And I might do it again with a different virtual guy. Descriptions like this have usually left me giggling or feeling mildly uneasy about dating sims. Which dating the squick factor for me, but I was still wary. Facing a series of very long flights to the U. The main character Game is a H. Astoriaat japanese, featured male characters with a slightly more masculine look, they were buffer, anywaythough the aesthetic is still distinctly anime large eyes, smooth skin, delicate features.

The androgynous men of Star-Crossed Myth and the slightly more masculine read more of Astoria plus Medusa. The female MC is sexually submissive, and there are hints that lying, manipulation, and verbal abuse are dating parts of a relationship. Hence my choice of Astoriawhich had generally positive reviews and seemed to be more progressive than the average otome game. Astoria is basically a visual novel—a book with pictures that link move.

It requires zero dating other than the ability to read and tap your phone. For starters, the characters used my name.

Deal with the Devil: Exploring the World of Japanese “Dating Simulation” Games

Game good romance novel will have you empathizing with the protagonist, but the empathy packs a bit more of punch when the protagonist is YOU. The characters also sent me emails. To my Gmail account. I was also really drawn in by the platonic relationships depicted in the game, sometimes more so than the romantic one. In general, the writing was good—it reminded me of contemporary romance novels by people like Kresley Cole and Loretta Chase, though decidedly Japanese. Probably the most shocking bit of sexy text was when Hades suggested we take a shower together and it made him blush, poor thing.

This is a common complaint about some otome games—they draw you in with a free sample and then make you pay for subsequent story installments, and the costs definitely add up. I was pleasantly surprised at how progressive Astoria was. The cast of characters is racially diverse. This character proved so popular that they were eventually given their own route.

I was especially happy to see how a particular segment that could have gotten ugly was turned into a little relationship teaching moment. At one point in the story Hades becomes possessive and controlling, which at first made me roll my eyes—do dating the male characters have to turn into Edward Cullen at some point? To be fair, Hades is being possessive and controlling because the MC is in danger, and he feels conflicted about it.

And she calls him on it! And instead of getting defensive and bullish, he listens, confides in her, and admits he was wrong. She praises him for confiding in her, they realize that things are definitely better when they communicate, and then they have PG-rated game sex.

Score one for healthy relationships!

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Of particular concern is the trope of the controlling, possessive boyfriend and the doormat, eager-to-please girlfriend, as well as storylines that suggest that verbal abuse and manipulation are normal parts of a relationship.

But as Emily Bazelon wrote about the rite of passage that is young people reading books that are too old for them, better that teenagers encounter these unhealthy japanese models in books and movies than in real life. This has changed a lot with the rise of nerd culture and nerd pride, but for outsiders people who immerse themselves completely in fantasy worlds can seem delusional at best, creepy at worst.

I know that the characters are a collection of text and images and nothing comparable to flesh-and-blood people. I can see how game could become absorbed in the game, but I can also see people playing it purely as a momentary amusement during a commute. The story produced a lot of the same physiological and emotional responses albeit on a much weaker level that I get from real-world interactions. I got excited when I got emails. I felt empathy for the characters.

I was sad when things went badly and relieved when they went japanese. Not so different from the effect produced japanese a really engaging piece of fiction, of course, but again, more intense.

More—dare I say it—real. Share this: Facebook X. Like Loading Well now I have to play this game. Thanks a lot. LindsayNelson April 1, Leave a comment. Information This entry was posted on March 31, by Lindsay Nelson in https://passive-income.info/top-hookup-app.php Grad lifeJapan and tagged Astoria Fate's Kissdating simsJapanese gamesotaku culture dating, otome gamesvisual novelsVoltage Inc. Navigation Previous post. Next post. Follow me on Twitter!

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