Too Hot to Handle: Love is a Game (2022) [+]
Oct 13 2025
Too Hot to Handle: Love is a Game is based on the Netflix reality show of the same name where ten nubile 20-something-aged singles are sent to a tropical beach house to spend a month getting to know each other. Apparently the contestants aren't told that is a show where the objective is to mingle but not kiss or have sex otherwise the initial $200k grand price keeps going down for each infraction.
You play a male or female and then interact with the other contestants. It's pretty much a lot of dialog as you talk to people with some inner monologue for your character. In the beginning you get choices as who to hang out with (choose a group of three or more often choose one of three or one from the group). It quickly narrows down to a primary romantic partner and a primary friend.
Now you have a romance meter with your romantic partner(s) and a friend meter with your friend. Make good choices and the meters go up to the second and third levels. Meanwhile you have three meters for sweet, naughty and indifferent and your choices can make one of those go up a bit (and unlike for partner/friend the choices for sweet/naught/indifferent are clearly marked as to which they increase).
As with the tv show there are various activities. Parties, games, workshop exercises, private date, and a private suite with the latter two being the best chance to really romance your romantic partner and get that meter up and also the best chance to cost the group money by choosing kissing and sex. I do like that even if you choose to abstain the dialogue handles it well and in general the dialogue is pretty believable.
Halfway through four more contestants come in and you have two more possible romantic partners to woo you away from your primary.
This game is fairly similar to Episode XOXO. XOXO has a dozen-plus two hour stories while THTH is one 5 to 10 hour story. XOXO has more story-like stories with actual plots while THTH is a reality show so more of a game situation than a story with plot. THTH has nicer graphics and the characters are scantily clad most of the time in a variety of outfits but the model customization is much more limited and the graphics are static standing with the facial expressions changing. XOXO the character models move around and can sit and gesticulate a bit and when they talk their lips move and even if they're not realistic the motions and the models are more primitive they add more to the immersion than THTH's static graphics.
On the audio side THTH has several background music tracks that complement the mood of each scene. But other than that maybe pings and occasional sound effects — no voices or simglish.
THTH seems to have good replay-ability in that you a restart and choose a different romantic and friend partners and each character is fairly distinct in looks and personality. Apparently there are 27 endings (9 other contestants and 3 endings each I'm guessing) though that would be a chore to get all endings. There are sequel games to simulate season 2 and 3.
Overall this was an entertaining game. You need a Netflix subscription to play it.
You play a male or female and then interact with the other contestants. It's pretty much a lot of dialog as you talk to people with some inner monologue for your character. In the beginning you get choices as who to hang out with (choose a group of three or more often choose one of three or one from the group). It quickly narrows down to a primary romantic partner and a primary friend.
Now you have a romance meter with your romantic partner(s) and a friend meter with your friend. Make good choices and the meters go up to the second and third levels. Meanwhile you have three meters for sweet, naughty and indifferent and your choices can make one of those go up a bit (and unlike for partner/friend the choices for sweet/naught/indifferent are clearly marked as to which they increase).
As with the tv show there are various activities. Parties, games, workshop exercises, private date, and a private suite with the latter two being the best chance to really romance your romantic partner and get that meter up and also the best chance to cost the group money by choosing kissing and sex. I do like that even if you choose to abstain the dialogue handles it well and in general the dialogue is pretty believable.
Halfway through four more contestants come in and you have two more possible romantic partners to woo you away from your primary.
This game is fairly similar to Episode XOXO. XOXO has a dozen-plus two hour stories while THTH is one 5 to 10 hour story. XOXO has more story-like stories with actual plots while THTH is a reality show so more of a game situation than a story with plot. THTH has nicer graphics and the characters are scantily clad most of the time in a variety of outfits but the model customization is much more limited and the graphics are static standing with the facial expressions changing. XOXO the character models move around and can sit and gesticulate a bit and when they talk their lips move and even if they're not realistic the motions and the models are more primitive they add more to the immersion than THTH's static graphics.
On the audio side THTH has several background music tracks that complement the mood of each scene. But other than that maybe pings and occasional sound effects — no voices or simglish.
THTH seems to have good replay-ability in that you a restart and choose a different romantic and friend partners and each character is fairly distinct in looks and personality. Apparently there are 27 endings (9 other contestants and 3 endings each I'm guessing) though that would be a chore to get all endings. There are sequel games to simulate season 2 and 3.
Overall this was an entertaining game. You need a Netflix subscription to play it.