This is a transcript excerpt covering the score awarded to Ten Dates on the So Videogames podcast, episode 324: Whipped Cream Eggs.
BRAD: Now that I’ve thoroughly mangled our podcast with my fumbling, stumbling, let’s get back to you Carlos for a FMV game. you know, you like FMV, and I like FMV. I think that FMV is coming back in a big way. Mostly thanks to what is the name of the publisher that is currently escaping me it is…
CARLOS: Wales interactive
BRAD: Wales interactive. Thank you. I love Wales interactive. They’re great. 10 Dates. 10 Dates is here. The sequel to 5 Dates. And I’m guessing there’s going to be the next game is probably…
CARLOS: Going to be 100.
BRAD: I was gonna say 15.
CARLOS: Oh, yeah.
48:43
CARLOS: We love Wales Interactive. For me, I think it started with The Complex.
BRAD: Yeah, I really enjoyed that. I love that one.
CARLOS: I remember playing Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus for the show. I didn’t like that as much. I thought the acting which is okay. And I had I had some of the problems with the acting. but I didn’t play five dates. And man, I just gotta say right off the bat, the production of 10 Dates is the best version of an interactive game. really quality stuff hands down. It’s like it’s difficult to do FMV because, you know, not only just the choices, but what are you focusing on when it comes to the acting? What are you focusing on? When it comes to the transitions? It can be jarring, you know, right like the the acting can like come from really choppy. Weird.
And even with who press mute, like that, at times felt weird because like the dialect or the way people were feeling didn’t like transition to the next scene. You know, it’s tough. Yeah, this one does it effortlessly perfectly. Like I felt like the choices I was making and I will get into those choices, and the ending and the outcome, or what I it’s almost like I was playing a regular video game that wasn’t an FMV game, and like an RPG or something, and I know how it was supposed to end, because I did all the right things, you know, and I leveled up the right way, and then it and that’s it.
So it’s like nothing. That’s a hard way to explain it. But like, it just felt effortless the whole way through and, and the cutscenes. And everything that they did with the graphics just felt like just beautiful chef’s kiss.
50:31
BRAD: So if I’m hearing you correctly, it feels like… in a genre where it’s easy to feel like you’re watching clips that are awkwardly stitched together when done poorly, Ten Dates feels like playing a regular game with a regular story — all the clips come together and make it feel like one continuous, smooth experience that flows with your choices.
50:49
CARLOS: Yeah, that’s what I was saying. Basically, exactly. But let me explain why. So what the game is, and I think even when I’m looking at some of the screenshots with five dates, back to what I was saying, with the production of it, five dates seems like it’s a lot of like webcam stuff, where you’re like, looking into your computer. Yeah, this is, uh, you know, all the dates are in an actual space, right? Like, the actors are in a place. And the whole idea of the the game slash, you know, visual novel thing is that you’re going on speed dates.
So you are with your friend, and you can pick the guy or the girl. So I pick the guy. And so you both are talking your best best friends. And she like duped you into going and speed dating with her, like, You thought you’re just gonna meet up with her have a drink? And she’s like, No, you’re gonna, you’re gonna go on the dates, too. You’re stuck.
Okay. So again, at that point, you’re either the guy or the girl. And back to the production side of things. There’s like a host. And the host keeps saying like, you know, you’ll have a few minutes left for each date. And he’s like, looking in both directions. So it’s like two different rooms. So whoever you picked, you know, the guy is looking at the guy or the girl. Again, just expertly done.
And then so the guy, as I’m the guy, you’re making choices, when you meet each girl at the table, you’re learning about them, you know, you have timed, basic, timed, you know, choices thing. And then, at any point, just like any of these games, you can check how you’re doing with each date, right? You know, how their progress is, and stuff like that. And then, you know, you’re actually, if you’re the guy or the girl, there’s obviously differences. But what’s interesting is that at some point, and again, I don’t know, it flowed together perfectly for me.
So I don’t know if everybody gets this. But at some point, one of the dates that I was supposed to be on with the girl, she was gone. And so the host came over and sat down, and he’s the guy. And so you can see that you could have like, went on a date with him. Because he’s like, he starts propositioning you about things and stuff. And so depending on where you go there, and I think there’s an option where you know, because you mentioned your best friend who’s a girl, I think there’s an option where you could probably just bet with her. It just feels like that could have been an option to think…
But anyway, so I went on the dates kind of as me even though it’s an avatar, it doesn’t look like me, whatever. But I picked choices that were kind of like tied to what I would think. And it was very interesting, because like, I told you in text, like, I’m just going back out there now. Like, yeah, in the real world, and trying to I would like to meet somebody at that cetera. So I was getting to go on these speed dates, and, you know, kind of test the waters in that way. And it was interesting, and just to, like, meet different people, and each person, you know, each woman from in my case, had, like, you know, things that were not awesome, right? Like one girl had a pentagram on her as a tattoo on her chest. And I was like, Can I get past that? Maybe, you know, like, I don’t know. Long story short, I will spoil the fact that I fell in love with this footballer named Tony.
54:05
BRAD: And was she a soccer player or an actual football player, like, like a soccer player.
54:08
CARLOS: Soccer. And she was so awesome. And so down to earth, and fun. And then when you again, all these cutscenes that happen. So like, after you have a date, you go back and talk with your friend and they do these great little cutscenes of like, you know, you’re at the bar, and it’s hard to explain, but the cutscenes are great in between. And, you know, sometimes it looks like a phone, but most of the time it’s like in person, I think it really helps like it’s like, you know, people at a bar. Anyways, long story short, is I asked for a second date with that girl, and you go like onto your profile, like your dating app profile, so couldn’t feel more real. And I like liked some of her pictures. And then I asked her for a second date. And she said yes. Then we went on a third date. And then yes, yes.
And the spoiler is I reached in for a kiss by the way. She’s a footballer and she hurt her ankle. So she was in boot lot of the dates you know, oh, like, like a support like Yes, sir. And anyways, I reached over for a kiss and I put my hand on her boot and it hurt her leg. Yeah, I did a faux pas there. I slashed the avatar. Anyways, it ended up perfectly and then it didn’t do like a cutscene. But it did like just text and it said, like, you ended up with Tony, you go in, like, support her at every match, you know, blah, blah. And then there’s a picture of me and her like a football game. Oh, it was fun. It just it was and again, it’s hard to explain. And if they did it, because I don’t know how they programmed it. But like, every choice that I made seemed to make sense. You know, we play these games a lot. And sometimes you’re like, Oh, I didn’t really want that. Right? No,
55:47
BRAD: Right, like it comes out and that’s not what I meant.
CARLOS: The only thing I didn’t mean… meant a mean, meant is I picked nerdy. Like she’s like, What are you like, and I’m like, I was nerdy in high school. But then he was like, I had a pocket protector. And I was very smart. And I was like, Oh, that wasn’t me.
56:02
That’s That’s yeah. Nerd has a pretty wide definition. Right? So they only fucked up that one thing. But everything else was so right on like the, you know, I know spending a long time on this, but because it’s, in my opinion, my favorite FMV. So that was my story. But I highly recommend anybody who’s ever wanted to play FMV it check this out.
And I like the fact that they like offered up a guy on guy choice. I’m hoping they probably do that with the women as well, you know? Yeah. And it just felt like it was so open ended to what I could do. I could probably even date my, you know, best friend or whatever. But and then I found someone that actually liked to. And that was like, oh, man, I gotta go out in the real world and do speed dating, I think. Because I had a good time with it. It was a weird thing.
58:19
BRAD: Interesting. I would be very curious, I know that you’d like one canon and play through. And I’m basically the same way. But I mean, it seems like if you like to go through something again, I mean, seems like there’s obviously lots of choices, maybe several different people of one gender, several different people of another. You can switch who you are. I mean, I would be curious to see how far into it leans into the like, you know, lesbian or gay options. Maybe I haven’t done like no research on this game at all, just what you’re telling me here, but it would be interesting to see how far they went with this. And this seems like, I mean, everything you’re saying sounds great. And I love I love FMV games, and I love whales interactive. And I definitely think I’m gonna play this one.
58:52
CARLOS: And it was just like I said, a perfect time for me because I’m like, Yeah, I want to go get back out there. And this is like I could virtually do it. You know, for a little bit. I can’t recommend this enough.
Okay, it’s a nine. It’s a nine and wow, it gets nothing wrong. That is… Wait. Is nine is a high score. Let’s give it an EIGHT. Let’s give it an EIGHT. I was speaking from my passion for Tony.
BRAD: I can hear the PR person frowning in real time right
1:00:00
CARLOS: it almost was well, because it can’t be I have to be realistic. That’s why I don’t normally score in the same episode. You know what I mean? Sure, sure. I know. I’m gonna say eight though, because it is a perfect FMV. Like, it doesn’t do anything wrong. I just can’t go nines and 10s. Because that’s like, Elden ring territory. I don’t know.
1:00:20
BRAD: eight is perfectly respectable. Dude. That’s perfect. FMV All right, there we go.
So Videogames Official Score: 8/10
Developer: Wales Interactive, Good Gate Media
Publisher: Wales Interactive
Platform Reviewed: PS5
ESRB Rating: M
Colorblind Modes: None
Subtitles: Can be modified.
Controls: Are not remappable
Transformers fan. MOTU stan. Black Lives Matter, pro-LGBTQIA. Anti-fascist.
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