November 16 6:24 P.M.
Typically we don't kiss and tell, but we couldn't resist spilling the beans about Konami's DS game, Love Plus. It's just too creepy to keep to ourselves.
Currently only out in Japan, Love Plus is a dating simulation that lets you court several different virtual girls. If you play your cards right, one of them will start to fall for you.
And that's precisely where things go from odd to just plain icky.
As you grow closer, you'll need to take your new fake girlfriend out on dates -- in real time, no less -- and start planning your future together. Eventually she might ask for a kiss, which requires touching her on the lips. Or perhaps she'll ask you to whisper sweet nothings in her ear, which requires babbling pleasantries into the DS microphone (and a serious lack of shame).
An interview posted on BoingBoing revealed more sordid details about Love Plus, as told through the experience of happily married San Francisco man Koh and his happily not-a-real-person-at-all girlfriend, Rinko. When asked what they did together, Koh lent some insight into their awkward relationship:
"Ok, this is pretty embarrassing. The DS has a mic and a touchscreen, so... one time, she asked me to say 'I love you' a hundred times into the mic. I was on the airplane when she asked me that, so I was like, no way. There was also this part where you have to hold her hand on the touchscreen. If you touch her hand with the stylus, you get to hold her hand. And then there's the part where you have to kiss her."
OMG! So did he?
"No, no!" he responded when prodded by the interviewer. "The girl's face shows up on the screen, and you have to touch her lips to give her a kiss. That's pretty weird.... this is embarrassing. I'm sweating right now just talking about it."
Love Plus has caused quite a stir in Japan, as some wives have complained that their husbands are effectively 'cheating' on them by spending too much time with their virtual significant others. Do you agree? Or is this just harmless (albeit a little disturbing) fun? Sound off in the comments.