Otome FAQs

Sleeping Delivery, a
romance Otome

1. What is an Otome?
 An Otome game is an interactive visual novel experience where the reader/player follows the first-person player (whom they can usually name whatever they like), and is able to make  decisions and solve challenges that usually impact the story's ending. Usually there are characters within the game that the player can "romance," and their choices impact which character they will end up with at the end of the game. 

2. Where did Otomes originate?
These romance games for women originated in Japan, but they are not all Japanese in origin. Some of the more popular Asian games have been translated into English, but more and more English-made games are being made today. Most Otome games feature Anime-like art, though a lot of them present more realistic, or less Anime-looking art. Some Animes are Otomes, and some Otomes are based off Animes, but most of them are their own original.

3. Are Otomes for girls only?
No. Many otomes are not focused on romance, and a lot of romance Otomes have a male first-person player, and/or the player is able to romance either a male or female character within the game.

4. How long do Otomes usually take to complete?
This depends on the Otome. Many apps you can download from the online stores require multiple days, or even continue indefinitely, like High School Story. Some even require special in-game tickets or other currency in order to view the next chapter or part of a character's route. Others, such as Autumn's Journey (pictured) can be completed in one sitting. 

Autumn's Journey, a non-
romance Otome

5. Are Otomes safe to play?
Once again, it depends on the Otome. Make sure to read all the information and maturity ratings about the game before purchasing or downloading any Otome game, as some can be more explicit or contain heavier sexual themes and inappropriate images. If anything makes you feel uncomfortable, either do not download/play, or stop the game and get rid of it.

6. Are all Otomes free?
Actually, most Otomes cost some money, either as an initial purchase to play the full game, or hold the option of paying real money for items and stories within the game. An example of this is Mystic Messenger: free to download, but you can pay to add more hourglasses that are required to make "phone-calls" and unlock bonus content. A premium package deal is also an optional purchase. However, you can play the game without using real money, the player just has to watch their currency levels and spend their in-game "money" well.

Have questions? Feel free to comment below, or send me a message!