80 Million Players, Five Boyfriends

One of the first things you see when opening Love and Deepspace is a man painting a mural. Perched on a tall ladder, he’s got a palette in one hand and a paintbrush in another. His gauzy white shirt drapes off his body. His shoes are off, and dark hair brushes against his eyelashes. Another man – blonde, with deep blue eyes – runs his fingers over a row of CDs. Another man gently presses an apple to his lips. There are several more tight shots of men, all similarly beautiful, smoldering at the camera – at you. One of them, the man with the shirt open to his nipples, winks. These are your boyfriends in the Chinese-made narrative romance game Love and Deepspace.

There isn’t much deep space in the opening sequence of Love and Deepspace, but make no mistake, this is a science fiction story. Once you’ve started the narrative, it’s immediately clear: Today is your first day as part of a supernatural, military-esque force that’s protecting the world from alien creatures. Slowly, the player-character learns more about herself, the world, and the five romanceable men that play significant roles in the plot: Zayne, Xavier, Rafayel, Sylus, and Caleb. What unravels is a complex, fantastical story with branching dialogue and narratives and alternate realities, dynamic combat, and lots of flirting. A new update, released in late December, added a housing system with decor to buy, gardens to tend to, and instruments to play – all while roleplaying a cozy, stay-at-home date with one of your five boyfriends.