Heartache 101 ~Sour into Sweet~

I was planning on reviewing one of the many unreviewed games on rmn as my first review, but having finally played Heartache 101 after it was sitting on my computer for a couple of weeks I decided to make this my first review. I haven't really played this kind of game much before but since it kept appearing on the front page I decided to give it a go. And...I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed it, especially the quality of the writing. So this might be considered an updated review as the last one was written when the author claimed the game was still being tested. Hopefully this will re-address the balance somewhat.

Story: 4 out of 5
Of course, since it's a dating sim the basic plot is pretty simple. You make a bet with your best (female) friend that you can get a girlfriend in 101 days. Each character has a kind of side story you can access through school meetings, phone calls and random events. The characters are fairly generic (childhood friend with a love-hate relationship, ditzy best friend, straight-A student etc.). However, I thought the dialogue and characterization was very well written. I felt I was playing a genuine translated Japanese game (which suggests the author has quite a familiarity with that type of game).

Gameplay 3.5 out of 5
During the school day the action takes place as a kind of board game, where you roll a dice and have the chance to raise your stats or meet girls. Sometimes there are scripted events which further the story, and at other times you have the choice to chat to them or find out more about them. A clever touch is the "mental note" you make when you find out a girl's star sign, boyfriend type or favourite date spot, which you can refer to when you are deciding which stats to improve or where to take them out. The stats can be improved after school by travelling to a location in town (e.g. the gym to improve athletics). More locations can be discovered by researching them on the internet. Again, you can also encounter events at various spots at various times.
The board game part is simple but effective. I never felt it was a chore playing through it. You have limited control over which girls you meet based on their star signs and the predominant signs that week (which can be affected by reading newspapers or buying a special item). After you start dating a girl it's pretty easy to keep her interested until the end of the game, so it's not the most difficult game. For completionists (and adding to the replay value) the game keeps track of the percentage of scenes viewed. There's a hell of a lot - after playing through once I met 5 girls, saw one briefly twice and there's still a few more I haven't even seen. Plus there's customizable content, although I haven't used that yet so I can't comment on it.

Graphics 3.5 out of 5
Typical dating sim fare, although they all look fine and fit the setting well. The only rpg xp maps are the board game and a pacman-like mini game where you earn money on Sundays. I suspect a couple of the backgrounds are from hentai games (especially the convenient store - take a look at the posters on the window...) but it's not really a problem. Besides, I've done the same thing myself ^_^

Sound 3 out of 5
Again, nothing special but perfectly in keeping with the game. Plus I believe you can customize it if you are really dying to go on a date with hardcore death metal playing in the background.

Overall
If you dislike dating sims or anime then of course this game isn't for you. But, if you have an open mind and no expectations you should enjoy this game. I'm not a massive anime fan but I found the game well-written and professionally made, and not only did I have fun playing it but I want to go back and play again. I know my overall score isn't an average but never mind, it's my review and I can do what I like...