Three Elves in a Trenchcoat

I’m obsessed with otome games–ie, dating sims. It’s a guilty pleasure of mine. I may be ace, but I like romance.

And I’m a simp. (Either I’m self-aware or I’ve just given up at this point)

I’ve played many of the mobile games offered on Google: Ikeman series games, Obey Me! Shall We Date, Court of Darkness, Dangerous Fellows.

These are my top five!

5. Dangerous Fellows

This game is a zombie apocalypse with several romance routes. You play has a high school-age girl who gets separated from her family and then rescued by a bunch of teenage boys who are about 18. I’m 21, so the whole high school thing really threw me off. I didn’t play very much of the game. This may be less of a concern for younger players. Also, while the story is interesting with lots of action and interesting routes, it’s difficult to play. Like many otome games, you have to dress up your avatar in outfits to pass certain levels. These outfit pieces require gems, which are about impossible to collect. Gameplay without these features is not as enjoyable because your character will wind up in another terrible, melodramatic situation in which she needs to be rescued. Again. Also, I don’t like being forced to play a girl. The art was pretty enough. The music was epic–I’d give it 10/10.

4. Ikemen Vampire: Temptation in the Dark.

Ikemen series has several games available, but Vampire is the one I played first. All Ikemen games have absolutely gorgeous visuals and voice acting. The dateable characters are also very charming. In this game, you play as a travel agent who is visiting Paris. After finding a secret door in the Louvre, you are transported back in time to a mansion full of the world’s greatest geniuses: Leonarda de Vinci, Napolean, Vincent Van Gogh, Dazai, and others. The catch? They’re all vampires. The head vampire, Le Comte, has brought these geniuses across time and saved them in the hour of their death by turning them into vampires. Now, you must spend a month in this mansion before the door to your time will open again–and you get to fall in love with an old man turned into a hot young vampire. The concept might seem a little strange, but I really enjoy this game. The characters are vibrant and unique, so it’s not like some sims where you’re dating the same guy with different hairstyles. Also, the characters don’t follow the usual tropes–yandere, tsundere, the charming one, the rebel boy. These men have their own personalities and complicated backstories. Some of the information in these stories is historically accurate. I had no idea that Vincent Van Gogh had a brother until I played this (Read: Theodorus Van Gogh is technically a tsundere). I fact-checked it, and indeed, he did exist! But this game has a few things that I really don’t like. One, it’s hard to save up gems. It’s not as hard as Dangerous Fellows, but it’s still difficult. Second, you’re forced to play a girl. Not a problem for the majority of players, but as someone who’s nonbinary, I find this frustrating because most games are not LGBTQ+ friendly. And third and most importantly, the player character in this game is a melodramatic fool who whines and cries the entire time and needs to be rescued multiple times per route. I don’t mind being rescued, but for the love of the gods, could you please give me a backbone! All in all, though, it’s a fun game and a definitely recommend it.

This is also a gacha game–meaning, you have to do lotteries to get cards to complete love battles to increase your intimacy levels. This allows you to continue the story.

As for age range, this is a very mature game. We’re talking sex scenes that I have to cringe my way through. This is borderline lemon content. I hate it. Other people really love it. Just depends on how you like your tea.

3. Court of Darkness

This is a newer game and it’s only been out for a year. The art is not as detailed as some games I’ve played, but it’s pretty enough. The music is also pleasant. The story is amazing. You’re magically transported to another world where you have insane magical powers. This world is set in a magical school (yes, very Harry Potter-ish) where you meet magician princes who are all vying for your attention and power. Throughout the different routes, you can uncover all sorts of secrets and political intrigue about the different kingdoms and your destiny. There is a huge cast of characters who all look fairly unique (though they are all color-coded). At first, the characters all seem very flat and 2D, and it’s the story that pulls you in. But as you play, the characters gain more depth and every one of them becomes likable.

Yes, even Guy Avari becomes more than the Edgy Dom.

Most of these characters are based on stereotypes, but I still find them interesting because as time goes on, they get their own spin. We have the grouchy authoritative Guy (KAMIDERE), studious and intelligent Toa (KUUDERE), charming Roy (just the prince type, think Tamaki Suoh), happy-go-lucky sunshine boy Rio (DEREDERE), sleepy Lynt (soft boy with some secret spice), and the flirtatious Finn (I want to call him a hiyakasudere). More love interests are being added, including the prince’s valets. Grayson, Roy’s valet, is my favorite. He’s the gentle giant type.

Yes. That’s my type. Gentle Giant. You heard it here folks.

Court of Darkness is very fun to play, and it’s easy to save up gems, coins, and draw tickets to get new items. There are also tons of events to play, and a free non-romance route called Prince’s Path. This path does not require passes to play so you can read it at leisure.

The main character is also much better than the ones in the last two games. Though you’re forced to be a girl, there are some LGBTQ+ themes in the story. Also, you actually have guts and stand up for yourself. And you have awesome magic powers! And a sense of humor! This is literally one of the funniest games I’ve ever played.

Also, you get a familiar who’s a cat with wings. I named mine after my cat Lunch Meat.

2. The Arcana: Mystic Romance

This was my first otome game. The art, story, and characters are absolutely phenomenal in this game. It’s slow to play, though, because you have limited keys to read the routes and if you want the full experience, you have to use gems. These are kind of hard to get, as you unlock them from the tarot game and from watching videos. That being said, this game is a MUST!

The Arcana is set in a magical city called Vesuvia. You are an apprentice to another magician: Asra, who you seem to have known a very long time. This mysterious wizard teaches you about the major arcana. (Note, this entire game is based on tarot cards! I love it, but if you don’t like witchy stuff then this won’t be your thing) Asra leaves, and you get to meet the Countess Nadia, who has seen you in her dreams and fears that some danger is coming to her city. You then meet the third original love interest: Julian the emo boy doctor. He’s a lot more complicated than that, but I play favorites.

This action-packed story is full of mystery and some horror, with absolutely wonderful music and loveable villains. More love interests have been added to the game, including the Countess’s ex-husband Lucio (who is usually a villain in the other routes), Julian’s sister Portia (LOVE OF MY LIFE), and Asra’s childhood friend Muriel.

Muriel is the strong, silent, gentle giant type. He is my favorite. I would die for all of these characters but Muriel is my husband. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

The game is mostly finished, though the developers are coming up with short stories and some new content to play. They also have an extensive shop full of all kinds of merch–including a plushie of Faust, Asra’s loveable familiar!

Seriously, you have to play this game. It’s amazing. Even if you don’t like romance, it’s such a good story. I’ve finished Julian’s, Muriel’s, and Lucio’s routes and I’m currently working on Portia’s and Asra’s. I haven’t started Nadia’s because she is a tall, beautiful, authoritative woman who I am terrified of unlocking the reverse ending for. She scares me. But in a good way!

Extra points because in this game, you get to choose your gender and pronouns! And there are male, female, and nonbinary love interests!

1. Obey Me! Shall We Date

My second otome game. Dear god. This game has taken over my life. I downloaded it as a joke because the ads were hilariously bad and I wanted something to play while I was waiting for The Arcana to update. Boy am I glad I did. In this game, you’re transported to the Devildom by the demon prince Lord Diavolo and his mysterious butler Barbatos. You’ve been selected as a human exchange student for the Royal Academy of Diavolo, a school for demons. You are introduced to Diavolo’s second in command, a red-eyed, black-haired demon who looks remarkably like Sebastian Michaelis. PS, he’s Lucifer. Yes. Every character in this game is named after a biblical demon, or at least one that was added to the mythology later on. What’s more is that the seven main characters, the brothers, embody the seven deadly sins: Lucifer, avatar of pride; Mammon, avatar of greed; Leviathan, avatar of envy; Satan (yes, we have both), avatar of wrath; Asmodeus, avatar of lust; Beelzebub, avatar of gluttony; and Belphegor, avatar of sloth.

Your adventures at the Royal Academy are full of danger and mystery as you try to navigate this new life with seven chaotic demon brothers who collectively share maybe two or three brain cells. They are loveable and hardly demonic at all–except for the few times that one of them did almost kill you for something (COUGH Lucifer COUGH). You basically become the family’s therapist, but with a lot more fun and games.

Also, they all have demon forms with horns, tails, and the like. Which is kind of a turn off for some people. Look, I’ve simped for worse. Let me have my geeky sea monster.

I got attached to these boys so quickly. They seem kind of flat at first but this changes immediately. They’re complex and unique and each of them has a story to tell. It’s so hard to choose a favorite. It’s even harder to geek out about it because no self-respecting person is going to react well to me screaming “KYAAAA SATAN MARRY ME YOU’RE SO CUTE MY PRECIOUS CAT BOY”. I am well aware of that. But this story is so, so good! And the gacha cards are gorgeous! Some of them are even animated!

This game is so incredibly popular that it has its own anime now. And it’s a good anime. Not like the Diabolik Lovers mishap. There’s so much merch, and the game is constantly updated. They’ve turned the side characters into romanceable ones, and more characters are bing added soon! Including female and nonbinary love interests! (And the player character is gender neutral!)

The player character is fun and usually smart and brave. They’re not a whiny bitch like some otome Mains Characters. They can be stupid sometimes. The choices in this game can be lacking. Also, the dance battles that you have to win to continue the story are SO hard. Ridiculously hard. Good news: This game has tons of story events, and the gacha cards also come with stories. It’s impossible to get bored! I’ve been playing nonstop since January.

I have a Leviathan body pillow. I have cosplays for all the brothers. I even made a webcomic series based on all my OCS. I have a Lucifer t-shirt. A Satan sticker on my water bottle. It’s such an immersive world and I am obsessed. This is almost as bad as my Marvel phase.

Be careful if you’re in a religious household though. My dad just about flipped when he found out.

Did I mention this game has its own songs? By the voice actors? And an animated opening with an epic theme song?

Seriously, download it. It’s great. Join the dark side, we have hot demon anime boys and pudding.

Did you seriously read through all that? Wow! I’m impressed. Have some pudding.