Otome Games

[yorunaka]

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Otome games - visual novels with romantic routes aimed at the female audience
More popular titles include: Mystic Messenger and Hakuouki

So does anyone here play otome games?
If so, what otomes games do you play? What are your preferences?
Which are your faves (game and route-wise)?
Which did you dislike the most?

Personally, I have a love-hate relationship with otome games.
I love otome games with good stories - even more so when there's pretty good character development.
Having a great MC makes everything much better too.

However, we all know that not all otoges (otome games) fall under this criteria.
So while there are games/routes I do enjoy, I also don't enjoy everything.

Some of my faves would be:

707/Luciel and his route in Mystic Messenger.
Hajime Saitou and his route route in Hakuouki.
Takeru Sasazuka in Collar X Malice (but not his route unfortunately)
Code: Realize (this game is gold)
Ikemen Sengoku (at least thus far; I've only finished 1 route so far)

On the other hand, there are also ones that fall under the disappointing category for me. Norn9 would fall under that. So would some of the routes in Hakuouki and Collar X Malice. I won't delve on these things in full here but I can explain in case any of you guys are interested.

[Kitalpha Hart]

I haven't played any but I know someone who is making one, but as I pointed out, it'd prolly be better, considering what it's based off of, to actually do a trust system instead of love. Trust gets too low? You're a spy you die now
I'm looking forward to it

[yorunaka]

That sounds more visual novel than otome though? I mean otome games are a subset of visual novels which focus on the romance aspect after all.

Unless of course by that system you mean that the trust eventually evolves into something more romantic?

Either way, visual novels in general, can be pretty darn good.

[Kitalpha Hart]

I think they're going hand in hand on this one

Unfortunately the engine they're using to make it is really simple so we're throwing out ideas and having them rejected as too complex, but still cool, like "oh I don't like you that way but I think you and x would be better together" as like a fourth path. As it is right now, it's trust/love up, down, or remaining the same
Oh well
There's already a secret character and while I have a guess as to who, I haven't gotten an answer as to if I'm right or not

[MonkeyGirl18]

Mystic Messenger is the only otome game I've played and am playing V's route which I thought I was ready for but am not.

My fave route is probably Zen's lol.
Least fave is Jumin's... ofc.

But I hate how it's set to a schedule and you can miss chats and costs me to play them since I work...

[yorunaka]

Kitalpha Hart
Well the trust thing isn't really something new for otome - especially for the ones on console. Of course, they only label everything as affection but if you read some of the choices, it leans more towards the trust than full blown romance.

I'm assuming they're using Python (if it's for the PC anyway)?

MonkeyGirl18
Oh how is Zen in his route? Tbh I never played anything on MM except for Seven's route.
I gravitated towards all the trolling I had to do to gain Seven's attention more than any other response on that game (though I didn't quite like it when he made fun of Jumin's sexuality but yeah that's the only minus I had for him)

Personally, I couldn't bring myself to like Zen because I felt like I had to always shower him with praises? But as I said, I never got to his route so I'm only talking about everything in the common route.

Lastly, if the schedule thing is iffy for you, maybe you can try the 5 chapter a day mobile otomes? Ikemen Sengoku is pretty good so far. I've tried a couple but it's the only thing I stuck with long enough. I'm even sticking to it longer than MM since I only played that for Seven.

[mdom]

the best otome is obviously Hatoful Boyfriend

[Kitalpha Hart]

I have no idea. I think it's still really early on for it tho

[MonkeyGirl18]

Zen's route is pretty good. You learn his backstory and find out why he's all wanting to be showered with compliments. Getting past all the "I'm so beautiful" remarks he makes, he's like very sweet and protective and I like that.

I've played every route. (I got a normal end for Jaehee and a bad end for Jumin that I thought about redoing, but I lost interest because I don't like him.

[yorunaka]

mdom
OMG. The friend who got me playing actual otome games (I started with Persona 3 Portable first tho) always did recommend that.

Kitalpha Hart
And I see.

MonkeyGirl18
Ahhhh. I see. I just can't get past that I guess? Well that and when playing the common route on the deep story, he can get pretty antagonistic? As I replay right now, I feel like I can get Jumin the most out of all of them but that's mainly because I'm emotionally constipated.

I mean, I don't necessarily agree with Jumin but I get him more than Zen so far? ;;

I'll try getting to Zen's route someday maybe. The narcissism is just pretty cringey for me right now.

[Kitalpha Hart]

I do know that there's gonna be an option to be a boy or a girl. That may lock in if it's romance or trust too, or at least alter certain lines to play if it's more romance or trust

[yorunaka]

Kitalpha Hart
It would be nice to be able to have a romance route irregardless of the MC's sex.

I think that's generally something that people have always wanted in these dating sim games.

[MonkeyGirl18]

I just find Jumin way too cold of a person. I can somewhat understand some of the things he does, but I don't like him because he doesn't tend to show emotion.

[yorunaka]

MonkeyGirl18
I guess I'm okay with him (so far at least) cause I really lean towards the thinking spectrum rather than the feeling side?
Well that and as I replay Mystic Messenger for the first time, I just kinda see that just like Seven, his humor is pretty distinct. So after getting his sense of humor now, I feel that I took most of what he said at face value rather than really taking in what he probably means. It's honestly a bit interesting that he jokes a lot but no one seems to get it lol.

Pretty sure I leaned towards your way of thinking on my first and only playthrough though. I found that Jaehee was the most bearable person to talk to after Seven during that time.

[Kitalpha Hart]

Well the trust thing came up cuz they want to put in one of the female characters and I went "isn't she like 13?"
Cuz there's really no official ages stated, so most tend to assume that she's 16, but I think I saw 13-14 somewhere
So either she gets scrapped for the game or trust/romance depends on the character, too
Idk how it'll turn out still