Otome Games

Everything around games - from web games, platform gaming to MMORPGs.
dragoneyes
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Re: Otome Games

Post by dragoneyes »

@Destinie I usually like to read the female lead's feeling and see her interact with other characters on her own even without me needing to chose every single detail for her. It gives her more depth in a way.
This of course is my preference and consider I tend to have towards visual novels the same approach I've for books rather than for games: more than feeling like I'm a part of the game, I want to read a good story.
I also find that a lot of the dating options in otome games are straight-up abusive! I want to have the option as a player to call them out on it. When they get too weird or nasty I just have to stop playing the game. There's ALWAYS that guy who hates the lead and says mean things to her but no really he secretly loves her?? I hate that.
YES PLEASE DO CALL THEM OUT ON THAT!
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Destinie
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Re: Otome Games

Post by Destinie »

That's the plan! ;D I want to have a character that is that trope but the female lead tells him he is being abusive and needs to back off! I think I would also like to have a little bit of reality in there to have people who are playing the game have a good understanding of what should be acceptable in an actual relationship and what isn't. I love dating sims but I think sometimes they just take emotional advantage of players. Anyways~!

So reading more of what the main character is thinking is interesting? I think that way it is easier to distinguish between yourself and a character. I keep thinking of it as a Choose your Own Adventure Romance Novel. xDD
anon

Re: Otome Games

Post by anon »

dragoneyes wrote:Another thing that frustrates me is how the female lead is usually pretty...bland? I understand she's supposed to be a stand-in for the gamer, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't have a personality of her own. Multiple choices during dialogues are fine since it's an otome game after all, but I think they should reflect aspects of her personality in any case.
For instance there are some games in which, when you are given a multiple-choice dialogue, you get wildly discordant options that go from the "super-polite" to the "wildly rude", and all I can think about when I encounter them is "wow, this is so freaking generic :/".
Maybe having a personality that doesn't match the player would only kill the illusion of being the audience surrogate? After all, not all players playing the game will have the same personality.

Regarding abusiveness, it's always been a problem in media but like most controversial issues, it's easily disregarded on the basis that dating sims aren't supposed to represent real life. The indie game is really big right now and there are tons of developers making otome games that don't have this crap in them, so there's some good within the unplayable.

It's also controversial because, if you're referring to Japanese otome games, of cultural differences. There's also stuff that is interpreted differently... the "kabe don" trope is REALLY popular in Japan and it's one of the most idealized scenarios for women, while in the West people would think it's rather abusive.
Destinie
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Re: Otome Games

Post by Destinie »

Are people looking for a surrogate character or not? It seems that in some cases (I lean towards the visual novels) people are looking to interact with an actual character instead of putting themselves in the place of the lead. It seems like this isn't a set standard for the genre because I've seen it presented in a variety of ways.
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Camy
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Re: Otome Games

Post by Camy »

I like both ways of having a character being the main who we control and without one. Usually the ones I play have a character to play as.
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Re: Otome Games

Post by SnowRayjah »

I like when there's some character. I don't mind overly polite protagonist, but let's face it I can be pretty boisterous. My issue is that I have a hard time relating to a set standard or non-opininated girl. I WANT the option to reasonably say "you're beating a jerk and I don't appreciate it" rather than running out of the room. I'd love to be able to WORK/TALK through things as a couple in Otome games rather than everything get pushed aside.

I've been playing kissed by the baddest bidder. Mamoru is extremely rough around the edges, says dumb stuff, and he teases MC a lot. It doesn't bother me that he always calls her kid (think old noir movies, I'm good). What does bother me is is that MC internalizes everything and expects him to UNDERSTAND. Unless he's a mind reader, please don't do this. Let them try and talk it out (even if he won't listen, which might be true in Mamoru's case). At least let me feel like they're trying to communicate.

I'd say that's probably my biggest issue. Like seriously, I feel more like MC talks at the guys rather than to them. Granted, I understand it's easier that way for a game.

Also not fond of dudes that come off as mean and rude but have secret crushes. I tend to like the older more mature guys, but can we please stop having them obsess about age differences (since that sets MC as much younger than I am)! I'm not in my early 20s anymore, it'd be nice to have romance options around the same age or a little older that weren't like "omg you're too young for me, but I really love you." The constant reminder of age inserted into the story makes it very hard to enjoy.
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nyxmidnight
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Re: Otome Games

Post by nyxmidnight »

I've bought and started playing Men of Yoshiwara Kikuya. It's my very first otome.

What fresh Hell have I fallen into :P
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Lethe
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Re: Otome Games

Post by Lethe »

I haven't played that one, Nyx, but a friend linked me to its Steam page. XD Maybe one day! Hope you enjoy the genre.

I got a used PS Vita about two weeks ago because it was a really good offer, so now I'm reaaaally looking forward to playing the Vita-exclusive Norn9: Var Commons and Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~!! *_* Hope that those are selling well and that it means more console otoges will be localized. The two games aren't available physically in Europe though (and physical > digital for me), so I'll have them sent to the US address my mother's staying at for the next few weeks. Can't wait. *-*

I recently played The Royal Trap: The Confines Of The Crown, which isn't an otoge first and foremost (it's a visual novel that revolves around political intrigue, has a great protagonist, great relationships, and has a very strong common theme on all routes), but includes heavy otoge elements. Not all routes are romantic in nature, and they're referred to as "alliances" in the grand scheme. Some alliances lead to romance, but the person you enter a romance with may not be who the route is named after. SO GREAT. I think I'll write about this on my gaming blog later, I really loved how it handled some of the writing.

I think the fact that it focuses on delivering a story and its theme above anything, showing different sides of the political mystery and offering different solutions from route to route, is what makes it so great (including the protagonist, who is not a stand-in for the player), as otoge stories are usually forgettable to me. (You play them for the characters.)

I tried out Blood Code a while ago because it has pretty art and I'm accessing it via a friend's Steam library, but... stiff translation aside, the writing in the prologue alone is so awful that I've put the game aside. It keeps jumping around without saying anything about the characters.
Both despair and ecstasy are part of the elements that compose a person.
nyxmidnight
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Re: Otome Games

Post by nyxmidnight »

Well, if anything, now I wanna write my own otome because I'm sure I can write better than Men of Yoshiwara was translated *cough cough*
Join in the Tale, in the Blight, of Conquest and Lies
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Lethe
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Re: Otome Games

Post by Lethe »

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

Oh yeah, Amnesia: Memories is on sale AGAIN if anyone wanted to buy it. I have no idea how it's on sale so often (it was $3 recently, and the launch sale was already generous), but wow, 533 reviews and "overwhelmingly positive" sounds great as far as otoge support goes. MOOOOOOOOOORE.
Both despair and ecstasy are part of the elements that compose a person.
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