How Replay Boys Transforms a Boy Band Dating Sim into a Dark Tale

Replay Boys hits the scene today, promising an intriguing mix of suspense, horror, and classic otome charm lurking beneath its seemingly straightforward storyline.

Picture this: emergency vehicles are stationed ominously outside an arena, and the texts from your friend start taking on a peculiar tone. Suddenly, everything blurs into darkness, and before you know it, you’re caught in the loop of a replaying day at work.

In Replay Boys, you step into the shoes of Hannah, a diligent video editor at a budding record label. With the entire team out sick, the daunting task of managing the enigma-filled band, Replay Boys, falls into your lap. You’ve got to get them to the concert, prep them for soundcheck, and navigate through emotional breakdowns. While it might sound like a typical visual novel with a modern boy band twist, things aren’t as simple as they seem.

As the title suggests, the story’s real narrative unfurls only after reliving the same day numerous times. Expect encounters with ghosts, clashes with brainwashed fans, and scrapes with dangerous cults, not to forget some more traditional threats like kidnappings and gun crimes. The day repeats itself endlessly, and you’re left with no explanation.

I chatted with the game’s writer, Bell, to find out more. “The story evolved naturally as I wrote it,” she explained. “I enjoy games that play with the idea of unreliable senses. Visual novels, with their part-real, part-imagined storytelling, can be uniquely unsettling—a kind of creepiness that seeps right into your imagination."

The collision of visual novel storytelling and horror influences in Replay Boys is cleverly executed. Typically, visual novels make players replay many parts of the story to reach different endings. Here, this repetition morphs into a story-driven time loop. Meanwhile, horror tales often twist something familiar into shocking terror.

You start the game expecting a traditional experience, but day one ends suddenly, only to start over again. Initially, it seems unchanged, but as you progress, strange occurrences escalate. Maybe you’ll hear strange noises over the phone or gain access to previously inaccessible dark rooms. The more loops you traverse, the more the story warps, transforming the familiar into an unsettling and fantastical journey.

What makes Replay Boys stand out is its masterful subversion of expectations, though Bell remains committed to the otome genre’s roots. “I wanted each band member to be lively and relatable, so players could build unique relationships. By the end, the reward is the genuine bond you forge.”

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a heartfelt yet eerie twist alongside this quirky boy band. Replay Boys is available from today, February 14, on Xbox One, Series X|S, and PC via the Xbox app.

REPLAY BOYS is a visual novel packed with alternate endings, ranging from romantic to friendship-focused routes. It features eccentric characters, dynamic scenes capturing both romance and chaos, and an engaging pace. Your choices shape every outcome, so choose wisely! Play as Hannah, who steps in for the boy band manager at a crucial concert due to an unexpected absence. Guide the band through their internal struggles and face fanatical fans, an enigma-laden cult, and persistent time loops.