Monthly Check In Post

[alias_sqbr]

What's everyone been playing? Any recs? Made some fanworks? Post here! Lurkers and first-time posters are always welcome :)

Also, a reminder to post to the introduction post if you like.

Comments

[alias_sqbr]

I don't think I've played any otome this month at all!

I did read a summary of a Diabolik Lovers route, even skimming past a bunch of things I found upsetting it was QUITE INTENSE, but also very effective at being what it is.

I'm working my way through an itchio bundle which includes the cute looking monster dating sim Monstrata Fracture, so I'll hopefully get to that by next month.

[scytale]

I read Diabolik Lovers recaps and found them really interesting! I think I would like to play the game some time, when my Japanese gets better.

I'm playing through Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly, and I'm loving it a lot. I finished the Best End and the Real World End, both of which were very sad. I'm excited for all of the routes, even Karasuba has kind of won me over by this point, and
in general, I love Beniyuri and I want to give her a hug and have her be happy. And in general, I enjoy how much the game is about her character arc and her motivations, as well as her flaws. And I also love the storytelling; the replay is really making me realize the significance of some things I didn't see the first time!

It's going a bit slowly though, because I've been busy, and also it's one of those canons where I really need to be in the right mood for it.

I also finished Finley's route in Hustle Cat between Nameless and Psychedelica, and that was a weird experience. No one is obsessing a lot after four scenes, no one is dying, we're just...dating and getting to know each other and enjoying each other's presence?? How does that even work?

I love Finley a lot, and the way she calls the MC pet names is really cute! I liked the second half of the route better than the first (which I played almost a year ago), since the first part made me feel like they expected my character to be a guy (which may be just in my head, to be fair!).

In other news, I also realized that I am hilariously predictable and I don't think I've ever not been a fan of a white-haired otome boy.

[alias_sqbr]

Ha! Having played both Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly and Hustle Cat I can definitely see how that would be jarring.

A friend and I also both felt like the Finley route kinda expected you to be a guy at some points. One of the writers replied to a post I made mentioning this to say the team had non binary writers and absolutely hadn't intended it that way, but it's not just you.

[scytale]

Haha, Psychedelica and Hustle Cat are very different takes on what it's like to be young! Though it feels like both Avery and Beniyuri are beyond the player's control; they're both very "point them and a route and go". I definitely have trouble relating to Avery, they feel so young.

Going from Nameless was such an experience too. Tei and Nameless -> Finley was just ????.

One of the writers replied to a post I made mentioning this to say the team had non binary writers and absolutely hadn't intended it that way, but it's not just you.

Ah, I see! I'm glad it wasn't intended that way.