Animal Lover

This is one of the funniest visual novels I've ever read in my life! It gives a little hint of Fruits Basket but with a protagonist who is Not-Paid-Enough-For-This-But-Is-Doing-It-Anyway. The boys are all wildly different from each other, some more chaotic than others, but the friendships they develop with each other and the protagonist are wonderful to see. I definitely have my favorite (Kyle) but the other routes were really nice to go through as well. I definitely recommend if you are wanting to try more western visual novels!!

Something I will always have mad respect for is when writer/s inject their personality into their craft. The love interests of Animal Lover are opinionated and outspoken - sometimes unabashedly, other times with hyper empathy - and the story itself almost doubles as an analysis of feminism dating back 100 years or more. Really appreciated the strong-willed yet emotionally available -- and most importantly, plus-size BIPOC -- MC as well. She's beautiful! Not to mention, I laughed from the start of the game until the end. If you like animal science, dad jokes, witchy vibes, or just men who see their mistakes and care enough to do better, I recommend Animal Lover over and over.

P.S. Edmund's Fruits Basket reference roped me in at first. Currently on my final route as I left Charlie until last. But every character has stuck with me in a way I can't explain. Thank you for making a game so full of personality. I won't forget it!!

This is a really good value for the money. I love the modern take on a fantasy magic setting with cute otome heroes with beautiful expressions and changing expressions/outfits and blinking!!! This game is so funny and I don't know why I didn't buy this before but this game is so amazing. I won't spoil anything but this game is LOVELY FANTASY OTOME WITH A MODERN/REALISTIC/HEARTWARMING THEME and AMAZING!!!!
I couldn't the happiest ending but I love it! <33333

A game that taught me that kissing animals would turn them into real, good looking guys...

I tried it on my cat... Despite him not minding my affection... He did NOT turn into a mixed Russian breed with a deep voice.

I have no access to other animals to try and people would look at me weird if I just "ask politely" to kiss their pet...

So I came to a conclusion... Magic has to be involved... Magic that isn't like an animal's love for its owner... But rather ACTUAL magic...

Or it's easier to find a guy... A willing guy... One who will wear fluffy animal ears and a tail for you... Heh heh.

^(^-^)^

I've got mixed feelings about this one to be honest.

On one hand the game itself is really nice. It's funny and sweet, I really liked all the major characters and the main character is absolutely endearing.
I'd say it was a little bit lacking on the actual romance part, but, well, it's not the longest game.

On the other hand devs decided to take a bit of an awkward stance on topics of feminism and abusive behaviour. By the way MC reacts on things you may assume that they aren't exactly anti-feminist, and yet some bad decisions were made and the way they handle these topics is questionable at best.
I'm choosing to give them a benefit of the doubt, but if you feel that you can be triggered by this, I'd suggest you pass on this one.

Also I imagine unavoidable major character suicude deserves some sort of warning beforehand.

This is a really great visual novel, it doesn't take itself too seriously and provides dialog that feels genuine. The characters are all unique to their personality types and time frames, and continue to grow as they get re-accustomed to human life. A good mixture of comedy into a dating sim that makes for a good casual play.

Cute game! Somehow I loved EVERY single one of the love interests, which is incredibly rare in dating sims. The story is good, the writing is Amazing--the characters speak like actual real people would while still managing to be funny or realistically sad when the situation calls for it--but the game falls flat on the romance aspect, and it could've been fleshed out way more. The romance feels fairly sudden, even for a short VN, and it feels like more could have been done there. One another gripe I have is that one of the love interests has a conflict focused mostly around his sexuality, which is kind of a bummer, but he's overall a pretty good LI still.

Overall recommend it. It's short and sweet and the writing is worth your money.

Its a good Visual Novel + Dating Simulator Rom Com. I would recommend buy it at sale. I must confess I played this game after seeing someone having all achievements in 1.6 hours. I thought it would be an easy fast run to a perfect game. Boy was I wrong! A Neo-feminist witch named Aadara has cursed 5 boys to be animals - A Dog, Cat, Hamster, Bear, Duck and so on. 4 of them are sexy hunks. Edmund is a Prince from past, over 100 years ago. Charlie a Financial techno geek turned to animal 1 year ago. Kyle used to be an Asian origin rebel punk 30 years ago. he still is but time has moved past him. They only had one thing in common They either pissed Aadara off in personal behavour or were perceived as sexist by her. Lucy, a college studying intern with a doctor comes across all 5 and they return to human form coming in contact with her. However this is temporary as they will be back to being animals soon. The Story takes 5 paths where Lucy must choose one guy and this creates a separate romantic dating track, before they again finally get together to confront Aadara to free the guys from the curse permanently. This leads to 7 endings where she either pairs up as a couple with one of the 5 guys or is left alone moving on while coming to terms with the crazy events talking to her best friend Katy.

The story had potential. There is little of romance and dating actually. There is more of the guys renting an apartment and coming to terms with their ordeal trapped as animals as they sympathize, fight, bicker, argue with and accept each other. Some dialogues are funny, some arguments witty. Like Prince Edmund supports Monarchy, and he cannot believe Internet exists that one can find all the world in a PC. Or Kyle who cannot believe films can be downloaded virtually from air now. The romantic choice based detour lasts barely one chapter. Its rushed and brief. There are too many dialogues to read, Not fun for people with reading glasses. Of all guys, Kyle who was a cat had most strongest and darkest backstory. A critical ending with him is marked as 'Canon' ending. Rest guys story was not handled with that much depth.

My personal observation is Multiple Endings and sub-plots based on choice is fine. BUT Achievements should be kept generic and not assigned to some choices that divert or can be missed. Replaying a lengthy text based Visual Novel is not everyone's cup of tea. The art was nice. The game is either too long [in terms of characters and choices] or too short [Relationships between so many people cannot be crammed in one episode]. The game should have been fleshed out a little more in depth and maybe should have been done in 2 shorter parts not exceeding 2 hours. I liked the debates between the guys, but overall the game did not move me much like Fox Hime series. I guess some people did get moved. Personally I thought the game was OK lacking soul. At least the game did not have the girl gasping in sexual orgasmic moan when laughing or talking like many of those other games.

Most achievements are unmissable BUT I hate the fact that some are triggered by choices you make. You can check an achievement Guide to know which are standard and which are optionally unlocked. The game allows many save slots so my suggestion is watch out for these Checkpoints I list below and save them so you can revisit it and unlock alternate Achievements if you miss any. It beats re-playing full game. I lack patience to replay lengthy VNs. I actually wish Visual Novels with Multiple Endings should have some standard achievements not choice based. A checkpoint in this game is when you get options on screen and you choose an event or dialogue reaction. These choices trigger some achievements or you miss some So here goes:
1. When they go to Zoo to Free Charlie, a bear. Frankie must lie he is not afraid for achievement: Threw Frankie Under The Bus
2. When Lucy goes on and on about signing note with incorrect 'Thank' [instead of Thank You] it comes to choice 'Fix It [No Achievement] and Leave as is triggers achievement Additional Thanks Pending.
3. Alone Time chapter where you choose to go out with a guy - save choices screen. Choose Miguel, go grocery Store for: No Dinner 'Til Brooklyn
4. You must avoid Kyle chapter when choosing a guy to unlock Learned The Truth The Hard Way you need avoid allowing them to confess their dark pasts earlier. When confronting Aadara in Last Chapter, SPOILER ALERT: Not running off with Spell book leads to less exciting finish but learnt Truth Hard way Achievement (Depends on if you Forgive Kyle or Don't, Wish to be with him or Don't. one of those)
5. You get this achievement Learned The Truth The Easy Way when they open up to you about their wrongdoings before climax. I found going Kyle's way unlocked it when he opened up.
6. When Edmund insists you take a side in Anarchy vs Monarch debate against Kyle, save checkpoint and take turns choosing both options each choice unlocks an Achievement but does not change story flow at all.
7. There comes a choice Deal (No Achievement) or No Deal See? When 2 boys argue in apartment later. No deal see? Unlocks See?
8. Truth or Dare in Bathtub. Save from first checkpoint to Replay. Play Dare with Miguel & Frankie, ask them [when prompted] to remove their shorts. This gets a different achievement. Or choose Truth all along that goes against Kyle asking for Dare everytime and getting to Ha Ha Fck You Kyle Achievement. Accept all beers offered at any point both ways to get another achievement Party Girl
9. When they first email Aadara, Save checkpoints on which boy's suggestions you need to club an email message. Ones not hinting at any personal anger or frustration of the boys is best. A confusing set of statements joined from boys suggestions needed to Confuse Aadara for an achievement. Replay suggestions till you unlock Not Sure How To Respond.
10. Agree with Charlie in a debate that Piracy is wrong. That triggers an optional achievement. Supporting Piracy gives no achievement.
These are the Key points where Optional Achievements kick in. I REPEAT AGAIN A VISUAL NOVEL ENEDS PATIENCE AND IS NOT EVERYONE'S CUP OF TEA!

CARD FARMERS JUST PLAY THE GAME AS FARMING WILL TAKE 10 HOURS. You may actually end the game earlier. Achievement Hunters sorry but even with an auto mouse clicker, you won't get 100% easy due to choices and paths [You will get 100% BUT not as easy as some VNs these days]. You will need grind 3-5 hours with story and choices.

Here's what Animal Lover is based on: feminism and people who support transgender people are evil. Feminists are angry women who have been hurt by men, and most of them have developed an extreme victimhood complex that leads them to lash out at perfectly normal, kind-hearted men who would never do anything wrong.

I loved the premise written about on the blurb, I loved most of the story, but by the time it got to the ending finale, the villain made it clear that she violently hates men, to the point of abusing them, because a man broke her heart ~500 years ago, and not only did she NEVER get over it, she accuses the five guys of manipulating the MC into "fighting a battle that isn't even yours" (paraphrased, I can't remember the direct quote).

She assumes that the only reason anyone could possibly want to show basic human decency to the guys is because the MC "obviously" has the hots for one of them. Because in her world, the only reason one could possibly have for not violently hating men is because one wants to bone them.

The villain really is a "feminazi", as Charlie put it--a complete and total strawman of the 'evil feminist' who hates men, and frankly it was very hard to get over. She isn't contrasted against more reasonable feminists to show that she's just an extreme end--in the world of Animal Lover, there's only a binary option: either you're not a feminist at all, or you're an evil witch who abuses men because that's, apparently, what feminism is all about.

Adding in the fact that her blog description includes pronouns, and the MC is clearly uncomfortable about this and says only "I'll explain it later" when Frankie questions it... Including pronouns is something that transgender people and allies of the transgender community do. And this is painted as bad, and another bad thing that the evil feminist does.

So all in all, the whole game was a gruelling eight hours of "FEMINISM BAD. TRANS PEOPLE BAD. FEMINISM = ABUSE. FEMINISM BAD."

I loved the boys, I loved the basic idea, but seeing people like me blown up into a caricature of hatred and evil....
To say nothing of how the REAL WORLD RELIGION Wicca is portrayed and routinely described as "fake"....

I felt horrible playing this game, and I continue to feel horrible for having supported it with my own money.

I played through to the end of one route, hoping beyond hope that there would be a light at the end of the tunnel, but it just kept turning the knife.

Oh and one other thing that ought to be mentioned:

MAJOR TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR SELF HARM AND SUICIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of the main love interests LITERALLY KILLS HIMSELF. He gets better because magic, but one of the guys COMMITS SUICIDE DURING THE COURSE OF THE GAME. That's not something that people should just stumble into unprepared.

I’m really not sure what to think about Animal Lover! The plot itself sounded interesting as it was something a bit different so I really hoped it would show potential. Sadly, I was left feeling like the execution was lacking.

The story starts off well and is full of humour, however, that disappears over time and by the end, I wasn’t finding anything funny anymore. It even got to a point where I felt as if the whole story was being dragged out with needless filler. The ending is very anticlimactic. One thing that bugged me very much throughout the game was how the MC found all of the guys in a perfect order – as in from the ones cursed the longest to the most recent. It felt like far too much of a coincidence that just wouldn’t sit quietly.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2000475679

The whole script could do with another proofread as there are numerous mistakes throughout the whole thing; at one point, the MC is seen as speaking when it’s clearly supposed to be just a description.

I really didn’t understand why every character spoke as if they were a typical valley girl either; the unnecessary use of the word like constantly seemed really out of place, especially for some of the guys that had been cursed the longest. It might have made more sense if it were just the MC. This could also be the reason why I felt like none of the characters had a really strong personality – they all seemed to just... mush together. The villain’s character just felt hollow. I had this overwhelming feeling she was literally there just to be ‘the bad guy’ for no reason whatsoever and that's it... She also appears to be an extreme feminist.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2001484500

One of the things I did like was that the guys were always around. I feel that in a lot of otomes where there are a big group of people in the common route, that once you are on a guy's route, everyone else either just disappears completely or takes a major back seat and let’s be real – that's just weird.

Their decision to have no background music at all during certain scenes also felt really weird. I can only guess it was supposed to help with the atmosphere but the dead silence was more uncomfortable than anything.

I really don’t know what it was about this game but it just didn’t absorb me into it. I often become drawn in and sympathetic to the characters in visual novels but this one just kept me feeling distant at all times which isn’t usually a good sign for something you read and are supposed to get engrossed in.

So, like I said, an interesting sounding plot – poor execution sadly! I’m very glad I bought this when it had a 90% off sale as I don’t think it’s worth the full price!

[quote]𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐎𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐤𝐚𝐢'𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐑𝐏𝐆 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬[/quote]

I love VN's most of my steam library is VN's. I tired to get into this one, the humor didn't land with me at all. I also found it so wordy, as in saying a lot without really saying anything at all. Its a shame as i had high hopes but now i'm just getting bored reading through the text it feels like a chore. I see i'm the minority in my views which is fine. I just feel like the story could be condensed down, i was hoping to finish before i reviewed but i'm giving up and hoping their other game suits me better.

gOD I love this game. Cartoony art may not be your cup of tea for otomes/Visual novels but it'll grow on you, you know, and the writing is well worth it. So worth it, English writers writing visual novels is a great experience!!!!

Get this game i laughed my living socks off and had tears on my eyes from laughing at some point!! :D ( ´•̥̥̥ω•̥̥̥` )

Pros:

+Interesting story that doesn't get you bored easily (at least the first time you play it)
+Likable characters
+It seemed like it had a pro-feminist message but without turning misandrist. I love feminist stories but I get annoyed when they're sometimes too anti-male. This one seemed like it had a nice balance of being pro-feminist but without demonizing the guys.


Cons:

-Almost no replay value. All routes are pretty much the same and the only thing that changes is the guy you end up with.
-Most choices you make don't even really matter.
-I wasn't a huge fan of the art style.
-Despite the tag, the game actually has no sexual content.

There are better visual novels out there, but it's still decent if you have nothing else to play.

Honestly, I really enjoyed this game! There's a few minor things I was expecting more from it though (such as more endings, a tad more content on each route and a skip button for already read text, instead of skipping everything) but apart from those things there's quite a bit to like about this game. I (like most others, probably) instantly fell in love with all of the characters, they each have their little quirks and it's pretty easy to see the different decades of time they came from. It's hard for me to pick a favorite too. In general I liked the characters and music the most, I've got to admit I even weeped a tear during one scene (while most others I was quietly screaming over how cute these boys were?!).

If you're looking to have a minor heart attack over attractive guys then this game is definitely what you're looking for.

I love this visual novel. A must play/read for any VN fan.

One of the best dating sims I've ever played. Had me intrigued and giggly the entire way through. The dialogue is amazing and I love each of the characters! The achievements are easy, but rewarding. And yes, there's no furries. Don't worry. 9/10

Pros:
+Nice Art
+Good storyline
+Varied character design
+Characters talk like real people for the most part
+MC isn't a pushover, which is REALLY hard to come by in most otome games

Cons:
-No romance for most of it, sudden romance at very end which is VERY strong (saying 'I love you' after kissing only a few times?? I dunno, I wasn't into it, even though it was cute I had to stop myself and go 'whoa, this is really sudden')
-Repeated but unskippable text in the ending (reading the MCs arguement at the end over and over got a lil tiring)
-Can't date Dustin

If consistent romance and a lot of fluffy moments aren't a necessity for you in dating sims, go for it? I'm sort of neutral on this game but I'm gonna give a thumbs up because it's still better written and characterised than a lot of VNs out there.

I've only done 3/6 routes (if you include the 'alone' ending.... if there is one?) but I have to recommend it so heavily. The characters are all great and I like that, regardless who you romance, you still get to interact with the other characters - it's not "what you don't have a crush on me, but rather someone else? Well fuck you, too!". The main plot stays the same regardless who you end up with and most of the same scenes happen in all plays but I don't think that's a bad thing. I liked it, in fact, because it felt as if I wasn't judged for the route I was on at the time.
In terms of characters, I fucking love them all. The romance characters are all really nice, with pros and cons to each of them. The antagonist's actions, while not exactly justified (like dude, teleport them away or make them forget you, don't fucking curse them lmao) didn't feel unneeded and the characters repented when they did something wrong which is something too commonly overlooked in romance games (like when the player is forced to go "oh I love you therefore you can do no wrong!!", no, in this, the characters actually acknowledge they did wrong and I love that).
Legit my ownly issue with the game is that it's tagged with 'sexual content' and there isn't any, haha. Sure there is nudity, but no sex!
Anyway, I definitely recommend this game to anyone interested in a funny, sweet game with loveable characters and an interesting, albeit slightly cliched, plot!

Animal Lover is easily my favourite English VN. Not because it has an ingenious plot or some sort of breakthrough on the technical side--both of those are pretty average and have their flaws, actually. What shines in this game are the characters. From their designs (can I just love how diverse their faces and body types are???) to their personalities and backgrounds and dialogue, everything makes them feel genuine and well-rounded. I swear, I came to this game for the fun and memes, and was completely swept off my feet by these stupid, funny, cute, INCREDIBLY LOVEABLE CHARACTERS.

And because I loved these wankers so much, rather than listing "cons" to the game, I'll call them "suggestions". My suggestions for improvement are:
- Some lines of dialogue are said twice in a row with very minor changes in wording. I assume that's because they were in the "common" part of the route, but also inserted onto the specific scenario that followed whatever choice you just made. It didn't happen that much, but it felt really off. Maybe it would be better to just erase the "common route" line and tweak wording a wee bit for each character route.
- Speaking of which, there are a few instances in which your guy of choice says something, and that something is THE EXACT SAME for every single guy. I think it would be better to change this a little to match each character's voice and personality more--for instance, it is very strange, to me, seeing Frankie and Miguel word something the exact same way in their respective routes. Because besides their mannerisms, their views are also quite different. Some guys are more sensible or insightful than others, so seeing them all make the exact same comment at one point feels strange.
- A couple more CGs would be nice. For instance, maybe we could get one when Lucy goes out with her current guy during "Alone Time". The art in this game is lovely and I really wish we could get more of it.
- More route-specific interaction would be great! Maybe just one or two more occasions to hang out, or a few more conversations Lucy could have with her guy of choice, etc. I feel like there isn't that much emphasis on the particular character you're going for, as most of the game is still "common route", and this makes the romance feel a little rushed.
- IT'S TOO SHORT!! Okay, you guys may think my playtime [EDIT: which was 12 hours by the time I wrote this review, but I then re-played it] is enough for a visual novel, but trust me, IT'S DEFINITELY NOT. And I know this was released just this week, but I REALLY REALLY HOPE the devs eventually decide to release some sort of DLC, sequel, fandisk, WHATEVER. Just some more material with these guys (and Lucy, because she's an excellent MC), because I honestly haven't gotten enough of them and will gladly throw my money at whatever the devs come up with involving the same cast.

Bottom line: this is an excellent game because of its funny dialogue; endearing, well-written characters; and lovely relationships (not just between MC and the guys, but also the friendship that the boys develop). Most definitely recommend it.

I've just finished playing and I can say I thoroughly enjoyed the story and characters (even the ones I thought I wouldn't like, lol). This is one of the few visual novels I've read, and it kept me enthralled from beginning to end. I may choose to replay it later to see if I can get together with any of the other guys, or whether I could have made different choices to affect the outcome. The character art is really nicely done, and definitely one of the game's highlights along with the writing and characterisation. I had a number of laugh out loud moments, and I found the game balanced the comedy and more serious moments well. I was initially put off by the photo-manipulated backgrounds but these grew on me over time. The music, though sometimes repetitive, is mostly enjoyable. Long story short: I love this game, and you'll love it too if you're a fan of magic, animals and reverse harems :P.