Mr. Love Queen's Choice Review

From all outward appearances, it's very easy to swipe past Mr. Love: Queen's Choice in the app store and brush it off as just a fluffy, low-effort dating simulator--not too different from any other. And honestly, I wouldn't blame anyone for thinking that, because that's exactly how it's marketed in the app store.

However, if you're brushing it off because it seems too light and fluffy, you are missing out on one powerhouse of a story! This past July, an anime based on the game was released by MAPPA--and not for nothing! It is a lot more than just a simple romance game. In fact, in the story's main plot, romance is only hinted at between the main characters. The story itself does not revolve around romance.

If you fancy one of the guys in the main story, there is a "Date" option where you can unlock side plots which are more straightforwardly romantic, and very rich in character development. But for the sake of this review, and the main story, I'm not going to be focusing on those. This is all about the overall quality of the story, characters, and why it's more than just a cutesy dating sim.

The story is more of a thriller/fantasy with romantic elements, than it is a straight up romance

As previously stated, unless you go to the "Date" subplots, it is only implied that the characters have romantic feelings for each other. It isn't the bulk of the story. The story is actually...kind of dark, and gets pretty existential.

Without giving away the whole plot, here's the bite-sized version: The story takes place in a world where certain seemingly normal people have superhuman abilities. This connects the protagonist with the four male main characters who also have these powers. They are also all connected through traumatic past events that are beginning to come back to light, and disrupt their peaceful lives.

It's very clear the protagonist cares about these men deeply, and vice versa. But their relationships are intimate and close; without being too mushy or relying on tired tropes.

The art is top notch

Below are all illustrations from the game. I want you to look at them and tell me if you think this much effort would have been spent on a product that isn't meant to be high quality. Because I don't! There's clearly thought in everything!

No stock characters to be found!

In every dating sim game, you get to choose between "stock" characters who only have one trait each--The goofy one, the grumpy one, the mysterious one, and the rebellious one.

Now, at first glance, it seems that the male characters in Mr. Love are exactly these kinds of stock characters. Kiro is the goofy one. Victor is the grumpy one. Lucien is the mysterious one. Gavin (my personal favorite) is the rebellious one. In fact, the game kind of tricks you at first into thinking that that's all there is to their characters, because they want you to think it's a cheesy dating sim at first.

But once the story starts unfolding, these characters are incredibly nuanced and multidimensional. Kiro is goofy--but he also harbors a lot of loneliness and is terrified of being forgotten by those he cares about. Victor is grumpy--but he also has a fierce, intoxicating affection and protective instinct towards the protagonist. Gavin is a rebel--but he is also a romantic with a strong sense of justice and desire to protect the vulnerable. Lucien is--well, he's still mysterious. But there is a plot twist involving him that is very interesting to say the least.

The relationships between the characters, and the love they feel for each other is some of the most genuine

I've played my share of cheesy dating sims and romance games. As I said, Mr. Love is in a completely different ballpark from all of those. And especially when it comes to the affection between the protagonist and the four male characters. Their fondness for each other unfolds naturally without any force.

And what I personally love about the game is that: Nowhere do any of the characters ever explicitly say "I love you" to one another. Not even in the "Date" plots which are explicitly more romantic than the main story. But they don't really need to--because you can feel the love and devotion simply through their words and actions towards each other.

Well-known voice actors to make it more immersive

A lot of dating sim games don't have voice actors, as they're supposed to be read kind of in the style of an interactive manga. So to totally immerse players into the world of the story, voice actors are used for the characters. And these aren't just stoned college kids they picked off the street to do voice acting. They actually picked some top-tier high quality career voice actors whose voices you may recognize in other things.

If you're a huge nerd, you definitely know these voice actors: Ben Diskin (Joseph Joestar in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure) as Victor, Joe Zieja (Claude in Fire Emblem: Three Houses) as Gavin, Bill Rogers (Brock in Pokemon) as Lucien, and Sean Chiplock (Revali in Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) as Kiro.

Conclusion

Not only is this my favorite mobile game, it is also one of my favorite manga/anime stories, and the characters are easily some of my favorite fictional characters. If you're looking for a new mobile game that can really immerse you in its world, I highly recommend Mr. Love: Queen's Choice. It's totally free, a lot of fun, and you will not want to miss out on this story!