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Come Home review
Master every scene, character relationship, and gameplay mechanic in this adult visual novel
Come Home is a narrative-driven adult game available on Steam that has garnered significant player engagement with over 140,000 units sold and a 92.8% positive review rating. The game focuses on building relationships with multiple characters through dialogue choices, activities, and time management. Whether you’re new to the game or looking to optimize your playthrough, understanding the mechanics for unlocking scenes, gaining affection, and progressing character relationships is essential. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about mastering Come Home, from initial setup to unlocking all available content and maximizing your gaming experience.
Character Relationships & Affection System
Ever feel like you’re just clicking through scenes, hoping you stumble onto something good with Adrian, Mrs. Mills, or Tammy? 😅 I sure did on my first playthrough. I’d chat with someone, choose what I thought was a nice option, and then… nothing. The story just wouldn’t budge. It felt like hitting an invisible wall. That’s because, at its core, the character relationships in the Come Home game are governed by a deep and rewarding affection system in Come Home. It’s not just about making choices; it’s about strategically building connections that unlock the game’s rich, adult-oriented narrative. Think of it less as a visual novel and more as a social puzzle where every conversation and activity is a piece you need to place.
This chapter is your master key. We’re going to break down exactly how the Come Home hearts system functions, map out the unique relationship progression in Come Home for each main character, and show you the direct path to unlocking scenes in Come Home that you might be missing. Forget guessing—let’s get strategic.
How the Affection Mechanic Works
Let’s cut straight to the heart of the matter (pun intended! 💘). The affection system in Come Home is your primary tool for shaping the story. It’s a beautifully simple yet profound system that tracks how each character feels about you, represented by a series of hearts that fill up over time.
Pro Tip from My Playthrough: Don’t treat this like a typical “nice guy” simulator. Sometimes, being agreeable gets you nowhere. Paying close attention to each character’s personality is the real secret to how to gain affection in Come Home.
Here’s the breakdown: Each character has an affection meter. You raise it by spending Time with them. This isn’t just about being in the same room; it’s about engaging in meaningful interactions. The main ways to spend Time are:
* Chatting: The most basic interaction. You get a few dialogue options, and choosing the one that resonates with the character’s current mood or personality nets you affection points.
* Activities: This is where the game shines. Specific activities with specific characters are affection goldmines. Playing “Souls of War” with Adrian or hitting the MMA pads with Tammy doesn’t just pass time—it massively accelerates your relationship progression in Come Home.
The Come Home hearts system acts as a gatekeeper. Key story beats, intimate moments, and crucial dialogue options are locked behind having reached a certain number of hearts with a character. You might see an option greyed out, or a scene might simply not trigger, because you haven’t invested enough Time with that person yet. It forces you to genuinely engage with the characters you’re interested in.
Here’s my hard-won advice for managing your days efficiently. You have limited Time blocks, so you must choose wisely. To build bonds with multiple characters without neglecting anyone (or the main plot), follow this step-by-step guide:
- Map Your Week in Advance. At the start of each in-game day, pause. Check who is available and what activities are offered. Mentally plot a course. Trying to build character relationships in the Come Home game requires a planner’s mindset.
- Prioritize “High-Yield” Activities. A coffee chat might give +1 affection, but a gym session with Tammy could give +3. Always choose the activity that gives the biggest return for your limited Time block if you’re focused on one character.
- Balance Story and Affection. Some days push the main plot forward automatically. On free days, that’s your chance to focus purely on how to gain affection in Come Home. Don’t waste free days on solitary actions if you’re trying to build hearts.
- Keep a Mental Ledger. If you’ve just had a big story moment with Adrian, maybe your next free Time block should go to Mrs. Mills to keep her progression from stalling. This rotational focus is key to a balanced playthrough.
- Embrace Replayability. You will NOT max everyone out in one go, and that’s okay! The affection system in Come Home is designed for multiple playthroughs. Focus on one or two characters per save file to see their full story arc.
Character-Specific Relationship Progression
This is where a generic approach fails spectacularly. 🚫 Each major character in your house responds to completely different stimuli. Using the same strategy on Adrian that you use on Tammy will leave you with one close friend and one who thinks you’re an alien. This section of our Come Home character guide will give you the specific playbook for each person.
To visualize the unique pathways, here’s a comprehensive table breaking down the core methods and milestones:
| Character | Primary Affection-Gaining Methods | Key Scene/Feature Unlocks | Unique Activities & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adrian | Deep, supportive conversations. Showing interest in his interests (gaming, his past). Post-Scene 2, phone interactions are crucial for consistent contact. | Reaching 2 hearts opens more personal conversations. After Scene 4, agreeing to play “Souls of War” with him becomes a major, repeatable affinity source. | The “Souls of War” co-op gameplay is a central pillar of his route. Your performance and reactions during the game directly influence affection gains. It’s more than a minigame; it’s a relationship barometer. |
| Mrs. Mills | Helpful, domestic interactions. Offering assistance, sharing quiet moments in the kitchen or common areas. Her progression is often tied to the comfort and routine of the home. | Her route features automatic scene progression at 2 and 3 hearts. Reach these thresholds, and specific story moments will trigger during main plot sequences, often in the evening or at key locations in the house. | Less about specific “activities” and more about consistent, caring presence. Choosing to spend time with her during downtimes speaks volumes. Her path is about building trust and subtle intimacy. |
| Tammy | Energetic, physical interactions. Conversations at Java Lava (her workplace) are a great start. The real gains come from the gym activities: sparring, pad work, and later, MMA training. | Unlocking the gym training sequence is a major step. Helping her with fight preparation for her matches creates a powerful bond and is a guaranteed way to earn large chunks of affection. | Her route is physically demanding (for the character, not you!). Showing commitment to her athletic world—showing up for training, being her corner—is the ultimate key to her heart. |
Adrian’s Path: The Digital Connection 💻
Adrian can seem closed off at first. My biggest mistake was being too pushy. The breakthrough came when I stopped asking direct questions and started engaging with his world. After the pivotal events of Scene 2, his phone becomes your best tool. Text him! Check in. These small, consistent interactions build a foundation. But the true turning point is “Souls of War.” Once it’s offered, SAY YES. This co-op session isn’t just fun; it’s a massive trust exercise. Be an enthusiastic teammate, not a critic. The shared struggle in that virtual world translates directly into affection points and deeper relationship progression in Come Home with him.
Mrs. Mills’ Path: The Heart of the Home 🏡
Mrs. Mills’ affection system in Come Home is deceptively simple. It’s woven into the fabric of daily life. You won’t find a specific “spend time” button for a dramatic activity. Instead, it’s about choosing “Help Mrs. Mills in the kitchen” over going to your room, or having a cup of tea with her when she seems thoughtful. The magic is in the automation. Once you hit 2 hearts, and later 3 hearts, the game will seamlessly integrate special scenes with her into the main storyline. It feels organic, like your growing closeness naturally leads to these private moments. It’s a brilliant design that makes her route feel uniquely mature and grounded.
Tammy’s Path: Strength and Support 🥊
Tammy is all about action. Talking at Java Lava is your entry ticket, but to really advance, you must step into her ring. The gym is your primary venue for how to gain affection in Come Home with her. Start with basic workouts, but always express interest in her MMA career. As her trust grows, you’ll progress to holding pads, then full sparring sessions. The pinnacle is assisting with her fight preparation. This isn’t a one-off scene; it’s a multi-step process where your support is critical. Showing up, learning the techniques, and being her reliable partner is what fills those hearts faster than anything else. It’s a physically intimate and demanding path that’s incredibly rewarding.
Unlocking Scenes Through Affection Levels
So, you’ve been grinding at the gym with Tammy or mastering “Souls of War” with Adrian. How does that translate to the good stuff? 🎬 This is where the Come Home hearts system pays off directly. Unlocking scenes in Come Home is almost always a direct result of reaching a specific affection threshold with a character.
Think of each heart as a key. One heart might unlock new, more personal dialogue options. Two hearts might unlock the possibility for a private conversation in their bedroom late at night. Three hearts could be the requirement for a major, plot-altering intimate scene. The game doesn’t always signpost this with a “HEART LEVEL REQUIRED” message. Instead, the scene simply won’t appear as an option, or a character will politely (or not so politely) turn you down if you try to initiate something they’re not ready for.
Personal Insight: I remember trying to initiate a deeper moment with Adrian when I was just a sliver into the second heart. The option was there, but he gave a vague, non-committal response and the scene ended. I reloaded, spent two more Time blocks with him (getting that heart firmly filled), and tried again. The difference was night and day—a full, emotional scene played out. The affection system in Come Home was subtly telling me I was jumping the gun.
These gates ensure narrative coherence. The characters won’t share their deepest vulnerabilities or desires with someone they barely know. This makes the relationship progression in Come Home feel earned and authentic. The scenes you unlock aren’t just rewards; they’re the direct narrative consequences of the bond you’ve built.
For efficient unlocking of scenes in Come Home, you need a targeted approach:
* Check the Journal: Often, hints about a character’s current state or desires are hidden in your journal entries. This can clue you in on what they might need from you to open up.
* Focus Fire: If you want to see all of Tammy’s story, dedicate 80% of your free Time to her. Spreading yourself too thin is the fastest way to see no one’s complete arc.
* Respect the Pacing: Some scenes are time-sensitive or require a specific sequence of prior scenes. If you’re stuck, ensure you’ve not only hit the heart requirement but also experienced all the prior story beats for that character.
Mastering the affection system in Come Home is what transforms the game from a passive story into an interactive, deeply personal experience. It’s the framework for all meaningful character relationships in the Come Home game. By understanding the Come Home hearts system, utilizing our Come Home character guide, and applying these targeted strategies for how to gain affection in Come Home, you move from being a spectator in the house to an active architect of your relationships. Now, go load up your save. That next heart is waiting to be filled, and an incredible scene is waiting just on the other side. 🗝️✨
Come Home offers a deep relationship-building experience where understanding the affection system and character-specific progression paths is crucial to unlocking all available content. By mastering the mechanics for gaining affection through dialogue, activities, and time management, you can efficiently progress through scenes with Adrian, Mrs. Mills, Tammy, and other characters. The game rewards players who invest time in learning each character’s unique preferences and activity options, whether that’s phone calls, gaming sessions, gym workouts, or workplace interactions. With strategic planning and consistent engagement with your preferred characters, you’ll unlock the full experience that has made Come Home a highly-rated title in its genre. Start with one character to learn the system, then expand your approach to build multiple relationships and discover all the game has to offer.
