Today marks the release of Replay Boys, a game that promises to explore the shadows lurking within a seemingly innocent boy band world. Prepare yourself for classic otome vibes interwoven with the sinister twists of horror and suspense.
Imagine emergency vehicles gathered outside an arena while your friend’s texts take on a strange tone. A creeping darkness fills your field of vision as your workday hits repeat. Welcome to the unpredictable world of Replay Boys.
In this engaging adventure, you step into the shoes of Hannah, a video editor working at a modest record label. With everyone else calling in sick, you’re tasked with shepherding all four members of the Replay Boys to their big concert, managing soundchecks, temper tantrums, and band dynamics. While this premise might suggest a straightforward visual novel experience centered around a modern, chaotic boy band, there’s an eerie undertone that bubbles beneath the surface.
To unlock the game’s darker elements, cleverly hinted at by its title, you’ll need to replay the same day multiple times. This repetition uncovers encounters with ghosts, battles against brainwashed fans and dangerous cults, and a medley of other crimes, including kidnappings and firearm incidents. The true turning point begins with the unexplained loop of time.
Speaking with the game’s writer, Bell, shed light on the inspiration behind this unique concept. “The story naturally evolved this way,” Bell explained. “I adore games that make you question the reliability of your senses. Visual novels are perfect for creating this type of eerie atmosphere because they rely heavily on the player’s imagination, allowing for a deeply personal and unsettling experience.”
Incorporating elements from both visual novels and horror, Replay Boys expertly blends these genres by utilizing the concept of repetition. Typically, a visual novel will require players to go through static scenes repeatedly to reach branching storylines. Here, this repetition twists into a time loop that’s integral to the narrative. Horror also plays with repetitiveness—establishing a false sense of safety before turning everything on its head.
Replay Boys cleverly plays on these expectations, first mirroring the typical start of a visual novel day, but then pulling a rapid, unsettling shift as the day restarts. Precise and familiar moments soon give way to uncanny experiences, like strange phone sounds or new access within the environment, pushing the initial storyline into bizarre, dreamlike territory as loops increase.
Bell, who designed the game to also function as a classic otome dating sim, ensured characters developed meaningfully. “The band members needed to feel relatable and genuine so that players could establish unique connections with them. The ultimate reward was for the player to truly earn the character’s trust,” Bell added.
So, whether you’re in it for the romance or for the chills, Replay Boys offers a unique experience, available today, February 14, on Xbox One, Series X|S, and the Xbox app on PC. Get ready to dive into a quirky, yet spine-chilling Valentine’s date with this boy band journey!
