Game Review: Girlfriend from Hell

By Al

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

We've looked at a lot of puzzle games recently, and we have a very special one just in time for Valentine's Day. Coming to us from a development team made up of one person, and published by Sometimes You, we have Girlfriend from Hell, a game about a jilted girlfriend out for revenge. It's set to arrive soon on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5, and we're going to be taking a look at it on the Switch. There isn't much need for further intro, so let's dive in!

The story of Girlfriend from Hell is a simple one. Mia loves Haruto, but Haruto clearly loves video games more. (Relatable, I know.) Mia sees the two of them getting married someday, but Haruto never pops the question himself. It's been five years, so Mia decides that it's time to take matters into her own hands. She gets herself a ring, and asks Haruto to marry her. Haruto literally says that he thinks that video games are more important than her, and says no. Mia then decides that's she's going to make his life a living hell. To that end, she sets out to sabotage Haruto's daily life in eight specific scenarios that all end in him getting hurt, or his possessions getting destroyed. That's pretty much the only story you'll ever get in the game, and it's told to you via a single loading screen at the start of each level. I know this might go into spoiler territory, but don't go into this one expecting to get a resolution to the plot at the end of the game. Though the premise is fairly strong, the game simply stops once you complete the final scenario. Though the premise amusing on its surface, it does lead to some problems that we'll get to later on. For now, put a pin in that as we move on to discuss gameplay.

Girlfriend from Hell is basically a timed puzzle game, with some adventure game elements thrown in for good measure. The obvious comparison is to the classic PC game Neighbors from Hell, but I was also reminded of King's Quest III. Each of the game's scenarios sees you pick up items, and use them to create booby traps that mess with Haruto in some way. This can be sabotaging his food, making it so he falls and hurts himself, or destroying things he likes. Only specific items can be picked up and interacted with, but you can tell which items they are due to how they glow. They're also the only things that change between scenarios, so you'll get to know where to look for them after a while. Setting up the traps is a game of trial and error, though their placement is usually marked by a literal "X" on the floor. Shuffling through your inventory for the right item only takes a couple of tries, so you'll be able to clear any scenario in due time as long as you don't give up. Though you are timed in each stage, the biggest threat is Haruto himself. I was shocked when the tutorial stage literally said: "Now hide in the closet or he'll kick your ass!" because that's exactly what he does if he finds you. Getting caught is an instant game over, so you'll sometimes have to resort to stealth to win. Each stage has a specific number of traps that can be set, and executing them all wins you that scenario. The eight stages can be played in any order, and there is no scoring beyond simply winning. Not a bad gameplay setup, but it is very light on content.

I really wanted to like Girlfriend from Hell's gameplay, but there just wasn't much to it. This is a product of a single developer, so I don't want to be too hard on it, but there isn't much game here. I beat the entire thing in well under an hour, and I died more times than I was successful. I imagine that more resourceful players will be able to get through it in half the time I did. You never really have to understand how the game works, you just have to try out every possible solution until you win. It's really easy, and that's in spite of the console controls fighting you every step of the way. I can only assume that this game is even easier on PC, as one of the biggest issues was controlling the cursor with the analog stick. Besides that, there's the general premise that left me feeling a bit conflicted. Seeing Haruto beat up Mia was more than a bit problematic, and Mia is no angel herself. I know it's meant to be played for laughs, but there were times when it went just a step too far. I probably wouldn't have cared about the subject matter, but the direct references to abuse were a bit off-putting. It's not a deal-breaker, but I'm sure the subject matter could've been handled in a better way.

One aspect of Girlfriend from Hell I loved was its visual style. Everything has a hand-drawn look to it that sort of resembles a coloring book brought to life. Mia and Haruto have neat character designs, and the animations are great too. Calling the game "cute" might be a bit of a stretch, but I liked what I saw, and I'm sure that the game looks great in screenshots. I do have to point out that the house setting is all you get, so don't expect the game to offer a lot of variety. I don't want to complain too much though, since what we do get is rather impressive. Things are just as good on the sound front, though I don't want to praise it too much there. The music all seems to come from a stock library, though the placement and usage does work. There's really not much else to say about the game, so I guess it's time to wrap up this review.

I'm a bit at a loss as to whether or not Girlfriend from Hell deserves a recommendation. It's not bad by any means, but it's also over in less time than it takes to watch an hour-long TV episode. I've literally spent more time prepping, writing, and publishing this review than I spent with the game itself. There's also the issues with subject matter I mentioned earlier. It's cute and fun, but it also has more than a few issues that are sure to rub some people the wrong way. I guess it is worth picking up for the lols alone, but you'd have to adjust your expectations to not be disappointed. Then again, its low $3.99 price tag means that grabbing it on a whim won't break the bank. I guess go for it. With all that said, I do hope that we see more from the developer down the line. Until then, see you in the next one, and watch out for Mia!

Check Out Girlfriend from Hell on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/girlfriend-from-hell-switch/

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Story: B
Gameplay: C
Graphics: B+
Music/Sound: B
Value: B

Overall: B-

Pros:
+ A unique take on the puzzle format.
+ The visual style is quite amazing, and looks like a coloring book brought to life.
+ There is a silliness to everything that is charming for the most part.
+ Figuring out the booby traps, and seeing them set off, can be quite amusing.
+ At just $3.99, picking this one up isn't a deep commitment.

Cons:
- There are parts of the game's subject matter that are just problematic. Do we really need to hear references of Haruto literally kicking Mia's ass?
- Eight stages two or three minute stages means that most players will beat this in well under an hour.
- Each of the stages only has one solution, so there really isn't any reason to play the game once you've cleared it.
- There just isn't too much in the way of content here. It's a pretty forgettable experience overall.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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I do hope that the developer keeps at it!

#GirlfriendFromHell