Don’t Stare is a free dating sim that feels like a clever little prototype rather than a fully fleshed-out experience, but it’s one I found oddly charming and strangely promising. Made for a game jam, it hinges on a simple yet amusing mechanic: your gaze becomes a weapon, one that unsettles the NPC you’re talking to. The longer you look, the more uncomfortable they get, turning what could be generic conversations into a series of tense, awkward moments.
Playing it had me thinking about how this concept could work in bigger games, especially first-person RPGs where NPC interaction feels too static these days. Imagine trading barbs with a Demon King before a climactic fight, only to realize your eyes keep drifting to his outrageously large ears. Instead of an epic showdown, the Demon King gets so thrown off by your staring he bolts in tears before a single sword is swung. It’s a bizarre twist on combat and dialogue that injects personality and humor into what could otherwise be routine exchanges.
Don’t Stare is cheeky and a little rough around the edges, but it’s one of those ideas that sticks with you. It invites you to reconsider how games handle attention and social cues, especially in narrative-heavy titles. I’m not sure when we’ll get an Elder Scrolls or Witcher game where an NPC shushes you for keeping eye contact too long, but one day, I hope we do. Until then, this little game is worth a look for anyone curious about how a simple idea can shake up storytelling in games.
Source: rockpapershotgun.com
