So, I recently found the joys of otome games. Does anyone else play these?

I'm currently playing Ninja Love, a free otome game for iPhone, it's super sexy. ;D

I've never heard of them! I'm assuming that there's a bunch - Otome is the developer of the game in Apple's app store?? I'll have to check it out. And free is always the best price.

Otome is the type of game. It's a kind of girl's dating sim thing. They're amusing. The characters are just so weird. Highly amusing. xD

Oh!! had no idea. Is it for girls, or with girl 'dates'? not that I'm picky when it comes to gender...

Male dates. For girls.

Some have girl options aswell though.

Oh oh oh oh oh!!! I love otome games!!! :D Wheeee I love them so much I love love. *gets all hyper and excited when it comes to otome, sorry*

Anyway. *cough* Yeah, I got into them about a year ago when I was REALLY REALLY BORED and I was all, "Man, I wanna play a video game," but I couldn't find any that I felt like playing, when BAM I found Zeiva's "X-Note" otome game and I tried the demo and then I bought it and I haven't looked back since. By the way, I highly recommend "X-Note." It's $15 on Zeiva's site.

I've also bought "Always Remember Me" from Winter Wolves... $20, and not really worth the money, imo. The artwork is very well done and the concept is good, but... the characters were just so underdeveloped and eventually replaying it gets to be a real drag. Shame, because I think the game has a lot of potential for being more in-depth overall.

ANYWAY. This Tumblr right here is my otome game bible. Seriously. I just follow this one for news of all things otome. There's also a list on there of otome games that are free, that you're charged for, that are for different systems, etc. Really good resource all around.

Otome and dating sims are fun games to play. :)

You know, there's a bundle going on right now where you can pay up to $10 and get six games. If you don't have that much, $1 will get you three. It's here: Groupees

Oh, boy, I love otome games. Currently even trying to start up one on my own, too!

One I've played in particular is RE Alistair++. Pretty cute game, and free!

I'd love to get the ones that I have to buy but alas, I can't even do online shopping. When you're living in an apartment, it's sort of tricky. "orz

I'm a fan of dating sims even though I don't play any lately. Last one I played was Matches and Matrimony (Pride and Prejudice Dating Sim). I saw it on Youtube and a guy was reviewing...and enjoying it, which seemed rare since American males don't seem to like dating sims...unless there is hentai in it. The concept was so unique I had to play it and it's surprisingly a lot of fun.

Though usually if I play a dating sim it's an adult one, it's just more fun with bewbs. I don't think I've ever played one from a girl's perspective though...I dunno, something the stereotypical anime chick and playing one in a game sounds dull. If it was girl on girl, maybe. I've wanted to play the yaoi games but never found the time.

But it's hard to find good ones, like the old school May Club and such. And a lot of the American made ones (someone said Winter Wolf, gag) are just low quality.

I was looking to see if this topic was around and I couldn't find it.

Otome games are female dating sims and child raising sims.

Examples of child raising sims are Princess Maker and Prince Maker.

Ren ai games are also another name for otome games.

Currently I am obsessed with two otome games.

Prince Maker Braveness (A new english patch has been released for it~) You raise a boy to compete in the election of the King of the Three Relms. Goal is to make him into the king and or get to date one of the princesses or prince from the other realms . I find it easiest though to make the boy date the older brother/sister that you are play lol!

Star Project which is an online flash otome game where you play as a female manager of male stars. You start off with one Touya and gain more on the way. Touya is the only full time star all the others you have to make loads of in game money to pay for the other star's contracts. How you play the game is by first having your star enter part time jobs like at the book store or bakery. Then you train their stats at classes. After that you take jobs either at the tv station, drama tv shows, movies, photo shoots, or comercials. To make sure your star does what you tell him to do you have to take him on dates, feed him, and make sure he dresses well~ You are rewarded with cute little random scenes and learning your star's past.

Anyone else play these type of games?

I really -adore- these games, though I have a hard time finding them around where I live... not to mention that my computer isn't really quality enough to play some games, and that most English otome games show up on Playstation consoles or handhelds while I'm more of a Nintendo and Microsoft gal... but it's a never-ending quest for the adorable

I've been playing Star Project, myself, MinakoAxule! Or at least, I was, for a while... I'd like to get back to it, now that I was reminded of it, haha! I just didn't like how you had to try and make sure you played daily - I'm not really very good at doing things daily for a long period of time, at least not when it's something online or what not. 8'D It's worth going back to, though. Touya was adorable~ <3

There are also a lot ren ai games you can find, translated by fans, for emulators. It would be nice to have more of them, though.

I've only found one "dating game" which I enjoyed. I'm not sure it's actually under the "dating sim" category though as it's more of a "pick an action and read 15 pages" thing... does that count?

Haha-! It kind of does, Poet~ <3 I think dating sims originated from that type of game; the whole story-telling, visual novel type ordeal is rather nice. I used to play those games a lot, too.

You might like a couple of the more story-driven dating games, then.

Yeah, probably. I enjoy the one I found though. No matter how many times I read it (I skip the beginning cause I know it by heart) it's always funny XD

Best thing 4chan has ever made...

As for other dating sims... I've played a couple, but I don't like the ones where "just get the girl" is all you do. Like most flash versions are not only poor visual quality, but also poor story quality because all the guy wants is the "ending reward" or whatever else you get. Where are all those good ones hiding?

A lot of the more decent games have already been listed here - and really, it's near impossible to find anything half-way decent as a flash game or for free. But there are a couple; personally I'm also rather fond of Tokimeki Memorial 3 - Girl's Side. Though the biggest "reward" is getting your man, there's still a nice understory and maintaining a friendship is about as important as trying to get a boyfriend.

The only "downside" with some of these games is that it takes a long time to start getting good, and unless there's something interesting going on, you're just going through the motions a lot of the time. And that kind of sucks.

But seriously, people have recommended some really awesome things in this thread, already. Maybe we should gather them all in a post for reference, hmmm....

That would be nice :3
Unfortunately due to some of the content later in the one I read :( it has to stay out of reach of kids, so I wont say the name of it on mene.

Ohohohoho, now I'm stupidly curious about which game it is. x'D Would you mind messaging me the name? *w*

What that's what made you curious? XD

The promise of not-suitable-for-kids content, hoho!

Ah yes... well thankfully you can disable it if you want to (if you want to stare at a box of melons... XD)

Oh, well that's good! o: I like it when games have that as an option; personally I don't really mind the content, but it's good that there's a choice, you know? Though, a box of melons?! Haha! SUBTLE.

I feel the same way about possibly choosing someone of the same sex as a love interest. Some games allow it, and it's something I very much applaud in this day and age - the fact that you have a choice.
Though it's not an otome game, there's this one game called Dragon Age (RPG) that allows you to choose between different races and genders for your love interest. It was the first game I actively played that allowed those options (save from The Sims, of course, but that doesn't count 'cause you can do whatever the hell you want in that game) and it was really something I was pleasantly surprised by. In the meantime it's become more common, and it's a nice evolution in any game, dating or not.

A lot of people wanted that in the game, but... to be honest the only guy your age you interact with is.... well he's sort of insane... XD you'll see... it'll take one conversation and you'll know exactly why it is...

Dragon Age? That's a dating sim? O.o

Oh yes, insanity in my near future, mwahahaha-! I look forward to it already.

And no no no no, Dragon Age is definetly not a dating sime. It's an RPG, but there's just... you have these companions, and you can romance them, and depending on who you romance and how your relationship is with your various companions, you get a different outcome. So in that regard, it's important to build relationships with them... but it's not an actual dating sim, it just has that mild aspect in it.

Interesting... if it wasn't for being made by EA I might actually play it...

Oh yes... he will have you rolling on the floor :)

You're not a fan of EA games? How come? o:

Oh wow, that sure sounds ominous.