Olympia Soiree Reviews
Anyone looking for a new otome game to play will find enjoyment in picking up Olympia Soiree. Even newcomers to the otome genre might want to try it out as this game quickly hooks players with Olympia's plight and relatable mood. This is an excellent release that gives Switch gamers an ever-increasing bounty of visual novels to choose from. Jump into the colorful world of Olympia Soiree and you'll be brought on a journey with highs, lows and both surprising and satisfying conclusions.
All the pieces of Olympia Soirée work together seamlessly like the colors of a rainbow naturally drawing together. Just as we all comprise multiple roles, some given to us by family or tradition and others that we seek out ourselves, Olympia Soirée takes its roles of comfortingly traditional and refreshingly modern otome with pride and executes them with great skill. The welcome mixture of seeking out a soulmate and working towards societal change bestows great merit on the game’s storytelling as a whole: just like how looking for love in real life doesn’t have to get in the way of your other goals, an emphasis on romance doesn’t have to get in the way of an interesting story. Olympia Soirée is proof positive that an emphasis on romance, or that being “a game for the female audience,” should never by itself be used as a point of contention against a game.
There are some routes and plotlines in Olympia Soiree that stand amongst the best Idea Factory! has put out, but the price for entry is just too high. There's some beautiful art showcased here, and some memorable moments, and each person in the audience will find a bachelor that fits them… but it's hard going. The deluge of exposition, and dragging slow start makes it a slog to get to these points. This combined with the overly edgy "bad endings" tarnishes the experience as a whole.
Olympia Soirée really is a distinctive and interesting visual novel, however. The Shinto themes and elements give it an entirely Japanese aesthetic and tone, and that's supported with just the most gorgeous soundtrack, filled with traditional instruments. The art and setting for the game are both impeccible, and while Olympia Soirée will put some players off with its harder, darker edges, this is ultimately a game that has something to say. Yes, sure, that means it's not always the feel-good romance that you might have been expecting from the screenshots... but wouldn't you rather a game that got you thinking? I know I do.
There's been a fair few games where I've thought about the events of the game for a while afterwards. Maybe it's my choice of romance games, but Olympia Soiree is the first time the good route of a game still caused me to have a nightmare when I went to sleep that night. If you're ready to deal with this kind of story, then take the plunge.
Ultimately, Olympia Soiree is the whole, entire package – you’ll want to play it for the layered story, (mostly) lovable characters and steamy, high amount of romancing. It’s exceeded my expectations and surprised me in some ways too (thanks for existing, Tokisada!) — and horrified me more often than not.
There are a lot of words that I could use to describe Olympia Soirée, and most of them are positive. Even if social commentary isn’t the reason why you play video games (goodness knows it isn’t mine), Olympia Soirée‘s decision to fearlessly tackle situations that parallel ones within our own world shouldn’t cause you to shy away from its wonderfully romantic story lying in wait. If you’re a fan of Otome VNs, I doubt that this one will let you down!
Olympia Soiree stands out for its nuanced characters, detailed world-building, and ambitious storytelling that thoughtfully tackles difficult subjects. Oh, and the romance is great too! I wish the bad endings and choice system had been more robust and that there was more of the excellent art and music, but these are minor quibbles. If you’re open to a serious story that touches on challenging themes—and want to romance some dashing men along the way—I’d highly recommend Olympia Soiree.
Olympia Soiree has the makings of a decent romance that puts a lot of effort into its main protagonist and has many different moving parts in terms of narrative beats. Sadly, there’s just no substance or world-building, and the few enjoyable character routes aren’t enough to compel you to complete the game, let alone fall in love. However enjoyable it may be to some, you won’t find anything remotely new about this setup.
Olympia Soirée is a good pick for fans of otome games and visual novels in a broad sense. Inspired by japanese culture and working with social critique, the title presents a really compelling world. Besides that, it seems to indicate Aksys Games has learned from its mistakes in the translation of Café Enchanté, renewing the hope that upcoming titles will also be of high quality.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Within its genre it is a must, standing out in the lore of its world, its art and its music. If you are otome lovers, you will not be disappointed.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Olympia Soiree ends up feeling awkward for many reasons. The class system, the focus on getting the heroine married and pregnant, and the information dumps get to be so much. Once you do finally get to a route, the pacing improves, but before that it is just so much to take in and process.