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- Best Otome Games No Download
- Best Otome Games On Steam
- Best Otome Games 2020
- Best Otome Games On Switch 2021
- Along with full games, there are demos of otome that are normally paid games, but you can take a sneak peak into them through these demos:smile:. Here are a few top picks: Cinderella Phenomenon (probably the best free PC otome you can get going around) and Seduce Me tend to be the most popular out of this bunch, but I have heard wonderful.
- Is an otome game by eXtend that came out March 23rd 2017 for Playstation Vita. Here’s a short synopsis from my review: Set in the USA in California, a city called Sakurada. The heroine, Inori, is scouted into a special investigation called SideKicks with an ability to see visions of the future.
- Otome games, be they visual novels or other sorts of titles with relationship-building elements, are finding more and more of a place for themselves. It is easy to find something new to play. This is especially true if you have a phone or tablet. Tons of mobile otome games are out there. However, they’re not all worth your time. Finding the right sort to play can be tricky.
- If you're familiar with otome games, you've probably at least heard of Collar x Malice, which is lauded as one of the best titles in the genre. Thrilling and dark, this game continues to win over players with its intricate story and themes of justice and morality.
Otome games are story-based video games (also known as visual novels) targeted towards a female audience. These games, contrary to popular belief, aren’t always sunshine and rainbows—the genre is rife with mystery, horror, politics, and compelling coming-of-age tales. Read on to find your next otome fix!
Best Otome Games
Nightshade
Platforms:Nintendo Switch, Steam, Playstation Vita
In the year 1593, Nobunaga Oda started the Tenshō Iga war, decimating most of the Iga ninjas in the process. The very few that survived were absorbed into the Kōga clan, despite their past rivalries. After 17 years the Sengoku Period finally came to an end, and Japan was unified. Enju (Protagonist), daughter of Kandō Ueno, the Head of the Kōga clan, spends her days training diligently in hope of becoming a full-fledged ninja like her peers. At long last she is assigned to her first mission, but finds herself caught in a dark conspiracy.
Nightshade is one of the most popular otome games right now, and it’s not hard to see why. Between the impressive artwork and the plot’s integration of real Japanese history, this visual novel is easy to lose yourself in. And ninjas—don’t forget the ninjas!
Steam Prison
Platforms:Nintendo Switch, Steam, Playstation Vita
A catastrophic flood split the world into two: the Heights, a gorgeous utopia, and the Depths, a filthy industrial wasteland. Our heroine, Cyrus Tistella, born and raised in the Heights, has nothing but contempt for those from the Depths. As Cyrus descends to that unknown world, the gears of her fate begin to turn…
The plot of Steam Prison will make your blood pump almost instantly: Cyrus, a privileged inhabitant of the Heights, is cast into the Depths after being framed for the murder of her parents. Watching Cyrus evolve as a character and become intimate with the people she used to look down upon, all while trying to solve the mystery of the true killer, makes this a must-play (just take caution: as is often the case in the otome genre, this story can take a very dark turn).
Related: All Mystic Messenger Character Birthdays
Dandelion – Wishes Brought to You
Platform:Steam
Heejung Kim moved out from her education-obsessed mother’s house in an effort to find her real dream life. All Heejung has to show for herself is her major in business administration, average language skills, not being very popular, and decent school grades. As graduation approaches, she starts to worry about her future. One day, Heejung wakes up to animal sounds…? After she finds these mysterious animals, her story begins.
Dandelion was developed by Cheritz, the same team behind the well-known (and highly beloved) Mystic Messenger. The game features a beautiful soundtrack and a surprisingly deep storyline for what initially seems like a silly premise.
Amnesia: Memories
Platforms: Android, Steam
You awaken to find your memories gone. To learn the truth behind your amnesia, you’ll choose from five romantic paths, each its own world. With 20+ endings, can you write the lasting love story you deserve, or will your love and life come to an end?
Amnesia is a popular visual novel that is often recommended to otome beginners, since it offers all of the genre’s best components (stunning art, interesting characters, and even a couple of minigames) without delving into too intense of a story—unless, of course, you romance that one certain character…
Collar x Malice
Platforms:Nintendo Switch, Android, Playstation Vita
A dangerous shadow organization launches a campaign of fear and violence in the city of Shinjuku, pushing society to the brink of chaos. As a young police officer tasked with restoring order, you become the target of an attack, and have a poisonous collar attached to your neck. With the situation spiraling out of control and time running out, five mysterious strangers appear to aid you in your quest for the truth. Who can you trust?
If you’re familiar with otome games, you’ve probably at least heard of Collar x Malice, which is lauded as one of the best titles in the genre. Thrilling and dark, this game continues to win over players with its intricate story and themes of justice and morality.
Related: How to get 707’s Route in Mystic Messenger: Prologue, Days 1-4
Code: Realize
Platforms:Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Playstation Vita
Venture into a reimagined steampunk version of 19th century London. Follow the adventures of the poison-skinned maiden Cardia, the men trying to help her, and the mysterious organization intent on capturing her. Experience a visual novel adventure brimming with literary and historical characters including Victor Frankenstein and Abraham van Helsing. Will Cardia find love, or destroy those she cares for? Her story is in your hands.
Code: Realize is the ideal otome choice if you’ve played Persona 5 and now have a crush on Arsène Lupin (just kidding—unless…). Similar to Nightshade, Code: Realize relies upon historical inspiration to create an intriguing storyline and equally compelling characters. It’s also available as an anime, if you’d prefer to sit back and watch the romance blossom.
Cinderella Phenomenon
Platform:Steam
Four years after the end of the Great War and the loss of her mother, Crown Princess Lucette of Angielle is still struggling to come to terms with her new life and step-family. Cold-hearted and bitter, Lucette’s life is once again turned upside-down by the Fairytale Curse. She is thrown into a battle to regain her crown in a fractured kingdom where nothing is as it seems…
When otome games are criticized for lacking in a specific element, it usually boils down to the heroine feeling one-dimensional or overly passive. Cinderella Phenomenon puts an interesting spin on this issue by creating a heroine that is, at first, downright unlikeable. The ensuing character development (along with a dark retelling of the classic fairytale) earns this title its spot among the Best Otome Games.
Mystic Messenger
Platforms: Android, Apple
“Downloading a messenger app will lead to chatting with hot guys!?” A new type of female-oriented mobile game in which you can experience a love story through an interactive messaging app. Receive phone calls and texts depending on how intimate you become with the game characters!
This list wouldn’t be complete without Mystic Messenger, which continues to enthralls veteran and new fans alike with its unforgettable cast of characters and layers of storytelling. Unlike other otome games, which you can turn off and put away, Mystic Messenger sends texts and phone calls to your phone ’round-the-clock for a realistic chatting experience.
Want more great gaming content? Check out our other articles on Pro Game Guides for the latest info on your favorite video games.
Otome games, or romance games aimed at a female audience, may have originated in Japan, but their appeal is finally reaching international audiences. In the past few years, more and more games have been released in English, allowing players worldwide to date their share of handsome men. With interest in romance visual novels at an all-time high due to the widespread success of games like Dream Daddy in 2017, I wanted to dispel some misconceptions about the otome game genre and recommend my top 10 favorite titles.
The term “otome” comes from the Japanese word for maiden or young lady, indicating the target audience of the genre. The origins of the genre date back at least to Angelique, which was released for Super Famicom in 1994 and is widely considered the first otome game. Angelique was developed by a team of women at KOEI known as Ruby Party who wanted to make more games that would appeal to girls.
Angelique was slightly different from the “choose-your-own-adventure” visual novel style common to many otome games today. Rather, Angelique leaned heavily on a simulation system that had players raising various stats to appeal to the man of their dreams. Simulation gameplay was common for romance games at the time, such as Konami's Tokimeki Memorial series aimed at male players, which also came out in 1994. These simulation elements lead to the term “dating sim game” (romance simulation game). Many players still refer to romance games as dating sims, despite the fact that many have moved towards a more visual novel-style format.
Today, otome games encompass such a wide range of themes that it's difficult to distill them into a few simple characteristics. You certainly don't have to be a young lady to enjoy what otome games have to offer! However, since the genre originated as romance games for women and took many stylistic queues from shōjo manga, the protagonists are women, and the romance options are nearly always men. (There are some instances of otome games with female romance options, such as the Japan-only Gekka Ryouran Romance, or OZMAFIA!! and Mystic Messenger.)
The single unifying aspect of all otome games is romance. Whether you're racing to stop a coup d'etat in a steampunk version of England or uncovering the mysteries of a bizarre world populated by talking pigeons, all otome games revolve around the protagonist eventually falling in love. For the most part, otome games are intended to be played multiple times, so that over the course of each character's story (or 'route'), you'll see the whole story start to piece together. Often, there are even secret characters who won't unlock until you've played everyone else's route!
There are many otome games that offer intricate storylines in addition to juicy romance, but there's also plenty of silly fluff out there. There's an otome game out there for nearly every interest! Just five years ago, I would've been hard-pressed to come up with 10 otome games available legally in English, but now I can curate a list of only the best to recommend. Here are 10 of my personal favorites to get you started:
Hakuōki: Kyoto Winds
The Hakuōki series gets the award for being the first major Japanese otome game franchise to be localized into English. Hakuōki is wildly popular in Japan for good reason: the historical members of the shinsengumi have been transformed into handsome men and infused with some demonic intrigue for action-packed (albeit tragic) romance. While numerous versions of the game have been localized into English for a plethora of systems, Hakuōki: Kyoto Winds is the most recent iteration for PS Vita and PC. It includes new character routes as well as improved graphics, making it the definitive version of Hakuōki. However, the game has been split into two parts, meaning it ends on a cliffhanger: you'll have to purchase Hakuōki: Edo Blossoms when it comes out this spring to see the complete story. Consider grabbing Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom for PSP or Hakuōki for iOS/Android if you want the full experience right away, minus the new routes.
OZMAFIA!!
It's the ultimate mashup of fairytale and literary characters, from The Wizard of Oz to Puss in Boots. The twist on these classic characters comes from the title – they're all members of warring mafia groups that the protagonist unwittingly finds herself caught between. This game's a roller coaster that goes from not taking itself seriously at all to being surprisingly dark in its many routes. There's even one girl option, though it's light on potential romance. While some routes will definitely not be for everyone (the brothel and love triangle routes in particular), the story is not the strong point of this game, so you won't you'll feel like you're missing out if you don't complete all of them. Even so, it's still worth playing for its gorgeous art, witty English localization, and quirky cast of characters. OZMAFIA!! is available for PC.
Period Cube: Shackles of Amadeus
Period Cube can most easily be described as Sword Art Online: The Otome Game, only this time the protagonist is not a long-time MMO player, but a girl who ventures into an MMO along with her childhood friend when her brother is rumored to have gone missing inside it. As she uncovers the mysteries of the MMO, she comes in contact with a number of different players. Period Cube stands out for not only having very good romance routes, but also a great cast of supporting characters. If you can, go into Period Cube with as little knowledge about the characters as possible – it's even more fun when their real-world personalities are a surprise! Period Cube: Shackles of Amadeus is available for PS Vita.
Mystic Messenger
Out of all the games on this list, Mystic Messenger may be the most widely-known. As the first iOS/Android otome game developed by the Korean studio Cheritz, it utilizes the mobile phone platform to simulate an actual app where you play by interacting with characters in chat rooms and receiving simulated phone calls. Though Cheritz's previous PC-only titles Dandelion and Nameless ~The One Thing You Must Recall~ are both perfectly good otome game recommendations, Mystic Messenger presents an extremely effective immersive experience along with its great cast of characters, including a female romance option.
Hatoful Boyfriend
This is a game where instead of dating human boys, you date pigeons. It starts off with a whole lot of silliness, poking at visual novel conventions, but there are hints of something more sinister under the surface. While OZMAFIA!! is the kind of game where it's no big deal if you skip a few routes, Hatoful Boyfriend absolutely must be played until you get the true ending. Get ready for a game that's a whole lot more than just a few bird puns! Hatoful Boyfriend is available for PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, PS Vita, and iOS/Android. There's also a fan disc (an add-on to the original game that's not quite a full sequel) titled Hatoful Boyfriend: Holiday Star.
Otome games tend to be criticized for having bland protagonists who don't take a active role in their narratives, despite being the central player character. While a less-defined protagonist may be easier for players to imagine themselves as, many players prefer protagonists with their own personalities, motivations, and character growth. Here are a few otome games with standout heroines:
Nightshade
If you liked the historical setting of Hakuōki, Nightshade might also be for you. Like Hakuōki, it features some historical characters and events, but it's centered around two warring ninja clans rather than the shinsengumi. The protagonist Enju is the daughter of the head of one of these clans, and she's determined to become a full-fledged ninja despite her village's insistence against it. With five male romance options, an action-packed plot, and lovely visuals, Nightshade deserves a spot in every otome game fan's library. You can find Nightshade for PC on Steam.
Collar X Malice
In this game, Tokyo is stricken by a terrorist organization called Adonis, who conduct a series of murders related to a countdown to the mysterious X-Day. Protagonist Officer Hoshino is on patrol in Shinjuku when she's attacked and fitted with a locked collar filled with poison around her neck. The suspense-filled plot follows her quest to uncover the truth behind the collar and X-Day, along with the help of five former police officers. Unfortunately, the localization could have used some more editing, but Collar X Malice is still a great otome game choice for PS Vita if you're looking for a darker story and stronger female protagonist.
Sweet Fuse: At Your Side
You play as Saki, the fictional niece to Megaman creator Keiji Iwafune. (No, really.) Saki finds herself in a sticky situation when she attends the unveiling of Iwafune's brand new amusement park, only to be trapped by a psychotic pig that wants her and the other attendees to participate in a dangerous game. Saki is one of my favorite otome game protagonists because she isn't afraid to speak her mind, even if it means telling her male suitors off! Sweet Fuse also stands out for being hilarious and having a great cast of characters who are more than just the usual clichés. Sweet Fuse is only available for PSP, but the PSN version can be played on a PS Vita. Trust me, it's worth the trouble!
Best Otome Games No Download
Best Otome Games On Steam
Best Otome Games 2020
Rose of Winter
Pillowfight is one of many non-Japanese developers dipping their toe in the otome game genre. While Rose of Winter isn't explicitly labeled as an otome game, it ticks all the boxes otome game fans are looking for. The protagonist, Rosemary, is an adorable mercenary who needs to make some dough by escorting one of four princes across a treacherous mountain. Choose a prince and get ready for some super cute interactions between Rose and her suitor in this short but sweet otome game that will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
Code:Realize – Guardian of Rebirth
This has all the makings of a great otome game: kickass protagonist, lovable cast of guys to date, intriguing storyline, gorgeous visuals, and memorable music. The heroine Cardia is stricken with a deadly poison that causes anything her skin touches to melt, so she's instructed by her father to stay away from people. While she initially seems like another damsel waiting for man to save her, Cardia takes matters into her own hands and learns to kick butt alongside her male suitors (who are all modeled after famous literary and historical figures). Code:Realize – Guardian of Rebirth is currently only available for PS Vita, but a PS4 port and fan disc will be debuting in English on March 30th.
Best Otome Games On Switch 2021
What are your favorite otome games? Share them with us in the forums!
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