The lack of innovation and new concepts in otome games.

I don't think this quite fits the bill since it doesn't have any priests but you did remind me of this game I played once called Particles of Reality. It does have an incest route and includes nsfw. Though if i recall right you have to get that route from the dev's pateron (it's free though). It's very much not a happy ending type of game and the dev does call it a dark otome. So I would say it falls under the risky category?

This is also something that the voice works are suffering from too in my opinion. I hope the script writers explore new area, but then again, I understand that they need their work to sell so sticking to proven things are safer.

I mostly agree. Sometimes it feels like many games reuse the same character archetypes, settings, or story structures. I'd love to see more original ideas, different settings, or less predictable plots. That said, I also understand that those familiar elements are popular because they work and many players enjoy them. Even so, I always appreciate it when a game tries something new.

I don't think this is a problem exclusive to otome or games, there's some genres that are suffering from the same problem. Isekais, young adult fantasy novels, action movies, superhero films, etc. Romantasy novels got hit the hardest, it's either one of those "otome" isekais or something that caters to booktok.

It's disappointing that some of their premises are admittedly unique and then they keep on using the same tropes. Though, tropes being overdone doesn't mean it's bad and there's some well-written stories with overused tropes. But even the oversaturation makes it hard to find those works.

I think the writing matters more, but it's not going to hurt for there to break away from the usual trends and try out something different. But an indie dev doing things out of passion is more likely to do that than companies.

moçoroca de abacate said:

I was recently looking for an otome game to play after finishing Tokimeki , but the premises always seem to be the same: the LIs include a sweet and gentle guy, a serious one, a "dark" and reclusive one, a childhood friend, and a super-energetic, loud one... All of this set in a workplace, a school, or a kingdom.

I admit I really crave something more "innovative" and "risky" in new otome games. Like a romance with a priest, or something like that (no judgment, please )... They've even written about incest in some older titles (Kuro to Kin and Chou no Doku), but I've never seen a romance with a priest or anything of the sort!

It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but I've been attracted to priests since childhood (an attraction that persists into my adult life) and I can never find games or visual novels that depict or satisfy my desire to see the MC get involved with a priest.

I just want a clergyman grappling with religious guilt; is that too much to ask? Bonus points if he's a serious, hard-to-crack priest who takes a long time to outwardly yield to his feelings for the MC, even though he's freaking out on the inside! But I don't want shy, easily embarrassed priests (I'm not into LIs who blush and stutter at everything).

What about you? Is there a concept you'd love to see in a game but never do? Or a concept/theme you've encountered in a game – or a select few –, but remains rare to find?

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9RIP's Seiya is sort of priest-ish. He performs exorcism and I believe he was a priest in his past life (?) He's not shy and easily embarrassed, although he does confess his love towards MC pretty quickly.

I agree that it does feel like otome games lack new concepts and innovation, but sometimes they still manage to pull of pretty innovative ones Like Matsurika no Kei was the first Chinese themed palace game that wasn't based on any history. Crazy Chain is also one of the rare commercial otome games that features fighting a foreign war (non Japanese war). But then we are hit with the common school themed game even if it just adds some new aspects...

I would love to see more dystopian universe fantasy otome games! There's also barely any actual villain LIs also. I don't want the ones that all of a sudden get white washed in their own routes.

Beannie said:

Be aware, @satory, that the route in FF is not romanticised. It is possibly the most disturbing route I have ever played.

Dot kareshi has a priest route, but it is more of a fun parody game on RPG than a proper otome game.

Indie games aside, I agree with you that the Japanese commercial otome games are quite safe, esp with the MCs. I wonder if that's because devs try to make self-insertion easier, and a too-strong personality MC would make it hard? (I do not self-insert so I have no clue how much harder it would be)

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Hibari from Variable Barricade is an MC that comes to mind with a very strong personality. She is a very strong tsundere, and people often either love her or hate her.

Anastasia from EIT also has a strong personality imo, and seems to be overall more well-liked.

I think a bigger issue with MC's with very strong personalities is making her work with all the different LIs. In games with MC's with more bland personalities, it's probably easier for the LI's to shine. Coincidently enough, the two MC's I mentioned also only have 4 LIs, which is def on the lower end count of LIs in otome games.

I agree. A lot of otome games feel too similar these days. After playing a few of them, it's easy to guess what will happen next because they follow the same formula. I really hope developers start taking more risks and come up with n

For innovation, indie devs are where it's at! Otomate's stuff is pretty formulaic these days but it works because there's not a whole lot of competition (with Rejet and Broccoli tied for slowest dev cycle with how long Dorico no Toshokan and UtaPri Dolce Vita are taking) and their games have glitz and glam on the surface level with their art and voice actors. If this was back in the late 00s to early 2010s when their competition was actually putting out new games, I would understand the decision to stick to tropes that are known to sell well but in today's age? C'mon now.
Honestly it's such a shame some people refuse to play an indie game because they can't afford professional voice acting or the art isn't as polished. Indie developers may not have a big budget but have more freedom to put whatever they want even if the subject matter is unconventional since it's usually a single person's passion project.

If you're just looking for innovative game storylines, you might want to check out Aromarie's titles—they focus on themes like illicit relationships.

Another game with an infidelity theme is ドウセイカレシ.

Then there are titles with more bizarre themes, like 女王蜂の王房 and 鳥籠のマリアージュ.

As for incest themes, there are indeed more titles from doujin circles, but might commercial games have bad endings involving that? Or perhaps NOISE ―voice of snow―?

For dark fantasy themes, there's Black Wolves Saga?

That said, I do prefer more realistic stories… so actually, a few of these games don't quite match my tastes.