Dating simscome in all shapes and sizes, and are available on a wide array of consoles and platforms. If you are looking for the best indie dating sims from smaller developers, then itch.io is the place for you. Here, you may find a plethora of dating games, with many being free.
Here, we are going to take a look at some of the best visual novels that you can play on itch.io. It’s important to note that a few of these games have expanded past the platform and are available elsewhere. Still, each one can currently be played on itch.io.
8Our Life: Beginnings And Always
First up, we have Our Life: Beginnings and Always. This is one of the most popular dating sims on itch.io, making its way to Steam as well. In this game, you don’t have a choice between numerous love interests. Instead, you will get to know one love interest, who grows up alongside you.
That’s right; Our Life follows you throughout your life. From making your own character at the start, you can experience the different phases of life ranging from childhood to being a fully grown adult.
7Andromeda Six
What if you coulddate… in space? With Andromeda Six, you can! This dating sim takes place in the “distant future”, where you have absolutely no memories prior to waking up on a ship full of attractive love interests.
In Andromeda Six, you’ll be able to pick your species, which influences the game itself. Interestingly, this game doesn’t force you to partake in romance; you can get through it in a platonic manner if you don’t feel like wooing anyone aboard.
6Cinderella Phenomenon
Cinderella Phenomenon is a bit more classic than the previous two games that we’ve mentioned. If you are a fan of classic otome games, then Cinderella Phenomenon is worth a try. In this game, you play as Lucette (you can also change this name), who goes from “riches to rags” while under a curse.
Along the way, there are five different love interests that you’re able to pursue. There are also tons of other side characters in the game that make the world feel more full. in total, there are ten endings that you can get, making for some great replayability.
5Autumn’s Journey
Autumn’s Journey takes place in a fantastical world with unique races; dragonkind and heavenkind. Throughout the game, your main goal will be to help Kerr regain his dragon form. Of course, you’ll also be joined by Ilmari, with the three of you forming the game’s main trio.
Overall, this game is short and sweet, with an emphasis on friendship rather than quickly finding your true love. Still, it’s a great game to play if you want to sit back and enjoy the ride. This game also has three endings for you to play though!
4Ebon Light
Ebon Light is a departure from the cartoonish and cute art style from the previous games. In this dating sim, you play as a woman who is initially trapped on a stormy island. Here, you can learn what’s going on, meet allies, and even meet a potential love interest.
Overall, the story of Ebon Light is pretty unique, and best experienced directly rather than reading a description. Of course, we can tell you thatthe world-building and charactersin Ebon Light are phenomenal.
3Lake Of Voices
Lake of Voices looks pretty scary, huh? What if we told you that it was made by the same developer behind Our Life: Beginnings And Always? This is another unique game, with the basic premise of crossing a lake.
While doing so, you’ll get to know a handful of potential love interests that you can get to know. Lake of Voices isn’t all love and smiles though, your group may suffer a loss that affects the outcome of the story!
2Nusantara: Legend of The Winged Ones
Nusantara: Legend of The Winged Ones is rooted in Indonesian culture, placing you in the shoes of Tamara who has been isekai’ed into a fantastical world with winged people. In total, you can find three love interests, as well as six different endings.
Overall, Nusantara is a great game to play if you are looking toexperience a new culture with isekai elements. Rather than having a stand-out love interest among the bunch, all three are romance material, making additional playthroughs of the game well worth it.
1Cupid’s Kiss
Lastly, we have Cupid’s Kiss. This is a short and sweet game that will take you about 20 minutes to get all four endings. That’s right; you may play this in less than half an hour, making it great if you want to experience a bite-sized story that is still very well written.
In Cupid’s Kiss, you’ll get to chat with Virgil, who is the winged person shown in the images above. While Cupid’s Kiss doesn’t involve any serious or tense situations, it’s a great game to play if you really just want to chat with, as the developer states, “a cute winged dude”.
