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My 2022 otome gaming schedule

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On Dicembre 26, 2021

In my life, otoge reviews, Personal stuff, Senza categoria

Hello everyone!

Are you enjoying your Christmas holidays, so far?

I just have 2 days off, but I’m using this chance to organize my life and my future plans, which obviously includes a gaming schedule for next year.

I usually have an hard time sticking to it, the otome I choose depends on my mood, but I usually end up playing most of the games on the list I write, so you can easily expect at least half of these reviews, in the months to come. I’ll do my best, be kind to me please!

Let’s take a look together:

  • Kannagi no mori

This was scheduled for last year, but at some point my PC gave up and I started playing only on console; but I swear its time will come, at some point.

  • Dot Kareshi 1

Old school Rejet stuff, it’s still worth playing, since they probably stopped making games for ever.

  • Hanayaka nari, waga ichizoku

I’ve been recommended this so many times, I know it’s great; I’ll find some time to give it a chance.

  • Bara ni kakusareshi verité

Dating men from the French Revolution will surely be a memorable (and maybe cringe?) experience.

  • Suuran Digit

This game has a bad reputation, I think it was considered kinda boring; let’s see if I wasted my money or not, time will tell.

  • Root Rexx

A cute school game, I’ll play this when I’m tired of deep plots and random tragedy.

  • Tokei Jikake no Apocalypse

I’ve completed the first route already, but I put it on hold to complete other games; this will probably be my first review of 2022.

  • Lover Pretend

It looks cute, I have high expectations on this game, I don’t know why I’ve never felt in the mood to start it. Well, at some point its time will come.

  • Cendrillon Phalika

I think this has a bad reputation? I remember people calling it boring, when it was released. We’ll find out.

  • Yoshiwara Higanbana

This is really spicy…. I expect it to be really something, I’ll be disappointed if it’s not at least Jakou no lyla level.

  • Shuuen no Virche

Probably heartbreaking, I’m really curious to try it and feel the pain.

  • Hametsu Flag

I loved the anime, I can’t skip this!

  • Gothik Murder

This seems interesting, mystery is always my cup of tea. I’ll play it blindly, ready to see where my choices will take me.

  • Reine des Fleurs

I’ve always wanted to replay it and write my opinion, but I never got the chance; I’ve started it recently and I’ve completed one route already, so the long awaited review will come very soon!

I don’t know when Radiant Tale and Tengoku Struggle will be released, but I’ll probably buy both; I’m still conflicted about Soukai Tenki, I’ll decide when there are more news.

I also plan to replay Brothers Conflict, which is the most important game to me, so I couldn’t resist to buy the Switch port; but I wrote a review already, back in the old days, I haven’t decided yet if I want to write a new one. We’ll see.

Have you made your schedule already? Is there a title in my list that interests you?

It’s almost time to say goodbye to 2021, I hope next year will be way better.

I wish you the best, have a good time with your loved ones and don’t forget to stay safe.

See you soon!

Let’s talk about my 2021 and my resolutions for 2022!

By

On Dicembre 22, 2021

In Personal stuff, Senza categoria

Hello everyone! Christmas is almost here, 2021 is ending, so it’s the perfect moment to reflect on the last months, what happened in my life and what are my resolutions for 2022.

First of all, let’s talk about my personal main event of the year: on 9th June, I finally got married!

We postponed the wedding 5 times due to covid19, but we were finally able to hold our ceremony, even if it was just a small group of close friends and relatives; it was a great memory I’ll always keep dear in my heart.

Last year, I expressed as my greatest wish to realize my personal goals which had to be delayed during the pandemic: 2021 wasn’t the brightest year, we couldn’t live to the fullest, but we made a few steps in the right direction and we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

We finally bought our first house, even if the moving is not over, but it’s a matter of a few months; it was an important accomplishment, it makes me a bit worried, but also proud.

My main goal of the year is to finally move to my new house, settle down and have a more peaceful life in a place I can really consider my own. It will be tiring and expensive at first, but it will be worthy for sure.

I’ll try my best to keep this job, since the paycheck is good and I need a stable income to pay off my loan: my boss is a douche, working almost every day with little free time is hard, but I must keep going until I can. Let’s see how it goes, at least for this year being able to endure it all must be my priority.

As for my hobbies, I’m proud to say I was able to read 4 books in german in these past months, level A1 and A2. Now, I want to aim for B1!

Sadly, my Finnish keeps getting worse, I have no time to study and I barely remember what I learned so far; I still listen to finnish songs when I work on my bullet journal, at least I don’t forget how it sounds. I wish I could go back to study as I used to during quarantine, but my life has obviously become way busier. Maybe I’ll try to read an easy book, if I find one.

I was able to read 16 books this year, which feels like a decent amount to me; most of them were great, so I’m already looking forward to the books which are waiting for me in 2022!

I made a list already, even if I still have to buy most of them: maybe it’s surprising, but I don’t have a book backlog, I mostly buy what I want to read in that moment, or very soon. I have like 3 unread books at home. I wish I could do the same with games!

Since we reached this topic, I’ll post in a few days my otome gaming schedule for next year, it deserves a separate place to be talked about.

I didn’t watch many japanese drama this year, just 5; if you’re in the mood for an hidden gem, I can recommend you Fujoshi, ukkari gei ni kokuru. It’s a slice of life, about a gay teen who desperately tries to hide his sexuality; it’s tragic, so you must be prepared to cry when you watch it, but I absolutely loved it.

As for anime, my favorite of the year was Re-main; I started it expecting just fanservice, but it was way better than I thought. The second season of Hamefura was entertaining too.

As for the music, probably no one here cares for symphonic metal, but if you have some free time I highly recommend you to listen to Epica’s new album, Omega. It’s a masterpiece!

I guess it’s all, unless you’re curious about my other hobbies and you want to ask me something; I’m always looking for requests, so if you have one, feel free to ask.

See you soon for my (probably) last post of the year!

A little journey though my consoles!

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On Dicembre 19, 2021

In let's talk!, Personal stuff, Senza categoria

Hello everyone!

It’s been a couple days since PsVita’s 10th birthday, and I thought it could be nice sharing with you some memories of my journey with all the consoles I used to play otome games, in these past 8 years.

My first console ever, was a PSP; actually, it was my husband’s, but since he prefers playing on tv’s huge screen, somehow with time it ended up just becoming mine.

With this console, I entered the otome fandom: starting with Brothers Conflict, I went to Amnesia and Diabolik Lovers, which still now have a dear place in my heart.

It was the beginning of a long, wild adventure; who could have ever imagined that I would end up playing more than 100 otome? Most of the classics still belong to that era, even if they were ported to PsVita later: Norn9, Clock Zero, Glass Heart Princess, Gekka Ryouran Romance… games which I’d still recommend to everyone.

And what about Kamigami no Asobi? Meiji Tokyo Renka? Storm Lover? Utapri?

I really miss those times, in a few years we were blessed with countless great releases.

I bought my PsVita on my birthday, in 2015.

I won’t lie, I did it mostly for Diabolik Lovers Dark Fate; I think every player has that one special game, that makes her/him think “it’s really time to get that new console, I can’t miss it”.

Even if I was almost sad to betray my dear PSP, I loved the amazing screen resolution of Vita immediately, as soon as I turned it on. That moment was magic.

The PsVita era blessed us with amazing new releases as well: Code Realize, Collar Malice, The Psychedelica series, Nil Admirari, Piofiore no Banshou… and that memorable horror which was Moshikami.

Looking at all my otome games on the shelf, it feels like I really went through a roller coaster of emotions: sadness, happiness, fun, pain… I was also kinda bored sometimes, I can’t deny I made mistakes. I should probably sell games I didn’t enjoy, but I always end up keeping them too, they’re still a part of my collection.

And finally, it’s time to talk about the latest console, the Switch.

I bought my Switch Lite at the end of 2019, when I realized there was no turning back; I don’t know why, but adapting to this change was a lot harder for me.

I even wondered if it was time to just let go of this hobby and move on.

I waited and waited, as ports and new releases were announced, because the new titles didn’t attract me enough to make that step; even Diabolik Lovers Chaos Lineage wasn’t enough for me, even if I admit it was one of the first games I bought when I finally gave up and got my console.

Anyway, I’m glad I decided to embrace the change, or I would have missed great games like Olympia Soiree, Cupid Parasite and Toraware no Palm.

I’m really worried about the future, since there are less and less new releases every year; at least, I hope a smaller quantity will mean more quality, a couple great games could be enough for me.

In the meantime, I’ll just dig my backlog for the old gems I missed in the past, or I’ll just replay those masterpiece that gave me the most feelings years ago; as people grow old, they tend to be more nostalgic, I guess.

That’s all for today, I hope my little journey was entertaining enough for you to read until the end; December makes me sad and happy, I feel more introspective and I want to share my feelings, so expect to hear again from me very soon!

Random otome games questions

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On Dicembre 16, 2021

In Personal stuff, questions/challenges

Hello everyone! I’ve seen a “15 questions for otome gamers” going around on twitter some time ago, so why not posting my answers here, where I have more space to answer? It’s not mine, so thanks to whoever created this and feel free to answer in the comments!

I’m trying to be more active these days to keep you company on December, since Christmas holidays are approaching… I hope you appreciate this kind of post too!

1- Please Talk about your name!

My Twitter name is KyuMyMiracle and it comes from kpop, since I was a huge fan of Super Junior and mostly Kyuhyun. I kinda wanted to change it when I started playing otome games, but I didn’t want to erase my past completely. At this point, everyone knows me as “Kyu” in the fandom, I find it cute!

My real name is Ilaria (the italian version of Hilary) and it means “happy person”, which probably doesn’t suit me a lot, since I tend to be kinda malinconic at times. But I still like it, so it’s fine.

2- What made you begin playing otome games?

I’m sure all my readers know this story, so if you’re new here I’ll just tell you briefly that I watched Brothers Conflict anime, fell in love with Tsubaki, and somehow after years I’m still here.

3- How many years has it been since you started played otome games?

It was December 2013, so 8 years so far.

4- Which was your first otome game?

Brothers Conflict. I recently bought the Switch version and I plan to replay it soon.

5- Which consoles do you own?

PSP, PsVita and Switch, but I’ve also played otome on Ps3, Ps4 and PC occasionally.

6- Which is your n.1 otome game?

Hard to choose between Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly and Black Wolves saga.

7- What do you recommend the most for this game?

Both bring pain and despair, so I don’t know if I would recommend them actually, not to everyone at least!

8- Who is your favorite character?

Shuu from Diabolik Lovers probably, but I have at least 10 husbando!

9- How many games do you own?

Too many to count. About 80 maybe?

10- Which type of otome games are you obsessed with?

Dark stuff, tragedy and mystery. But I love comedy and fluff from time to time!

11- Which type of personality do you easily fall for?

Yandere and oniichan.

12- How many otome games have you played so far?

As you can see in my masterpost, more than 100!

13- Which otome game heroine is your favorite?

Cyrus from Steam Prison. If you’re interested in my TOP10 heroines, here it is!

14- Which otome games do you plan to buy next year?

Hamefura for sure, probably Radiant Tale too. There aren’t many news about new stuff, but I want to be positive.

15- If you could erase your memory to replay one game, what should it be?

Kokuchou no Psychedelica. It was probably the only game that made me cry, I want to relive those feelings.

Now, it’s your turn! And if you have any random question for me, even difficult and annoying ones, this is the perfect moment to ask! I’m sure some of my readers are curious or have some assumptions about me, mostly new people who came here just recently. Don’t be shy…………

My otome game awards 2021

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On Dicembre 12, 2021

In OTOME GAMES AWARDS

Hello everyone!

2021 is coming to an end in a couple weeks, so you probably were expecting this post already; my otome games awards are a tradition I can’t skip!

This is my 5th year, I guess you know my style at this point, but it’s safer to explain once more: my list is made of games I’ve played in 2021, without considering the release date in Japan; most of them were just sitting in my backlog for years, until I finally decided it was their moment to shine.

My life was a lot busier and messier in these past months, so I was able to complete only 11 games; I’m almost ashamed of this, how could it happen?! My plan was to reach at least 12 titles, but life is not always easy as we hope.

Let’s get into it!

Sexy game award: Jakou no Lyla

Well, this was spicy! those guys are hot and I wonder how some scenes were allowed on a Nintendo console; but thank you for the eyecandy, it was appreciated.

Absolutely recommended to everyone who enjoys sexy stuff.

Sequel of the year award: Piofiore no Banshou 1926

It wasn’t as awesome as the main game, but still a good sequel; those characters are amazing, it’s hard to fail when you have such a great cast and setting. I still hope for a fandisk to get more fluff.

Fandisk of the year award: Code Realize Wintertide Miracles

I started it around Christmas last year, to better feel the atmosphere; I enjoyed it way more than Shukufuku no mirai (or Future Blessings, if you prefer), because it was way cuter and a perfect ending for this series.

Old but gold award: Amnesia World

No need to talk much about this famous series, this fandisk doesn’t add important elements to the story, but it’s still enjoyable for the fans or nostalgic players like me.

It wasn’t a kusoge! Award: Walpurgis no uta, Possession Magenta and Koroshiya to Strawberry

I’m giving those games the same award, since they suffer of a similar bad reputation, but I ended up enjoying them more than other way more famous games; they are not masterpieces, but I was interested enough to complete them without even thinking of dropping halfway.

I think they deserve a chance if you find a cheap copy.

Historical game of the year: Jyuuzaengi 2

As you probably know, I’m not a fan of historical games; but Jyuuzaengi is a series I love with all my heart, I’d recommend it to everyone.

Most boring game of the year: Dairoku Ayakashimori

I did my best to enjoy this game, since the setting is great; I really tried, many times, for months.

I even took a break at some point, wondering if the problem was me, since I kept falling asleep and wishing subcharas had a route instead. I’m sorry, but for me this was very disappointing.

Best tragedy and best plot award: The house in Fata Morgana

Not an otome game, but I still wanted to give an award to this beautiful visual novel; if you enjoy dark themes and mystery, I highly recommend you to give it a try, you won’t be disappointed. But it’s heartbreaking, keep in mind.

OTOME GAME OF THE YEAR: Toraware no Palm

I love this series so much, I highly recommend everyone to play it!

Focusing on 1 guy only, spending a lot of time with him, trying to understand what happened in his forgotten past and which feelings he’s hiding behind his smile, creates a deep bond.

I really hope there will be another game.

Which was your otome game of the year?

Toraware no Palm

By

On Dicembre 8, 2021

In otoge reviews

If you’ve ever read my Toraware no Palm Refrain review, you probably know how much I love this series already; I absolutely needed to play the first game too!

The concept is basically the same: you end up confined on a secluded island and you can’t leave until the guy gets his memory back; you can try to get closer to him, sending him messages, gifts and meeting him from time to time. You can wander around the island, meeting different people and trying to find clues about the guy’s past. There’s also a cute mini game, when you gain points touching his body in his favorite parts while he sleeps; I know, it sounds weird and it actually is, but it’s all fanservice so don’t be surprised!

I was forgetting the creepiest part: you can stalk him every day, watching him through the security camera in his room. Of course, don’t tell him about it!

There are 2 playable guys: Aoi and Haruto.

I started with Aoi first, the blond guy always wins my heart.

On a rainy night, I see an handsome man, walking around with a lost expression on his face; he doesn’t realize that a car is coming, but I manage to save him, pushing him away before it’s too late.

When I wake up, a man called Imabe tells me that the mysterious man is probably involved in a drug traffic, and since I was at the accident scene, I’m now suspected too.

He suffers from amnesia, or so it seems, but to prove my innocence, I need him to remember about his past and his girlfriend who disappeared. And what’s the best idea, to help him figure it out? Pretending to be his girlfriend, apparently.

Aoi’s route starts with a lie, which is obviously the worse possible way to start a relationship.

I had an hard time faking it, I admit it: of course, becoming the lover of such an ikemen is a dream coming true, the heroine is lucky; but at the same time, I had a strong sense of guilt, since he seemed to trust me completely and he was sincerily sad that he couldn’t remember me at all.

When he got his memory back, I felt relieved, but I was also wondering how he could forgive me.

Of course, I wasn’t making fun of him the whole time, I just did as I was suggested from Imabe, to clear myself from suspictions; but I also played with his feelings, which is awful.

At some point, I didn’t even know what the truth was anymore. Was he faking his nice attitude too? What is Aoi’s real personality? Is he just a playboy?

This route gave me conflicted emotions, I enjoyed the ride, but it was wild; I felt my heart breaking at some point. I guess I was too involved in our relationship, his mesmerizing eyes pierced my heart and soul! Anyway, Aoi knows how to flirt with a girl.

If you’re weak to playboy types like me, this guy is for you, you’ll get hooked.

Haruto’s personality is completely the opposite: he’s diffident and shy, he barely talks; on the first meeting, he wears a hoodie that almost covers his face, avoiding eye contact and without any will to interact. It took a while to get his trust, he started opening up a bit at least in messages, so we gradually got a bit closer and started becoming friends.

The plot in his route was deeper, it involved his family and trauma from the past; it was interesting to discover the truth bit by bit, collecting all the pieces of the puzzle.

I liked him, but I admit he’s not my type: he’s always sleepy, he talks with a low tone… not my cup of tea; but his route was good, I can’t deny it, overall it was entertaining.

Did I enjoy Toraware no Palm?

Yes, a lot! I love this series so much, I really hope one day there will be another sequel.

Having to insert my name in the game made everything more “real”, since the heroine doesn’t even exist, she’s not present in any CG. This is very different from other otome, where cute or sexy couple CGs are the higlights of a route. Maybe the only problem, is that it gets repetitive sometimes, when you have to go around to various places just to collect stuff or ideas for conversations with the guy.

The best part of this game for me is that there are so many choices to make (and I highly recommend you to play blind, without using a walkthrough), that I had the feeling of creating the story as I was really part of it, instead of just sitting there and watching what happens; it created a special bond.

There’s no need to talk about the amazing art, I guess.

So yes, I recommend you to try this game (or Refrain if you want, it’s amazing too)!

This is the last game I review this year, I’m sure I won’t be able to complete something else before the month ends; see you in a few days with my 2021 otome game awards!

8 years of otome gaming……

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On Dicembre 4, 2021

In let's talk!, my life, Personal stuff, Senza categoria

This month, I proudly reach my 8th year of otome gaming; is this long enough to make me a veteran player? Probably yes.

I still remember vividly my 2013 Christmas holidays, when I first started approaching this new world which seemed so unbelievably attracting to me; “do you mean I can really date anime characters? Can they fall in love with me? Will they confess to me?!” Too good to be true.

I was into idols at that time, but after years of fanwars, scandals, and feelings of betrayal when my favorite idols randomly left their group, I really needed an healing hobby, something that would not disappoint me. Otome games were all I needed at that time.

Whenever I turned on my PSP, those ikemen were welcoming me, saying cheesy lines, without judging me. They are not real after all, they aren’t pretending to like me while in reality they laugh behind my back; they can’t judge me. Silly as it seems, it felt comforting.

The fandom was really small back then, since most of the games were in Japanese only; it was a small, but welcoming family. In 2014 my twitter changed completely, erasing any trace of idols to become only dedicated to otome games; only my old name, KyuMyMiracle, still remains to remind me of those ancient times.

Some of the people I talked to at the beginning are still my friends, or at least I always consider them special even if we barely talk these days; but whenever I see them on my TL, I feel reassured to see they are still here.

Now localisations brought many new people to this genre, which is obviosuly good, but there are also negative aspects of this too: sometimes I open Twitter just to see fandom wars and people arguing, which is something that I could never imagine seeing 8 years ago.

Well, everything changes, it’s normal.

I still remember how I used to be happy but also sad, when PSP new games stopped being released, and everything new was for PsVita; it felt like the end of an era.

I could never expect, that the amount of sales and releases would have decreased dramatically, from that moment on. Just look at the amount of the new releases now, and their sales numbers… it’s so depressing. People who play localised games are happy, since they feel like it’s the golden age of this genre; but the sad reality, if you look at Japan, is that console otome games will probably stop existing in a few years.

Those good times are over, when we had like 4/5 or even more releases every month, and I had to choose carefully which one to buy, because I wanted them all but it was impossible to keep up.

Now there’s barely 1 release per month and if I’m not interested it’s over, I just need to dig up my backlog; that’s the reason why I still play on PsVita, until there’s still old stuff worth playing. Sad.

I really miss those times.

On Tuesday I’ll receive my copy of Brothers Conflict for Switch: I wanted to celebrate going back to my roots, where it all started, to fill my nostalgic void. Will it make me happy or sad? Probably mixed feelings, the same as I’m feeling now while I’m writing this post.

But I wanted to share these emotions with someone who maybe relates, to feel a bit less alone.

Someone answered in my last survey that they come here mostly for this kind of content, since they enjoy my discussion posts more than reviews; it surprised me, but it’s good, knowing my readers’ opinion was the porpuse after all, so thanks!

I’ll do my best to write more of this kind of reflections and to share more of my experience and feelings; see you in a few days!

2022 is getting closer……………

By

On Novembre 28, 2021

In Personal stuff, Senza categoria

Hello everyone!

It’s been a while since my last survey, so I thought this was a good chance to ask your opinion: 2021 is ending soon, it’s almost December already, so I’m taking a look at these past months and I’m starting to plan what to bring you in this blog next year.

But to give you a nice time here, I’d like to know what you like the most; if you enjoy to come here from time to time, please take a few minutes to give me your honest answers.

The survey is HERE

Thank you for your time and see you in a few days with all my December posts!

Top10 Butlers/Guardians/Servants in otome games

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On Novembre 14, 2021

In top10

Please, tell me I’m not the only one who gets really weak, when it comes to butlers or guardians in otome games: when there’s a guy who’s completely devoted to the heroine, ready to sacrifice his life for her, my heart melts down immediately. This trope is probably cheesy, but it works on me.

So, let’s take a look at my favorite characters!

10- Zara, Black wolves saga

Zara is a butler, but also a skilled pharmacist, who takes care of Fiona’s frail health since her childhood. Strict but also gentle, he’s considered part of the family and a dear friend.

9- Hubert, Reine des Fleurs

He’s a Prime Minister and also the closest person to Violette, doting her as a little sister, but also being strict when it comes to his job.

8- Rain, Shiro to kuro no Alice

Always serious and disciplined, he devotes his life to the Queen and protecting the country, despite all the sacrifices he has to make, when necessary.

7- Kasuga, Variable Barricade

A supporting and loyal butler, always caring about Hibari……….. or not? He hides a huge secret.

6- Luca, Arcana Famiglia

He took care of Felicità since her childhood days, as a guardian and a part of the family.

But his feelings for her were never the ones of a butler or brother.

5- ChouRyou, Jyuuzaengi

He was created, as a living doll, just to be a loyal servant.

In the sequel, when he decided on his will to protect Kan’U and he chose her as his mistress, it was his only way to prove his devotion. Seeing him become a human with feelings, was amazing.

4- Yasuomi, Utsusemi no meguri

His only purpose in life is to protect the heroine, without caring about himself and his safety; he’s been in love with her since forever, but he doesn’t dare to confess his feelings.

3- Snow, Shiro to kuro no Alice

Always sweet and caring, his personality makes everyone feel at ease; he’s perfect husbando material.

2- Gekkamaru, Nightshade

He’s Enju’s bodyguard, completely devoted to protecting his master; overprotective, serious and always loyal, his presence is always reassuring even at hardest times.

1- Shinnosuke, Glass heart princess

Shinnosuke is one of my favorite characters ever, his relationship with Kyouko always makes me emotional; he chose to devote his life protecting her since childhood, staying by her side no matter what. I’m madly in love with him.

Do you like the butler/servant/bodyguard trope? Who’s your favorite?

Koroshiya to Strawberry

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On Novembre 5, 2021

In otoge reviews

Koroshiya to Strawberry has a bad reputation, I guess it’s widely known as kusoge; but I can’t resist good deals and I was curious to find out if it’s that terrible or not… so here we are!

Our heroine, Ichigo, is a poor girl who was trapped and tested upon in some awful laboratory, which caused her such a huge trauma, she can’t even speak anymore.

She ended up being saved by a mysterious guy and brought to Cafe Tsukikage inside a case, but she doesn’t even remember how she got there.

That cafè is run by ikemen, but beyond its appearence, it’s a dangerous place where people from the underworld come for their business; even the staff working there is made of killers, who accepted the job of protecting her.

The owner is Tsukimi, a sweet guy who is always very polite to Ichigo: he bought her fancy clothes, he always pays attention to her feelings and health, he acts like some kind of guardian or butler.

I went for his route first, it seemed the most natural choice somehow.

Their relationship was cute, Tsukimi even warned Ichigo that he was starting developing feelings for her; he was like: “this is your last chance to run away, before it’s too late” which made her panic! She’s very shy and unexperienced with romance.

This route didn’t give us an explanation of Ichigo’s past, the reason why she’s there and who dragged her to that laboratory; but Noin’s route is locked, so it’s obvious that the anwers lay there.

I went for Amon next.

I expected him to be flirty, but he was actually a sweet, cute friend most of the time; when he realized his feelings and confessed, I got second hand embarrassement watching him blush.

I could have enjoyed his route way more, if I didn’t spend most of it seeing him talk with Izuna about random stuff like food, at some point I felt like I was a subchara of a BL game.

Why is Izuna in almost every scene, in Amon’s route? it felt like some kind of common route.

Anyway, I really loved the ending and the final revelation.

Hasegawa made me curious, since he appears to be a serious, reserved bodyguard of a mafia leader; beyond his cold blue eyes, he actually reveals himself to be a gentleman who can cook and sew.

His route seemed simple plot-wise, until the final mission starts and that’s where he shows his true self; I wasn’t ecpecting this, it was an interesting plot twist.

Kurama was sadly the disappointment of the game for me.

He’s some kind of creepy doctor, who enjoys spending time alone creating a doll house and miniatures; he asks Ichigo permission to take tests on her, to find out if she has some special ability which caused her to be kidnapped and secluded in that laboratory.

While playing the good ending, I kept complaining that everything was too easily solved, this route did not explain more about the main plot as I expected to; but then, in the bad ending, a sub-character just casually dropped a bomb which explains a huge mystery of Ichigo’s past.

I was shocked such an important information was revealed so easily, come on, writers!!

I went for Izuna next: he feels like the main love interest of the game, since he’s the most present, no matter which route I played. Sadly, after talking to him endlessly about food and coffee since the start of the game, at this point these conversations became boring and I just wanted to complete this route fast to unlock Noin and understand the hidden truth about Ichigo’s past.

Izuna had cute scenes at some point, like teaching Ichigo how to play chess, but their relationship didn’t feel properly developed to me; which is sad, I like blond guys.

Anyway, back to the main route of the game, the locked one: Noin.

He looks young, but he’s really smart and everyone respects him; he mostly acts like a brat ore-sama, but somehow I wasn’t annoyed by his personality.

I was expecting huge revelations, but Ichigo’s past was explained poorly, the ending itself was cute but nothing special. I can’t say more to avoid spoilers, sorry.

So, is Koroshiya to Strawberry a kusoge?

Yes and no.

If you are expecting a deep plot, involving killers, blood and mystery, you’ll be disappointed for sure: Koroshiya to Strawberry feels mostly like a cafè themed game, since the only action scenes happen at the very end of each route, after endless talks about food and coffee.

If you don’t have high expectations, I can’t say this game was awful; it was ok, enjoyable most of the time, with cute scenes and even surprising revelations.

Same for the art: if you expect Kazuki Yone’s amazing style in every CG, this is not the game you should play; most of the backgrounds were empty, some Cgs are just useless, while others look good. Overall, this game is mediocre in every aspect.

There was a lot of potential, but it went wasted, what a pity!

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