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Does anyone else get annoyed when your choices don't actually matter?

Yes, because I'm a player who's been referring to guides while playing.

If there are meaningless options, it makes me feel very tired.

Too many options can also be tiring (like Camp Boddy, which is really exhausting).
 
I can totally relate to that feeling when you realize the heroine's choices don't really affect the content of character routes or story twists— it can be pretty frustrating…
I really like it when the heroine's decisions and judgments can interact deeply with the plot,
creating a sense of back-and-forth with the story,
like an adventure full of surprises driven by the turning wheel of her will.
 
Honestly, I use a guide for basically every otome game, so I don't really care that much about whether my choices actually matter. At least when it comes to otome games, I'm mostly there for the story and the characters rather than the gameplay challenge.

For games that are particularly complicated, like Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side, even following a guide sometimes isn't enough, and that's where I start getting frustrated. For some of the older games, I've just used cheats to get into the route I wanted.

I just want to enjoy the story and spend time with the characters. I don't want to sit there stressing over which choice is the "correct" one, wondering whether I accidentally messed up some hidden stat three hours ago and now have to replay everything just to reach the route I want.

For me, the choices are more of a means to experience the story than the main attraction. If my choices have meaningful consequences, that's great, but I'm perfectly happy with an "illusion of choice" if it means I can focus on the characters and narrative without turning the game into an exam.
 
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Yes, definitely! 😂 I don't need every choice to completely change the story, but if the game gives me a choice, I want it to feel like it actually matters somehow. Otherwise, why am I choosing? 😭

I also prefer being able to choose what I actually want rather than having to pick certain answers to get a specific route or ending. I understand why games are designed that way, but I usually end up looking for a guide and just following it, so I don't really think about my choices anymore. It kind of defeats the purpose of having choices in the first place.
 
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I don't really get annoyed about it that much, but I really appreciate it if the game goes all out in having your choices matter by changing any details even if its like a small detail
 
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Yup. What's the point of making choices when there is no branch route based on the choice we choose? I think it Will be more interesting of the routes differ so we can see the consequence of our choices.
 
Sometimes! If its a really meaningless option, I don't really mind it, but if its something super plot important then yes I absolutely do mind. I think its the sense of immersion, it feels pointless to give my own input if it doesnt matter.
 
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I agree. I do want to see some kind of impact after choosing a dialogue. I rather see effort to give a few varied branches that does not have to change the route entirely, then just affection up and no change in dialogue. It would be great if they could add an actual impact to my choices, but I feel it might make it harder to unlock the endings you want when more choices unlock a different route.
 
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Definitely annoying, like why'd you even make me choose when it has no bearing whatsoever on the outcome. Breaks the immersion and leaves a sour taste in my mouth :(
 
It's frustrating when this happens in otome games because making choices are usually the only gameplay/interactivity. You had one job!
I get it when there's an illusion of choice in other types of games, but the appeal of otome and VNs is immersing yourself in and shaping the narrative.
Most choices you make only change the next couple of sentences. Or even if they are important, they only matter right at the end of the game.

If your choices only dictate what ending you get, it doesn't feel like you actually have any impact. Usually only one of those endings are a "good ending" - i.e. you picked the "correct" options.
Your choices shouldn't be considered right or wrong, it kind of defeats the point of interactive storytelling. If I'm reloading my save and picking different options just so I can get the good ending, I'm not really the one picking my answers.
 
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VERY MUCH SO. I much prefer when my choices matter. I think the worst experience is when you go through a game and pick choices that, let's say end you up in a bad situation. Like your character gets kidnapped because they ended up at a certain place or trusted a certain person.

Then, in the next playthrough, you actively make choices that mean you're NOT going to that place or you DON'T trust that person, but you still end up kidnapped and the story unfolds EXACTLY the same.

Like. If it was that important to the narrative, just make it part of the story. Don't make me think there's a way out of it if I picked something different. What's the point of even having a choice in those situations? Do you think I'm bored and I need something to click on? Use your time to make an equally pointless mini-game :confused: I'd be less grumpy about it.
 
Yeah, I hate it. But what I hate the most is when I choose a pretty looking harmless choice but then I get the bad ending and the LI dies. lol
 
Personally, I prefer having as few choices as possible. If the routes and endings are already predetermined, choices that don't actually affect anything just feel like they're wasting my time 😭 Some older games have dozens of choices in a single route, only to change a few lines of dialogue. At that point, I'd rather just get on with the story.
 
It would be really appealing if the outcome of a choice could lead to different developments depending on the answer!
On the other hand, if the only purpose of the choices is to determine whether you get the correct answer to enter a route, I don't feel they are particularly necessary.
I'm afraid of wasting time, so I often end up checking walkthroughs while playing. That takes away from both the overall gameplay experience and my immersion in the story.
 
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