Many of the date simulators that exist help men practice their conversational skills. Most men know that talking to women and encouraging a feeling of attraction often requires asking the right questions and saying the right things. Many computer dating games focus on this component of dating: talking to women. By taking players (typically young men) through a series of questions, dating simulation games can improve their ability to answer a woman's questions properly.

Typically, a player advances through the game by answering a series of questions posed by a female character. Each question that is answered correctly (according to how the game was originally programmed) adds points to the player's score. Each question that is answered poorly has a negative impact on the player's final score. If the player reaches a certain score successfully, he (or she) wins the game.

Originally, many of the dating simulation games available in the U.S. focused on conversation. That is to say, the player's success was based upon how well-honed his conversational skills were developed (at least, when talking with women). Winning the game usually meant being rewarded by marrying or having a relationship with the female character he was pursuing. Over the years, the focus and rewards of many of these games changed.

Hentai (loosely translated from Japanese to mean "perverted") games began to spread as men raced to play them. These games focused less on innocent dating and more on the method of seduction. Skilled players were treated to interactions with female characters that bordered on pornographic. These sexually-explicit games have garnered a loyal following amongst young men.

Most dating simulation games offer simple storylines (though some offer unique twists). For example, a game titled "Senior Year" takes the player through the last year of college on the quest for love and a meaningful relationship. "The Exchange Student" pits the player against stiff competition on the road to charming Swedish exchange students for a bit of casual romance and passion.

Some of these dating sims go far beyond the realm of casual dating or even sex. People who are inexperienced with dating simulation games may be startled by the graphic and often violent nature as some of these computer programs explore the fringes of love, passion, sex and bondage.

The nature of dating sims practically encourages the emotional catalysts that perpetuate their spread. They typically appeal to young men who are shy or intimidated by the prospect of seducing women. Playing these games doesn't require any true interaction that could lead to devastating rejection. When playing a dating sim, the only form of rejection to face is losing a game that can be restarted with the click of a button.

As dating simulation games have become increasingly popular, their storylines have slowly become more deviant in nature. Though these programs originally gained popularity as innocent dating games, many of them have since crossed into darker territory involving incest, rape and torture. The direction these games will take in the future remains to be seen.

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