, replay value, and impactful story left many disappointed, feeling the experience is overpriced and better suited as a free art piece than a commercial game.

Highlights

Players appreciated the unique concept of controlling a character's subconscious, creating an intimate narrative experience. The voice acting was often noted as well done, adding realism to Julian's internal monologue. The game effectively conveys claustrophobia and anxiety through its setting and pacing. Some enjoyed the subtle interactivity and found the narrative immersive as an experimental art game. The minimalist 3D environment and animations, while simple, supported the storytelling. The game's brevity was sometimes praised for not overstaying its welcome, and its exploration of emotional vulnerability was recognized by a subset of players.

Criticisms

Common criticisms include the game's lack of meaningful gameplay or player agency, with choices having no impact on the story. Many found Julian's character unsympathetic, with his misogynistic and narcissistic thoughts alienating players. The monologue was described as tedious, boring, and pretentious. Graphics were frequently called outdated or unattractive, resembling low-quality early 2000s visuals. The short duration and absence of replay value left players feeling the game was not worth its price. Some reviews highlighted false advertising and disappointment in the game's minimal interactivity and narrative depth. Overall, it was seen as a failed experiment rather than a compelling game.