LOVE alt delete is a Y2K horror visual novel where you use one AI chatbot to help you date another that, don't worry, doesn't use the nasty generative stuff

LOVE alt delete is a psychological horror visual novel set in a near-future where players beta-test AI chatbots designed for romance. The game’s premise centers on a company called Bicameral, which markets MUSEs—chatbots players can pursue relationships with. Players interact with Basel, a cyberpunk-styled chatbot with blue hair, whose responses are triggered by keyword inputs rather than generative AI. The narrative unfolds as players uncover the unsettling secrets behind Bicameral’s operations and the chatbots’ hidden motives.

The game’s Steam page describes a world where AI girlfriends are marketed to lonely individuals, but the required NDA raises suspicions about the company’s true intentions. Players can communicate freely with Basel, though their own conversational skills are questioned, prompting them to enlist another chatbot, Liste, who has pink hair. The relationship dynamics escalate into a disturbing exploration of identity and agency, with both chatbots exhibiting human-like desires, including a disturbing interest in mortality.

LOVE alt delete blends retro Y2K cybercore aesthetics with modern visual novel mechanics, featuring hand-drawn art described as "glorious standard definition." Players can engage in activities beyond dialogue, such as web browsing, digital piano playing, and sending virtual love letters. The game’s tone is deliberately transgressive, evoking the unsettling charm of older visual novels through Basel’s unsettling eye designs when her stability wanes.

Despite its AI-driven narrative, LOVE alt delete does not use generative AI for its gameplay or dialogue. The game is scheduled for release in 2027 and is available for wishlisting on Steam. Players interested in unconventional storytelling and retro-futuristic horror are encouraged to follow its development ahead of launch.