#vehura reviews

[otome-obsessed]

Vehura Reviews – Kitty Love -Way to Look for Love-

Kitty Love contains a fluffy cute story and nice character artwork, but all the kneading in the world won’t help the poor translation.

Read This Review on OtomeObsessed.com »

[zenobsessed-blog]

Getting off the MysMe train - Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds opening song

With the disappointing V route and Ray being only slightly better, there was a big void left, so I started branching out into other otome games. I tried the two other Cheritz games, Dandelion and Nameless. Others have written longer, better reviews. I liked Nameless better but both were quite good.

So what does a girl do when there’s no more MysMe to be had? First I tried Midnight Cinderella from Vehura’s recommendation. It was okay, but I spent way too much money just making it through the story. However, it taught me to curb my spending, so now I am currently playing My Forged Wedding Party and have disciplined my spending on coins. It’s just frustrating to have to wait for the time to recharge the love passes or whatnot for those free-to-play games.

I didn’t mind, however, shelling out the money for Dandelion and Nameless, and not having to wait for the next chapter of the story except on my own time. I figured that someone else had probably created some pretty good otome games before these, so I googled the top ones. As luck would have it, Steam was having a sale on Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms.

On to a new obsession! Others have also written better reviews of both these games, so I will not. I have played several routes, and because the game is based on historical events, they are starting to feel repetitive. Thank goodness for the skip button. I love the opening song Ruri no Sora e, but I can’t seem to find an English translation. Google Translate will only work on the kanji, not the romanized Japanese, so I had to take these lyrics and delete the romanized lines to get Google to translate the kanji.

Credit for the lyrics to Koigokoro, but I will reproduce them here to get the side-by-side (well, really, top-to-bottom) translation. Also did a bit of cleaning up with the English, but I unfortunately have no idea if it is at all accurate. :( Apologies to those who actually know Japanese! 

I have to say: I love this song even more now that I get an inkling of what it means. The transient nature of cherry blossoms is so poetic and tragically beautiful. Just like life. #hanami

Ruri no Sora e  歌詞: 瑠璃ノ空へ 歌手: 吉岡亜衣加 ゲーム: 薄桜鬼 真改 風ノ章 Lyrics: Ruri no Sora e (To the Lapis Lazuli Sky) Singer: Aika Yoshioka Game: Hakuoki Shinkai Kaze no Shou (Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds) Sora e sora e 空へ　空へ

To the sky, to the sky 

takaki sora e mukai sakishi hana yo 

高き空へ向かひ咲きし花よ

Fly to the sky high above, and bloom and flower

toki no jouran sae fumikoete 季節(とき)の擾乱さへ踏み越へて

In this fleeting time 

sake adeyaka ni 咲け　艶(あで)やかに

When you blossom and fade

Furimuki mo sezu hana wa saite chiri yuku 振り向きもせず　花は咲ひて散りゆく

These flowers bloom and scatter, never returning

sono ikizama ito tsuyoku isagiyoku itooshiki hito ga goto 其の生き様　いと強く潔く　愛ほしき人が如 Living and loving with all their strength and brilliance  Aa saredomo seou yume wa amari ni omoku あゝ　されども背負ふ夢はあまりに重く

Though I am young, my dream is fervent   

tada mimamoru modokashisa kono mune ni shimaite koyoi mo inoru ただ見守るもどかしさ　此の胸に藏(しま)ひて今宵も祈る I keep this frustration within my heart, and pray tonight as well Unmei wakeaitai moshi yurusareru nara 運命 分け合ひたひ　もし赦されるなら

That you can be forgiven

asu no te ga kari wa sono senaka tsui no toki made 明日の手がかりは　其の背中　終(つい)の刻まで

And to know how by tomorrow’s end Sora e sora e 空へ　空へ

To the sky, to the sky ruri no sora e mukai hiraku yume yo 瑠璃の空へ向かひ開く夢よ

A dream that opens to the sky of lapis lazuli yami ni moesakaru yozakura yo 闇に燃え盛る夜桜よ

It is a cherry blossoming in the dark night sake azayaka ni 咲け　鮮やかに

Blooming vividly Deai shi ano hi mabuta omowazu fuseta 出逢いしあの日　瞼思わず伏せた

That day, I beheld a shocking image  sono hitomi no ito fukaki yuruginaki kibishisa ni inukarete その瞳の　いと深き揺るぎなき厳しさに射抜かれて

Burned into my retina even after closing my eyes Aa tsuyoki manazashi ima wa mitsume kaeseru あゝ　強き眼差し　今は見つめ返せる

I opened them and looked again, now that I can stand strong   

wa ga yukumichi koko ni ari sou mune ni kakugo wo kizami shi yuweni 吾が往く道　此処に在り　さう胸に　覚悟を刻みしゆゑに

And do what needs to be done, my mind resolved and prepared  Mirai wo sasagemasu moshi kanau no naraba 未来を捧げます　もし叶ふのならば

I will devote myself to you even if you fall   

inochi nagedasu mo ito wa nai anata no tame ni 命投げ出すも厭(いと)はなひ　貴方の為に

Like a leaf and die

Sora e sora e 空へ　空へ

To the sky, to the sky kuraki sora e mukai ryoute awasu 昏き空へ向かひ両掌合わす

Fly toward the sky with our hands clasped together

imada akeyaranu kono sekai 未だ明けやらぬ此の世界

Through this unknown world 

sake wa ga negai 咲け　吾が願ひ

Wishing for blossoms Kabosoi tsuki ga marude sora no kizuato no you de かぼそひ月が　まるで空の傷痕のやうで

The moon is like a scar in the sky futo ononoite osoreuchi kesu tada me wo tojite ふと慄いて怖れ打ち消す　ただ目を閉じて

Suddenly, trembling and afraid. Just close your eyes.   

Sora e sora e 空へ　空へ

To the sky, to the sky   

ruri no sora e mukai sakishi koi yo 瑠璃の空へ向かひ咲きし戀よ

I will blossom to the sky of the lapis day and love you sotto moesakaru hizakura yo そっと燃え盛る火桜よ

Suddenly burning fire cherry blossoms sake tokoshie ni 咲け　永遠(とこしへ)に

Blooming forever  Sora e sora e 空へ　空へ

To the sky, to the sky tataki sora e mukai sakishi hana yo 高き空へ向かひ咲きし花よ

Fly toward the sky high above, and bloom and flower   

toki no jouran sae fumikoete 時代(とき)の擾乱さへ踏み越へて

In this fleeting time 

sake adeyaka ni 咲け　艶(あで)やかに

When you blossom and fade

[otome-obsessed]

Vehura Reviews – Iris School of Wizardry -Vinculum Hearts-

Iris School of Wizardry has a surprising story and beautiful character artwork, but the game is brought down by an inconsistent and poor translation.

View This Review on OtomeObsessed.com »

[otome-obsessed]

Vehura Reviews - My Million Dollar Boyfriend: Cinderella TV

Let’s just get this out of the way... Those of you who have come to my site for a while might remember THE GREAT ARITHMETIC RAGE of 2015 that spilled into 2016. To say I have had an on-going falling out is an understatement. I’ve openly spouted my opinions about themes that I have seen repeated in their games that I personally do not like (and, it’s my site, I can opinion all I want).

So, when I received an email from them asking if I would be willing to review their newest game release on my site, it... was awkward. They know it was awkward. They also know that I’m going to give an honest opinion and they were very forth coming with that is what they want from me. 

I was given 60 tickets, a handful of dolce raising items, as well as gacha tickets and a route switch item. I am telling you all this because it’s really important to be truthful about what I was given in exchange to review the game.

I went into this with as much of an open mind as I could despite all that I have said and experienced. Please, please don’t let this be what I’m expecting. Please...

Spoiler Alert: It wasn’t.

Read This Review on OtomeObsessed.com »

[otome-obsessed]

Vehura Reviews - Ikemen Sengoku: Romances Across Time

The third game release by CYBIRD Inc, I knew of this game’s popularity even before its release in English. It’s getting a port of Playstation Vita, it had stage plays, collaborations, there was an anime coming. Basically, in the two years the game had been out, it had BLOWN UP to become one of CYBIRD’s most popular properties. So, when they finally announced that we were getting the game in English, I was ready to see what the fuss was about.

At the same time, I was cautious. I didn’t want to hype up the game too much in my mind. There are many games that are really popular that I have played only to be disappointed with the game overall whether is be in writing, gameplay, main character, ect. So, I wanted to go into this game not expecting much at all and have it do the work to convince me that it deserves to be thought of as a great game.

And hoooo boi, has it convinced me.

Read This Review on OtomeObsessed.com »

[otome-obsessed]

Vehura Reviews - Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds Limited Edition

Just in case you are not up-to-date on this massively popular otome series, the plot of Hakuoki is: 

Chizuru Yukimura goes to Kyoto to attempt to find her father and, through a series of events, she ends up with the Shinsengumi. From there, and after revealing who she really is, she joins up with the men to help locate her father. And, at the same time, uncovers a dark secret the group are keeping as well as some secrets of her own.

Hakuoki is the grandpapa of otome internationally. Originally released in 2012 on the PSP, it help boost the otome landscape of what we have today. It’s a long game in its original form being 30~50 hours with six routes. It has spawn anime, stage plays, musicals, and many MANY versions of the game.

Are we all caught up? Good.

Once Kyoto Winds (the upgraded version of the original PSP) was announced, I spent December playing the original game on my stream to build hype for Kyoto Winds and we had a blast! After the stream, many people told me they were very excited for the new version of the game that was adding six love interests and expanding the shorter romance routes.

Then there is the merch.

When the Limited Edition was announced I was like a puppy who had seen its favorite toy. Bento Box? Sign me up! Furoshiki? I will be the most beautiful weeb-bushka! Artbook? OMG, are you trying to make me cry?! Soundtrack? I’m gonna take epic roadtrips! Reversible Cover Sleeve? When I get tired at looking at these handsomes, now I will look at these other handsomes!

So, when I was contacted by Idea Factory International to be sent a review copy of the Limited Edition, I was floored. Yes, a thousand times, yes.

First and foremost, I have a degree in graphic design. I love touching and holding things. I enjoy well made items. I don’t want flimsy items. If I’m going to spend money on something, I want to get my actual feels worth. And because of that, I hold physical items up to a pretty high standard. I also am a bit of a package design snob. How things fit in packaging, was the package actually designed or is it just a box with things thrown in it, ect.

Oh god. I’m so happy right now I might cry and I want to shake the package designer’s hand. They did a beautiful job.

Let’s start with the collector’s box itself.

(Pocky for scale)

This is a nice box. It’s not flimsy. It’s a thick board. If you bought the Amnesia collector’s edition, this is a big step up from that. At no point am I worried I’m going to put the box back together the wrong way and bend it. Just hold the sides and let the bottom slide out. Awww yeah...

I gasped at opening this. I think it’s important to note that the last handful of Limited Editions I bought consisted of “just throw it in the box!” I can tell that everything has a compartment and I’m floored. (Sorry sorry, designer coming out in me again.)

We’ll get to the game itself later but first...

The bento box is not fake wood. It is legit Bamboo and Chinese Fir that has then had a thin layer of latex added. Hand-wash only, not microwave safe. I don’t know if I’d feel comfortable actually using it for its intended purpose because how nice it is.

Every Limited Edition needs its nick-nacky things, this and another thing in this box are those things. They are the body pillow and coasters from the Amnesia Box Set. In this set it’s this and the furoshiki, two items that I would be worried about ruining if I used them. OTL

Maybe I’ll hold charms in the bento instead, like suggested in the Unboxing video that IFI did a month back.

Soundtrack, the necessary item in a limited edition. If there is one small thing I am disappointed in here, it is the same thing that disappoints me about CDs and games these days. I remember in my day we had booklets that came with our CDs and games! You kids these days have no appreciation for a well designed booklet!

20 tracks. I jammed to it on my 10 minute drive to work this morning.

Peek-a-boo. It’s the furoshiki!

For those of you who don’t know the use of a furoshiki, you wrap things in them. Presents, bentos, ect are wrapped in them for easier transport. And now here is one with all 12 bachelors on it. Also, it’s massive (Vita box for scale).

It’s made of polyester so there is a nice feel to it. This is another thing I don’t think I would actually use, though the idea of wrapping my hair in it like some weeb-bushka is very tempting.

Maybe I’ll frame it just to get weird looks from the people I get my prints framed at. They’ve seen what I’ve brought in before, I don’t know why they would be surprised...

Here comes the other thing that made me gasp when I saw it.

It’s a hardcover art book! I opened it to hear the crack. Ohhhhhh I’m gonna curl up in a ball of happiness. That’s some good stuff right there. Nice glossy paper that still has some tooth to it. I held it close for a bit and thought about actually displaying it on my bookshelf instead of hiding it inside the box.

The information is really nicely laid out for the most part. You get a lot of stats info that can help you figure out the age of the characters when you meet them during the game.

Husbando likes tofu. I’m gonna get that MFer some tofu so he’ll love me.

Also, stop calling Toudou the shota of the game, he’s the same age as husbando! Which, going by MC’s age and her birthdate, puts them both at 19~20..........

*lies on the floor* Still gonna get husbando tofu...

It’s just a really nice 64 page art book... Oh and there were ~40 pages of CGs in the book. TAG YOUR CG SPOILERS, IFI!!!

And finally we make it to the game’s case.

I’ve looked at the three new husbandos long enough. Gonna flip the cover to the other husbandos.

Straight up: For me, the artbook alone makes it. Just some nice artbook. 10/10, would artbook again. That artbook is easily worth $30 on its own. The bento and the furoshiki are nice thing to have for display or maybe a purpose outside of their original ones. And if you want to use them, more power to you! It’s up to you. I do believe that items are best and their happiest when you are using them.

Also, there are chibis all along the sides. And who doesn’t love some cute chibis?

Quick Game Comments

The game Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds is a wonderful upgrade too. The GUI (Game User Interface) has an amazing upgrade that almost made me cry when I saw it. Gone are the jagged edges and the yellow text box. Everything is crisp. Don’t want to press X? Just touch the screen now. The characters blink and their mouths move when they talk (I was surprised when it happened). Random characters, like one of the ronin in the beginning of the game, now have sprites, which adds to the game’s richness. Backgrounds are now added in where they weren’t in the original game. There are effects happening on screen, it’s now snowing in the game and there are animations when the MC moves.

Oh, and splatter effects. Bless splatter effects. lol

All in all a very nice upgrade from the original version.

Conclusion

I like it so much. I was thinking that I would have a few more gripes about it, but it’s a solid package with nice extras and the game itself has a beautiful upgrade.

Something I do feel the need to confirm with everyone is this game is in two parts. Due to the additional routes, upgrades, and extensions of existing routes, Idea Factory decided to release this game in two parts. The first part is Kyoto Winds (Kaze no Shou) and there is a second part, Hana no Shou. Think of it like an anime series that leaves you with a cliffhanger until the second season comes out. I have seen that most reviewers, who seem to not know what they are missing, feel satisfied with the game after playing it.

I’ll still be here ready for the second part. Additional releases could still be ahead for this series as well. If you look anywhere where fans are talking about this series, you will see wails for Hakuouki SSL ~Sweet School Life~ which is a High School AU game. Otome fans love their AUs...

If you want to get your hands on this, you need to make a decision FAST. The game isn’t even out yet and, on May 5th, Idea Factory Intl announced they are at 40% stock. It’s going and soon it might be gone!

Get those husbandos and enjoy your merch!

Thanks to Idea Factory International for sending me this to review. I’m still in shock when I hold it and feel I’m not worthy. Also, hearing I was the first person outside the company to receive this in no way made me super nervous. NOPE.

Release Date: May 6 (NA) May 9 (EU) Store links: NA - http://www.iffysonlinestore.com/HakuokiKyotoWindsLE EU - https://store.iffyseurope.com/products/hakuoki-kyoto-winds-limited-edition Official Site: http://ideafintl.com/hakuoki-kyoto

[otome-obsessed]

Vehura Reviews – A World With(out) You: Kotaro Kamiyama Route

A World With(out) You is a free to read story of love lost that will leave you emotional, but fulfilled in the end.

Read More on Otome Obsessed.com »

[otome-obsessed]

Vehura Reviews – Masquerade Kiss: Kazuomi Shido Route

Masquerade Kiss is a free to read spy story with a rarely seen MC personality and, some sexiness, but Kazuomi’s route leaves you wanting more spy.

Read More on Otome Obsessed.com »

Thanks to @voltageotome for this for this opportunity!

[otome-obsessed]

Vehura Reviews – How to Sing to Open Your Heart

The third title in the Story of Eroolia series, How to Sing to Open Your Heart expands on the story preceding it while also having twists of its own.

Read More on OtomeObsessed.com »

[otome-obsessed]

Vehura Reviews - How to Fool a Liar King

What do you get when you put together a runaway, a group of seemingly random travelers, and a country of cat people?

Why, How to Fool a Liar King, a fantasy romance visual novel from roseVeRte, of course!

I had seen this game on Steam, drawn to its artwork, so when I was approached to review the game by the developer, I leaped on the chance to try out this game.

And, let me just say, it was a delight.

Read This Review on OtomeObsessed.com »

[otome-obsessed]

Vehura Reviews - Liar! Uncover the Truth by Voltage Inc. [Spoiler Free!]

Don’t let this review fool you, Liar! is a freemium game. I know, I usually review free-to-play only but the first part of this game is technically free. If you play your cards right and don’t use up your free tickets, you can probably come really close to clearing the whole game while using as little money as possible.

So, let’s see how this game goes!

Story

After a rather nasty break up with her boyfriend, the Main Character [you name her] decides to go find the man of her dreams at a speed dating function with handsome, rich, and well educated men. The MC’s mother is pressuring her to get married and since the MC is from the countryside, she doesn’t want to marry a country bumpkin. Upon entering the venue, she runs into a fortune teller who tells her that evening, she is going to meet 10 men of her dreams. But all of them, except for one, is lying to her! Using investigation and the power of the MC’s “no damns given!,” you will help her pick off every man, one by one, until you are left with the one, THE TRUTHER!

And yes, he is the True Route in the game. He wins.

Characters

There are 10 love interests with varying personalities that the MC meets at speed dating. The first 5 who get knocked out of the running have pretty bad lies. The second half have lies along with lines of “This just isn’t going to work out...” (EXCEPT FOR ONE). The second half have purchasable “Lovers Route” that are 800 Coins each (~$4.80) where you can have the MC still date that person despite their lie. And there is also the game’s True Route who also has a Lovers Route where the true route continues.

Starting out, I had an immediate favorite whom, despite him being my favorite, did annoy me here and there throughout the game. These characters are all flawed in both good or bad ways. Even the guy who comes out on top is flawed and that is good. It shows that you that even Mr. Right will not be perfect and you have to work through your issues as a team!

Game Play

Like most games I review, you get five free tickets a day to read the different Liar stories. This game, however, isn’t just reading the story. You also need to do some detective work. You will be asked to look through FindFriend (the game’s Facebook), look around offices, apartments, ect to find clues to who that story’s liar is. And you can bad end if you choose incorrectly! So take your time and look at everything.

Upon finishing a Liar Route, you will be given a rank and that rank determines which ends you get to choose from to read. The highest rank is S and when you S rank you not only get your choice of all FIVE of the possible end to read, but you also unlock every end meaning you can read every one. As the Rank goes down (A,B,C,F) the choices of endings to read also goes down. And if you want to read any of the other ends, you will have to either replay the Liar again and try to achieve higher rank OR you can just buy them using coins (I don’t recommend you do this. Check the Game Page Tips for more about this.)

The game also has checkpoints where it will check your Cool Points (CP) to determine if you can continue the game. You get CP by going on Flirt Time and answering dating questions to get points.

Then there are Savvy Points (SP). You are awarded SP based on how many right answers you make when calling out the Liar in each story. HOWEVER, the only way you can S Rank and unlock all the ends is to Early Clear. When you tap on the Liar story before starting it, there will be a window that will show you by what day and time you will need to finish the Liar in order to EC and get the extra SP to S Rank.

What do I like about this game?

It’s not a secret, I’m not a big fan of Voltage as I once was. But, there is a lot here to unpack.

Some people are immediately turned off by this game’s MC and I understand where they are coming from. Her standards for finding a man come off as shallow, she’s quick to judge, and can come off as bitchy. But that is what makes her GREAT. NO DOORMAT HERE. She’s so flawed, it’s amazing. She isn’t perfect by any means and even in trying to pretend she is, she doesn’t really understand the irony in some of her actions. But that is fine by me! Her actions made me laugh, yell at her, and make me wish I could take her aside and be like “.... No. Just... no.”

But, it goes to show that not all Japanese women are mousy, soft-spoken, polite, and put everyone else before them which is something most otome would have you believe. This is a woman who knows what she wants and is willing to lie (IRONY~) to find out the liars in the group of suitors.

Oh and she has a friend~

The game play is not typical. I have seen some call it otome+phoenix wright. I find investigating and going through evidence as a fun extra. Of course, you lose this completely in the Lovers Routes where the game goes back to typical Visual Novel game play, but that’s fine.

I found the event they just had easy to clear and the extras neat. Though, I found it hard to separate the AU guys from their Main Story lie....

The things that frustrate me

The only real headache in the game play is Savvy Points (SP). The fact that the only way to S rank is by SP alone and the only way to get enough SP to S Rank is to EC, while this will be easy to do for the first few handfuls of Liars, becomes impossible to do in the later Liars without extra story tickets.

This Liar gave 4 days.

Some of the bad ends, especially in the later half of the Liars, feel really forced. When their lie comes out, the Bad End is usually centered around them falling back onto that lie one way or another. The later half are so developed that their actions in the bad ends (EXCEPT FOR ONE) make no sense.

Some other things, there really are no CGs in the free-to-play part of the game. It’s mainly story and investigation driven.

Overall, a fun game if you are wanting something with some different game play and very different MC. Playing the first few to see if you want to continue might be worth it since you will be able to clear them easily.

Related Links:

Game Page (Tips and Walkthroughs)

Android Download - Google Play

iOS Download - App Store

All Reviews

[otome-obsessed]

Vehura Reviews - Destined to Love by CYBIRD

Now, some of you are going to say, but isn’t this one of your favorite games? Damn right it is! But, if I’m going to review anything, it’s going to be the games that people ask me over and over what are my favorites

Story

The main character is getting together with some old college buddies at Ikedaya a pub in Kyoto, Japan. She runs into a college friend, Kyo Shinomiya, at the entrance. Someone passes by her knocking over her bag and as she and Kyo pick up the things inside, she notices a letter on the ground. Upon picking it up, she is overcome with dizziness and both her and Kyo are transported back to 1864. There they meet some of the famed members of the Imperialists (a group of political activists) and the Shinsengumi (the special police force organized by the military government).

Forewarning: the game has yet to tell us what exactly happened other than

So, if you are coming into this game with the hopes of finding out the mystery of what the eff happened, just sit back and enjoy the story. lol

Characters

Shinsengumi: Isami Kondo, Susumu Yamazaki, Kyo Shinomiya (becomes a stand in for Todo Heisuke), Hajime Saito, Soji Okita, Toshizo Hijikata)

Or as I like to call them 

You never get to romance him in games with the shinsengumi almost ever

Blushes at the drop of the bandana

who da fuk are you 4 reals

Handsome cyclops

FLIRT

Serious but sessy

Imperialists: Ryoma Sakamoto, Shinsaku Takasugi, Kogoro Katsura, Toshimichi Okubo

AKA

HUSBANDO

HUSBAND #2 (also a cold jerk)

Gentlemen

Bookworm

Other characters: Haru-akira, Yukio Shinonome, Yoshinobu Tokugawa (goes by Keiki)

AKA

GOD DAMM you have nice hair

Pretending to be gay so women won’t freak

he ok tho

Game Play

This game is pretty easy to play and is set up like most otome games. Every day you are given five tickets to read part one of each chapter. You also will need to go on Tea Time (the game’s battle system) in order to collect grace and gold to pass checks while you are in route.

The game has events about once a month, so it is easily manageable as part of your daily games to play. Like CYBIRD’s other game, Midnight Cinderella, story events are easy to finish without spending money, but, if you want early clear items, you will probably have to invest in the game some.

The game currently has eight out of twelve love interests available. Recently CYBIRD Japan announced another four love interests into the game including the game’s antagonist whom I will let you find out who that is on your own. He’s SUUUPER easy to spot. lol

What do I like about this game?

CYBIRD is amazing in several ways, but their MC’s are amazing. They are not doormats. They are proactive, plucky, and comfortable being intimate. The game itself is more along the mature side. When the MC and the love interest are finally willing to admit their feeling for each other, they will take it to the next level. (CYBIRD is boss at writing foreplay). I have yet to meet a love interest who is a total piece of shit and they are very respectful of the MC in many ways.

Basically, CYBIRD is going to ruin your otome experience because you’ll be comparing every MC and all love interests to their games.

Other pluses

Nice art

Music

Original backgrounds

More mature event stories

I’ll be honest, CYBIRD’s games get all my money recently. I have no issues throwing down for things in their games, that how much I really really enjoy their games.

With that said...

A few things that do frustrate me

Three CGs per route (one at the beginning of the story and one in each ending) Don’t get me wrong, they are really REALLY nice CGs. I just wish there were more. But, I’m willing to let it slide because I find the stories so enjoyable.

Grab Bags Galore! CYBIRD constantly has grab bags going which you spend tokens on to win stories and avatars. I just find them a bit overwhelming at times and have had to learn to just let them go. THOUGH I really want all things Ryoma and Shin. OTL

That’s it. Really. I think if you are wanting to try something else, especially if you are on the Mystic Messenger train and want to branch out, DtL might be something to check out!

[pictured: the reason I will fight you]

Related Links:

Game Page

Android Download - Google Play

iOS Download - App Store

[otome-obsessed]

Mini-Review - Dream Boyfriend

What am I doing with my life

So this game is not really an otome game, at least, I don’t consider it so. It’s basically Tomogachi Boyfriend with a Dress-Up Game added on.

You, through a series of events, end up with a “Create a God” app on your phone and a bunch of Gods show up and are like: “Yo, we’re running out of Gods. So we need you to raise some for us.”

So you make a God and now you get to raise him how you want and your choices will determine what kind of personality he’ll have. So, you are raising a child in the body of a grown man. Also there are kissing and “stroke him” minigames. Yeah... 

So, after you are given your default boyfriend, you get to name him, decide his skin color (OMG YOU CAN MAKE A CHOCO!), and decide how tall you want him to be.

Then you get to decide how he, and possibly the others characters, are going to refer to you.

The Gods then tell you that he’s real and you have to chat him up and go on dates with him to build up his personality. Then we’re off!

Here is my boyfriend Isuka (DON’T YOU JUDGE ME!!!!) after a trip to the salon for a hair coloring and a gacha spin. Also, look at this busy ass home screen.

Press the star in the bottom left corner to do date, chatting, and work interactions. Chatting takes energy and once you drain it, it takes a while to refill. Dates also take points and can be as short as 10 minutes up to a few hours once you have unlocked the options.

There are mini-games in the chat screen. One gives you the choice of two options and depending on your answers make him happy.

Btw, he totally wanted meat. Also, some of the answers it’s pretty obvious what you are supposed to pick.

There is also, this mini-game....

Which you can FAIL as well as a Stroke Him mini-game that you can also fail if you don’t... stroke him right... Seriously, what am I doing with my life?

And then when you max your Astrolove, it’s Kissing Mini-game time!

The game also has events and gacha. The current event is a school festival and it basically has you tapping a button to walk through the festival. That’s it, that’s the event.

So, if you want to raise boyfriends to be Gods, then maybe this game is for you. It’s strangely addicting. I find myself opening the app going: Wait, WHY AM I OPENING THIS?!

- Game Information - Title: Dream Boyfriend Platforms: iOS / Android Price: Free (with In-App Purchases) Countries: USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, the Netherlands.

Website: http://dreamboyf.com/pc/

App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id1138280094

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.ne.ambition.googleplay_hoshikare_glb

[otome-obsessed]

Review - Midnight Cinderella by Cybird

This game is Cybird's first English otome game. It came out at the end of 2014 and I really wanted to play it at the time, but was already playing too many games so I put it on hold to pick up at a later date.

That was a mistake.

Basics

Story - You are now a princess. Congrats! The country of Wysteria needs a new princess and, if it is to believed, it is given to you even though you were late and you ran around like a crazy person. Besides learning how to rule a country and how to be the perfect princess full of grace, you are also tasked with finding a prince-consort, a man who will become your prince who you eventually marry. That’s right, you get to decide.

This is a lot to take in, but you were formerly a tutor, so you can take a lot in. When you are needed to, you make tough decisions and put your foot down. There are characters who feel like they know better than you, but they never really feel like they are mansplianing to you. You are treated pretty respectfully which is pretty shocking for the state of a lot of the otome games I play. The MC is also very comfortable with getting close to someone. She doesn't turn into a bumbling mess like 90% of MCs. She's really a breathe of fresh air.

Love Interest - Excuse me, sirs, how dare you. So far the game has six love interests out all with very different personalities. I have yet to meet a character I don't like... though I will admit, Nico makes me narrow my eyes a lot because he's super sketchy. They all have jobs revolving around the castle or a castle (one of them is a young king of your rival country). So, there is a REASON for them to be there. They work there. There isn't an overly pushy person when you aren't in there routes. They might flirt with you a bit, but they know when to stop and not push it too far.

The only thing I am missing is more women. Get me some lady friends, otome games.

Art - Gorgeous. Everyone is well portioned. They all look different. Do you know how often I am plagued by same face syndrome in otome games? There are some games where it's the same damn face but with different hair. These characters were designed!

Mechanics

Reading the story - Your standard otome game stuff. Every day, you are given 5 chapter tickets to read the story. There are 10 chapters per part as well as Avatar Checks and Grace Checks.

Lessons - Be the best Princess! Going on Princess lessons raises your charm, get you Bells (game’s version of money), and if you win five times in a row, points for your gacha. Pick your favorite suitor and, if you win, you’ll get a message from him that changes depending on random chance and if you did your five in a row.

Gacha - Put together a puzzle! Called the ‘Garden Gacha,’ you actually pick a puzzle piece. These pieces have things attached to them like, Bells and, in the case of the special pieces, garden avatars and stories. These stories are POVs from the suitor who’s route you are in and actually are a POV from him at some part in your story. If you win multiple pieces, it’s not a big deal. They also have Bell value attached to them and you can sell them (minue one because you need it for the puzzle.

If you light up enough heart gauges in the game, you will unlock a secret gacha with even more items on it!

Other things that are amazing

Events - You can easily do this. Tired of spending money and tearing your hair out to complete an event. You want to be playing MidnightC’s. They are pretty easy to complete and last about two week which is more than enough time of just casually playing to finish.

Side Stories - THANK YOU FOR ORGANIZING THIS. There is a menu for the side stories you have collected while playing the game. They are organized BY SUITOR and then further organized from there for easy access. 

Drawbacks, I have one

Only one CG per route. You get it without passing a check, but that’s about it. Like I have said, the CGs are gorgeous, but there is only one. They do have random events where, upon buying the story, you can also get a CG.

That’s it really! If you are wanting a game that’s a bit different, with an MC who is fairly strong-willed and not shy to show her emotions, I highly suggest giving this game a chance. Their other game Destined to Love is also, so far, pretty great too!

Please visit Midnight Cinderella's Game Page for all walkthroughs and more information!

[otome-obsessed]

Mini? Review - Gossip Girl Party by Voltage

(THIS GAME HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED)

I’ll come out and say it, games when the MC is in High School are not my games. I have already done HS, a while ago in fact, and it was not the best years of my life and I don’t really want to go back.

View This Review on OtomeObsessed.com »

[otome-obsessed]

Vehura Reviews - My Forged Wedding Party

[Pictured: five out of six of your love interests. Ren woke up to take this picture (and looks like: "Is it over? Imma go nap."), yet Kuni couldn't show up? We all know he's not doing anything.]

Note: This game has been discontinued. You can still play the Main Stories, but the game no long has events.

"Please...marry me! It's only for three months..." Though you just met...suddenly you're married?! You find yourself in a contract of fake marriage for three months... But at the end of it all, what will become of you and your new husband? Will your love, which started as a lie, become true love after all?

My Forged Wedding: Party is a free-to-play otome game by Voltage, Inc. I enjoyed the pay version of this and I don't know if you know this yet, but Yamato Kougami, the man in the front of the graphic, is one of my game husband.

The storyline of how you end up in your fake marriage makes a little bit more sense in this version. In the pay version, all six of the guys stand around you and are like: "OKAY PICK NOW" without giving the Main Character any idea what she's picking for. In this version, you kiiiinda owe your fake fiancé a favor in return for bailing you out of your situation.

At the beginning of the game, Kunihiko is just going to throw love passes at you like nobody's business. Seriously, you’re gonna play the first two chapters (20 together) plus the prologue during your first play. You also get daily login items to help you.

The game itself is pretty easy. Read the story, make selections, and compete in cooking battles for wife points, money, and gacha points. The UI isn't too hard on the eyes despite being mostly pink. Whomever your husband is says different things every day in his area on the 'My Page' and occasionally he'll visit the house and do/say something adorable as well.

The overall stories are pretty vanilla, There are two lover interests that I do not like in their Main Stories at all and I only managed to warm up to only one of them over time through events.

Pros:

It's My Forged Wedding, but free and with a different story. LOL 

Long introduction of characters for those not familiar with them. If I didn't already know everyone's personality, the prologue will definitely give you some insight on them.

Tons of bonuses. When you first start the game, they give you sign in bonuses daily. From clothes, to passes, and money, it's non-stop with all the things it gives you.

Picture album! You can pick the size that you want to see the pictures. Unfortunately, there is no way to save the picture from the album. Your best chance to get it full screen is to cap it when it happens in the story.

Cons:

Spinning the gacha is 500pts. That is a lot.

No scenario album. Once you've read it, it's gone until you re-play the route again.

Cooking Lessons cost a lot to do and take a while to refill. Cooking Lessons - the way you earn money (mari), affection (called wife points here), and gacha points - cost 50 stamina out of 100 each and take 5 hours to refill. I end up setting an alarm -because I'm a crazy person - to remind myself if the game doesn't already alert me with a push notification.

You can't go sweet route without opening your wallet. Sweet route has CGs and you can't see them unless you drop some cash.

When you start, you aren't going to have a lot of room. With only 6 closet space and 15 warehouse space, you're gonna have to get used to throwing things away to make room for new items until the game gives you space or you buy more.

Tip(s):

Save up your aroma therapy. Like with most games with events, you need to save up your stamina boosts to help you out for events. Resist the urge to use them during your main route.

Login every day for bonuses. I login when I wake up first thing in the morning.

Do your cooking missions at least twice a day (every 5 hours). It gives you wife points and gacha points. It’s better to have too much wife points than not enough. That way you aren’t frustrated when you get a mission and don’t have enough.

Do your daily mission. I would recommend hold out on doing your gacha until you get a mission for it. It’s pretty expensive (500 points) and the odds of you building it up in the time frame of a day are slim.

TL;DR Good intro to otome game with vanilla stories. UI make take a bit to get used to. There is a lot to do in game so it may be confusing to a first time/casual player.

Click the above image to to go game page