What are the boundaries you would or would not tolerate in an otome game?

[Yashalun]

I can tolerate almost anything, but in my case, the limits I wouldn't accept would be extreme physical violence against the main character—I just can't tolerate that. Another limit would be extreme denigration And finally, I'd say infidelity or NTR—I would never, under any circumstances, forgive the latter. If any of these boundaries are crossed, I end up hating or strongly rejecting that route. What about you? What are your limits—what would you tolerate or not tolerate in an otome game? I'd love to read your opinions and experiences.

 

[Gaiasheart]

I cannot tolerate Grape or Gore. They're absolutely despicable and disgusting, and yet there are some otomes who put it. I don't know what goes through the dev's minds to even add things like that!!! EW, ew, ew!!!

 

[orionsbestie]

Also NTR done to us/heroine like. Why... Most other things I'd forgive but why... I wouldn't tolerate that at all.

 

[Daisy Magnus229]

Second with gore.
I rarely see it in otome games, but it does show up sometimes in BL games or drama cds. Hearing blood splatters or seeing something gory happen always succeeds in making my skin crawl. Sometimes I even need to take a break before continuing the game or drama CD.

 

[motyu]

Overly disturbing or graphic content that doesn't feel necessary to the story. I'm fine with darker or more serious themes when they serve a purpose, but I don't enjoy content that seems to exist mainly for shock value.

 

[エブリン]

I totally agree with your limits NTR and straight-up abuse toward mc are instant dealbreakers for me too! On top of those, another huge boundary for me is when mc is written to be completely helpless, has zero say in anything, and just lets everyone push her around without ever standing up for herself.
I also really hate fake 'redemption' arcs where a li treats MC like absolute garbage for 90% of the route, and then the game expects us to forgive him just because he gives a half-assed apology at the very end. If a guy is going to be toxic, the story needs to actually work to earn that character growth! Crossing any of these just ruins the whole route for me

 

[Moonblink]

Also NTR and non-con situations. Otherwise i think i'm ok with almost anything

 

[minny]

I do not tolerate anything triggering done without purpose

 

[Euclase]

I'm okay with a little jealousy or slightly questionable behavior as long as it fits the character and works within the story. But once it crosses the line into genuinely controlling or hurting the other person, it's probably too much for me. After the ending, I just want them to live happily ever after!

 

[Pancito]

I think I tolerate a lot more things in games than I would in real life, because obviously I understand that I'm experiencing a story and not a real situation. I can enjoy morally questionable, jealous, toxic characters, or characters who make really bad decisions if the story does something interesting with them.
But there are certain things that make me immediately rule out a character. For example, I don't like when they're excessively violent toward the protagonist, whether physically or verbally, or when they insult, degrade, or have very misogynistic attitudes toward her. In those cases I usually just think, "Okay, this character is definitely not for me."
I also think there are things that bother me much less in a game than they would in real life. For example, I would never tolerate cheating in real life, but in a game I can take it much more objectively. That doesn't mean I would forgive the character or continue liking him—I'd probably completely rule him out—but I can understand that it's part of the story. (⁠٥⁠↼⁠_⁠↼⁠)

 

[chuubiey]

I can tolerate almost anything, but in my case, the limits I wouldn't accept would be extreme physical violence against the main character—I just can't tolerate that. Another limit would be extreme denigration And finally, I'd say infidelity or NTR—I would never, under any circumstances, forgive the latter. If any of these boundaries are crossed, I end up hating or strongly rejecting that route. What about you? What are your limits—what would you tolerate or not tolerate in an otome game? I'd love to read your opinions and experiences.

I agree with everything you said! I can't tolerate that either;-;

 

[roreょ]

I can tolerate almost anything, but in my case, the limits I wouldn't accept would be extreme physical violence against the main character—I just can't tolerate that. Another limit would be extreme denigration And finally, I'd say infidelity or NTR—I would never, under any circumstances, forgive the latter. If any of these boundaries are crossed, I end up hating or strongly rejecting that route. What about you? What are your limits—what would you tolerate or not tolerate in an otome game? I'd love to read your opinions and experiences.

i totally agree with you, it doesn't sit right to me when they are unnecessarily violent or rude to mc

 

[Sacchie]

I'm such a maso girl, I can tolerate any cruel thing the LI did to MC (✿◡‿◡) /RIP my sanity/
but somehow I cannot stand characters that are not 'strong-willed??' I'm not so sure how to describe it, but LI that are nilly-willy? i guess, and not dependable, if they are dependable, they can do anything to me (✿◡‿◡)
lock me up in ur basement king and queen (✿◡‿◡)

 

[nerim-w]

Agree with NTR. I dont find it hot at all, just sad and its disappointing because I'll see a work with amazing art but then I see the NTR tag... and thats when I nope tf out. Its just so messy and unsexy to me like all id be thinking about during the r18 scene "I feel really bad for [the person who got cheated on]..."

 

[Kevin1255]

Unforgivable physical abuse, infidelity (NTR), and complete character degradation without redemption are hard limits for me. I can enjoy dark themes, possessiveness, or angst, but the moment an LI genuinely betrays or harms the MC with malicious intent, all romantic chemistry dies instantly.

 

[annaqueue]

I've yet to see it in an otome game, but love potions are my ultimate dealbreaker across all media, and an instant 'no' from me.

It's literally drugging someone and violating them emotionally and physically. I don't care if they already had a crush or feelings before taking it—it still ruins genuine consent. Media loves to brush it off as a harmless joke when it happens to male characters, but I have zero tolerance for that double standard.

 

[shinichiel]

I don't get the boundary thing since I only treat them as characters and abstractions of humanity, in which different characters tell different perspectives. It's less about tolerance but more preference to me. Have I avoided some routes due to flagged behaviors? It's hard to remember something I don't even like. Neverthelss, I'm never into graphical violence so if that's a central theme, it needs to be serving clear purporses with contexts. For examples, in general graphical violence (gore, dru-, rap-) can be texts only, so if they are showing it in an visual way, or the protagonist has to make certain decisions, they better handle it well.

 

[Ichisan]

Li doing physical violence or killing mc. Like, why instead of romance i get tortured and murdered? furthermore in an otome gamee? although its mostly happened in bad end, its still make me uncomfortable, i need to pause before continue playing it or i might just skip it.

 

[qcqq]

I can't tolerate it, because I have had a sad experience, and I don't think about how to make my life better, but I become a perpetrator and make more innocent people sad, and finally I have to sell it for myself when I am sanctioned.

 

[藍色水珠]

I have little tolerance for physical violence, especially when it happens repeatedly without reason or unilaterally. Such violence is disgusting; it shows a desire to physically harm others without any regard for reason, and is utterly despicable.

I can only barely accept infidelity or NTR (Netorare), but only in a two-dimensional scenario.

 

[Yuuu701]

I can't tolerate violent behavior that results in bruises and bleeding. It's painful just thinking about it and gets worse when the LI is doing it for their own pleasure. I don't really like NTR either especially when the heroine only has eyes for her partner.

 

[wodaiwushi]

NTR is definitely unacceptable, as well as unscrupulously harming or even killing the people close to the heroine in order to get close to her, leaving her isolated and helpless, controlling her mentally, and treating her like an object.

 

[Ichisan]

NTR is definitely unacceptable, as well as unscrupulously harming or even killing the people close to the heroine in order to get close to her, leaving her isolated and helpless, controlling her mentally, and treating her like an object.

treating girl like an object, that im strongly agree!!

 

[anbvv]

I can't stand it when the LI cheats on the MC or the game revolves around rivalry between women