I'm curious: how many love interests would you consider to be too many?
How many LIs are too many?
- Thread starter toboa
- Start date
- Oct 27, 2019
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That is an interesting question. More LIs - less time for character development and story, so maybe 7? 5 main LIs + 1 secret feels like a standard
yueop
New member
- May 17, 2026
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Having more characters seems great because it means there are more characters to love, but as the number of characters increases, their individual stories will naturally get shorter... I think a moderate amount, like around 6 characters, would be ideal!
mammonsfluffysheep
New member
- May 30, 2026
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5-7 are usually ideal. I get worried when I see a game and there's more than 8. Because any more than that and you can see how uneven all of the routes are.
- Mar 2, 2016
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I think over 6 (not including secret routes) would be too many because most games have around 4-6 LIs, However, if the game has more than one protagonist then I'm ok with there being more than 6. I like when a game has many LIs because you're bound to find someone you'll like, but at the same time I'd be worried about the character development and the routes being rushed in order to fit them all in. That's why I think anywhere between 4-6 is just right.
- Oct 24, 2019
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While I'd love having lots of options, I agree with the comments above—when there are too many LIs, each character usually gets less development unless the game had a ton of time put into it. These days, the classic setup is around five LIs plus a secret route. Five is perfect for me. If there are too many, I end up not knowing who to pick or is getting too lazy to finish the whole game. At the same time, if there are too few options, I'd get bored pretty quickly as well, unless the story is engaging enough to make up for it. XD
- Nov 27, 2025
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6 is where it gets too far for me!! Usually I play other character routes first before playing my expected favorite route,, so when there are like 6+ characters I start to lose my mind midway..
But more than that, the duration of each route is what turns me off,, if each characters' route is 2-4 hours, I can tolerate plenty of characters. If they all take 10+ hours I will be GONE
But more than that, the duration of each route is what turns me off,, if each characters' route is 2-4 hours, I can tolerate plenty of characters. If they all take 10+ hours I will be GONE
- Nov 7, 2025
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hakuoki's twelve lis with routes that last two whole games were definitely too much for me lol but i didnt mind the high number in sympathy kiss (eight) since two of those guys were secret lis with shorter routes compared to the others ^^ i think i will always prefer less number of lis so that in return each gets treated equally well with good writing and good cg quantity !
- Mar 22, 2015
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Paradigm Paradox had too many LIs IMO. A number of them didn't get a full story as they could have gotten. So somewhere around there. If it's a game that's built up it's LIs over multiple games, they have time to flesh them out more. Like UtaPri LOOKS like it might be that way. (Can't tell since no one has translated it yet! *stares at corporations*) But not sure.
Hakuoki has a lot and I'm not looking forward to trying to get through ALL of them. X3
Hakuoki has a lot and I'm not looking forward to trying to get through ALL of them. X3
- Nov 20, 2025
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- Jul 31, 2025
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Personally, 4 to 5 love interests is good enough. Aside from the fact that having too many routes usually leads to rushed, low-quality writing or clear favoritism, which makes them boring to read =))) a huge roster just overwhelms me to the point where I can't finish the game. To make it worse, I like to 100% a game before moving on. It becomes this vicious cycle: too many routes ➔ lack of depth/too overwhelming ➔ getting bored ➔ dropping the game entirely.
Another thing is when games with a large cast of LIs split their content into multiple sequels or parts just to expand the stories. Nah, I don't really want to spend double or triple the money and time just to follow maybe 1 or 2 LIs I actually care about because the content feels so incomplete.
Another thing is when games with a large cast of LIs split their content into multiple sequels or parts just to expand the stories. Nah, I don't really want to spend double or triple the money and time just to follow maybe 1 or 2 LIs I actually care about because the content feels so incomplete.
- Sep 5, 2015
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- Jan 4, 2026
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- Aug 5, 2013
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Maybe it's because I play single li games more usually than not, I can't even think of playing games with more than 8 lis, I think 8 is the most I've played in a game, even in the ones I've played, the plot stretches itself thin to remain relevant in the latter routes as they feel more like an afterthought. I tend to like all of my LIs , we'll usually and I've not a huge fan of them not getting the attention and love they deserve.
- Sep 1, 2024
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Personally, I feel like 3–4 LIs is a bit too few, so 5–6 is my sweet spot! Something like 4 standard LIs plus a locked character who unlocks after clearing everyone else—making it 5 in total—feels perfect and doesn't give me burnout. I love it when each LI has a best, normal, and bad ending, and then there's a true route that opens up after hitting all the best endings.
Once it hits 7 or more LIs, though, it just feels too overwhelming to clear them all lol. Of course, having a huge roster means a higher chance of finding your specific type, and there's definitely that 'buffet style' fun of picking and choosing, but still...!
Once it hits 7 or more LIs, though, it just feels too overwhelming to clear them all lol. Of course, having a huge roster means a higher chance of finding your specific type, and there's definitely that 'buffet style' fun of picking and choosing, but still...!
- Jun 16, 2021
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- Dec 19, 2020
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- Apr 8, 2025
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6+ is too many. I'll accept a hidden romance or one that's secret but they have to be built in and not just shoehorned into the plot to hit the love interest goal. I want substance and relationship building and I find the more love interests the less you get to know them as the game will become too long and convoluted.
- Jun 27, 2021
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More than 5 is too many, mainly because, as they've explained, the distribution or creation of the plot isn't equal, and routes start to appear that have no plot at all—boring or pointless routes. Furthermore, I wouldn't even want the 5 love interest limit to be strict; I've skipped several routes simply because they don't do anything interesting. An example of this is Alfred from Mistonia no Kibou.