Indie Game Reviews

Alaris Indie Game Review – Shape Your Own Magical Romance

Enter a magical world of mystery, magic, and Fae, in Alaris, a supernatural fantasy amare visual novel developed by Crescence Studio. Take on the role of a Healer who finds themself at the center of a global crisis, uncover the secrets of a long forgotten conflict between humans, dragons, and Fae. Shape your story, survive,…

Overnight Demo First Impressions Review – A Raunchy Hot for Teacher Boys Love VN

Zullz Games’s rom-com boys love visual novel, Overnight takes the “hot for teacher” premise and runs with it in this hilarious school romance romp. Join Suiko Nishikori on his risqué conquest to win the hearts of his beloved teachers!

Someone Stole My Lunch Review – Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold!

Someone keeps stealing my lunch from the office fridge! Time to get my revenge… or some booty, I’m down for either. Someone Stole My Lunch is a short comedy visual novel about your lunch and a thief… both of which are hot. The game is developed by Studio Clump, the team behind the horror mystery…

Jest Messters Demo First Impressions Review – I Did Not Stop Laughing Playing This Game!

Jest Messters is a comedy mystery otome game developed for Otome Jam 2025 by Elseth Games! You’re cursed to make others laugh… But at what cost? With the power of Dad Jokes and Puns, you’ll have to woo your fellow classmates and solve some mysteries! Jest Messters is a remake of the devs previous game,…

How to Break Up with Your Yandere Boyfriend First Impressions Review – Why Would You Break Up With Soren?!

I’m forced to break-up with a perfectly good man, who cooks, caters to your every need, and will murder your enemies if you ask~ Soren is the total package! Last dinner with your soon-to-be-ex. What’s the worst that could happen? How to Break Up with Your Yandere Boyfriend is a yandere romance visual novel being…

So, I Can Literally Date EVERYTHING? Say Less! Date Everything Review

Have you ever felt limited by normal dating sims? Maybe there’s a hot side character you wished you could date or maybe you wanted to date the villain… but were stuck romancing the boring old chiseled jawed love interests. Where’s the excitement in that?! Maybe you’re the adventurous sort who longs for romantic pursuits outside…

Grief and Hot Boys?! – Spell Candle First Impressions Demo Review

Spell Candle is an immersive indie otome that blends the storytelling of a visual novel with a unique gameplay style that aims to raise awareness for mental health. This is the first title from Bulgarian indie developer Bottled Monster Ink. In the game, take on the role of a foreign correspondent turned investigator of magical…

Political Intrigue, Mystery, and TWO Hot Princes! Fate’s Masquerade is an Indie Otome that You Should be Playing!

Looking for steamy romances with brooding and enigmatic princes? Then you’ll love Small Serenity Studio’s upcoming historical fantasy otome, Fate’s Masquerade! Unravel secrets, navigate court politics, and make choices that shape your destiny. Along the way, surrender to love so powerful it will change the fate of an empire. I had the chance to play…

Fall in Love Like it’s 1994! ‘Snowkissed Romance’ is a Love Letter to 90’s Shoujo

Lovely Inc. the team behind the hilarious office romance, My Love For You is Evermore, has been hard at work on their latest title—a revamped version of their very first otome, Snowkissed Romance. The team launched a Kickstarter for he game back in January, but folks just did not show out and the campaign ended…

Melanin Monday Spotlight: Hydrangea (Meiri Games)

Hydrangea is a yandere psychological horror visual novel developed by Meiri Games. A romance/psychological horror visual novel inspired by the Hanahaki disease trope. Immerse yourself in a romance with a sweetheart you can customize. But beware, as affection turns to obsession, the petals of love may suffocate. Game Details About Hydrangea Your sweetheart fell ill…

Melanin Monday Spotlight: Threads of You: Beyond the Bay (Lavendeer Studios)

Threads of You: Beyond the Bay is a slice-of-life, summertime themed visual novel developed by Lavendeer Studios.

Melanin Monday Spotlight: 3 Seasons (Hamilton Hour)

3 Seasons is a modern fantasy indie otome developed by Hamilton Hour for Otome Jam 2022. Job hunting can be daunting, and after a slew of rejections Ivy is open to anything. When a super sketchy job opportunity falls into her lap, she figures there’s nothing to lose… or so she thinks. The new job…

Lost in Limbo Demo Sneak Peek Review – Seducing Seven Sexy Gods

Thanks to the awesome folks at Ravenstar Games I had the chance to check out their upcoming dark fantasy romance visual novel, Lost in Limbo—and it is amazing! I streamed the entire demo over on my Twitch channel last week and I was impressed with the quality visuals, in depth storytelling, immersive fantasy world, and…

Indie Spotlight: Dusk and Dawn – So I can date the bad guy?!

Dusk and Dawn is a superhero inspired romance visual novel developed by Transparent Games. Follow Rene, a totally normal student who secretly moonlights as a member of the superhero team Dusk! Kicking ass and taking on the forces of evil is a day in the life for Rene and her team. But in an unexpected…

Fields of Mistria Demo Review – A Cozy Nostalgic 90’s Inspired Farming Sim

Move over Stardew, there’s a new farming sim coming for your bag. Heavily inspired by 90’s anime and farm-sim RPGs, Fields of Mistria is a nostalgic game. Start your new life! Build the farm of your dreams as you discover a world brimming with possibilities. Magic, romance, and adventure all await you in this nostalgic…

Just Kiss Him Already BL Game Review – Sugary Sweet Frenemies to Lovers Romance

Just Kiss Him Already! is just a cute fluffy high school love story about two adorable idiots that need a little push from their friends to make a love connection. Warning, this game contains intense cuteness! Short and sweet, this is a must play for anyone looking for something sugary to sink their teeth into! Just…

Hiyoku no Tori Game Review – Solving Crimes by Moonlight, Flirting Hard by Daylight

Hiyoku no Tori is a joseimuke occult-mystery multimedia collaboration project between Sotsu, FrontierWorks, Ikure, and Plus81. The project was conceptualized as a series of Drama CDs and a PC visual novel. The series centers around the members of Kamotan, a detective agency who specialize in investigating strange and bizarre cases in Kyoto. Both the drama CDs…

Crushed Indie BL Game Review – Cute Awkward Black Boys Catchin’ Feelings

Crushed is an indie slice-of-life boys love visual novel developed by Hummingbird Games for Amare Game Festival 2023 and Black Visual Novel Jam. Corey’s winter break gets a lot more interesting when the love of his life, ahem, his newest crush moves to Thomastown. Can he convince the new kid to give him a chance…

Oni Onsen BL Demo Review – Creating Steam with a Hunky Harem of Oni

Y Press Games is back with another steamy boys love game, and this one is extra unhinged. Oni Onsen is a visual novel set in feudal Japan and follow disgraced ronin Asano as he attempts to reclaim his family onsen, get revenge against the man who wronged him…. and fuck a harem of hunky oni.…

Shanghai Summer Game Review – Reflecting on the Past for a Better Future

Shanghai Summer is an adventure game developed by FUTU Studio and published by Astrolabe Games. Set in the millennium, our protagonist, Baichuan, goes through a series of “anomalies” over the length of twelve days. In his pursuit of the truth, he found that his hopes and regrets from the past finally seem to converge. Will…

The Symbiant Re:Union BL Game Review – Getting Frisky in Space Again

HeartCoreDev is back with a sequel to their steamy sci-fi boys love visual novel, The Symbiant. Take a deep dive into Danya’s and Brahve’s heat and romance in The Symbiant Re:Union. The events take place after two Endings of The Symbiant’s main game. Game Details Story The first After Story will transport you to the…

The Symbiant BL Game Review – Came for the Tentacles and Stayed for the Story

The Symbiant is a story-rich and erotic (18+) sci fi BL/yaoi adult visual novel about two adult men, both from vastly different worlds, embracing their sexuality and their newfound romance. It is also a tale of interstellar friendship and being gay in space! Game Details The Story In the year 5066, Danya and his alien friend…

Where the Two Flowers Meet Game Review

Where the Two Flowers Meet is a psychological mystery in the vein of Nitro+chiral’s Slow Damage and Kenkou Land’s MAMIYA, that will leave players with a mix of complex emotions. Told across two separate time periods, WTTFM follows the tumultuous relationship between Aran Yun and Caleb Ashton. After a tragedy changes their lives forever, parse…

Billionaire Lovers Game Review – More Money, More Problems

At first blush, Ayacat Games’s Billionaire Lovers gives the impression of a simple otome game about a poor MC romancing a harem of affluent suitors. But, there is more to this game than meets the eye. Much like the infamous bait and switch that is Doki Doki Literature Club and more recently, Replay Boys, a…

Shanghai Summer Demo Review – An Intriguing Mystery Adventure Visual Novel

A Summer’s Tale About “Regret” and “Redemption” Shanghai Summer is an adventure game developed by FUTU Studio and published by Astrolabe Games. Set in the millennium, our protagonist, Baichuan, goes through a series of “anomalies” over the length of twelve days. In his pursuit of the truth, he found that his hopes and regrets from…

Replay Boys Game Review – What the heck is up with this band?!

Groundhog Day meets Doki Doki Literature Club in the Replay Boys, a visual novel from indie studio, Split Narrative where you have to wrangle the members of an up and coming boy band. I went in expecting to navigate boy band blow outs over music and crazed fangirls vying for the attention of the boys,…

Chronotopia: Second Skin is a fresh take on a little known dark fairytale

At long last, Brittany based indie studio, Träumendes Mädchen released their fairytale inspired visual novel, Chronotopia: Second Skin. The project was crowdfunded on Kickstarter in 2016, but due to various circumstances spent years in development limbo. But, the developer has been working on the game and now it is finally available to play. Chronotopia: Second…

Hard to Make a Romantic Cartoon BL Game Review – I Got Isekai’d into My Own Web Novel?!

Steam is a treasure trove of hidden gems, but their search feature is absolute trash, so finding anything new can be impossible on the platform. While browsing the Steam Visual Novel Fest listings I discovered the Korean boys love game, Hard to Make a Romantic Cartoon! (순정만화가 너무 어려워) and this game is everything! College…

Dual Chroma Demo Review

Indie studio, Galen Games recently launched the Kickstarter campaign for their upcoming fantasy otome/RPG Dual Chroma and with it a demo! So of course I had to check it out! Journey alongside the Second Prince of the Galens Empire to unlock ancient secrets in this romantic fantasy adventure with a dark twist. Also fight alongside…

Melanin Friendly Games – Karamu

Happy Monday! What better way to kick off the week than with a melanin friendly game! While (slowly) making my way through all of this year’s Otome Jam submissions I stumbled across Chattercap’s yandere ex-boyfriend themed romance horror, Karamu and let’s just say I was not prepared for this ride! This is a yandere romance…

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.