Otome games are immersive visual novels in which the player becomes the main character. Romance is a key aspect of these games. The player can choose different routes depending on which character they want to bond with. Still, love stories aren’t the only reason these games are so compelling.
Otome games have intriguing stories that are so different from the player’s everyday life that they provide a fun form of escapism. Many otome games have top-notch, believable world building that makes players feel like they’ve been isekai’d into a new world. Still, there are many downsides to playing otome games.
10 Some players may be uncomfortable with the amount of suggestive content in Otome games
Since many otome games revolve around romance, it’s no surprise that there is suggestive content in the games. Although many fans appreciate this aspect because it makes the game feel more mature and age-appropriate for older players, some may feel uncomfortable with this content.
There is no way to turn it off. It is impossible to avoid it in some games. Many games also feature dark content and even put the player in abusive situations, which can set some people off. Although many otome games spare players the details, it’s still obvious enough to see what’s going on.
9 Happy endings occasionally feel contrived
Many otome games give players two options for their chosen route. They can choose a happy ending or a sad ending. Many players want to go for happy endings and avoid the looming headache.
Still, some of the happy endings in otome games are nothing to write home about. Many of them feel artificial. The accumulation of some of them makes it seem like whoever wrote the story was rushing around and desperately trying to tie up all the loose ends.
8 Finding official merchandise can be hard to find and expensive
Many fans become so attached to their favorite otome game characters that they want to buy merchandise. Whether it’s key chains, t-shirts, or even body pillow cases, fans want to represent their favorite love interests. Unfortunately, this proves difficult, especially for international fans. Some games have little or no official merchandise, allowing fans to make their own or purchase handmade goods from other players.
When a game has official merchandise, it can be expensive and hard to find. Japanese otome games, in particular, are especially difficult to buy, as most sell out immediately. Fortunately, some physical otome games do come bundled with merchandise, though it costs more than just buying a standard copy.
7 Sad endings range from generic tears to potentially triggering and brutal
While happy endings in otome games try to wrap things up with sunshine, rainbows, and a little bow on top, the same can’t be said for sad endings. A lot of them are just generic tears where the relationship between the character and the love interest doesn’t work out. However, others are violent, brutal and downright provocative.
In Piofiore: Predestined Memories, for example, Dante’s bad ending features the player getting shot. The screen fades to black as strange opera music plays. While these jarring endings aren’t necessarily a problem, it’s more of a reminder that players need to be aware of their triggers and recognize what kind of fictional world they’re potentially plunging into before buying the game.
6 Mobile Otome Games Are Money Pits
Many people play gacha games on consoles, like the Nintendo Switch. Others play on their PC on itch.io or Steam. However, mobile otome games gave the genre more accessibility and an even wider audience of potential players. Unfortunately, many mobile otome titles are just money pits.
Players have to spend real money to buy gifts for their love interests, gain more time to talk to them, or even reach certain endings or unlock specific characters. At that point, it becomes more of a gacha game. What players do with their money is their choice, but it’s not fair to the average player who doesn’t want to spend exorbitant amounts of money on fictional characters.
5 Many of the protagonists have the same recycled personality as always
A common complaint among fans of otome games is how similar many protagonists are. Players don’t have a lot of selectable dialogue options to work with in the first place, so it would be nice to see some different personalities among the otome protagonists. Not everyone has to be a good cook or a very empathetic heroine who understands even the most ruthless killers.
Luckily, a few games have broken molds with their protagonists. For example, Kotone from enchanted cafe has a witty comment about everything. lucette of Cinderella Phenomenon It starts with a cold heart, selfish and angry with the world. jed of Ashen Hawk Psychedelic has unmatched survival skills.
4 Not all love interests are everyone’s type
Players can choose which love interest they would like to start a relationship with. However, some games are best played by following each love interest’s route one by one in a specific order. When players do that, they can potentially learn more about the game world and avoid spoilers.
Unfortunately, not every love interest is every player’s ideal type. Some players may find dealing with a certain character’s route annoying or tedious because they don’t like their personality, appearance, or overall role in the plot.
3 Otome games are addictive
Some people play otome games to fill a void in their lives. Many use them to cope with a lack of socializing and use otome games to compensate. Others have colorful social lives and are even in committed relationships, and still play otome games because they are fans of good love stories and want to immerse themselves in as many fictional worlds as possible.
Unfortunately, it’s easy to get addicted to otome games. Players will start a game and want to finish each route, whether it’s the happiest endings or the most heartbreaking conclusions. Also, it’s hard to buy just one otome game; many players finish one and immediately pick another to obsess over.
two There is always at least one toxic love interest that makes players question their morality
Love interests in otome games generally range from sweet cinnamon rolls that would never hurt a fly to cold-blooded killers that are a bunch of walking red flags. There is always at least one morally ambiguous love interest in every lineup. Most of the time, these are a bit more toxic than the rest. However, her sweet actions towards the player make her behavior seem redeemable.
Yang’s Piofiore: Predestined Memories he is the ruthless leader of Lao-Shu. He will cut people off with a creepy grin and be disappointed when there is no violence. However, he eventually falls in love with Lilliana and even buys her a stuffed panda, which was enough for fans to forgive him.
1 Otome games set player standards too high for real-life relationships
Many avid fans of otome games can relate to the idea that romance in games sets their standards too high for potential real-life relationships. Whether this is a flaw in the games or in society is up for debate. Still, parasocial relationships formed in play can be helpful in some ways, but detrimental in others. They are useful because they can provide a sense of companionship when someone is lonely. Also, diving into these games is a fun pastime.
However, they can be detrimental because they give players a distorted view of what relationships should look like, for better or worse. Some otome games perpetuate dangerous relationship dynamics that border on abuse. However, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the healthiest relationships in the game while taking the toxic ones with a grain of salt.
