Love Notes (2021)

I wanted to really enjoy this game; however, it left me feeling cold. The story seemed unfinished and did not seem to have a natural flow of events. I did not enjoy or really understand the need for the menu between scenes which disrupted the experience whilst playing. I also have concerns with representation and how certain people were portrayed. or described. I would have also liked to see a greater variety of backgrounds and scenes. This game was not for me, but players of their previous games may enjoy it.

[i]Love Notes[/i] is a horror, dating sim visual novel developed and published by Winter Wolves. Although it is set in the same world as [i]Love Bites[/i], it is not necessary to have played it. However, there are some fun character appearances from [i]Love Bites[/i]. Anyway, you either take on the role of Rachel or Jesse, who are members of the rock band, Spectral Howl. After one night where Rachel or Jesse wakes up with no memory of what happened, one of their fellow band members, Sean, finds them and informs them that the band is no more because a certain incident occurred. Thus, as the main character, you're trying to gather your wits and find out as much as you can about what happened while doing your best to save the band. Also, you notice certain physical changes happening (and not just the lack of memory), and you want to figure out what's going on. Along the way, Rachel or Jesse might just find romance. That's the basic story premise, and I'll end my story synopsis here to avoid spoilers and all that. As for the gameplay, there are numerous main story scenes as well as several romance scenes, and all these scenes have some choices that are presented. Early on, yo…

I wish I could recommend this game. But I can't. Writing is frantic and so, confusing. After reading all of the routes, I'm still not sure what villain wanted, who turned MC or who caused amnesia. Romances progress extremely abrupt. One scene you have that flirty tension, next one they already refer to each other as boyfriends/girlfriends and act like they've been in relationship for years. Ending is EXTREMELY rushed. Things are just...happening. Music is mediocre, there's not much variation to characters outfits or emotions, routes are fine (some are kind of interesting even) but suffer same abrupt end as the main storyline. Cameos from Love Bites were fun, though pointless plot-wise. By the way, out of the two games, Love Bites is better - it has more charm and coherent writing. Replaying is booooooring. I know why story split into parts (because the writing is so disjointed, reading it as one story would give you vertigo), but I don't understand why gifting system is even here. It made sense in Love Bites, because you had to earn money to give gifts, but here? Useless. Also, I understand how reusing assets can be advantageous, but this feels like too much. The only savi…

I actualy enjoyed this VN, You can choose Male or Female, the non chosen becomes an npc as you are both in the band and are childhood friends. I played as Rachel and did the Valerie route. This is a fun and interesting route, a vampire who never saw herself as a domestic type settling down and them both playing the parent to a part time human girl. I have just completed the Zoe route, which was fun, with them becoming devoted to each other, so much so, that when others tried to take Rachel from Zoe, they had no chance and gave up. The Kasumi route is crazy where you end up competing against your duplicate, It is kind of strange how the game starts and you quickly see that it isn't just you. I have found a few bits are the same on all routes, just a huge difference IN the routes. Soon you see nearly everyone was affected, so you all start to dig into things. Things start happening to you and then you are hit with a sledge Hammer Along the way you get to pick a Romance route and the story builds from there. I found the Valerie route cute and funny in places. I do recommend it. Now off to try another route.

I enjoyed the bit of this game I played through so far. I ended up liking the way the game handled the romances better than the prequel, Love Bites, as it didn't focus quite so much on juggling the five routes at the same time. Each route is not super long, but there's five per main character, and there are 10 total CGs to collect. I'm curious if, like Love Bites, the stories are different depending on who you choose as your main character. I hope [spoiler]Dante[/spoiler] is added as a romanceable route, despite not making the Kickstarter goal! I loved him so much.

Love Notes is a visual novel developed and published by Winter Wolves that blends music, romance, and a touch of supernatural mystery. The story begins with a clever hook: you play as either Rachel or Jesse, both musicians who wake up after a night they can’t remember. From the start, it’s clear that something is wrong—not just because their band is on shaky ground, but because the protagonist begins to notice unsettling changes in their own body. Strange symptoms, late-night cravings, and eerie shifts in energy levels hint at a larger transformation happening beneath the surface. This setup immediately distinguishes Love Notes from more conventional dating sims by weaving together personal relationships and an overarching mystery that feels both romantic and gothic. Gameplay is rooted in the traditional visual novel format, with the emphasis placed almost entirely on branching dialogue choices and character interactions. Unlike other Winter Wolves titles that sometimes add light stat-building or minigame elements, Love Notes is streamlined so that the focus remains on the story and the choices that shape it. The appeal comes from navigating multiple romance routes, with five poss…