Flirting With The Apocalypse In Doomsday Paradise

Should we date at the end of the world? Maybe. Just do me a solid and fight that horse thing from the apocalypse, and then you might, just might, be able to hold my hand. Perhaps even the remote. Doomsday Paradise isn’t your typical dating game, which makes it one you’ll want to pay attention to.

Created by solo dev Lemonade Flashbang, they’ve enlisted some wonderful artists to create their apocalyptic world of superheroes. They aren’t the sadists you’ll see in The Boys or recent Gen V, but still a bunch of indifferent, selfish party-goers who’re more interested in procrastinating than saving the world.

Considering the world will end in just five days (up to seven as you up the difficulty), these layabouts are anti-heroes and entertaining at that. Doomsday Paradise already has an established roster of heroes at the start of the game, and as you select your character, you can choose one as your potential beau (Haley was my match, but was one of the hardest). Whether you woo them or not is up to you and which of the 100+ endings you’re going for.

Doomsday Paradise Review: Meet Me At The Bar, Ok?

Wait – what? Yep, there are 100+ endings in the game. Even a dozen is a lot, so you could think that they’re watered down, but so far (yes, I haven’t 100% it at the time of writing – not even close), each conclusion is another notch on completion, and more importantly, the fun had in playing.

The Adventure setting is an entry-level experience. Coupled with a short playthrough, you’re looking at five days to make something of a legacy. Increase the difficulty and the game length, and the possibilities, though not endless, are still extensive. Now that we’ve established Doomsday Paradise gameplay is very replayable, what about the actual gameplay?

You’re shacked up in ‘paradise’ with the other heroes, and from day one, you can visit a small selection of places such as the colosseum, a dungeon and shop. What motivates you to visit one will depend on whether you are looking to secure your love interest, buff up your character for the imminent duel with Dark Knight (no, not Batman) or other random bosses that unlock, or you can party away and, when the end is near, send a proxy.

This Is The End, My Only Friend

Doomsday Paradise is half visual novel, half turn-based battles. That ratio may be a bit off. 60/40? Combat is on rails. Using a card system, you more or less click the card that does the most damage and hope for the best. Your AI party does its thing on its own. It’s like a clicker in that you button-mash through some battles without any real strategy. The writing is the star, often giving you a choice that will shape the outcome of this particular run.

Developing a love interest with a hero increases your stats with them, but it’s possible to improve these through exploration, learning spells, and consumables. Upgrading your character is essential if you wish to progress, as there are random encounters with demons, plus the ultimate showdown at the end. Death isn’t an issue, and it’s never the end, but it’ll affect your reputation and the outcome of your specific ending.

What’s so moreish about Doomsday Paradise is the loop. After the tutorial run, I played a further five games in a row, and if it weren’t for my din-dins being ready, I would have played more. Switching to the Steam Deck worked great, although my saved game didn’t carry over, so I didn’t want to risk it and thus returned to the trusty laptop. Then switched back as this is fun to play on the go.

Guest House Paradiso

At a glance, Doomsday Paradise feels a teeny bit Early Access as a typical run is very short, and the turn-based battles really aren’t anything exciting. Sure, it looks the part, but intuition makes us believe it’s short-lived. Wrong. Immediately playing another run makes you realise how different each experience is and that there is the catnip.

The sheer volume of outcomes is brilliant, but the writing, notably the wit, really carries it. There were so many demolished fourth wall moments where I laughed aloud to the raised eyebrows of my household and had no shame in showing them what I was playing. 

Playing a dating sim as a happily married man might seem dodge, but Doomsday Paradise was hilarious and worth sharing. It wasn’t as saucy as I thought it’d be, so not entirely on the wife’s judgemental eyebrow of, “What is it you’re reviewing again…?”. Did I tell you it’s a four-player co-op? I just did. Friend some people up – this is a lot of fun. I’m just about to play it again.