SweetieGames

Game: Illusion of Itehari (JP title Utakata no Uchronia)

Developer: LicoBiTs

Publisher: LicoBiTs, Broccoli, Aksys

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Year: 2025 (in English)

(Header image is a promotional CG, and this review is mostly spoiler free!)

The first game to come out of Japanese otome developer LicoBiTs, Illusion of Itehari was all the rage in the otome space back when it released in late 2025. I was also eager to get my hands on it, as you can see in earlier articles here. I actually had a few of the CGs spoiled for me on social media as I was playing; especially as I had to take an unexpected long break halfway through!

Illusion of Itehari follows a young noblewoman who is the head of her house after her parents died in a tragic accident when she was a child. It’s set in the fictional city of Itehari, a supposed utopia that floats in the air using steampunk style technology, and the primary focus of the game is uncovering the seedy underbelly of this alleged crime free and peaceful land. It’s pretty long, taking you between 45 and 50 hours to complete the 5 love interest routes and the “truth” route, which features no romance but aims to tie together the plot threads posed in each route.

What I liked:

Of course, a game illustrated by Piofiore artist RiRi is going to be gorgeous, and Illusion of Itehari is no exception. I loved every CG, even for characters I didn’t like (more on that later!) and I also loved the game’s use of Live2D to make all the sprites not only move their mouths and blink, but move their entire bodies in a satisfying, almost floaty way. The character designs were also distinctive from one another, separating this game from other otomes I’ve played with pretty yet unique characters, whether they be love interests or side characters or even antagonists. Every character was intricately detailed!

Illusion of Itehari is a very plot-heavy otome, and there were plenty of moments where the romance aspect took a backseat. In Tsuyukusa’s route, which focussed on the main character’s shy, dorky childhood friend, there were points where I actually forgot I was playing an otome game and not a political drama visual novel. When the romance aspects started to emerge again, I actually wanted to put it on hold so I could go back to the drama! I’ve never experienced this with an otome before, but there were points where the plot was incredibly engaging and thought-provoking, more than you’d typically expect from a romance visual novel. MC also had some fantastic chemistry with some of the love interests which worked well alongside the main plot; I really liked Tobari in particular. I liked that they had similar ideals but were from entirely different walks of life. They felt like they were made for each other!

An unusual thing to say that I “liked” was how much I disliked one of the love interests. Pompous nobleman Yori was not to my taste by any stretch of the imagination, and I felt uncomfortable playing his route at many points, but I have to applaud the game for including someone who is so unlikeable as a love interest and also refusing to redeem him in any way. He is as he is, take it or leave it. And while I’d prefer to forget I ever played Yori’s route, I can see why those who are interested in darker or more twisted romance stories would like him. Takuya Eguchi also plays him phenomenally well.

What I didn’t like:

When the plot was working well, Illusion of Itehari had me on the edge of my seat. I was desperate to play more. However, the game wasn’t entirely like this. When discussing the game with friends, I described it as “when it hits, it’s a home run, but when it doesn’t, it really misses.”

All the excitement and anticipation I felt would fall apart pretty quickly when the story wasn’t up to par, which happened at multiple points throughout the game. There were too many routes that had last minute plot twists or reveals that were not hinted towards at all in the rest of the story, which made them unfulfilling, confusing and annoying. Some plot twists actually contradicted other plot points we had seen in other routes, especially within the finale “truth” route.

It felt like there were too many plot threads to tie together, and there were too many ideas that the developers shoved into Itehari which sent the game stumbling across the finish line, which is really disappointing. The closer to the end I got, the more convoluted it became, with twist villains crawling out of the woodwork within the last 10 minutes of gameplay with no hint toward their motive whatsoever. This isn’t satisfying for a player who has already sank 45 hours into this world.

Another frustrating aspect of Illusion of Itehari was the fact that towards the end, we were getting very similar plot twists to those that we had already seen. Two characters in particular were given the “unfeeling” angle, and while they went about it in different ways, I felt that one character who was learning to love for the first time was more than enough. I would have liked to see more variety in the love interest plotlines.

Illusion of Itehari is a solid game with plenty of really engaging moments and beautiful artwork. If it had stuck with a couple of its best plotlines, the game would have been incredible throughout. As is, it feels a little rough around the edges. However, Illusion of Itehari is the first game to come out of LicoBiTs, and it’s a really decent first attempt! I’m eager to see what the studio releases next.

Rating: 6/10 ❤