I would recommend Battlefield Waltz, if only for the world-building. That is where the game truly shines, but I wish they had done more in the story with the Cursed Sword. Overall, I did have fun playing the game.
There are a lot of good elements there in Genso Manège. There are also some tiny details that bothered me, and if fixed, would make the game a lot better. That being said I still think that it’s a fun and adorable Otome game. It is beautiful to look at, has great characters and even an interesting story. If you are a fan of Otome games, you will enjoy this one.
To keep it short, I liked Virche Evermore -EpiC: Lycoris-. They added a lot of extra content to make the game pretty long, so game-time-wise, you’re good. Not everyone had the ending I was hoping for, but maybe that is just the story the writers were going with. But in a lot of ways, the characters did get a happy ending in their way.
All the feedback above aside, 9 R.I.P. has a special place in my heart. It has been a little while since I played another otome game, and this game lit my fire for it once again. I think fall and Halloween are the perfect moments to play this game and really embrace the ghost romance stories. Everyone has a storyline for them in the game due to the many realms we play in. 9 R.I.P. feels like it has multiple games rolled into one
Radiant Tale -Fanfare!- is a tough one to give a verdict on. I enjoyed playing the game and liked all the stories it provided us with. But it is difficult to say yes or no based on the price. If you loved and enjoyed the original Radiant Tale or would just like to add the fan disk to the collection, then yeah, I would say go for it. You won’t be disappointed. I should mention, that I fall into the first category, I loved and enjoyed the original. But if you did not love the original game to begin with, then I would advise passing this one because it is a bit too short
Would I recommend Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling? YES, most definitely. I enjoyed the game very much. Of course, the original game will always be the better one, but if you are in for a laugh and want more spicy and romantic scenes then I would recommend picking this up. At some moments there was some crazy stuff going on, but I didn’t mind it. I actually like that a game can stand out by adding loads of goofy elements. And it had a very decent play time as well, with a lot of content.
Tengoku Struggle -Strayside-Tengoku Struggle -Strayside- has all the elements that I love in an Otome game. An interesting world, good LI’s (Love interests) with some spicy scenes and a good story. I would recommend picking this up and just enjoying the journey.
Although I’ve told you how good Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II is, I do want to say that while I loved exploring a new genre in the VN world, I don’t think that this will become my new favourite genre. Playing the game at night was difficult as my “scared” emotion would be triggered in the dark. If this is something you feel that you can handle, then pick Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II. It’s a great game on many levels.
I liked Oops, I said yes?! and would recommend it to anyone who wants to play a cosy Otome game with a lot of fluff. I would also encourage any Switch Otome gamer to try something new and maybe be surprised at all the different Otome games out there. And (I know a lot of ‘ands’) if you have the Love 365 app but don’t want to spend money on every single part of the story, this would be a good alternative if you have a Nintendo Switch. Overall I think a large group of people will enjoy this title.
Even though it could be a tough playthrough at times with the heavy topics and the despair, Virche Evermore ~ErroR: Salvation~ is one of the top Otome games of this year. They have done a phenomenal job with the storytelling and even the characters are intriguing and going through their own character development in their routes. If the themes mentioned at the start of the game do not scare you away, I would definitely pick this game up.
I will come out with it right away: Norn9: Last Era is a good game. The game really balances between being a fan disk and a sequel to Norn9: Var Commons. I enjoyed the Norn9: Last Era. I enjoyed the mix between the couples being lovey-dovey and actually facing some issues so that it doesn’t get too sappy. If you loved Norn9: Var Commons you definitely must pick this game up as well.
If you have a young gamer who loves puppies and kittens, or if you are a pet lover yourself, Pups & Purrs Pet Shop would be a good game for you. What is not to like about running an imaginary store and caring for adorable puppies and kittens? This sort of game is something I loved when I was younger. And it was also one of the games that got me into gaming. So I would definitely recommend Pups & Purrs Pet Shop to younger gamers, but also to gamers that love this type of simulation.
I want to mention that Radiant Tale has focussed a lot more on world-building and visual designs than on the plots of the routes. This makes the overall topics of the routes more about accomplishing things through the power of love and friendships. I was not at all bothered by this, but if you have a need for a strong plot this might not be the game for you. But I really loved the game, yes it did have some small things I would have done differently, but there were also a lot of things that made up for those small things. So I would encourage everyone who is into stunning visuals and cosy vibes to pick this game up
Would I recommend Charade Maniacs? Yes, I would, but take this with the information that there are plot holes and that the story feels a little rushed. In the end, it didn’t bother me as much, but I can imagine that some people find the plot to be super important. The game does have great qualities, like world-building, and the characters were appealing. For this reason, I would recommend it. But play it at a slower pace
I find it difficult to rate Jack Jeanne because I just could never really get into it, due to my own busy personal life at that moment. But looking at all the great elements this game has: visuals, music, characters and the story, I can recognize that this is a great and unique game, and definitely an innovative step for otome games. I would recommend that everyone gives it a try because there is something for everyone in Jack Jeanne.
Would I recommend Winter’s Wish: Spirits of Edo? Yes, I would. If you are a lover of amazing sound, visuals and historical fiction like me, then this is a game for you. In saying this, I do want to say that not all the routes had an amazing storyline, and the romance was a little more toned down than expected. But I still think the main storyline of the game and some of the routes are worth playing it. And I do think it will fulfil your romance need.
I highly recommend this game to anyone who loves visual novels and is looking to soothe their anxiety whilst playing a game. This game helped me to relax at night before going to sleep because it just soothed me. I love that aside from hearing the stories of the customers, you actually make their drinks; this added a lot of extra fun to the game for me. Another fun addition to the game was that they added a lot of fun little pop culture easter eggs in the dialogues. That made the game feel like it could be real, but just in another realm. Lastly, I want to mention the playtime. The amount of playtime you get for this affordable game is so worth it in my eyes. It took me a long time to finish the game, and it is definitely replayable when you haven’t unlocked every recipe or have some other achievements to finish.
Norn9 Var Commons is a pretty good start to my Otome year. It has a lot of different, well-thought-out characters. I think there is a character everyone can relate to. The story itself left me curious about where it would go, and I loved the sci-fi theme that the whole game has. Whether it was a well-beloved game for you when it first came out or whether you are looking for a new Otome game, this is a good one. I think, even though the game is a remake of an older game, it still brings something new to the Otome world.
I would absolutely recommend Lover Pretend. It does have some small flaws but those are nothing compared to how fun and beautifully made this game is. Every route was enjoyable to play, which does not happen often for me. This would be a good Otome game to add to your collection.
I am really torn about Paradigm Paradox. It did have some nice qualities here and there. For example, the story itself is an interesting idea and I liked playing the routes of Kamui, Ayumu, Mihaya and Ibuki. But the game does not bring a lot of innovative stuff. There was also a lot that was missing for me. The routes were fairly short, there were too many routes for me, and the plots were rushed, which also didn’t give me a chance to really see character development in Yuuki’s love interests. After saying all these negative points, I do feel it had so much potential that wasn’t used. I did like some of my playtime, but this would not be the Otome game I would pick up over all the other great ones out there.