SweetieGames

I write about otome games plenty on this blog; as one of my favourite genres, I find I never run out of things to talk about. I would love to do an actual count of the amount of otome titles I’ve played, but many of them are lost media now and are difficult to log. I’ve definitely played over 150, closer to 200! So, what is it about this genre that has had me hooked for over 10 years?

In case you aren’t aware, otome games are a subgenre of dating sims that are primarily visual novels and feature female protagonists and primarily male love interests. One of the first articles I wrote for this blog walked through the history and creation of the genre! I’ve been an otome game enthusiast since the mid 2010s, downloading my first Shall We Date? title in 2014 and I quickly fell in love (no pun intended). I’d have 5ish games on the go at once! Nowadays, I mainly play otome games on the Switch, finishing about 1-3 otome titles per year. That’s pretty slow in comparison to others, but I am someone who enjoys savouring a game! I also have to squeeze in otomes around other genres that I enjoy, playing DnD with my friends, working and of course, writing!

But why have I kept coming back to otome games after all these years? The answer has multiple parts. Firstly, as a girl gamer, I hardly ever got to play as a female character in a game. I could probably count on one hand how many of my early gaming experiences featured female protagonists. Playing otome games exposed me to all kinds of wonderful and interesting female characters, not only in the protagonists but side characters as well. Love rivals, the protagonist’s friends, coworkers and so many more, I loved seeing cool girls in the games I was playing.

Another thing that I love about otome is the plot. So many people dismiss otome games as dating sims for girls, but some of the best stories I’ve ever read have genuinely come from otome games. I’ve never cried so much at media as I have while playing some otome. The fact that they’re all told from first person perspective makes it even more immersive for me. In a fair few games, the romance aspect takes a back seat and the main focus is on the overarching plot that unfolds over all the routes. Games like Virche, Code: Realize and 9 R.I.P. have really kept me on the edge of my seat!

I have also found over the years that great characters are what keep me coming back to a game. I don’t want the cast to be too big, I want the focus to be on a smaller group that I can really get to know. This is why I love RPGs like Persona and Dragon Quest! Of course, a big draw for otome games are their pretty character designs and casts, and I love seeing interesting new designs for otome characters along with their stories. There are routes I played over 10 years ago that have stuck with me to this day, for good and bad reasons, because I remember a character so well. Amnesia’s Toma is of course a prime example of this; his route is iconic and started a yandere movement for games everywhere.

When I write out the reasons I love otome, I realise it’s no wonder that they became one of my biggest special interests. Combining beautiful art with captivating stories was of course going to keep me hooked; they’re two of my favourite things! I can’t wait to share more otome games with you on this blog.

If you’re interested in trying the genre out for yourself, why not take a look at some of my favourite otome games on the Switch? Spanning from comedy to drama genres, there’s something for any mood!