Voltage games are some of the cheapest otome games, are they cheap for a reason or more like hidden gems?
Voltage games are cheaper on switch than mobile, though some games don’t include all LIs or all story events, like weddings
In short chapters and routes they tell stories of often toxic, obsessive and dominant LIs and weak faceless heroines. Often they feature easy conflicts with convenient solutions, that can also have bitter sweet endings or possible angst, but overall most voltage games are more happy games.
On the mobile app you can often play the prolougue for free and on Switch they often go on sale for 30-50 percent!
I haven’t played them myself, for reasons you’re about to find out, but I still wanted to cover them, as they are all bilingual releases on the Switch, meaning you can switch between English and Japanese anytime, what is super convenient for learning Japanese!
My last first kiss
After being rejected by your crush, your childhood friends console you and in this night you become more than friends.
This game has a mature approach to the childhood friends trope and focuses on first blossoming love.
King of Paradise
Attending a chic party you find your husband with his mistress, telling you he wants you to continue cleaning for him while he has a lover to whom he feels deeply connected. The LIs witness this embarrassing scene and swiftly turn you into the Cinderella of the evening, so you can proudly face your husband and demand a divorce. Though afterwards your life doesn’t look to good either, as you seem unable to find a job. Yet again the LIs come to your rescue offering you to be their maid at their mansion. No other options at hand, you move in with them…
This game looks so cheesy with lines like: “I’ll remind you what it means to be woman”
But if you like the rich men turn you into Cinderella trope, this game might be interesting.
Scandal in the spotlight
After you lost your song script as an aspiring song writer no one wants to hire, you receive tickets to your favourite boy band, just to find out – they are using your song! Afterwards they offer you to either join them as a ghost writer or they will destroy your chances of ever succeeding in the entertainment industry…
This game might be for k- and j-pop fans as well as those who are intrigued by a forbidden romance.
Ayakashi Romance Reborn
After finding a Kagura bell the power of fighting off evil spirits awakens within you and you have to fight with either faction and LI to save the capital.
This game has some slight gameplay elements, but on the other hand no choices and the romance aspect falls definitely short.
Her love in the Force
As the only woman in the police force academy you face some dominant and sadistic colleagues, who all have their own reasons for joining the force. After your first week you have to choose one instructor to work with whose orders you have to obey at any cost.
Though some characters are deeper than first meets the eyes, they still are typical voltage sadists.
My forged Wedding
In desperate need for a job you do your distant uncle a favour and find yourself in a fake marriage with one of the LIs.
Again each LI has a reason why he needs to pretend to be married, and the reasons are actually supposed to be solid and relatable, as well as the sweet and fluffy love development.
So I think this is actually one of the better entries.
My love letter from thief X
You work in a museum and after an encounter with a group of famous thieves you find out you have a hint to their next target. Because these are no normal thieves, they are more like Robin Hood, stealing art from criminals and returning them to their rightful owner and now they are looking for your grandfather’s masterpiece, that has been lost, but might be of utmost importance. As they don’t take no for an answer, you decide to be a curator at day and help them out by night.
In this entry the MC has a bit more of a sassy character, what makes for some funny and interesting dialogue.
Our Two Bedroom Story
After your mum remarries, your step-father offers you to live in one of his apartments rent-free and not wanting to intrude on them and loving the thought of living alone rent-free you immediately accept his offer. But what your stepfather failed to mention, that his son already lives there too! And if that wasn’t complicated enough he also turns out to be one of your co-workes at your new job. And it would be a scandal if anybody would be to find out that you are living together…
This is one of the more popular voltage games, that actually features less toxic tropes than usual and tells a fluffy romance story with a slight breeze of angst here and there, but as always nothing too dark. The only thing fans have been criticising is that the switch ports doesn’t include the fan-favourite Tsugume.
Kissed by the Baddest Bidder
In exchange for having destroyed an immensely valuable statue for a black market auction you are to make up for it and put on sale yourself. 5 guys place the highest bid and it’s up to you who you want to give your body and soul from now on. And yet again each of these bidders is not as he seems and has his own convincing reasons to act as he does.
The problem for many is apparent: if you are not exactly into human trafficking, possessive and dominant LIs who think they own you..then you might not have a lot of fun with this game. That being said I personally don’t think there is anything wrong with embracing your fantasies…
Enchanted in the moonlight
As you are attacked by evil ayakashi due to your alluring blood six good ayakashi come to your rescue. But if they are to protect you, you have to bear their child.
Varied characters, who have quirks according to their mythical creatures, but again all of them can be a bit pushy – to put it like that- , and the MC can change from sassy to docile and passive depending on the route, what might not be to everybody’s liking, but enhances the chance there is a route that suits your taste.
Star Crossed Myth
As you make a wish at the tanabata festival, suddenly six attractive men appear claiming to be gods. But they have been cast out of heaven for their sins and you are the only way for them to redeem them, by granting your wish. Once that wish has been granted however, they will inevitably return to heaven. Though gods seem to have everything, they dont have love, and love between humans and gods is generally forbidden, though it might create a bond that will change the world’s fate. How will a love story between a god and a mortal end?
If you decide to buy both games you can romance all twelve gods, representing the zodiacs, some of them are – as always- sinners of sexual consent, while other are just plain mean, but all have intriguing back stories.
But still this is one of the most highly praised voltage titles to date!
My personal opinion
Why haven’t I played any voltage games though? It’s not because of the toxic tropes, I don’t mind them, as long as they are well written, and that’s what I think is something voltage games haven’t succeed at so far: good writing accompanied by pretty art. The art style of most of these games doesn’t speak to me and I even feel a bit creeped out by a faceless heroine. And watching the trailer they only made me laugh because of how cheesy they were, but not in a good way, but in cheap way – I’m sorry to say that. So as far as I can tell voltage games are cheap for a reason. Even when it comes to learning Japanese I appreciate the fact that you can switch languages and the language is quite easy, but without any voice acting this is still no too appealing for me as a learner.
I think for many people they are hit or miss. They can be nice comfort food if you don’t want anything too strenuous to play, a quick sweet love story, or even to first get into otome games! But if you expect a deep story with multidimensional characters, voltage games so far might not be the best option.
But this opinion might completely change considering the newly announced Even if Tempest…!