AerielThis May 2022 marks the start of Otome Jam, and as I write this article, there are over two hundred creators signed up for the jam. Let’s see a round-up of a few romance games that we can expect this June. Keep in mind that these games are still in development, so the current descriptions, illustrations, and titles may be adjusted.
Once Upon An Earl
Genre: Fantasy, Historical, Romance
Once Upon An Earl is a historical otome game that takes place in the Victorian era. The developer, Oishii, has produced two other visual novels, La Terreur Sur Roues and Beyond Tradition. Both games were created for visual novel jams, so this isn’t Oishii’s first jam experience. The art for all their games looks amazing, and this new game looks just as polished. As a fan of 19th-century period media such as Pride and Prejudice, Bridgerton, and high society Victorian era media, I think Once Upon An Earl is in season and I’m ready for the romance.
Untitled Project – The Starry Troupe
Genre: Historical, Fantasy, Romance
The Starry Troupe is working on an untitled project which I couldn’t be more excited about. The sprite artist is the creator of the webtoon Before the Carnival, and any visual novel with the work of this artist is going to be amazing. What stands out about their art is how well they bring their characters to life with posture, colors, and facial expressions. Expressive and strong female protagonists make games more fun, and the love interests for this upcoming title are just as intriguing.
Birds of Paradise
Genre: Slice-of-life, Romance
In Birds of Paradise by Fiendish Fiction, you play as a band manager for this group of guys. Little else has been revealed at this stage of development, but what looks promising about this game is how many love interests there are. Each of them has a very different personality and appearance from the others; there’s the heartthrob, the bad boy, the cutie, the cool one, and the boy next door. I’m in love with their descriptions and designs—it’s clear that each of them has a lot of charm.
Of Frost and Flowers
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Of Frost and Flowers is a story-rich game featuring a strong-willed and spunky protagonist. The developer, El.Seth, is the creator of many other visual novels as well as RPGs, so you can expect that this game will be well put together considering the amount of experience this developer has. Aside from the visual appeal of the cover illustration, what stands out the most about this game is the high-spirited nature of the MC; I’m always drawn to energetic heroines.
Anna Mirabella
