LOVE IS TRAUMA is an offbeat reality-show styled dating game that challenges players to pursue a manufactured happily-ever-after through staged trials and awkward comedic beats. You play as a contestant who must sign an all-inclusive waiver and endure surreal, often uncomfortable challenges—some involving ants, sudden loud noises and flashing lights—while making choices that shape a short but dense narrative experience. With roughly 15,000 words and an estimated 1–2 hour playtime, LOVE IS TRAUMA is aimed at players who enjoy experimental storytelling, dark humor, and replayable branching outcomes.

Key Features

⭐ Reality-show format that stages romance trials, social challenges and scripted obstacles.

⭐ Branching narrative with one primary love interest and five different endings to discover.

⭐ Compact, tightly written experience of about 15,000 words and 1–2 hours of play.

⭐ Explicit content warnings and surreal elements (flashing lights, loud sudden sounds, ambulances/EMTs, gorillas, ants, worms, alcohol, tobacco).

⭐ LOVE IS TRAUMA mixes dark comedy, awkward situations and player-driven choices for replay value.

Advantages

✅ Short, focused playtime makes it easy to experience the full story in a single sitting.

✅ Sharp writing, distinct voice acting and a production-minded presentation create memorable scenes.

✅ Multiple endings and branching choices encourage replay and experimentation.

✅ LOVE IS TRAUMA offers a unique premise for players tired of conventional dating sims and looking for something stranger.

Disadvantages

❎ Relatively brief experience may feel too short for players seeking deep, long-form dating sims.

❎ Contains potentially upsetting elements (flashing lights, loud noises, unsettling imagery) that limit suitability for sensitive players.

❎ Romance options are focused around a single love interest, which may reduce variety for some players.

Development Team

The game was created by a small independent team: Robobarbie (director, programmer, sprite artist, voice acting as Emilia Beeps), Allie Vera (writer credited as Victor.E and editor), Cérise (languidnimbus) and Destini (writers, QA), Mike Young (voice acting), Faefield Productions (music, SFX, additional voice acting), with audio assistance from Rhythm Robber and QA contributions by Katrielle Elisette and Boca. The project was produced rapidly in a short game-jam timeframe and uses a mix of community assets and custom art and audio.