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Dating sims, or romance simulation games (恋愛シミュレーションゲーム, ren'ai shimyurēshon gēmu), are a video game subgenre of simulation games with romantic elements. While dating sims share a similar visual presentation with visual novels, they are distinct genres. Dating sims are largely dependent on statistical calculations to drive the plot, whilst visual novels focus on telling a branching story.[citation needed] Nevertheless, the term "dating sim" has become a generic term for romance-driven games (恋愛ゲーム, ren'ai games) in the West.
Dating sims are often dialog-heavy and focus on time management: The player must befriend and carefully build and maintain a relationship with one or more characters.[1] Statistics largely underlie the game mechanics.