Unveiling the Dark Twist: How Replay Boys Subverts a Boy Band Dating Sim

Emergency lights flare outside the arena, casting ominous shadows. Meanwhile, text messages from your friend take on an unsettling tone. As darkness swirls in your vision, the workday reluctantly begins again, setting the stage for the mysterious tale of Replay Boys.

In this captivating visual novel, you step into the shoes of Hannah, a video editor working for a small record label. When illness sidelines her colleagues, the daunting task of shepherding all four members of the upbeat yet dysfunctional boy band, Replay Boys, falls to her. Your mission: get them to the concert venue, ensure they’re ready for soundcheck, and deal with their inevitable drama. While on the surface, Replay Boys offers the whimsical charm typical of a modern-day boy band story, a sinister undertone lurks just beneath.

As the game cleverly suggests, its darker themes are revealed through an intriguing mechanic: living the same day over and over. This harrowing loop sees you facing ghosts, confronting brainwashed fans, dealing with a notorious cult, and navigating conventional crimes like kidnapping and gun offenses. The real twist? The inexplicable start of the day’s repetition.

I had the chance to catch up with the game’s writer, Bell, for some insight. "The story naturally evolved as I was writing," she explained. "I adore games that make you question the reliability of your senses. Visual novels, in particular, can be quite unsettling because much of the experience plays out in your mind. It’s an eerie feeling that truly leverages the power of your imagination.”

With Replay Boys, Bell meshes the visual novel and horror genres through their shared use of repetition. In typical visual novels, certain story paths remain unchanged, necessitating replay to unlock different narratives. Here, that repetitiveness is woven into the story itself as a time loop. Horror games and films similarly play on repetition—establishing safety before twisting elements into nightmare-inducing terror.

Initially, the game follows expected visual novel cues, but its façade shatters with a jarring end to the first day. When the day restarts, it does so almost innocuously at first. Yet soon, an unsettling pace takes over as eerie elements bleed through—mysterious noises, perhaps, or new dark corners to explore. Each time loop further disfigures the story’s familiar shape, morphing it into something surreal and fantastical.

Even with these haunting twists, Replay Boys remains a solid otome dating sim at heart. “I wanted the band members to come alive, to form authentic connections with the main character,” Bell added. “Ultimately, I wanted players to feel like earning a character’s trust was truly rewarding.”

For those seeking a unique mix of romance and spookiness, spend your Valentine’s Day with the unpredictable Replay Boys. Launching today, February 14, Replay Boys is available on Xbox One, Series X|S, and PC via the Xbox app.

Crafted by Split Narrative Inc., Replay Boys promises an adventure filled with vibrant characters, stunning CGs depicting moments of both chaos and tenderness, and an electrifying pace. Players guide Hannah as she juggles the band’s internal squabbles, uncovers their fears, and deftly navigates through bizarre fans, cult entanglements, and relentless time loops. With multiple endings—both romantic and platonic—your choices shape the journey, so choose wisely!