LGBTQIA+ studio First Bite Games, after a year of titillating its followers on social media with love bites of information and spicy character art, has finally released its dark comedy visual novel romance game, First Bite. Initially scheduled to release on Halloween, First Bite came out yesterday on Itch.io.
In the game you play as Noe, “a human and lover of all things paranormal,” who enters a strange house on Dead End Drive hoping to confirm the rumour of its inhabitants being creatures of the night. It’s there that they find themselves on the receiving end of the icy stares of three centuries-old vampires named Laurel, Ilyas, and Valeria.
As is standard practice for my fantasies — I mean visual novel gameplay — you have the daring option to romance the three unfairly attractive vampires. But be warned, as their street would imply, the game has multiple positive outcomes alongside 26 “dead ends.” So, you’ll have to choose your words wisely to avoid being devoured by your would-be paranormal paramours. Or don’t. Whatever floats your boat. And if you feel once bitten and twice shy about romances in games, First Bite offers a non-romance route wherein you can “forge an (albeit cursed) friendship.”
“People have always said that there’s something sinister that lurks within the walls of the house at the end of Dead End Drive. I always thought it was a joke to scare away kids, to stop them from playing on their lawn, but now I’m not so sure…” pic.twitter.com/nIOuNUZ2qf
— First Bite ???? (@firstbitegames) April 22, 2021
The game describes Laurel as “a lover of Hot Topic,” Ilyas as a himbo who thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room, and Valeria as someone who’s pegged Dracula, so you know these guys are fun to have at parties if you’re not too busy running away from them for dear life. If you happen to not vibe with your character’s name, First Bite allows you to change their name and pronouns for your role-playing pleasure.
This 18+-rated game isn’t for the faint of heart, featuring “strong language, violence (potential player death), blood and gore, (optional) sexual scenes (including consensual kink and BDSM), (supernatural) emotional manipulation, and other content that some players may find disturbing.” If the game’s dark comedy is as wild as its lore and content description, I might have a new obsession on my hands.
First Bite Games clearly knows what players with an affinity for vampires are interested in: becoming part of the “it crowd” with blisteringly attractive vampires and/or serving them on hand and foot. And with Laurel, Ilyas, and Valeria being partially voice acted by Jalen Cassell (Okuyasu from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure), Alejandro Saab (Yuri from Fire Emblem: Three Houses), and Marie Westbrook (Hanami from Jujutsu Kaisen), the vamps’ dialogue may well make you blush. I, for one, welcome our new vampire overlords.
First Bite is available on Itch.io for $US9.99 (A$14).