Alex S. from Link-Cable writes: "A little while ago I was placed in the shoes of a young girl named Chizuru as she found yourself in a dangerous situation – searching for her missing father in 19th century Kyoto all while avoiding roaming gangs and a mysterious threat from a realm beyond our own. Thankfully Chizuru was taken in by a group of (handsome) Shinsengumi who brought her into their HQ and taught her the ways of the sword… and love. This was the setup in Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds, an otome visual novel which, while offering a pretty strong story… is not something I find myself gravitating to naturally, though when the opportunity came to review the sequel (and conclusion) to the story, I jumped at the chance. Guess these guys have something over me after all."
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.
"For those unfamiliar, Hakuoki is a visual novel series that re-imagines the real life historical figures of the Shinsengumi as handsome and pretty anime boys that you can romance. Playing as a young woman looking for her missing father, you fall under their protection as you are swept up in the events of history."
Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms is a fun Otome visual novel that succeeds with what it sets out to achieve. It might have some flaws but it is mostly a positive experience over its predecessor.
