Free Japanese Dating Sim Games In English

Posted : admin On 6/9/2022

A multimillion audience is full for amazing stories about how sims found each other in a simple game and continued to communicate in real life. This is an ideal game to find a loved one. Japanese dating games ios. If you consider dating sites to be a faster way to meet a best sim, then Ukrainian dating simulator are the free option. Dating sims (or dating simulations) are a video game subgenre of simulation games, usually Japanese, with romantic elements. The most common objective of dating sims is to date, usually choosing from among several characters, and to achieve a romantic relationship. The Arcana is a mobile dating sim created by Nyx Hydra. Mixing the usual elements of dating sims with a mystery and the magic of Tarot cards makes The Arcana a one of a kind dating sim. You can romance six characters and journey through the story in 22 'books' that all relate to the Major Arcana in a standard Tarot deck.

Always Remember Me is available from Winterwolves.com on Windows, Mac and Linux.

Lots of players get turned onto these aspects from story and character-driven BioWare games like Dragon Age, and if you're a fan of those, I have a few recommendations to help welcome you into the otome genre.

While all you need to be 'good at' is reading and making choices — don't worry if you don't normally play games — there are some important things to know about how these games work. Generally you meet several characters, and will have to choose one to court. In Japan, dating sim characters are referred to as 'capturable' — whether that means you capture their hearts or their bodies depends on the game. But you'll need to focus, as playing the field can result in an unsatisfying ending, and no one likes that.

These games are often designed to be played multiple times. Tools like multiple save slots, quick-save features, and the ability to skip text and rewind help players efficiently pursue every potential partner character and reveal every story path.

It's like backwards-engineering a narrative database — and you may be surprised to find how much the story changes when you focus on a different partner each time. Gotta catch them all?

Hakuoki

Hakuoki is a period piece, taking place in the Bakumatsu period of Japan at the time of civil unrest between the Emperor and the Shogun. You play as Chizuru, who disguises herself as a man to travel to the capital of Kyoto in search of her missing father. She accidentally gets tangled up with the local police, the Shinsengumi, and the story evolves from there.

Oh, and blood-thirsty demon hybrids are involved. It's a samurai history lesson with a Twilight twist.

The Shinsengumi are a genuine part of history with many modern pop culture adaptations, tropes intake. Souji Okita will almost always be tragic and tubercular — if you Google his name, his historical Wikipedia profile will appear alongside art of his Hakuoki incarnation.

It's hard for me to think of an equivalent phenomenon in the Western canon—what if developers allowed us to date the historical figures found in Assassin's Creed games?

Hakuoki has a full voice cast of stars, some of whom would be familiar to fans of subtitled anime.

Hakuoki is one of the only examples we have of a traditional console-style otome game available in English. Aksys Games originally licensed and localized the game back in 2012 and has been using that translation to release ports to other platforms. The Hakuoki series has many different incarnations in Japan, including a version that transposes all the characters into a high-school setting.

Aksys Games also released another otome game, Sweet Fuse, in 2013, which features a modern setting and non-traditional characters. In Sweet Fuse, you play as the niece of Megaman creator Keiji Inafune, and suddenly get trapped in a game-of-death at the theme park he's just about to open.

Both Hakuoki and Sweet Fuse are made by studio Otomate, a subsidiary of Idea Factory that focuses on only making dating sims for women, and they have quite the extensive existing library in Japanese. Last year Idea Factory opened an International publishing arm in the United States andmany otome fans were hopeful that this would mean an opening up of Otomate titles in English, but so far they have only released further rehashes of their Hyperdimension Neptunia games and some RPGs. One can hope they eventually figure it out.

Hakuoki is available in English on a wide range of platforms. You can buy it on PSP, download it to PS Vita or TV via PSN, buy or download it for Nintendo 3DS, or buy/download it to the PS3 (and even stream it via Playstation Now). There is also an iOS and Android mobile versions in English that the mysterious Otomate World company released, but it's unfortunately only available in Asian App Stores, outside North America. Not sure what's up with that.

RE: Alistair++

RE: Alistair++ is a free game that was made originally in English by fans of the otome genre using development tool Ren'Py back in 2010. Ren'Py is the same game engine that Christine Love uses to make her visual novels, and is accessible for beginners to work with, too.

RE: Alistair++ is a relatively short game where you play as a girl who enjoys MMORPGs. In one of her games, a rude character steals an item from her — and she later learns that character's player goes to her school.

This game is of the stat-raiser/simulation variety, dating sims that utilize player-chosen level-up statistics in order to unlock character routes and event successes, similar to the old Princess Maker games or any Dungeons & Dragons system. This one has a low barrier to entry, and it's a good example of Western fans being influenced by and borrowing gameplay styles from Japanese dating sims. Developer sakevisual has since gone on to make a fully-voiced commercial visual novel called Backstage Pass, which is currently up on Steam Early Access.

RE: Alistair++ is free to download through portals from sakevisual's site or Desura for PC, Mac, and Linux.

Shall we date?: THE NIFLHEIM+

The Niflheim+ is probably one of the best free-to-play mobile otome game examples that I can give. The game has a bold art style with intense flourishes, and while you play as a Shadow Every-Girl, all your your potential partners range from bratty kings to zombies to ghosts. There's even a talking skeleton adorned with roses who will chat with you on occasion and give you romantic advice. Compared to similar games on the app stores, this one has extremely good localization and copy-editing.

Sloppy localization can often let dating sim fans down. For example, Alice in Wonderland is a popular theme worldwide and the manga based on the Alice in the Country Of the Heart otome game series regularly tops the New York Times Manga Best Sellers list. But I can't recommend the iOS/Android port of the game, because of its atrocious, machine-like translation. It's such a pity, because I think a game of that caliber would have been perfect to link to people asking me for good examples of dating sims.

Shall we date?: THE NIFLHEIM+ is currently available for free download with in-app purchases foriOS and Android.

No, Thank You!!!

Boys' Love (yaoi) games feature men in relationships with other men — created by and marketed to women. But the game genre has languished over the past decade. Part of the problem is that most of the games aren't just extremely niche, they're erotic 18+ products and as such difficult to market. While BL game DRAMAtical Murder flourished in popularity on Tumblr, licensing problems means nobody has taken advantage of the audience. Ladies like porn? Imagine that!

Last year MangaGamer, a publisher usually known for its 18-and-older fare aimed at men, announced that they've licensed and are translating two new titles in an attempt to appeal tounderserved audiences, mainly women and queer men. One of these titles is PC otome game, Ozmafia!!, slated to release on Steam, and the other is unique 18+ boys love game, No, Thank You!!!

In general, comics made by gay men for gay men have completely different aesthetics and conventions than Boys' Love for women, as can be seen in Fantagraphic's fantastically informative collectionMassive: Gay Erotic Manga and the Men Who Make It. But No, Thank You!!! attempts to balance both audiences' tastes in an intriguing way.

In No, Thank You!!! you play as amnesic Haru, who is an exclusive top to his partners, whereas traditionally in BL games you'd be playing as a bottom. This creates a very different relationship dynamic, since you are inside Haru's head and are the active pursuer, rather than the pursued. NTY also features a cast of targets with a much wider range of body types than found in typical BL games, with some of the men well past middle age and even body-hair toggle options for different preferences.

I say 'targets' becauseall the men you end up in relationships with are billed as 'straight'and Haru is an overly-energetic, horny puppy who admits he partakes in 'sexual harassment' as a work pastime. This can be off-putting to some friends, so I usually warn them ahead — you can always first check out the game's demo to see if it's right for you. Haru can be pretty pushy and consent can seem hazy at times, but all the relationship routes in the game play out in a compelling manner and Haru's prodding of boundaries leads to intriguing character insights. And No, Thank You!!! is not just a constant sex romp — it's got a pretty extensive private detective and mafia story leading the actors along, and not always to the happiest conclusions.

For Women's History Month, MangaGamer interviewed women game creators and localizers, and one of them was No, Thank You!!! artist Shigeo Hamashima. Most of her experience is of drawing women, and NTY was her first venture into the BL genre.

'The hardest thing was probably the fact that you have to get both of the guys' faces on screen at the same time,' she says. 'Generally, eroge for men are drawn in POV style, and you do what you can to keep the man's face out of the shot, but BL is the complete opposite.'

'Most of my research was focused on figuring out how far I could push a more explicit approach to sex and still appeal to other women,' she adds. 'I consulted with other women about whether I could get away with a more masculine approach instead of a sparkly-clean, romanticized one.'

If No, Thank You!!! isn't your style, then consider Coming Out On Top, an 18+ gay dating sim made in Ren'Py. While it was initially influenced by Japanese BL games, it covers more Western sensibilities.

No, Thank You!!! is currently available on PC only from MangaGamer directly (though I'm told it can work on Mac via a Windows virtual machine). There's also a free demo you can try.

Nameless ~The one thing you must recall~

Korean company Cheritz has been releasing their Japanese-style dating sim games into English for a couple of years now, and recently got those games onto Steam through Greenlight. Their latest, Nameless, is quite beautiful and differs from their last entry, Dandelion, in that it does not contain stats and instead is a straight up visual novel. And while their games seem cute, don't let that fool you: the endings are bittersweet.

In Nameless you play as a woman who likes to collect ball-joint dolls, and who recently lost the grandfather she grew up alone with. One night, her dolls suddenly come to life as a group of fully-sized hot men. It sounds ridiculous, and she reacts to the situation as pretty much anyone would. But the relatable protagonists and good writing make the game a charming experience — I often find the game's writing mirrors my own responses. While the pacing can be slow like a juicy Korean drama, you definitely are getting your money's worth.

Nameless ~The one thing you must recall~ is currently available for PC and Mac via Steam ordirectly from Chertiz's shop. There is also a free demo you can try either through Steam or direct.

Hatoful Boyfriend

Hatoful Boyfriend is a popular game where you date pigeons. Seriously. But it was created from and works best with an existing knowledge of how otome games operate. While you go through the game repeating each school year to pursue your next pigeon of choice, it quickly becomes apparent that something is very off about the world you live in — besides the whole pigeon-dating thing.

Eventually upon reset the game asks if you want to 'fulfill the promise' and that's where the real experience begins. The initial dating sim parts are actually only extended character prologues meant to get you attached to the birds, and the final Bad Boys Love route tears all you love down. It's very effective storytelling if you see it through to the very end.Publisher Devolver Digital will soon be releasing Hatoful Boyfriend on PS4 and Vita as well , and maybe a port announcement of the game's sequel, Hatoful Boyfriend: Holiday Star, will follow.

Hatoful Boyfriend is currently available for PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam and GOG. PS4 and Vita ports are planned to be released later this year.

Hopefully you'll find this a helpful overview for dipping your toes into the otome genre. Japan has a vast library of these types of games particularly for women, with large glossy magazines released every month featuring the latest games, upcoming series, available goods, drama CD tie-ins, and voice actor interviews. But Western publishers are still apprehensive because of past failures and the large up-front script translation cost with an unsure audience. Some publishers see that times are changing and are taking a chance, with MangaGamer's two new titles andSekai Project, which has had a lot of success crowdfunding translation of men's dating sims, stating that they would like their next project to be an otome or BL game.

Addionally, with the opening of indie game platforms like itch.io allowing smaller-scale English-developed otome games to find audiences, such as Spirit Parade, and New York-based developer Date Nighto working on their flexible HTML5 visual novel engine, it's a hopeful time to be a forward-looking otome game fan. Even if all those cool-looking Japanese dating sims don't make it out in English, a new generation of Western developers are being influenced by the genre and putting their own twist on it. And that is exciting!

Ask PC gamers in Japan what their favorite games are, and Starcraft, World of Warcraft or Call of Duty won’t be uttered from many of their mouths. Blizzard? Activision? These companies are irrelevant. KEY, Minori and Type-Moon? Bring it on. In Japan, it isn’t space marines, guild raids, or massive online shooters that the real Otakus are interested in. It is the dating sims, interpersonal stories, and the fine art of moé that take center stage.

While it’s true that dating sims/bishoujo games rarely leave their host country, a few brave companies such as JAST, NIS, MangaGamer, and the now-defunct Hirameki strive to bring them over here with decent/moderate success. Curious about what makes these choose-your-own adventure games so memorable? Or how an adult man can be brought to tears with just a little over-the-top melodrama? I present to you the top ten bishoujo games that have been commercially released in English for your enjoyment.

***note: While making this list I had to consider many different things, including whether or not I wanted to include games that have visual novel elements like Persona or the Ace Attorney Series. In the end, I decided to focus on true ‘bishoujo’ dating sim games.

Five years is how long it took someone to finally release this storied franchise in America. Fourteen years, if you’re counting from the beginning of the series. In other words, it was about damn time. Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love does not contain the greatest story, nor the greatest cast of characters that I’ve come across (akin to a throwback to the Power Rangers and Robotech era) but it has had a profound impact on niche Japanese gaming in the West.

Sakura Wars was eagerly anticipated by Otakus of all ages and sold successfully on the PlayStation 2. So much so that retailers such as Amazon and Rosenqueen have sold out, demonstrating to publishers that there is indeed a fanbase. Throw in the fact that it had a very polished turn-based strategy system and you have the first truly successful English-translated bishoujo game.

#9: Princess Waltz (PC, Pulltop/Peach Princess)

Pulltop’s audaciously entertaining piece shows what happens when Uno meets hentai. Often referred to as a “Fate/Stay Night clone,” Princess Waltz tells the story about a royal dance where six princesses compete for the right to marry the Prince of Eldhiland. The premise may sound more like something you would expect from a shovelware title like Natsume’s Princess Debut, believe me when I say it’s not. Instead, the story is closer to an action genre anime like My-Hime in which sexy schoolgirls fight using special weapons and powers, and if that doesn’t turn you on….then my friends, otaku you are not.

You can expect plenty of twists and betrayals galore, as well as heavy themes about friendship and love throughout, with magnificent production values that are unlike any other bishoujo game that’s been released here. If you’re looking for a bit more spice to accompany your visual novels, then look no further.

#8: Divi-Dead (PC, C-Ware/Himeya Soft)

As the oldest entry on this list, C-Ware’s Divi-Dead represents some of the best and worst aspects of the genre. The navigation system is a complete unadulterated mess that often leaves you aimlessly wandering around, visiting random parts of the school campus and not knowing where to go until a random character talks to you. On the other hand, the game’s unsettling storyline and twist will stay with you for a very long time.

With one of the strongest atmospheres that I’ve encountered and a memorable cast of characters, Divi-Dead still holds up today. Imagine Silent Hill with vampires, set on a high school campus; if that’s not awesome, I don’t know what is.

#7: Ar Tonelico II (PS2, Gust/NIS America)

Like the Godfather Part II, this is one of those classic cases where the sequel outperforms, outshines and generally outdoes everything that was established by its predecessor. Featuring one of the better turn-based/rhythm battle systems along with a more interesting cast of characters, Ar Tonelico II represents one of the finest JRPGs in the PlayStation 2’s excellent library. Similar to other Gust classics, the hymns – breathtaking mixes of choir and orchestral music – are what set this sequel apart from its peers.

Music and battles are great, but the real reason to play this gem is the girls. From the hyper-active Luca to the voluptuous Cloche, the memorable cast is the reason Ar Tonelico II is on this list, and the bond between the female protagonists make it hard to put the controller down. I only hope you don’t have the unfortunate luck of running across a game-breaking glitch towards the end.

#6: Phantom of Inferno (DVD, Nitroplus/Hirameki Intl.)

Weird Dating Sims

Phantom of Inferno put Nitroplus on the map and was later adapted into an anime known as ‘Requiem for the Phantom.’ Twisting the traditional formula of a high school boy meets high school girl, the game places you in the shoes of Zwei, a fifteen year-old Japanese teenager who’s been trained as a professional assassin. Reluctant at first, he is given the choice to either join the group known as Phantom or die. While the company does try its best to retain the dating sim look and feel, the mature storyline is full of unexpected twists and turns that lure players to keep clicking “just one more page.”

Unfortunately, the game also happens to be on Hirameki’s craptacular DVD format, which uses a horribly designed save system of passwords. Don’t let that stop you though, as Phantom of Inferno is easily one of the darkest, mature and dynamic visual novel storylines available to date… assuming that you can find a copy.

#5: Family Project ~家族計画~ (PC, D.O./G-Collections)

Family Project is certainly not “the greatest bishoujo game of all time,” as JASTUSA owner Peter Payne proclaimed, but it doesn’t disappoint. As I originally wrote in my official Gaming Target review of the game, “[Family Project] was known as the best game of the genre with its mix of good artwork, a great soundtrack, and a very interpersonal story.” Much of which was ahead of its time. Writer Yamada Hajime (Kana: Little Sister, Yume Miru Kisuri) explores the meaning of family through the eyes of a loner, Tsukasa, who’s forced to build bonds as a means of survival.

Japanese

Although the game shows its age through recycled CG sets, slightly outdated sprites, and merely adequate backgrounds, Family Project is still a definite recommendation if you’re interested in exploring how games such as KEY’s CLANNAD came about. That, and I have to thank them for introducing me to the awesomeness of Matsuri. There I said it. Again.

Free Japanese Dating Sim Games In English Language

#4: Kana: Little Sister (PC, D.O./G-Collections)

This is the game known to make grown men cry buckets of tears. You knew that this list would not be complete without it. Kana is suffering from kidney failure, which automatically makes the scenario incredibly depressing. If Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain made you cry, Kana will make you want to slit your wrist while driving off a cliff. There are no antagonists nor deus ex machina endings. Kana: Little Sister is a slice of life that will make you appreciate the one you have. Kudos to G-Collections for bringing this masterpiece over to America.

#3: Yume Miru Kusuri (PC, Will/Peach Princess)

I had a hard time choosing between Yume Miru Kusuri or Kana for the top three Both have extremely good merits and are worthy of their universal praises, but I had to go with Will’s Yume Miru Kusuri. After all, it has a drug-addled fairy!

Yume Miru Kusuri is for all kids who feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders. Tackling three real-life issues that almost any kid will face (parental expectations, societal expectations, and bullying) this is one of those stories that hits home with most gamers. By the way, if you’ve been paying attention you’ll notice that the past three games have all been penned by the same guy. Genius writer, a modern day Dickens.

#2: Kira Kira (PC, Overdrive/MangaGamer; iPod Touch, Overdrive/Mtryx)

Japanese Dating Games In English

The highly recommended Kira Kira tells the story of Shikanosuke Maejima, a male student at a missionary school in Japan. Maejima lacks direction in life and meets a girl, Kirai Shiino, whose fates intertwine in completely unexpected ways. The duo forms an all-female punk band, with Maejima cross-dressing as they tour Japan. They hit it big, becoming an overnight YouTube-type success. With music at the forefront of Kira Kira, you can expect an impressive sampling of J-pop/rock.

You might think that a game featuring a pink-haired singer and a cross-dressing drummer would be an extremely light-hearted affair, and it is, for the first half. Considered to be the gem of MangaGamer’s collection, their website features both the all-ages and hentai version to reach as broad of an audience as possible. If you’re even vaguely interested in visual novels, or good stories in general, then you owe it to yourself to check it out. On a related note, an iPhone/touch version, featuring MangaGamer’s rather strong translation, was recently released at the low cost of $9.99.

Free Japanese Dating Sim Games In English

#1: Ever 17 (PC, KID/Hirameki International)

Free Japanese Dating Sim Games In English Online

This 100-hour, all-age masterpiece is nearly flawless in every regard. Featuring some of the best characterization in video game history (seriously) and a mind-blowing twist, Ever 17 is the best available English visual novel to date. While it is very long, it never seems like it due to the hectic atmosphere.

Free Japanese Dating Sim Games In English Language

You take on the role of two different protagonists who are stuck in an unfortunate accident at an underwater amusement park, trapped 153 feet underground. Without any contact with the outside world, seven strangers must work together in order to escape before the building collapses within 119 hours. If this sounds like an episode of LOST to you, then get this visual novel. Heck, even if you don’t like LOST, this visual novel is still for you. It’s just that good. The main problem is finding it.