Dating sims can often feel repetitive, but a few stand out for having unique mechanics, great storylines or really intricate characters. Best Friend Forever from Starcolt Studios and Alliance Games has all three, which makes it an especially excellent treat.

The primary goal in Best Friend Forever isn't actually falling in love, although the player does move to Rainbow Bay and download an app for singles with dogs, ostensibly with the intention of finding a partner. There's just one catch: They don't have a dog. An adoption event quickly takes care of that problem, though this is the player character's first dog, so the next 16 weeks are all about training and bonding with their new fur-ever friend.

In the interim, the player meets several local singles -- and their dogs -- and goes on dates. At the end of it all, the most important relationship in Best Friend Forever is, as the title implies, between the player character and their pup.

Related: Steam: Best Friend Forever, Spiritfarer & 3 Other New Titles You Should Play

As someone who plays a lot of dating sims and really loves even the most simplistic ones, Best Friend Forever is a tier well above the rest. The general vibe is similar to Dream Daddy: PC moves to a new town, makes new friends, dates around and maybe falls in love.

In addition to individual run-ins and dates, there are also group hangouts, because everyone in the Rainbow Bay dog parents community apparently knows each other. Since the PC is new there, everyone wants to help them feel at home in their own unique ways.

Best Friend Forever also has a diverse cast of characters and excellent LGBTQ representation. The PC stumbles through an awkward interaction with a service dog and has to reconcile their reasons for moving to Rainbow Bay with one of their new friends' line of work. The game never gets bogged down by overly-serious examinations of trauma or intense emotional pain, but these things are present, which helps it feel grounded.

Related: How Spiritfarer Makes Death 'Cozy'

The dog portion of Best Friend Forever is the best, which is the point. Players can choose from several adoptable dogs at Paw Prints Pet Care Center, who span several breeds, ages and skills. Each dog has a shelter name, which players can either keep or override with their own choice. Once they've picked their new pup, they're tasked with loving and training them, just like adopting a pet in real life.

Best Friend Forever takes place across four months and each week is marked through training and care sessions with the player's dog. The goal is to graduate with gold stars from the Paw Prints training school by leveling up skills like manners, sociability, smarts and fitness. Building trust is also important. Each week, players fill their calendar with activities to do with their pup, choosing which ones to do based on which skills they improve.

Once activities have wrapped, the PC takes care of their dog by giving them food, water, toys and -- much to the dog's displeasure -- baths. A clean, well-fed, energetic pup is a happy pup. Additionally, players will encounter "dog events" during the course of their interactions with other characters at gatherings, on dates and during run-ins. The PC may have to pat their dog, keep them from tugging at the leash, or pick up and toss their poop.

Related: Visual Novel First Snow Approaches Coming-Of-Age Through a Lesbian Romance Lens

Although Best Friend Forever is technically a dating sim, it's more focused on pet care and bonding with a fur-ever friend. The characters are great and the story feels balanced, with a complete arc that's about building community and finding family over falling in love with one specific person.

That isn't to say the dating isn't fun, because it is. Some of the romances in this game are swoon-worthy. However, it's refreshing to find a title in this genre that spins some of the more common dating sim conventions upside-down, in order to create a new experience. Plus, the dogs are all really, really cute. Best Friend Forever is just good, wholesome fun.

Best Friend Forever is available now on Steam, itch.io and Nintendo Switch.

Keep Reading: Golf With Your Friends Is the MOST Chaotic Party Game Ever