You are likely to count on console otome video games to really feel a bit completely different and distinct from cellular ones. With Sympathy Kiss, I kind of really feel just like the strains blur a bit. I respect the setting and execution, to not point out the artwork route is usually wonderful, however the absence of a gift protagonist, choice to go along with a clean face avatar in CGs, and different parts preserve me from really falling in love with it.
Sympathy Kiss has an incredible, identifiable idea. You’re one of many newer staff at an organization that works on apps, and also you’re not fairly positive of your home there. You’re content material, however not likely joyful. After a efficiency evaluate, you end up moved to a mission to doubtlessly revive the flagship information app Estarci. However there are additionally considerations that information media is dying, the app is unpopular, there’s not a lot drive to spend money on its correct revival, and a priority that failure means layoffs. Together with a small staff of eligible males, you get an opportunity to take actions that both will doubtlessly revive the app or provide an opportunity at love with a coworker.
Whereas there are some completely different parts in Sympathy Kiss to shake issues up, it actually looks like a conventional visible novel. At sure factors, you’re requested to make decisions that affect your private or skilled relationship with somebody. This leads you to a “work” or “love” ending. For many replies, there are two “work” and two “love” solutions, indicated by blue or pink “love catch” icons. Generally you’ll reply to a textual content message, at which level there can be about one or two transient responses. The emotion system can be talked about as being a brand new factor, however actually you choose one or two feelings and it impacts the man’s reply, however not the work or love gauges. So it looks like many different Thought Manufacturing unit Worldwide Otomate titles.
Not like nearly all of Thought Manufacturing unit Worldwide Otomate video games, Sympathy Kiss is a Change otome wherein the principle character isn’t actually a personality. As an alternative of seeing a portrait and spoken strains attributed to your avatar, there may be loads of description saying “I did this” or “I defined that.” It actually detracted from the expertise for me. The shortage of precise dialogue on “our” half made issues really feel actually flat to me, and it was as if the love pursuits had been talking at me as an alternative of to me. In consequence, I didn’t actually really feel just like the romance developed in the identical manner because it does within the firm’s different titles, as there’s this disconnect. A part of what will get me invested in love pursuits is the banter and conversations between the avatar and them, and that’s fully absent right here. It’s additionally a trait I are likely to establish with cellular otome video games, fairly than console ones, so it caught me off-guard.
It additionally saved me from fully adoring the Sympathy Kiss artwork. Which is a disgrace, as a result of that is a fully attractive recreation. The love pursuits look improbable each of their customary portraits and CGs. There’s additional consideration and element to them, so if there are particular actions dictated by actions within the story otherwise you’re seeing them exterior of labor, they may have completely different outfits. The concepts and settings for the completely different CGs are nice. In idea, I really like them. However once more, it pulls the identical kind of factor cellular otome video games (and older titles like Vampire Knight DS) do and makes the heroine this faceless, eyeless being. It distracts me from in any other case nice scenes when there’s instantly in some way an excuse for her head to be down, her again to be turned, and even worse her face is simply erased.
I sort of really feel just like the size of Sympathy Kiss additionally finally ends up making it really feel like a cellular otome recreation, because it’s extra comparable in size to Paradigm Paradox than Lover Faux. Nevertheless, that is largely due to the entire idea, which I genuinely loved. So I actually suppose the size is totally fantastic. You’re choosing between your private or skilled life along with your responses, so because the route you’re on for a love curiosity goes to be divided by the alternatives you make in consequence, there’s going to be that occuring. There’s additionally story justification for that, given there’s a restricted timeframe for Estarci’s doable revival.
Lastly, the extent of maturity and development of the connection additionally made me consider cellular otome video games. Once more, that is extra of a great comparability. Although there are some console otome video games that pursue darker themes, we don’t all the time see issues like characters knockin’ boots in non-explicit or grownup methods. , implying issues occur. There are ones from Thought Manufacturing unit Worldwide and Aksys that convey it up, nevertheless it isn’t all the time that usually, nevertheless it does occur in Sympathy Kiss. The one factor of this inclusion that gave be pause is that in a single route I felt just like the man’s was fully behaving out of character in comparison with how he did in the remainder of the story, after which he instantly went again to his regular persona once they had been off the bed.
I actually suppose if Sympathy Kiss had given us an precise protagonist, as an alternative of a clean slate (actually) with no strains (or face), we’d be kicking off 2024 with presumably my choose for Finest Otome Sport of the 12 months. I actually just like the premise. The characters are good and look wonderful. The thought of choosing between love or your job is novel as effectively. However I had hassle connecting with it, and I believe others may too.
Sympathy Kiss will come to the Nintendo Change on February 27, 2024.
