Technical Information

Developer: Maggese
Publisher: Maggese
Release Date: October 26, 2017

Don’t Make Love is a short text-based game that tells the story of two mantises dating life.
It presents a profound conversation about their relationship… after all, it’s said that after sex, the female instinctively eats the male. Will love prevail over these instincts?

Final Thoughts – Analyzing the Game as a Whole

Graphics and UI

The game’s art is quite nice. There aren’t many scenes, but each one is very well framed and emphasizes the emotional tone of the dialogue.

The menu and HUD are simple and extremely easy to understand.
During the game, it’s very intuitive that each button has a specific action, and above them there’s a text bar where you can respond to each dialogue.

Soundtrack and Sound Effects

The soundtrack emphasizes the romantic and dramatic atmosphere of the game, but I personally found the volume to be a bit low (even after adjusting the settings).
I wouldn’t recommend playing without headphones! :/

Gameplay

Before starting the game, you can choose whether to play as the male or female mantis.
The focus of the game changes depending on your choice: if you choose the male, you’ll see the female worried about what might happen after coitus. If you choose the female, you’ll see the male worried about dying.

During dialogues, you can respond using emotions (smiling, sadness, anger, etc.), gestures (hugging, holding hands, or kissing), or by typing your own words.
The most interesting part of the game is the possibility of responding with your own words. The artificial intelligence can understand your intentions and keep a good pace throughout the game. However, it’s necessary to know English, which might ruin the experience for players who don’t understand this language very well.

Overall, the game tries to bring drama into the conversation, making you reflect on whether it’s really worth risking your life (or your partner’s) after sex. The game’s theme is quite creative, (and even a bit funny in some ways) and for those who enjoy visual novels, I think it’s a valid and off-the-beaten-path experience.

The game doesn’t have a save system, but that’s not an issue since it’s very short. About 15 minutes is enough to complete one of the endings. In my opinion, this is the weakest aspect of the game, as it ends too quickly.
If there were more depth in the conversations, the gameplay would last longer, resulting in a better overall experience.

Replayability and Game Retention

The game is very short, so you can start another playthrough as soon as you finish one.
The fun part is typing responses, including those where you tease and irritate your partner.