u/aplainmourning

The World Cup is well underway and the first knockout stage has been set! Who are you supporting and who is your mortal enemy??

Aside from the sportsball talk, we're here to talk Take Two from Nekoii Studio!

https://preview.redd.it/sqx89nz7fy9h1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=aae2252a148c2c4fcb694288e0e112c4a81fb34b

If you’re like me and forget every single thing you’ve ever done when someone asks you direct questions, here’s some prompts to get you started:

• Who is your favorite character? Was it them all along or did it change while you played?
• What aspect (story detail, UI, game element) stood out to you the most?
• Any memorable lines or scenes?

I don't know if "reverse-isekai" stories are becoming common with how prevalent isekai has become in general, but it's a fun idea! Although, I think I would die a second time if I found out my personal writings were published and being optioned for TV in my new reality like our MC does 😂The narrative does well illustrating this particular fish-out-of-water scenario, and I feel its main strength is in the cast of side characters there to help out the MC.

Since the game is episodic, I feel I haven't gotten a real grasp on any of the LIs yet, but I do like Koen 🙈 Even if he's only playing a trusted and emotionally constipated knight on TV, some of the traits and tropes are already starting to bleed through to reality in the story and I'm here for it.

Next week is all fluff with Good Boy from lunamakeio. See you then!

Happy Pride yall!

It might be getting hot out there but we can cool off with the chill of horror! Let's talk the MuZeum from Arghbulous!

https://preview.redd.it/psxzoutxzs5h1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=2f706f673f50164bf786e1b0023abbe3b7bd9be6

If you’re like me and forget every single thing you’ve ever done when someone asks you direct questions, here’s some prompts to get you started:

• Who is your favorite character? Was it them all along or did it change while you played?
• What aspect (story detail, UI, game element) stood out to you the most?
• Any memorable lines or scenes?

It's interesting that this game plays similarly to those Telltale point-and-click games 🤔 I wonder if there was any influence. I do appreciate working in the dialogue choices in such a way that it creates consequences down the line that feels more organic rather than you just filled the wrong invisible meter. My first run I was killed within five minutes. It was GREAT 😂

I can see that the Curator is pretty popular! He's just a silly little guy, huh? Although tbh I can't say that I wouldn't turn down museum work in exchange for a safe haven during a zombie apocalypse.

Next week we're getting a second chance at life (again) with Take Two from Nekoii Studio. See you then!

If we can have Christmas in July, surely there can be other out-of-season holidays, right? That's my excuse for this week's spotlight 😤

Let's talk Sweet Valentine Chocolatier from VeryFatCat!

https://preview.redd.it/6geufmlzhl4h1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=f75ec724f1d1e3665b12fdcab0c3f6c27273236c

If you’re like me and forget every single thing you’ve ever done when someone asks you direct questions, here’s some prompts to get you started:

• Who is your favorite character? Was it them all along or did it change while you played?
• What aspect (story detail, UI, game element) stood out to you the most?
• Any memorable lines or scenes?

It's way past Valentine's Day, but who says we can't have a little sweetness at any point in the year? This game is just that, along with some coziness - the perfect little pick-me-up. The expository scene featuring all the LIs vying for the MC's attention laid out the group dynamics really well in a short amount of time to lead to the routes. The mini games are all kinda zen…and of course I'll never shut up about my love of differing gameplay mechanics in otome 😂

But. Comrade Jordan 🫡. His anticapitalism rant was one of my favorite parts of the game.

Next week we're becoming fending off the undead and learning at the same time with the MuZeum from Arghbulous. See you then!

My posts here often cover short games because those are the ones I have time to play week-to-week in order to write about them. But I really want to dive into a lengthier indie otome soon! I'll try my best 💪

As for the bite-sized games, we're talking My Group Members Suck!! from tenshideve!

https://preview.redd.it/x0657d1xj73h1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=52480754b0d7b2333d0b917e62750554952af3e7

If you’re like me and forget every single thing you’ve ever done when someone asks you direct questions, here’s some prompts to get you started:

• Who is your favorite character? Was it them all along or did it change while you played?
• What aspect (story detail, UI, game element) stood out to you the most?
• Any memorable lines or scenes?

My education trajectory was such that I didn't have to do many group projects. But I do understand the absolute teeth-pulling feeling of trying to get any more than three people to do the same thing at the same time (and that number is generous). It's a common complaint about socializing in adulthood, right? Though our MC Aini is long-suffering, the game is a good reminder that we don't ever really know what's going on in anyone else's lives and it's better to give some grace where you can.

Normally I love being a bit rude in otome games when given the chance, because I love mess 😂 but the meanest options here didn't quite sit right with me, so I guess I found my bar 😂 Although I love Aini and how take-charge she is. Go girl, get that project done!

Next week we're adding a little sweetness out of season with Sweet Valentine Chocolatier from VeryFatCat. See you then!

You've heard of new year's resolutions, get ready for mid year's resolutions! It"s when I make a bunch of goals I want to accomplish over the summer, often with the same rate of success as new year's 😅

Speaking of feeling like your days are slipping away from you while you do nothing, let's talk MindMindMind from Chattercap!

https://preview.redd.it/g9pmwtewbm1h1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=0197b2b496801cea354a78697750ef9d74902c85

If you’re like me and forget every single thing you’ve ever done when someone asks you direct questions, here’s some prompts to get you started:

• Who is your favorite character? Was it them all along or did it change while you played?
• What aspect (story detail, UI, game element) stood out to you the most?
• Any memorable lines or scenes?

I don't think I've ever played a romance VN with such a clear divide between internal and external forces. Of course, when you imagine your anxiety as a literal person, it becomes easy to pit it against everything around you. Ngl, as someone with a similar situation as the MC's. I found it cathartic to oppose Geist (the sardonic englishman embodying the MC's issues) at every turn. I do see how much of a relief it could be to accept him though. His VA is top-notch to boot!

The actual human LI Kalei is super cute. The prevailing joke in the otome community is how often it feels like the MC is playing therapist for the LIs, but in this case it's almost the opposite 😂 I appreciated his patience with the MC.

Next week we're simulating the coveted experience of working on a group project with My Group Members Suck! from tenshideve. See you then! 

Since the Otome Games Celebration is almost over....anything that really caught your eye? 👀👀

As for eye-catching game jams, let's talk Cyber Obsession from Izumi Games!

https://preview.redd.it/83rzl3mds80h1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=369bd6e66018582bb0ea12eb74727ef723c634a5

If you’re like me and forget every single thing you’ve ever done when someone asks you direct questions, here’s some prompts to get you started:

• Who is your favorite character? Was it them all along or did it change while you played?
• What aspect (story detail, UI, game element) stood out to you the most?
• Any memorable lines or scenes?

Man, I have a lot of thinky thoughts about this game that deserve a proper review, but what a story! Of course it's prescient with out current climate of generative AI seeping into everything we do, with a dark glimpse of what the eventual outcome might be. I do appreciate that there is a hopeful ending note and bright spots throughout the route.

Elijah is such a pathetic wet dog of an LI, I love him 😂 And I have to shout out all of the different visual effects used throughout the game, they really added to the atmosphere and sense of oppression and dread.

Next week we're letting the anxiety consume us with MindMindMind from Chattercap. See you then!

It's officially that time of year where I wonder if it will ever be warm again...

I'd rather get chills of the metaphorical kind, so let's talk For the Trees from Eagle!

https://preview.redd.it/dge7o99blnxg1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=c7b2b35f20f09e3d756589fdd9066ce46f4a261e

If you’re like me and forget every single thing you’ve ever done when someone asks you direct questions, here’s some prompts to get you started:

• Who is your favorite character? Was it them all along or did it change while you played?
• What aspect (story detail, UI, game element) stood out to you the most?
• Any memorable lines or scenes?

I seem to have chosen all the less bombastic spooks from last year's Spooktober to play, but I'm not complaining! For the Trees is certainly haunted albeit not by your usual spirits. The way the narrative covers being stuck, whether in the past, in the confines of your life, or the inside of your own head, is very grounded and relatable - maybe you could even say…rooted? I'll see myself out

Shoutout to the choice on Ian's route that called me out as a former emo kid, I've never been more represented in a romance VN.

Next week we're experiencing the effects of chatbot addiction with Cyber Obsession from Izumi Games. See you then!