Melanin Friendly Games – ‘Date Warp’

Hey there Heroes, Travelers, and Wandering NPCs, it’s Melanin Monday here on Blerdy Otome and that means I’m spotlighting another Melanin Friendly Game! For those of you just joining the party—every Monday I spotlight games that feature black and brown characters for anyone looking for titles with just a bit more representation. As a blerd and a gamer, I am always on the lookout for representation in my games. This is largely a personal project for me—there are almost no “diverse game” tags on major game sites—so, it can be pretty difficult find games with characters of color… unless you already know where to look.

This week, I’m spotlighting the sci-fi mystery romance visual novel, Date Warp, from Hanako Game. This was one of the first English otome games I played when I started out on my journey into otome hell and even 10 years later, this game still stands up! Date Warp follows Janet a college student who left her dorm one night to go on a blind date with one of the most popular guys on campus—and never returned. Was she kidnapped? Murdered? Solve puzzles and piece together clues to uncover the truth… but, be warned the truth might not be as straightforward as you’d hoped…

Date Warp was one of the first games I played with a heroine that wasn’t coded white, and while Janet may not be Black (she is of Indian descent), I appreciated having a romantic lead with a darker complexion much like my own. Not only that, Janet is just so different from the usual demure otome heroines I was used to seeing in most games. While she starts off as rather reserved, Janet quickly proves herself a capable and vibrant character that more often than not outshines her prospective love interests. Each LI offers their own unique perspectives and quirks and you will need to get to know them all if you have any hope of making it through the events of the story alive.

Date Warp is more of a mid-length otome game taking anywhere between 5-10 hours to complete and it contains 11 unique endings. While romance is a big part of the plot, there is more of an emphasis on the mystery—with each route revealing a small piece of the overarching narrative, so you’ll need to complete every route to understand everything. Date Warp was one of the first otome games I played that explored themes beyond love and romance, and it really gave the story more depth.

You get caught up in the mystery and the puzzles and while you do get the chance to romance the LIs, it’s not the main reason you interact with the other characters. Though, as a warning there are bad endings in this game—and characters can die.  So, if you’re looking for a game with a bit more suspense, definitely check out Date Warp!

Available On: Windows, Mac, Linux | Steam

Thank you for reading and supporting Blerdy Otome! Have you played Date Warp? Share your thoughts! Got a Melanin Friendly Game you think I should spotlight? Send it to me! 🙂

Follow Blerdy Otome! 

Twitter | Instagram | Etsy | Tumblr | Otome Amino