Summary
Theotome gamephase is finally starting to kick off in 2024 with some new and old games making a fantastic comeback. The otome industry has been around for years, first starting in Japan as a genre catering to young girls looking to romance some boys. The games are pretty straightforward since most of them include the same mechanics where players have to read the main story, make certain choices, and gain love points with their favorite suitors.
The industry has been rather niche so far, with only a small community interested in these visual novel romance games, but since the community has been growing within the past year, here are some otome games on Steam that new players should try out.
1Taisho x Alice
Romance In Wonderland
The premise ofTaisho x Alicehas the main character, Yurika, diving into a fantastical worldthrough a suspicious Looking Glass. This antiquated fairytale dreamscape introduces her to a colorful cast of gender-swapped characters that players might recognize. Each of these suitors takes after fairy tale characters, ranging from Cinderella to Snow White, and this entire game series has a total of three episodes that follow a set route before players are able to unlock the final epilogue.
Although the routes are separate, the most interesting aspect aboutTaisho x Aliceis the connections between each route. Most of the characters and their past traumas are linked through others, and as the player helps them overcome them, they also in turn find more answers to their lost memories.
2Amnesia Memories
Lost Memories & Lost Love
Amnesia Memoriesis a visual novel game that has been around for quite some time, and has garnered enough fame that it also has an anime adaptation as well. However, the anime differs greatly from the game, and it would be best to first experience this visual novel at its finest to gain an idea of the real story. The premise behind this game is a little different from most otome games, as players don’t really have a common story to play through or love points to accumulate with suitors. There are five love interests in the game, but players cannot choose their routes specifically. Instead, the main character is given a choice of different worlds to go into where she can recover her memories, and only then, playing through the route, will she be able to eventually choose her suitor.
Unfortunately, thisgame does indeed have bad endingsif the suitors' suspicion gauge increases, as one of the main goals of the game is to balance her part-time job, relearn her friendships and date a stranger who she essentially knows nothing about. It creates a very immersive gaming experience, since the heroine is starting from a clean slate, and she has no choice but to slowly put the pieces together whilst hiding her memory loss from the people she’s close with.
3Hakuoki Edo Blossoms
Hidden Romance In A Historical Setting
As one of the oldest otome game franchises to date,Hakuokiis aclassic romance set in the Edo periodcentered around Japan’s famed Shinsengumi. This game is a sequel to the originalHakuoki Kyoto Winds, yet there are some routes in this that do not require players to finish in the first game. Players can choose whichever route they prefer, in any order, since there are around 12 suitors to choose from.
If players want a game with more romance, this second installment ofHakuokiis a much better option than the first. In addition to that, there are multiple endings players can achieve with the suitors they pick and, unlike other otome games, chapters are usually much shorter.
4Nameless ~ The One Thing You Must Recall ~
High School Romance With A Touch Of Angst
Namelessis a pretty straightforward and simple game released by a South Korean gaming developer. The story follows the protagonist, Eri, who is introverted and has a hobby of collecting ball-jointed dolls. The game takes place within Eri’s school where, one night, her doll collection comes alive, and each doll becomes a potential suitor for the player to romance.
The main difference betweenNamelessand other otome games is that there is no development in romance from the suitors' side, because all the suitors are already in love with Eri. The only romantic development players will see is from Eri’s side, and she is the only one who slowly falls in love with each of them.
5Ozmafia!!
Mafia Romance In The Land Of Oz
Players looking to dip their toes into the otome genre should consider starting with a game likeOzmafia!!This otome putsa twist onThe Wizard of Ozwhere the protagonist wakes up to find herself in a new land with no memory of who she is. After running into the Famiglia Oz, one of the many Mafia groups in the town, the heroine then has to navigate this new life while also finding love.
This exciting combination of fairy tale and mafia story puts players in an enticing situation where they’ll only find the real truth behind each of the suitors and the heroine, until the epilogue. This game is also fairly easy, as there are not a lot of serious choices to be made that could jeopardize the flow of the route.
6Ephemeral
Pure Fantasy Romance
Ephemeralis a great choice if players are looking for a short and sweet otome game to try out. The plot isn’t too in-depth, and the romance is quite light-hearted for any first time otome players. The setting of the story is in a fantastical world where the heroine is a zombie and is sent to an academy with other supernatural creatures.
There are a total of four love interests, each a different species of monster that the protagonist will come to befriend and eventually love. Since the game is pretty simple and laid back, there are no bad dramatic endings and only good endings that players can enjoy.
7London Detective Mysteria
Murder Mystery In Old London
Set in 19th century London, this game is a trip to the past with some of literature’s best known figures. The suitors are fashioned afterfamous characters or figures in 19th-Century England, and Emily Whitley is the protagonist who romances one of them while solving various murders along the way.
London Detective Mysteriacan be quite mature for some audiences due to the gore-ish themes it includes, but if players enjoy a good historical romance with a touch of murder-mystery, this is a perfect otome to try out on Steam.
8Cinderella Phenomenon
A Riches To Rags Romance
The fairy tale trope in otome games has been re-enacted countless times, and it can often get quite repetitive for many players.Cinderella Phenomenonis quite frankly the only one out there that goes against the status quo and twists the typical fairy tale premise. In this game, players follow Princess Lucette, who is not the usual cheery sunshine female lead like in most otome games.
She’s cold and bitter from the trauma of her past and, because of that, becomes a vessel for a curse. In this case,the riches to rags curse, and the heroine then needs to find a way to flip her life around with the help of the suitors. The art is the most spectacular part of the game, followed by the riveting story, making this as a must-play for any otome addicts out there.
9Dandelion - Wishes Brought To You
Raise Stats To Find Love And Reach A Happy Ending
Dandelionis another South Korean game worth trying out and is actually a product of the same developer asNameless. If players are looking for something light & fluffy, this game is the one, since it addresses some pretty traumatic themes.
In addition to that,Dandelionis a stat-raising game, and the player is given a limited number of days to complete tasks that will increase intimacy with their chosen suitor. This is the perfect way to figure out the standard otome game mechanics and gain an understanding of what choices are best for each playthrough to attain the highest points.
10Nightshade
Ninja Romance In The Sengoku Period
Nightshademay be the one otome game where players find it hard to find a bias. The characters are well-thought-out and bring an element of excitement to each route with the dramatic flair of the Sengoku Period. The suitors are based on famous Japanese warriors from that period, and the heroine is part of a Ninja Clan.
If players arelooking for a historical romanceset against an angsty backdrop,Nightshadeis the perfect otome to try out.
