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Post by Scylla on May 26, 2015 19:52:24 GMT -5
More like let's see if anyone else on this forum actually plays them, haha.
So today it was announced that the Vita version of Norn9 is being localized by Aksys, and I'm frankly amazed by all the otome localization announcements that have occurred over the last few months. I can't believe that in maybe half a year or so we'll have official English localizations of Ozmafia, Amnesia, Code: Realize, and Norn9. It may not be a lot, but that's like... more official localizations of non-mobile otome games than there have EVER been. Before this it was basically Hakuoki and Sweet Fuse and that's it, besides mobile games that are mostly so-so and same-y, or you're stuck playing in Japanese, or with a fan patch if you're lucky, or you could play indie OEL (original English language) otome games.
Of course the localization announcements are always met with whining, since a lot of male gamers just can't handle the idea of not being catered to 100% of the time. But it's their loss because there's no reason a guy can't enjoy otome games too. They usually don't even have much in the way of content intended for titillation like their galge counterparts often do (although there are otome eroge too, haha), so they're basically just really good stories, only told from the perspective of a female protagonist who happens to find romance along the way. But I'm not gonna downplay any element of otome games, like saying "They're good in spite of this!" because I think everything about them is good, including the romance, assuming it's a good otoge at least.
So, uh, yeah! Anybody else looking forward to the upcoming localizations? I'm definitely gonna buy them all. Or any thoughts on ones that are already out?
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Post by JDarkside on May 26, 2015 20:08:36 GMT -5
I've thought about playing an otome game one day, but that requires a time investment I can't give right now. Kind of wondering if I can groove with the genre like I've found I can with shojo manga. Most my experience with otome audience targeted anime and various adaptations have ended in pain and frustration, though. Diabolik Lovers was the only exception, only because it was hilarious (*tosses you into pool* TELL ME I'M THE BEST).
I just don't know what a good otome game would look like because writing is absolutely important, so it's harder to preview without more of a time investment.
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Post by kaoru on May 26, 2015 21:05:21 GMT -5
Errr, I played Meine Liebe many a moon ago, because of the Kaori Yuki artwork. Never got anything but a bad "forever alone" ending, though. Also all those moons back, when I played (as in mostly randomly clicked through) some Boys Love Games, a friend who's into all sorts of Ren'ai Games really tried to get me to give Under the Moon a go, but I never really did, because around that time I fell out of trying to play games I barely understand that are nothing but text
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Post by Scylla on May 26, 2015 21:35:59 GMT -5
There are a lot of really good shorter otome games, but the problem is that, when it comes to official localizations, they seem to get passed on because publishers want to give players a "good value" and improve the footing of the genre in the West. It probably doesn't help that VNs in general get criticized as supposedly not being worth the money because Westerners compare them to paperback books prices which is just... silly. That said, even though it has seven routes, I was so glued to Sweet Fuse that I 100% completed it in like three or four days, haha.
And yeah, anime adaptations of otome games usually leave a lot to be desired, haha. The problem is that they almost always assume that the viewer played the game and can fill in the gaps. So it's mostly just a fan service-y "I get to see the characters in full motion!" kind of deal. I think the most successful shows are the ones based on the less serious otome games. The Kamigami no Asobi anime was hammy and fun (although I hear that game does get pretty heart-wrenching at points), and Bonjour Sweet Love Patisserie's anime was cheesy and cute too.
I believe Under the Moon got a patch just recently actually. Might've been just the trial, though? I dunno. If somebody patched that, then I assume there's good chances for a full patch eventually. I really like when fan translation groups do that with PC releases because demos are free and legal to download, so if you can play a patched trial first and see what a game is like, you can then decide if you want to import the full game for when the full patch is available. It's great since you don't have to mess with emulation or pirating or anything. You just buy and install the Japanese game, throw the patch in the right folder, and bam, you're all set.
To diverge a little, on the subject of BL games, I've been playing No, Thank You!!! recently and really enjoying it. I believe it's the first BL game to be officially localized into English in like a decade or something? It's the first and only BL game I've ever played (bought it mostly to support MangaGamer branching out into different genres), and it's got a great sense of humor and the overarching plot is really interesting. Very much an adult game, though, so fair warning and all, haha.
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Post by JDarkside on May 26, 2015 21:44:49 GMT -5
I have a friend at my little anime blog who reviewed the demo of that one! He should be looking at the full version one day soon.
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Post by kaoru on May 26, 2015 21:45:55 GMT -5
Yeah, it's funny how like 90% of Otome Games are non-porn, while 90% of Boys Love Games are smut, even though the target audience for both is girls in their teens/early twens.
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Post by JDarkside on May 26, 2015 21:49:45 GMT -5
Yeah, it's funny how like 90% of Otome Games are non-porn, while 90% of Boys Love Games are smut, even though the target audience for both is girls in their teens/early twens. Some teen girls are normal. Some teen girls are Tomoko Kuroki.
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2015 22:18:22 GMT -5
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Post by kaoru on May 26, 2015 22:30:45 GMT -5
Geez, I totes forgot about Hatoful Boyfriend. I guess I played that one too, then. Only one route. Not sure if I was just unlucky in the one I ended up with, but I found it surprisingly boring. Like, sure, for the first fifteen or so minutes you are like "lulz, birdz!", but there really isn't much funny stuff to be had beyond "I'm dating birdz!". Or maybe my route really ended up being the unfortunate most boring run of the mill otome one. Because if you'd exchanged the birds for boys, there wasn't much that was really that hilarious or super out of the ordinary in there. If anything, the bird-thing shattering your suspension of disbelief only highlighted that those are already often kinda silly to begin with.
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Post by Scylla on May 26, 2015 23:52:02 GMT -5
Haha, I still have to get around to Hatoful. Bought it as soon as it came out on Steam, and it's actually what motivated me to register for a Steam account in the first place. But there it's sat in my library since, whoops.
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Post by X-pert74 on May 27, 2015 0:50:52 GMT -5
I played an hour of Hatoful Boyfriend shortly after I got it, but haven't played it since. Part of that is that I just don't generally have much patience for visual novels, though I do think the idea behind Hatoful Boyfriend is cool. Eventually I'd like to force myself to play through the whole thing.
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Post by vetus on May 27, 2015 4:50:30 GMT -5
Of course the localization announcements are always met with whining, since a lot of male gamers just can't handle the idea of not being catered to 100% of the time. But it's their loss because there's no reason a guy can't enjoy otome games too. They usually don't even have much in the way of content intended for titillation like their galge counterparts often do (although there are otome eroge too, haha), so they're basically just really good stories, only told from the perspective of a female protagonist who happens to find romance along the way. But I'm not gonna downplay any element of otome games, like saying "They're good in spite of this!" because I think everything about them is good, including the romance, assuming it's a good otoge at least. Let's face it: otome games aren't much different than western, cheezy franchises like Twinlight and Sex and the City which don't focus at good stories but at women's fantasies dating or being surrounded by multiple men of their dreams. Also I doubt if most men whine about them for not being aiming at them. Video games aiming mainly at female audience existed since old times: license games based on girls' toys and cartoons, dressing games, pony simulators...Not to mention about classics like Pac-Man which were designed to attract female audience. Finally comments like "their loss for not playing them" makes you sound like a fangirl that expects from everyone to have the same tastes.
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Post by JDarkside on May 27, 2015 5:09:40 GMT -5
Let's face it: otome games aren't much different than western, cheezy franchises like Twinlight and Sex and the City which don't focus at good stories but at women's fantasies dating or being surrounded by multiple men of their dreams. Also I doubt if most men whine about them for not being aiming at them. There's so much wrong with these two sentences that I think I got whiplash from reading them back to back. You have obviously not paid much attention to the genre if you honestly believe that wish fulfillment isn't a HUGE portion of content in these games. And yes, grown otaku shitbags will whine about it if there's some wild fantasy premise in the work because they just have to have a monopoly on anything slightly nerdy.
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Post by shelverton on May 27, 2015 7:18:14 GMT -5
I am very curious about this genre, and my best bet right now seems to be Hakuoki Memories of the Shinsensomething on the 3DS. At least it's the only one I know is out in Europe. I don't think Sweet Fuse ever made it here?
I dig both samurais and guys with unrealistically pretty faces, so all I need to know about Hakouki at this point... Is the game any good? Also, is it the same game as Demon of the Fleeting Blossom on the PSP?
EDIT: Sweet Fuse seems to have been released here after all. Possibly only digitally though. Will have to look into that. Would like a physical copy, so US import maybe. Or get a new memory card so I can download the damn thing.
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Post by ZenithianHero on May 27, 2015 9:20:25 GMT -5
I think Aksys was localizing the same game over and over, so just get on platform of choice? I have it on PSP. I know the Warriors of Shinsengumi is a musou title. The VN is good.
I'm a guy and have no problems getting these Otome. I heard the subject matter for a lot of them are accessible for any gender. Though I also read shoujo manga so it isn't too out of place in my interests. I applaud Aksys for making the genre viable on consoles.
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