For fans of BL (boys love) visual novels looking for something a little experimental, Lover Interface offers a unique twist on the traditional dating sim format. Lover Interface is the second game by solo developer Dark Chill Dusk (also known as MuYou), a studio specializing in BL visual novels. Fans of the studio might remember their debut title, Project Aphotic, a sci-fi romance that gets a clever in-universe shoutout in Lover Interface. But make no mistake: this game is a brand new adventure.

In Lover Interface, you play as Ethan Syu, an on-site computer engineer who wakes up in a hospital after a motorcycle accident. Ethan mostly comes out unscathed, but something else is amiss. He keeps seeing weird glitches skewing his reality, an ominous “loading screen” slowly ticking up in percentage each time. Somehow, something is being digitally processed into his life, and what will happen when it hits 100%?

A Glitch in the Matrix

In games like Doki Doki Literature Club, in-game glitches usually signal something sinister just over the horizon but in Lover Interface, it’s more or less a minor quirk. 

With the game’s introduction including our lead waking up after narrowly surviving an accident, only for their perception of the world to drastically change, I couldn’t help but recall the horrors of Saya No Uta. I highly doubt Lover Interface would ever become that complicated, nor horrifying, and the relationship meter sporadically added to Ethan’s life honestly works as a pretty clever tongue-in-cheek reference to one of the central mechanics of dating sims. There is no horror or cruel subversions to be found here. Just the cozy comforts of everyday romance.

I think the involvement of an in-universe affection meter gives Lover Interface its defining edge. In most dating sims, the affection meter is a background coding affair integral to keeping track of the protagonist’s progress. It is something that undeniably exists but isn’t pushed to the forefront, let alone addressed by the game. It’s a clever mechanic, and I’ve always been a fan of games that push for self-awareness when it comes to their storytelling.

Beautiful Boys and Backgrounds

The thing that undeniably sold me on Lover Interface was its art style. The game is rendered in a gorgeous pastel color palette that provides a much more friendly and casual vibe to the cool and icy color scheme of Project Aphotic. This lends to the game’s very lighthearted and playful aesthetic.

Characters are drawn with fluttering eyelashes, shiny lips, and lush boy band haircuts. They’re dressed to the nines in outfits that perfectly convey their personalities.

There’s this subtle paint brush effect done with the character models that layers the colors over one another gorgeously. Everybody’s skin, hair, and clothing are rich with these additional highlights. The same could be said for the backgrounds that are given a splash of neon to make sure both they and the character models pop.

Out of the game settings, my favorite was easily the café you visit with Felix in the first chapter. A close second was a pristine bar that’s rich with details and a lusciously warm color palette.

Save The Date 

In the demo, we get to properly meet two of Ethan’s potential boyfriends. One is the caring and exuberant Felix and the second is the professional and polite Adrian. When they’re introduced, and after the affection meter mechanic becomes fully fleshed out, it’s up to us to pursue one of the options. This is when Lover Interface properly introduces story-changing elements with its selectable dialogue options.

I found the interactions with Felix a little more entertaining, especially since the two have shared side gigs as game streamers. But I can’t deny that slowly working your way through Adrian’s emotional walls made for a more worthwhile gameplay experience.

I like how Ethan and Adrian bond over a shared interest in photography. This prompts them go on a proper date. Despite my previous bias towards Felix, I found that Adrian was making for the more ideal love story. Perhaps it’s more of a personal preference. I can absolutely see why players might lean towards one or the other. After all, the ability to have options at all is the best thing about the dating sim genre. 

Despite the two romantic options being opposites, I found that the more courageous dialogue options yielded good results for both men. With Felix, you’re encouraged to come out of your shell, while Adiran responds well to honesty and passion.

So far, the mystery suitor has yet to be discovered. Even the trailer obscures their face and name. I imagine that his arrival will change the course of the game. Their personality and the approach necessary to win them over has yet to be touched upon which plants a nice bit of intrigue. For any players not quite sold on Felix and Adrian, I imagine he’ll be a fun addition.

Dreamboat Drama 

The latter half of level two made my experience with this demo go from good to great. In the last section, we see Felix’s more possessive side as well as potentially one or more new characters. This is also the only mention of the mystery suitor who has yet to be identified. It makes for an effective first impression that sets up some solid intrigue.

There’s always been something weirdly cathartic about playing visual novels, which Lover Interface understands. Though it may have one central gimmick and few romantic options, it’s rather charming in its simplicity.

I’m anticipating how these relationships develop and if my overall opinions of the characters will change over time. Unless there’s a polygamous ending available, I can see myself zig-zagging between all three (maybe four?) of these potential boyfriends. Make the right moves, and Ethan’s glitch will guarantee a gorgeous guy.

The demo for Lover Interface is available during Steam Next Fest: June 2025.