SweetieGames

Otome games have been pretty popular in the west for quite some time now, with the otome fanbase growing on social media year after year. However, there still seems to be assumptions and stereotypes surrounding the genre even today, to the point where companies won’t use the word “otome” or terms like “dating sim” in most marketing material or on the game cases themselves. A lot of the time, they aren’t even described as visual novels!

I’ve previously discussed my views on if visual novels count as games or not, and I have a feeling that even localisation companies are shying away from using terms like “visual novel” or “otome game” to cast a wide net and intrigue as many people outside of the typical otome audience as possible. They see these terms as a negative, off-putting to a general audience. But I think they should be open and proud of what they’re selling, as otome games have contained some of the most gripping stories I’ve ever read. There are plenty of otome titles I’ve enjoyed where romance takes a back seat and the focus is on an overarching plot, and it’s immensely satisfying to see all the route plots come together at the end to provide a big reveal. Games like Collar x Malice, Code: Realize, Virche Evermore and Café Enchante have captivated me in a far stronger way than a lot of other media I have consumed, and they also happen to be otome titles. Some of these games also have the romance aspect be bittersweet or dark, which completely subverts the dating sim stereotypes of fluffy self-insert romance games with weaker plots.

Don’t get me wrong, every now and then I like a fluffy plot with low stakes; they can be particularly relaxing after I’ve been put through the ringer with another game. But I love a plot heavy otome; the high stakes and action packed stories makes the smaller romance aspects have so much more impact, and it feels like there’s a big payoff when everyone is happy at the end. The most I’ve ever cried at a piece of media was while I was playing a particular route in Virche Evermore. I love it.

Recently, I picked up an older otome title, Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly. So far, I’ve only completed the common route ending and haven’t done any of the character routes themselves, purely because the plot twists and reveals were catching me so off guard, thinking about the game was keeping me awake at night! I just had to know what happened next, and now I feel like my heart can’t take much more for the time being. I haven’t really touched the romance aspect of the game, but I was fully hooked on the gripping plot.

Next time you see someone discussing dating sims on social media, don’t just assume they’re in it for self insert fantasy; while that may be fun too, your assumption may mean that you are sleeping on one of the best stories you could ever read. The best part about a visual novel is that you also get to feel like you’re part of the story!