Help Me Date Your Dad! is simply excellent. It has a solid emotional core, good prose, quality art and an unique presentation style that manages to be visually engaging without being too complicated. However, this project is sadly marred by a single, but all encompassing problem.
Starting the game, readers may feel deceived by the title. We follow a protagonist in a complicated moment. Something out of her control but that she completely expected threatens a very important relationship in her life. With descriptions, narration, visuals and sound that solidify these emotions, players are put right into her shoes. But wait, there is a silver lining. She finds in someone a way not only to mend this relationship, but save everyone involved from regret. MC approaches that person and asks their help and then… silly music starts playing.
Help Me Date Your Dad! suffers from severe tonal issues. For most of the time, it offers this grounded drama that’s explored really well, but there are a couple of scenes that shift this mood completely with goofier dialogue, upbeat music and exaggerated reactions. The shift is harsh enough on the reader, but it also comes close to cheapening a particular relationship that’s pivotal to the whole story.
My belief is that the story could be approached either way (though I won’t deny my preference for the grounded drama), however the abruptness and frequency of this change really harms the project.
This is one of my favourite Novembears and it is high on that list, but the tonal issue is just too much to ignore.