What pulls you first when getting into an otome game/BL?

[kotohabaki]

I know people who are solely dedicated to their favourite seiyuus and would just try anything that they're in.
And I know people who are immediately sold just by the visuals.

For me, it really depends... But I'm often hooked by either the premise or if it's from a developer/publisher that I trust.

 

[avaloncode]

The heroine. Seriously!
My love for the main character has taken me to places I wouldn't even go with a gun. take Ema from Brothers Conflict. I'm not into the step siblings trope at all, but she was just so cute and I wanted to see her happy!

 

[Kyonen]

Art style is the first thing that catches my attentiom but if the story / plot synopsis doesn't hook me I'm probably not going to play it.

 

[YummyYum]

Honestly it's probably the art- specifically it's if I like the LI designs or not (though, if the plot is interesting and has good reviews I might pick it up anyway). After that I will look at the story, and then sometimes the reviews of the games. I've been suckered into ones that have cute LIs, an interesting sounding story, and end up not enjoying it sadly. I used to play like any otome I could get my hands on, where the art and story didn't matter, but now I'm much more picky.

 

[piiinku]

Story / Plot > Visuals and Character Design > Seiyuus !

 

[remo]

The protagonist's character and VA are deal-breakers for me. If I'm not feeling both, I'll lose interest, even if the story is top-tier."

 

[fr4pp3cinn]

Mostly the setting and MC! Visuals are nice, but I've played many games with art that doesn't appeal to me that much. Mystery or horror settings and proactive MCs are more likely to catch my eye.

 

[kotohabaki]

The heroine. Seriously!
My love for the main character has taken me to places I wouldn't even go with a gun. take Ema from Brothers Conflict. I'm not into the step siblings trope at all, but she was just so cute and I wanted to see her happy!

I find a lot of heroines are cute, so I never considered it twice XD

Counting Ema from BroCon, which MC designs are your favourites?

My top 4 ones, in no particular order:
1. Sakuraba Asuka (ALICE=ALICE)
2. Komori Yui (Diabolik Lovers)
3. Felicita (Arcana Famiglia)
4. The Heroine from Amnesia

Honestly it's probably the art- specifically it's if I like the LI designs or not (though, if the plot is interesting and has good reviews I might pick it up anyway). After that I will look at the story, and then sometimes the reviews of the games. I've been suckered into ones that have cute LIs, an interesting sounding story, and end up not enjoying it sadly. I used to play like any otome I could get my hands on, where the art and story didn't matter, but now I'm much more picky.

That's fair. I find that after becoming a working adult, I don't have as much time anymore... So I definitely became a lot more picky as to what I would pick up.

The protagonist's character and VA are deal-breakers for me. If I'm not feeling both, I'll lose interest, even if the story is top-tier."

Which seiyuus would you immediately get a game for? XD

 

[arilyn]

Art style! I'm very picky when it comes to the art style, and it can definitely put me off from playing a game. I'm more into the anime-ish style which feels more comfortable to look at in my opinion. Didn't really like western-ish art styles until recently!

 

[CountryBumpkin]

The story blurb, I guess :o
Oh, and if the main heroine is not a self-insert, like she has a description (like a LI) or at least she has a face ^_^"

 

[Akizuki]

The premise and the art! But sometimes I will still play if the game's visual doesn't look really pretty as long as the story looks interesting/it has tropes that I like

 

[lambdadelta]

setting/premise, artstyle (but this can be worked around) and.. idk how to explain..? if the words flow together well - if i find the prose engaging or beautiful. i think club suicide, for example, is quite poetic even if the eng translation butchered it... you can still tell!

the mc/heroine is super important to me too ofc. i like to feel the writers put care into her as well

 

[nanacho]

I'll play a game if I'm first attracted to its art style, and then to its story or setting. But the ones that are truly satisfying to play are those with interesting stories.

 

[haru0117]

It's the story and the art style, isn't it

 

[avaloncode]

I find a lot of heroines are cute, so I never considered it twice XD

Counting Ema from BroCon, which MC designs are your favourites?

My top 4 ones, in no particular order:
1. Sakuraba Asuka (ALICE=ALICE)
2. Komori Yui (Diabolik Lovers)
3. Felicita (Arcana Famiglia)
4. The Heroine from Amnesia

Great list! All of them are very cute, especially Yui!! Here's links to my favs (also in no particular order)
1. Fuka
2. Kuze Tsugumi
3. Kusanagi Yui
4. Ceres
5. Cardia

 

[801_9ma]

I'd say I'm more of a visuals guy in general when it comes to what first piques my interest with just about anything, but then I'm set on whether or not I wanna play something based on what I can find about the story. Sometimes I make exceptions though and try games simply because my friends mentioned liking them, or because I just feel like playing something completely blind! If there's a seiyuu I like, I'll consider it a nice plus, but it's not what I care about first unless I really have a craving for a specific seiyuu when looking for something new to play.

When it comes to otome specifically, I don't really care if the heroine doesn't have a design, but she has to be a character of her own for me to really get into the game. If I feel like the MC could be replaced by a cardboard cutout and nothing about the story would change, I'll get bored and drop the game. I wanna feel like a wingman to this gal and root for her, not feel like I'm reading about a bunch of guys hallucinating interactions with the concept of a vaguely humanoid being.

 

[koten]

The premise, art and if it has my fav seiyuus.

 

[kotohabaki]

Great list! All of them are very cute, especially Yui!! Here's links to my favs (also in no particular order)
1. Fuka
2. Kuze Tsugumi
3. Kusanagi Yui
4. Ceres
5. Cardia

Oh my gosh Fuka!! Thanks for reminding me I still have OZMAFIA in my backlog too lol
I love her design, it's sweet and simple.

I'd say I'm more of a visuals guy in general when it comes to what first piques my interest with just about anything, but then I'm set on whether or not I wanna play something based on what I can find about the story. Sometimes I make exceptions though and try games simply because my friends mentioned liking them, or because I just feel like playing something completely blind! If there's a seiyuu I like, I'll consider it a nice plus, but it's not what I care about first unless I really have a craving for a specific seiyuu when looking for something new to play.

When it comes to otome specifically, I don't really care if the heroine doesn't have a design, but she has to be a character of her own for me to really get into the game. If I feel like the MC could be replaced by a cardboard cutout and nothing about the story would change, I'll get bored and drop the game. I wanna feel like a wingman to this gal and root for her, not feel like I'm reading about a bunch of guys hallucinating interactions with the concept of a vaguely humanoid being.

"The concept of a vaguely humanoid being" is making me chuckle. That's true though, if the heroine is just a cardboard, I'd feel less inclined to enjoy the game. Like romantic moments are cool but there's gotta be some weight behind it!

 

[chardonnay]

art style, storyline / setting and voice cast, i guess. at least two of theese must be interesting for me to consider playing a game.

 

[melodyofchains]

The art has a huge impact on me followed by the cast and plot

 

[MooMoon]

The art style and settings then the story. I need a good art style nothing bad with "ugly" style but I prefer to look a nice art.

 

[Towaトワ]

I know people who are solely dedicated to their favourite seiyuus and would just try anything that they're in.
And I know people who are immediately sold just by the visuals.

For me, it really depends... But I'm often hooked by either the premise or if it's from a developer/publisher that I trust.

My first impression is always the visuals, but I often stay for the plot, I need an engaging plot and game so I can read through it without feeling tired. I've had games that stayed up on my library for years before I managed to finish it due to the plot being a bit too slow paced for my taste without any engaging factor.

I'm yet to come across a game the visuals don't appeal to me.

If it's a company I trust I buy the game with no problem, I'm yet to come across a bad game from Nitro+Chiral

 

[kotohabaki]

My first impression is always the visuals, but I often stay for the plot, I need an engaging plot and game so I can read through it without feeling tired. I've had games that stayed up on my library for years before I managed to finish it due to the plot being a bit too slow paced for my taste without any engaging factor.

I'm yet to come across a game the visuals don't appeal to me.

If it's a company I trust I buy the game with no problem, I'm yet to come across a bad game from Nitro+Chiral

That's how I feel about Rejet and Adelta's games lol A lot of their visuals are really appealing to me!

 

[yukihana1006]

First, I look at the game's visuals and character design. Only then do I consider the game's content. There are games with stunning visuals that, once played, leave me deeply disappointed, their content is simply too poor to keep me engaged.

 

[yaoidemon]

My two non-negotiables are:
1) the art style is okay. It doesn't have to be the best ever, but I have to like it.
2) the VN looks like it has something to tell.

If the art style is bad or I really hate the character design, I cannot get into it. But an amazing art style doesn't sell me a VN if I think from the plot or overall look that the VN is boring, stereotyped or doesn't have anything unique.