DHGF: While it might seem a bit much for the same game to get three different releases (two coming out within six months of each other), Hakuoki: Stories of the Shinsengumi has enough new content that it feels like two games in one (OK, it is, but you get the point) instead of a simple rehashed port. While the overall presentation remains the same, the character portraits get a bit of life breathed into them through AAS, which makes them seem less static with blinking, mouth, and, well, breathing movements. If you haven’t played any version of Hakuoki, I’d strongly recommend this version over the others because of the additional content (and if you can swing it, the Limited Edition does have some nice extras if you’re into those sorts of things).
There is a name people caught up in the otome game craze should know: Otomate. This is the branch of Idea Factory that devotes itself to making games for women. These tend to be visual novels with dating sim elements, though Library Cross is a mobile RPG and I Will Protect You was an Otomate Forte Metroidvania. Lots of Otomate games have been released in English for people to enjoy! Depending on the system you own, you could have at least one title to try.
Hardcore Gamer: There’s only one thing better than playing games and that’s collecting every piece of merchandise tied to them. There was nothing like flipping through your favorite gaming magazine and seeing a profile of a limited edition collectible or discovering a piece of memorabilia from a beloved game in an overlooked corner of a shop and it’s a feeling we strive to replicate every month as we look through our own collector’s cabinet and dig out items new and old to show the world.
GP: "Hakuoki: Stories of the Shinsengumi is a good otome game, but it will not be everyone's cup of tea. Those that are willing the take the plunge into a game steeped in Japanese history and sometimes strange demon plots will find deep and multifaceted characters and stories that are worth experiencing."
