Otome games allow players to cozy up with their favorite fictional characters. Some of the best are available on our phones, which makes it easier to stay up to date with what's happening in the game. Many otome games require players to romance a specific suitor, and a player's main goal is to make sure they don’t lose any "intimacy points/love points."

2024 looks to be an amazing year for otome games, and these options are a great step in the right direction for any newcomers to the genre. Romancing a suitor can be difficult. With that in mind, it's best to start small and get the hang of otome game mechanics, before moving up to more advanced otome games. Here are some of the best to play this year, based on art, story and interactability with the suitors.

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10 Ikemen Series

Mature & Fantastical Romance

There are total of 5 games in the Ikemen Multiverse:

• Ikemen Revolution
• Ikemen Sengoku
• Ikemen Vampire
• Ikemen Prince
• Ikemen Villains (Coming March 2024)

In each game, the MC travels to various time periods or worlds, either on Earth or fictional. In their new world, they meet a list of suitors to choose from. Ikemen Revolution is a twist on Alice in Wonderland, where the suitors are divided between the Hearts and Spades Faction. In Ikemen Sengoku, the MC time travels to the Edo Period in Japan and can romance one of the many famous Japanese warlords, such as Nobunaga Oda.

Among the Ikemen Series, Vampire and Prince are more R-rated than the rest. In these games, the MC is an adult worker. The situations she finds herself in with the vampires and princes, respectively, are both wholesome and suggestive. The newest in the series is titled IkemenVillains, and Cybird has officially announced its release date for March 2024. So far, all players know is that the villainous suitors have some link to the Disney Villains.

9 Mystic Messenger

Romance In Real Time

MysticMessenger was released in 2016, and is one of the few otome games that players keep coming back to. What’s unique about this game is that it takes place mainly through chat logs that players need to respond to in real time. There are five romanceable characters, one of whom is a woman. Through various interactions and choices, players will be able to achieve a good ending.

This game is extremely interactive and a joy to play. However, keep in mind that some of the suitors have unfortunate endings that can occur if players do not keep up with the game in real time.

8 Tears of Themis

The Perfect Mix Of Romance And Suspense

Released in 2020, Hoyoverse’s first otome game includes a number of different mechanics to keep players hooked. The main story takes the form of a visual novel. The MC (Rosa) is a lawyer in Stellis, a city set 30 years in the future. Players are presented with cases in each chapter, where they have to find evidence through interrogations and sleuthing to discover the truth. Usually, each chapter ends with a card battle in court. Players need to win to proceed through the story.

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The romance part of the game comes in through the side stories. Players can obtain these side stories by obtaining cards from the gacha, playing events, and unlocking personal stories.

7 Lovebrush Chronicles

Fantastical Love In Parallel Worlds

Since its 2023 release, LovebrushChronicles has taken players by storm. The concept of this game involves a parallel world, which the MC is connected to through the five main suitors. It follows a gacha system where players can acquire limited and standard banner cards to help them in battles. The suitors can only be romanced through the main story. Each world is divided into five chapters, one for each suitor. It also involves birthday stories, personal interactions, and the calling facility.

This is a must-try game for new players. The mechanics are fairly easy to understand, cards are easy to obtain, and the art is gorgeous.

6 Love 365: Oops, I Said Yes?!

Modern-Day, Forced Proximity Romance

Love365 is a massive otome visual novel franchise. There are hundreds of story paths that players can choose from, with a variety of suitors to romance. Currently, it has one of the biggest number of routes available in the otome game industry.

The game recently introduced a Steam friendly version of their latest update, Oops, I Said Yes?! The premise differs from the usual plotlines. This time, the player wakes up one day to find herself married to her coworker after a drunken mistake. This visual novel is a classic "marriage-of-convenience-turned-love-marriage" scenario. It's something easy that new otome gamers can try out.

5 Love and Deepspace

A Whirlwind Sci-Fi Romance

In the long list of otome games, Love and Deepspace takes the cake with its inclusivity and dynamic story. The game allows players to create their own avatar and design it however they like. Additionally, Love and Deepspace is the first otome ARPG. Not only do players get to romance the boys and follow the story, but they also get to fight enemies.

The world is set against a sci-fi backdrop. The main character is an Evol, tasked with destroying the Wanderers while trying to discover her mysterious past. There are currently only three suitors in the game, and the 3D designs make it more realistic than traditional otome games. Players can witness romantic situations through suitor cards, personal stories, and dashboard interactions.

4 Sympathy Kiss

Adult Romances In An Office Setting

A much-awaited game for Nintendo Switch players, SympathyKiss made its debut on February 27, 2024. This otome game centers around a whirlwind office romance. So far, the game has been exceptionally interactive, with systems that tackle emotional responses, work-love balance, and text/call functions. There are several characters to romance, and depending on player choices within the game, they may be able to obtain a favorable ending.

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This title offers a fresh new take on what otome games are meant to be. It portrays adult women in the workforce, and examines the issues that can arise when trying to maintain a work-life-love balance.

3 Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling

Play Cupid & Find Love

Currently only available as a Nintendo Switch game, players who have already traversed the CupidParasite universe should be no stranger to this new version. However, anyone new to the fandom can jump on the bandwagon and enjoy the magnificent art and the light-hearted comedy romance. It isn't necessary to play the previous version before starting this upcoming game, as the premises are different. In the new release, the player is now seen as the suitor's “Goddess” instead of playing a full-fledged Cupid like in the previous game.

Cupid’s Parasite is a relatively easy visual novel otome game. However, it is recommended to play each of the available routes in a certain order to unlock any secret routes.

2 Tengoku Struggle ~ Strayside

Forge Romances In Heaven Or Hell

Fans have been waiting since the initial announcement in 2022, and TSS is finally scheduled to be released in April 2024 on the Nintendo Switch (in Western nations). The game focuses on the astronomical differences between Heaven and Hell. Set in the Reiwa period, the world is more fantastical than one would presume. The city of Asakusa is a tourist attraction for all things dead.

Players follow Rin’s (the main character) footsteps as she navigates through the Human Realm with her companions, and uncovers secrets that the citizens of the Hell Realm are not privy to. The art is spectacular and the world is multi-layered. Players can form various connections and relationships with each of the characters.

1 Project Code

Gothic Horror Romance vs Mafia Romance

What to look out for:

• Project Code: Kaleido Tower
• Project Code: Neon Mafia

Voltage announced the release of two new visual novels scheduled for Fall 2024. They are unlike the usual Voltage novels such as the Love 365 series. So far, all fans know is that the premises of both games have a darker outlook than the usual sweet romance Voltage is known for. In Project Code: Kaleido Tower, we see the many floors of the tower that the player will traverse through, which will either end with them in grief, tragedy, love or eternity.

In Project Code: Neon Mafia, the scenario carries less of a gothic horror vibe than the first. The story revolves around a Mafia that the player must either fight against, or unite with to confront evil and reach their fate.

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