HuniePop is a game that I did not expect to actually enjoy. I considered it a gag game, something that people would buy to poke fun at friends, like they did with Bad Rats and Secret of the Magic Crystals over the years.
While I still believe that HuniePop will be very successful at that, boy was I wrong about its entertainment value and competence as a game. The writing is spot-on and the humor stellar, poking fun in all the right places, and toying with dating sim and nerd stereotypes.

The match-three gameplay is as you might come to expect from the genre, though rather than putting pressure on the player via timers, HuniePop limits the available turns. This turns a traditionally hectic, chaotic gameplay mechanic into something more calculated.

Since the match-three game is played during virtual dates with the female characters, this actually makes sense. At an actual date, you wouldn't be rushing about, but instead take care not to step onto your date's toes, or act like a fool.
The time-based pressure comes into the picture later on, when you are ready to take the girls home to your bedroom. And again, this decision works well once you consider what is actually happening behind the scenes. Playing this bedroom variation is exhausting, especially later down the line, as the difficulty increases with each successful date.

However, where the game shines the brightest is when it presents its very diverse cast of heroines. There is a date for every taste. The characters' lifestyles can be like night and day, and you are bound to grow fond of a few of them. I know I did.

Where it falls short, in my opinion, is in its directness. There really isn't much to do with the girls after you bed them. Yes, you can/should complete their gift lists (which takes a while) and unlock their complete stat sheets (which you will likely have finished by the time you get to the 4th date anyway), but there are no new events or CGs to earn past the first time with them in your bed. There is also no interaction between the girls, past the introduction scenes which overlap.

This is my biggest criticism. The introductions were amazingly fun to watch, and I really want more of that. Seeing the amount of promo-art for the game, with the girls in various locations, playing volleyball or sitting in the sauna, I cannot help but regret the lack of story-events. Just playing through the game and talking to the girls gave me plenty of ideas of what events I would like to see them in.

I hope this will be expanded on in the future, maybe via DLC. I know I would pay for more of HuniePop's brilliant writing.
As it stands, though, I have spent a magnificent amount of time on the game, and certainly got my money's worth.

Audrey is the best girl.

HuniePop is a game that I did not expect to actually enjoy. I considered it a gag game, something that people would buy to poke fun at friends, like they did with Bad Rats and Secret of the Magic Crystals over the years. While I still believe that HuniePop will be very successful at that, boy was I wrong about its entertainment value and competence as a game. The writing is spot-on and the humor stellar, poking fun in all the right places, and toying with dating sim and nerd stereotypes. The match-three gameplay is as you might come to expect from the genre, though rather than putting pressure on the player via timers, HuniePop limits the available turns. This turns a traditionally hectic, chaotic gameplay mechanic into something more calculated. Since the match-three game is played during virtual dates with the female characters, this actually makes sense. At an actual date, you wouldn't be rushing about, but instead take care not to step onto your date's toes, or act like a fool. The time-based pressure comes into the picture later on, when you are ready to take the girls home to your bedroom. And again, this decision works well once you consider what is actually happening behind the scenes. Playing this bedroom variation is exhausting, especially later down the line, as the difficulty increases with each successful date. However, where the game shines the brightest is when it presents its very diverse cast of heroines. There is a date for every taste. The characters' lifestyles can be like night and day, and you are bound to grow fond of a few of them. I know I did. Where it falls short, in my opinion, is in its directness. There really isn't much to do with the girls after you bed them. Yes, you can/should complete their gift lists (which takes a while) and unlock their complete stat sheets (which you will likely have finished by the time you get to the 4th date anyway), but there are no new events or CGs to earn past the first time with them in your bed. There is also no interaction between the girls, past the introduction scenes which overlap. This is my biggest criticism. The introductions were amazingly fun to watch, and I really want more of that. Seeing the amount of promo-art for the game, with the girls in various locations, playing volleyball or sitting in the sauna, I cannot help but regret the lack of story-events. Just playing through the game and talking to the girls gave me plenty of ideas of what events I would like to see them in. I hope this will be expanded on in the future, maybe via DLC. I know I would pay for more of HuniePop's brilliant writing. As it stands, though, I have spent a magnificent amount of time on the game, and certainly got my money's worth. [Spoiler]Audrey is the best girl.[/Spoiler]