I have played a lot of visual novels before, but this is the first time I've played one structured like Sweet Hamster Days. Unlike others that use stock art or animations to set up interactive scenes with the player, this game is 90% live-action, using real filmed footage of the Shiratori sister actresses. There is a novelty to this approach, and the different camera angles really emphasize Kota's size, the character that you play as. The video quality is also incredibly crisp, so if staring at Japanese women is one of your general interests, then this game is tailor-made for you.

Ironically, the problem with this presentation is that it creates a game that feels less interactive than your standard visual novel. Unlike other visual novels that can branch out into other scenarios while still using the same library of sprites or animations, this game offers far more limited interactivity because the scenes needed to be shot on film before being edited into the game. Making decisions and choices that affect the overall narrative trajectory of the game is, in a lot of ways, the main appeal of playing a visual novel. However, most of the choices that occur in this game are ultimately superfluous. It comes down to the fact that, production-wise, increasing the number of choices in branching paths would mean more footage would've needed to be recorded, which might not have been possible.

The other issue is that the main character Kota is a hamster for most of the game. He has no clear way of communicating with the sisters outside of squeaking, and his small stature makes it hard for him to do anything besides react. I do think that contributes to some of the game's charm, but the problem is that the outcome isn't really that different because the dialogue choices sound the same to the sisters. So if you're looking for a game where every choice you make matters, this is not for you.

The game sometimes struggles to create new forms of interaction. There is a hamster icon in the bottom left corner that lets you express a variety of moods in real time while the live-action cutscenes are playing. This is encouraged in order to get an idea of what Kota is thinking at the moment, but all it does is spam sound effects and stock reactions over the screen. I tried utilizing these reactions during dozens of scenes only for it to ultimately not matter. It was the visual equivalent of dangling keys on screen, which also felt counterintuitive since doing it too much ultimately blocked the live-action footage. The game does have some occasional cute overlays that also pop up from time to time, but they are incredibly basic even at their best.

Don't worry though; there is still a game here. While most of your choices ultimately don't matter, that doesn't mean that all of your choices don't. The game is divided into multiple routes, each focusing on a sister. It's your job to follow each sister around, see what troubles are going on in their day-to-day life, and do what you can to cheer them up, even if it is limited. It's usually the final choice in each story segment that ultimately matters, even if the game doesn't always make it clear. Worst-case scenario, you're still allowed to go back to replay that same story section right away. Plus, the game has a very handy skip feature so you can skip all the cutscenes to make the right choice in a short amount of time. The funny thing is that if you make the wrong choice in a story segment, then the game classifies that as an ending, which means there are technically dozens of “endings” in this game. But it's not like a hard Game Over; you just didn't make the right choice to advance the specific story that the game wants to tell. Some of these “endings” are a little fun while others can literally result in your death. It was sometimes very random, but there was a little bit of amusement in the challenge of trying to “collect” all of these endings.

There are technically a few other collectibles in this game, like background information on all of the different women that isn't revealed in the cutscenes or hints on how to acquire very specific endings. However, the draw is the eye candy segments. Finishing specific routes unlocks full videos that run for about one minute of the sisters changing or wearing different outfits. It's nothing overly explicit; it could be Himari posing in a teacher's outfit on a bed or Futaba slowly putting on her stockings. You don't see anything like nudity or a panty shot. In a lot of ways, this is the most basic of voyeurism, but at least the music during these moments is relaxing.

Now the women aren't strictly eye candy, even if I'm pretty sure their attractiveness is supposed to be one of the main appeals of the game. All of the sisters do have their own stories, whether it's Himari struggling with her job or Miyu struggling with her inferiority complex. I do feel for these characters because it's clear that all of them are working really hard just to live their lives. Their struggles were very relatable, and having an affectionate pet nearby does help alleviate that pressure. The way they talk to Kota as a hamster feels very similar to the way that I might talk to my dog when I get home after a long day. There is some genuine emotion here that I can't ignore. It's clear that Kota was put into the body of this hamster with a mission to make sure that the sisters can live their best lives, and while I didn't feel like the game had me by the heartstrings, I did want to see them get their happy ending.

Going through all the routes of the game will take you a couple of hours. I commend the presentation and the commitment to the live-action elements, even if it ultimately renders a lot of the gameplay elements superfluous. I also feel like the perverse wish-fulfillment angle clashes a bit with the genuine sweetness the game is trying to have at times. But there is a lot of novelty that is worth checking out if you find yourself in the right mood. If you've never tried a game like this before, it's worth a peek and the occasional emotional moments, but you're not missing out if you would rather prioritize something a bit more involved and narratively enriching.