The term “Otome game” might be familiar to you if you enjoy watching anime. Otome games can be pretty tough to define, so we’ll begin by explaining what exactly Otome means. Please read this article to learn more about Otome games.
What Are Otome Games
We should probably look at what Otome is in more detail before getting started with our list of Otome games. Otome game also referred to as Otoge, is Japanese for “maiden game.” The most common definition of them is as narratively focused experiences geared toward women and frequently presented as visual novels with elements of dating sims. The primary objective of Otome games is typically to foster a romance between the female protagonist and your chosen male love interest, or sometimes more than one.
Many people equate Otome video games with dating sims. This isn’t necessarily the case, though. Otome is more of an umbrella term that covers a variety of sub-categories, including dating sims and visual novels, according to this article by Manga. Tokyo. But they point out that the main distinction between Otome games and dating sims is that Otome games don’t always cover romantic storylines, whereas dating sims frequently concentrate only on romance.
Galge and eroge are two additional words that are frequently used in conjunction with Otome. Otome and galge are very similar, but galge is the opposite. These books, which are marketed to heterosexual men, usually have a male protagonist and several different female love interests. The games covered by Eroge, on the other hand, can be directed at any adult audience and contain explicit sexual content.
What Are The Requirements Of Otome Games
A definite romance must occur in the narrative and is crucial to the development of the plot.
- The main conflict in a romance scene must be equally important to the other plot elements. Ideally, it should end with a kiss or a confessional scene.
- If friendship routes don’t account for more than half of the available routes, that’s acceptable.
The gameplay must have an impact on the plot or resolution.
- It’s not necessary for decisions to be a part of the main plot.
- In games where you can increase your stats, doing so may unlock certain plot points or move the story in the direction it should go.
The female gender is a requirement for the main character (MC).
- Trans MtF falls under this category.
- As long as there is a female option, games, where you can change the MC’s gender, are acceptable.
The majority of the Love Interests (LIs) must be men.
There must be a greater proportion of male LIs than other genders combined.
- The number of male LIs can be the same as the total number of the other genders if there are more than three LIs.
It is possible for there to be female LIs, but if there aren’t as many as there are male LIs, the game won’t be categorized as an Otome. Only Switch It Up Saturday posts are allowed to talk about them.
Examples of the gender distribution in Otome games:
- 2 male 1 female LI and 1 non-binary LI are LIs.
- 3 male There are three LIs: two females (including a trans MtF LI) and one genderqueer LI.
- 5 male LIs and two genderqueer LIs.
- 2 male LIs and 1 female LI.
It requires images, such as backgrounds, character sprites, and computer graphics.
- The faces of the characters should alter.
- Protagonist sprites are not required.
Sound effects, opening themes, and voice acting are optional but preferred.
- The majority of players believe that this is crucial in creating the right atmosphere for the scenes.
How Does It Work
So, if you’ve never played a dating sim, you won’t know how an Otome game operates. You are introduced to a number of men in an Otome game whose hearts you can win.
As previously seen in Amnesia: The story and romance in Memories, a type of visual novel, will keep you interested.
Code Realize Rebirth, Love Drops, and Hakuoki: A Love Story are additional Otome games that use this format. Norn9, the Demon of the Fleeting Blossom, and Var Commons.
Another style of Otome game uses a dating sim format, with the primary objective being to date one of the boys. The only additional gameplay features are mini-games, and there is no real plot.
Storm Lover Kai and Otometeki Koi Kakumei Love Revo are a couple of games that use this format!!, These games, like Uma no Prince-Sama, have mini-games where you have to make your character succeed in school or lose weight because those things are crucial for any relationship, right? They certainly participate in these games, though.
Are All Otome Games About Women Dating Men
Male love interests have long been used to categorize Otome romance, but that doesn’t fully capture the genre. The Visual Novel Database lists 121 Otome games with yuri romance content, 31 of which have a bisexual hero.
Additionally, seven games have been flagged for having explicit lesbian sex scenes in them. Although Yuri isn’t a staple in the majority of Otome games, it is unquestionably a part of the genre.
Otome has found success among Western anime and manga fans through original English-language visual novels, despite the fact that it is still a niche genre in English-speaking markets.
These video games cater largely to queer female players. Love Conquers All Games’ 2016 Ladykiller in a Bind, though much more explicit than conventional Otome, maintains its status as one of the most popular lesbian visual novels by and for queer players.
Studio Elan, the developers of English yuri VNs Highway Blossoms and Heart of the Woods, recently released a demo for the upcoming release Please Be Happy. On top of the studio’s overly sentimental storytelling, the game includes the classic gameplay elements of Otome.
Other popular Otome English visual novels include Cute Demon Crashers!, Magical Diary, and Hustle Cat.
Otome’s emphasis on women in both its premise and gameplay has earned it a special place in video game history. Players all over the world have long found this richly varied genre to be compelling, and this trend only seems to be accelerating.
Have you thought about trying this genre? If you’re looking for more well-known hits, check out the Otome tag on itch.io and the category on Steam.
Why Play Otome Games
If you need to ask, you probably find Otome games confusing. But don’t worry; we’ll explain why you should play Otome games. The target audience for Otome games is girls or young maidens, making the demographic clear.
If you’re an anime fan, chances are you’ve seen a bishounen anime before that’s so cute you can’t stand it. Would you prefer a certain bishounen? Who is your husband?
For those of you who have that special husbando, many of your favorite bishounen anime, or even reverse harem, is based on an Otome game or an Otome game created for that fandom.
For all the maidens who desired more than just anime and manga, a Nintendo DS Otome game featuring the Ouran High School Host Club was released. The Otome game with the same name that features all the same bishounen you just can’t choose from served as the inspiration for Hakuoki.
A fandom for a certain series will frequently give rise to an Otome game, and vice versa. More fangirling and fun for fans simply follow from that. Sometimes all you need is a little something extra to make your life complete. And in an Otome game, you can do so much more.
Best Otome Games On Mobile
Obey Me
Obey Me is a game released by Under their Shall We Date? the campaign, NTT Solmare in December 2019 umbrella. It is considered to be an Otome game despite the fact that it has no routes as there is romantic content with the main content, which is equally important to the main story as the main story itself, and the main story itself is both romantic. The main story’s harem setting does not preclude it from being an Otome game.
Ikemen Vampire
Have you ever imagined what it would be like if famous historical figures like Napoleon Bonaparte, Joan of Arc, Marie Curie, and William Shakespeare were adorable anime guys? If not, then I bet you’re at least a little curious now, am I right? Ikemen Vampire, fortunately, is available to provide you with an answer to that query.
There are other titles in this series besides Ikemen Vampire. Ikemen Otome games by Cyrbid cover a wide range of romantic situations; if you like one, you’ll probably like the others as well.
Tears Of Themis
Hoyoverse (previously known as Mihoyo) is best known for its massive open-world hit Genshin Impact and well-liked ARPG Honkai Impact 3rd, but that hasn’t stopped it from dipping its toes into the Otome world — and with great success.
Crime, romance, and drama are all present in Tears of Themis, which also features stunning visuals, catchy music, and a cast of expert voice actors. This game immerses you in a fast-paced and all-encompassing world that is difficult to put down, whether you’re uncovering delicate evidence or getting to know your handsome coworkers.