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Is the first route important for your overall perception of the otome?

Absolutely. The first route is always the one with the character I'm most interested in, and it's my first impression of the game, so I consider it very important.

But I don't usually drop the game if I don't like the first route, but if the second route is boring too, then it's bye bye. 𐔌՞. .՞𐦯
 
I would say yes but there some games with weaker earlier routes where it definitely get better later on so it's tricky.
 
I usually follow the intended order, so the first route doesn't really affect my perception of the game, especially if the character I love is one of the last ones
 
I follow the recommended route order, so I only really let the first route affect my opinion if I'm already shaky on whether or not I want to commit to that game in the first place as I know the recommended first one will generally have the least plot-related "oomph". The only game I've run this sort of trial system on is Collar X Malice, which I did end up dropping, but even then it wasn't due to anything specific in the route, I just didn't vibe with the plot/general concept (which, tbh, I should have figured out before even spending that much time on the first route anyways).

There are other games I really love that probably wouldn't have survived if I judged based on the first route all the time, so it's definitely not something I want to put into practice too often.
 
Yes, the first route is the first impression and usually if I can choose the route, I'll choose the character that stands out the most for me but if it is kinetic and I can't choose it it's important the story catches my attention and the character needs to be likeable.
 
I usually stick to the common route. If I enjoy it and keep playing, I follow the recommended order. If I'm really unsure because the common route was a bit boring for me, then I choose the route of the character that catches my eye and is unlocked.
 
The first route could contribute to 50% of the first impression, but even if it may be boring, the other routes may be better. I just continue to read through.
 
My viewpoint is similar to yours. Playing the first route is very important for me, as it determines the level of interest in the entire game. My first route in playing the game is to play with the characters I am interested in first. There are exceptions as well. If I play other characters' routes and find them more interesting, I will directly complete the game in its entirety.
 
I'm the exact same way. If the first route is boring, I completely lose interest in the whole game... But on the flip side, if I start with low expectations and the first route turns out to be amazing, I get hooked instantly. When that happens, it's so fun watching the other guys pop up during the common route and trying to decide who to romance next. And oh my god, if I end up falling head over heels for the first guy, it actually hurts to play the other routes because my first love is just stuck in the back of my mind the entire time... So yeah, the bottom line is that the first route is just SO crucial for getting into a game.
 
First, play the route of the character that interests you most to check the time required and the overall feel of the game.
Based on that, you'll decide whether to move on to a different character's route or switch to a different game.
 
Of course, the first route is my first impression of the game, and from there I see if I like it or not hehe 🎀
 
That depends on first impression when saw the cover or promotional art.I start playing a otome game whenever i find the art is beautiful,or Lis or fmc chara design matches my taste,or sometimes the art aint not that smash but come for the plot.If i play cuz of art,i start playing with my fav character first,else i just play with character in order as shown in walkthroughs.
 
It's somewhat important, but not that much.
I usually try not to read the character descriptions before starting a game, so that way I'm not disappointed if a character turns out to be different than I expected (because I wasn't expecting anything;).
 
The emotional flow portrayed in the first route, and the way it pulls on my heartstrings,
is a really important driving force for me to keep going.
If the development ends up being dull or completely falling apart,
my mood just becomes as heavy as a lead weight…
Nowadays many games have recommended route orders or route restrictions,
so when I come across a game where there's nothing like that to worry about,
it actually makes me really happy, because I can start with the character route I'm most interested in.
Of course, whether the story itself is truly outstanding is another matter.
So when the personal route of a character I love is also written in a memorable and impressive way,
it really feels incredibly touching.
 
The common route matters more to me. I usually follow the route order, so I'm prepared for the first LI not necessarily being my type. But most of the time, the first guy ends up somewhere in the middle of my ranking anyway.

The exception is probably Riku from Olympia Soirée. I did his route first and have already reread it 2–3 times, even though I still haven't finished Akaza.
 
Extremely! If I particularly dislike the first or second route my motivation to play the game just takes a hard dive. Also I agree with that one person as well, common route is just as if not more important, Radiant Tale common route bored me so much I still haven't started a route to this day despite me absolutely loving the art LOL
 
Not that much, I always go with the recommend route order so if I end up not liking the first route, I keep playing and hope the other routes will be better.
 
Not necessarily I use the recommended route most times. Whats more important to me is the common route story; if I like the the common story ill sit through an ML route; even if I dont particularly care for. (๑ᵔ⤙ᵔ๑)
 
rarely but if they are horrible and said to be one of the better routes, then i'll reconsider, sometimes i play another route just in case
 
For me, sometimes I don't even make it through the first route if the writing isn't good enough. If the story feels shallow, the plot doesn't have enough substance, or the characters just aren't interesting or compelling to me, I can struggle to even get through the common route.

I think visual novels aren't that different from novels in this regard. They have to capture the reader's attention within the first few chapters, otherwise it's hard to stay invested.

There have also been some games where I forced myself to finish the first route, but still couldn't find the appeal of the game. In those cases, I usually assume that the writing and overall storytelling style of the other routes will probably be similar, so I don't feel very motivated to continue.

That said, there are exceptions, especially games where each route has a completely different tone or feels like an entirely different story. For those, I'd probably judge each route individually rather than letting the first route determine my overall opinion.
 
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I think the first route definitely affects my first impression of an otome! 😂 If I find the first route boring, I'm much less motivated to continue, especially if I already have a lot of games in my backlog.
 
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I would say in order for me to abandon the game or even to just set it aside for a while the first route I play would have to be really bad in terms of something like the quality of the writing overall i guess. Or if its easy to tell that its a really botched translation/localization. But in general Im willing to give any game a fair chance even if I find the first route I play super boring; I tend to save the routes I think Im gonna like the most for last anyway.
 
Yes!!! Since it's going to be my first impression of the game so i think its important. Though usually I got interested with other character while I play another route, so its like a trial!
 
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