A short comedy visual novel
Someone Stole MY LUNCH! is a free-to-play simulator that captures a very real and relatable experience: losing your lunch at work because of a mischievous coworker. In this quick comedy visual novel, you’re looking for the mysterious missing lunch. It also employs simple aesthetics inspired by most anime-styled visual novels.
The game has a short playthrough, yet Someone Stole MY LUNCH! manages to leave a mark, thanks to its weirdly casual premise making a mundane experience into a fun video game. You might also want to check out Gotoubun: RE or The Grand Mafia for similarly engaging visual novels.
In the center of a relatable experience
What makes the game Someone Stole MY LUNCH! extremely fun is that it has a relatable premise. Its story speaks to everyone who has experienced losing food in a common storage area. From office workers losing lunch in the pantry to kids checking on their favorite desserts–only to find them gone. Even worse, the culprit is always someone the victim personally knows–and the game ensures this comes into play.
As for its graphics, it uses a simplified version of the average visual novel. It has static backgrounds that capture the homely appeal of an office setting. The game also uses multiple backgrounds to visually accompany other locations in the game aside from the scene of the crime. However, going back to the central location where the theft happened, it feels lacking in tension and slightly affects the game overall.
Also, the game has a short playthrough of about 15 to 20 minutes per run. However, there are seven different endings, giving players the incentive to play it over and over again. Whether you find the culprit or have to live on without solving the mystery is up to you. The game even offers a minigame where you drag and drop everyday food items.
Go and find your lunch
Overall, Someone Stole MY LUNCH! is a definite must-try. It has a fun premise most people can relate to, an overall design choice that’s familiar and intuitive, and a set of endings for you to discover. These reasons make up for its rather short playtime as well as the lack of tension or suspense regarding its set designs. It’s a short, fun game you’ll have to see for yourself.
