I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator

I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator is a whimsical visual novel and dating sim developed by Psyop, Inc. and published by Kentucky Fried Chicken, where players attend a prestigious cooking academy and navigate romance with the iconic Colonel Sanders himself. Blending anime-style art, humorous dialogue, and light managerial simulation elements in a contemporary yet fantastical setting, the game features branching choices that influence relationships and story paths, all while playfully promoting KFC’s finger-lickin’ legacy through endearing, absurd characters and short, delightful interactions.

I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator: Review

Introduction

Imagine a world where the wholesome allure of fast-food fried chicken collides head-on with the steamy tropes of anime dating simulators—welcome to I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator, a bizarre yet oddly endearing 2019 release that feels like a fever dream cooked up in a marketing boardroom. As a game journalist and historian with over a decade chronicling the evolution of interactive entertainment, I’ve dissected everything from epic RPG sagas to experimental indies, but few titles capture the absurd joy of corporate whimsy quite like this one. Developed by animation studio Psyop and published by none other than Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), it’s an advergame that parodies the visual novel genre while subtly (or not-so-subtly) peddling its titular product’s “11 herbs and spices.” Its legacy? A cult hit that amassed over 12,000 overwhelmingly positive Steam reviews, turning a promotional gimmick into a meme-worthy phenomenon that questions the boundaries between advertising, art, and sheer entertainment. My thesis: While I Love You, Colonel Sanders! is unapologetically brief and brand-driven, its sharp wit, charming anime aesthetics, and self-aware humor elevate it to a minor masterpiece of parody, proving that even fast-food tie-ins can deliver a surprisingly heartfelt bite in the sprawling history of gaming.

Development History & Context

The origins of I Love You, Colonel Sanders! trace back to 2019, a pivotal year in gaming when indie visual novels and dating sims were exploding in popularity on platforms like Steam, thanks to hits like Doki Doki Literature Club! and the rising tide of accessible, narrative-driven experiences. Enter Psyop, Inc., a New York-based animation and visual effects studio founded in 2006, best known for high-profile commercials, music videos, and films like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Psyop wasn’t a traditional game developer; their expertise lay in crafting immersive, stylized visuals for brands, making them an unconventional but fitting choice for KFC’s bold foray into interactive media. The project was spearheaded by Game Director and Writer Alexei Bochenek, with a lean team of 17 contributors—including character designer Brian Nguyen, artist Siobhan Keenan, and music composer Hexany—leveraging the Unity engine for quick prototyping and deployment.

KFC’s vision was audaciously promotional: to humanize the iconic Colonel Harland Sanders mascot (the real-life founder of the chain, who passed in 1980) by reimagining him as a youthful, dateable heartthrob in a culinary school setting. This wasn’t KFC’s first brush with gaming; the brand had dabbled in arcade cabinets and mobile apps, but this marked their debut full-fledged title, timed to coincide with a broader trend of advergames like Wendy’s Super Dash! or Domino’s Pizza Heroes. The creators aimed to blend romance tropes with KFC lore—emphasizing “secret recipes” and finger-lickin’ meals—while poking fun at the dating sim genre’s clichés. Technological constraints were minimal, given Unity’s versatility for 2D visuals and simple choice-based mechanics; the game runs on modest hardware (e.g., 2.2 GHz processor, 4 GB RAM), reflecting Psyop’s focus on accessibility over complexity. No major hurdles like hardware limitations plagued development, but the short timeline (announced September 10, 2019, released just two weeks later on September 24) underscores its role as a viral marketing stunt.

The 2019 gaming landscape was ripe for this absurdity. Visual novels were booming, with Steam’s free-to-play model enabling low-barrier experiments. Corporate tie-ins were evolving too—think Epic Games’ Fortnite collaborations—amid a cultural shift toward memes and irony. KFC, facing stiff competition in fast food, sought to recapture youth appeal through gaming’s viral potential. Psyop’s animation prowess ensured polished cinematics, but the project’s brevity (1.5-2 hours per playthrough) highlights its promotional DNA: not a AAA epic, but a snack-sized delight designed for quick consumption, much like a Bucket of Original Recipe.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

At its core, I Love You, Colonel Sanders! unfolds as a visual novel set in the fictional Colonel Sanders Culinary Academy, where you play as an unnamed, gender-neutral protagonist—a promising but weary student navigating the high-stakes world of gastronomy. The plot kicks off with your first day of classes, where you encounter a cast of nine quirky characters, chief among them the titular Colonel Sanders: a tall, white-haired, impeccably suited young man with a Southern drawl, magnetic charm, and an unyielding passion for perfecting fried chicken. What begins as a routine school life spirals into a romantic pursuit, punctuated by “life-changing decisions” that influence affection levels, friendships, and endings. You’ll cook midnight meals, fend off rivals in absurd confrontations, and uncover “secret recipes” that symbolize emotional intimacy—culminating in choices about partnership, love, or even a ghostly twist in the secret ending.

The narrative is a masterclass in parody, skewering dating sim conventions like timed dialogue options, affection meters, and over-the-top drama. Dialogue crackles with witty banter: Sanders quips about his “11 herbs and spices” as metaphors for hidden depths, while supporting characters like the foul-mouthed dog Sprinkles (your loyal companion and comic relief) or the bubbly Miriam (your childhood friend and potential rival route) deliver lines that blend culinary puns with heartfelt vulnerability. For instance, a pivotal scene involves teaming up with Sanders to craft a “KFC Famous Bowl”—mashed potatoes, chicken tenders, and mac ‘n’ cheese layered in nauseating excess—acknowledged in-game as a “nightmare” yet scored perfectly, satirizing brand loyalty over taste.

Thematically, the game explores romance through the lens of ambition and authenticity, with food as a love language. Sanders embodies the “oyaji hero” archetype—a mature, dependable figure masking insecurities—drawing from the real Colonel’s rags-to-riches biography (a nod to his actual life as a Kentucky entrepreneur). Themes of choice and consequence shine in branching paths: support Miriam’s dreams for a platonic ending, or pursue Sanders for romantic triumph, complete with a “business partner” twist that ties back to KFC’s empire-building ethos. Underlying it all is a critique of consumerism; the game’s product placement (detailed menu art, spice hunts) is overt, yet self-aware, turning advertising into narrative fuel. Parody extends to fantasy elements—like battling a villainous rival or encountering a ghost—creating a nonsense-filled slice-of-life comedy that questions whether love (or fried chicken) can conquer all. Clocking in at under two hours for a main playthrough, with multiple routes adding replayability, the story’s brevity amplifies its punch: it’s a finger-lickin’ fable about finding flavor in the ordinary, wrapped in affectionate absurdity.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

As a hybrid of dating sim, visual novel, and light managerial sim, I Love You, Colonel Sanders! revolves around choice-driven loops that blend romance-building with pseudo-cooking challenges. The core gameplay is point-and-click: advance through static scenes via mouse or keyboard selections, with timed dialogue options (e.g., 10-second windows to pick flirty or supportive responses) that affect hidden affection stats for characters like Sanders or Miriam. Success unlocks progression, such as mini-games where you “cook” by selecting ingredients—mirroring real KFC recipes—or engage in “cooking battles” that parody fighting games, pitting your team’s meals against rivals’ in rock-paper-scissors-style clashes resolved by button-mashing or quick-time events.

Character progression ties into a simple affection system: positive choices raise bars for romance routes, while failures lead to “game overs” (e.g., flunking exams or alienating friends). There’s no deep RPG leveling, but managerial elements emerge in school simulations—earn a “degree” by balancing classes, side activities, and dates, with secret ingredients (11 in total, hidden across playthroughs) serving as collectibles that unlock the true ending. UI is clean and intuitive: a fixed/flip-screen 2D interface with anime-style portraits, text bubbles, and a subtle hunger meter that encourages “feeding” relationships via food-themed interactions. Controls are direct—point-and-select via mouse, with optional gamepad support—but flaws abound: no auto-skip, backlog, or save system means restarts from chapter indices for bad choices, frustrating veterans of the genre. No gallery or mod support limits replay incentives, though the three endings (romantic, friendship, secret) provide branching incentive.

Innovations are sparse but clever: the “battle battles” fuse visual novel pacing with arcade flair, using food as weapons in humorous, non-violent duels. Flaws include linearity—most paths funnel toward Sanders—and brevity, with no real failure states beyond humorously fatal ones (e.g., dying from bad cooking). Overall, mechanics serve the parody: they’re accessible for newcomers, demanding just enough strategy to feel engaging without overwhelming the 1.5-hour runtime.

World-Building, Art & Sound

The game’s world is a cozy, fantastical slice of contemporary culinary academia, blending everyday college life with whimsical KFC lore. Set in the Colonel Sanders Culinary Academy—a sprawling campus of sunlit kitchens, dorms, and midnight picnics—the atmosphere evokes a feverish dream where fried chicken reigns supreme. Backgrounds, crafted by artists like Matt Vince and Ruslan Isianov, feature hand-drawn anime vistas: steaming pots in cozy cafeterias, starry nights over herb gardens, and exaggerated arenas for “cooking duels.” This fixed-screen scrolling creates an intimate, theater-like feel, enhancing the visual novel’s emotional beats while subtly integrating product placement—detailed illustrations of buckets, tenders, and sauces that tempt without overwhelming.

Art direction shines in its anime/manga style: characters boast expressive, chibi-inspired designs by Brian Nguyen and Siobhan Keenan, with Sanders’ white goatee and suit rendered as a suave, ikemen archetype. Food art by Stephanie Stromenger steals the show—cute, miniature depictions of meals add whimsy, turning bland menus into adorable set pieces that contribute to the game’s lighthearted, family-friendly vibe. Cinematic animations from Shotopop elevate key scenes, like romantic confessions or explosive battles, with fluid FX by Vince Stimpton adding polish.

Sound design complements this saccharine charm: Hexany’s soundtrack mixes upbeat chiptune pops with twangy country guitars, evoking Southern comfort food—think jaunty banjo riffs during dates and tense synths in rivalries. SFX are delightfully tactile: sizzling pans, crunching bites, and heartfelt sighs amplify immersion. Voice acting is absent, relying on expressive text and subtle animations, which keeps the focus on visuals but occasionally feels sparse. Together, these elements craft an atmosphere of playful escapism, where the world’s KFC-infused fantasy reinforces themes of nourishment and connection, making even promotional beats feel genuinely appetizing.

Reception & Legacy

Upon launch in September 2019, I Love You, Colonel Sanders! polarized critics while exploding among players. MobyGames aggregates a middling 54% critic score from five reviews: GameSpace praised its “gorgeously constructed distraction” (80%), lauding the animation, while Hardcore Gamer dismissed it as a “fast food advertisement” not worth deeper engagement (30%). Kotaku’s unscored piece highlighted the irony of falling for food over the Colonel, and GamersHeroes called it a “joke with no punchline” (40%). Commercially, as a free Steam title, it was a runaway success—over 12,600 reviews yielding a 92% positive rating (8.9/10), with players hailing its humor and brevity. HowLongToBeat clocks main story at 1.5 hours, with completionists at 2, fueling its “one-and-done” appeal.

Reception evolved into cult status by 2022, amplified by meme culture on KnowYourMeme, where the trailer sparked viral reactions (e.g., @anjapatel’s “Trying Kombucha for the First Time” face garnered 2,000 likes). Steam discussions buzz with NSFW mod requests and “true ending” guides, cementing its ironic fandom. Its legacy lies in advergames: it influenced titles like Hooked on You: A Dead by Daylight Dating Sim (sharing Psyop credits), proving brands can craft enjoyable experiences beyond blatant shilling. In industry terms, it highlighted dating sims’ marketability—free-to-play models drove downloads, boosting KFC’s visibility amid gaming’s mainstream surge. While not revolutionary, it normalized corporate irony in indies, paving the way for more experimental tie-ins and affirming visual novels’ enduring charm in gaming history.

Conclusion

I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator is a testament to gaming’s boundless weirdness: a promotional puff piece that transcends its origins through razor-sharp parody, vibrant anime artistry, and a surprisingly tender exploration of love via fried fowl. From Psyop’s nimble development to its meme-fueled longevity, it captures 2019’s spirit of accessible, humorous indies amid advergame innovation. Though flawed by linearity and brevity, its engaging choices, charming world, and cult appeal make it more than a gimmick—it’s a delightful detour worth every minute. In video game history, it earns a secure spot as a quirky icon: not essential, but undeniably finger-lickin’ good. Final verdict: 8/10 – a winner-winner chicken dinner for fans of absurd romance.