By Michelle Curtis on July 25, 2014 at 4:12pm
Most otome games are simple and straightforward. You read along, make a few choices, and either end up with the guy you like or not. Very cut and dry.
“Nicole (otome version)” from Winter Wolves is a bit more complicated than that. In the midst of her first year of college, protagonist Nicole gets swept up in the mystery revolving around the disappearances of three girls from her school. While trying to experience college life to the fullest, she not only looks to fall in love with one of four gorgeous guys, but she also has to avoid becoming the next target while solving the mystery.
Gameplay
While on the surface it presents itself as the average otome game, the presence of a control panel helps set this game apart from the rest. It indicates the date and the passage of time. Actions that you complete in the game require a certain amount of time, and certain actions and venues can only be accessed on certain days and at certain times. It shows your current money on hand below that. You start off with $50, but as the game progresses, you can unlock part-time jobs to help you perform certain tasks to raise stats or buy gifts for the guy you like.
There is a cute chibi version of Nicole directly above the stat bars. Morale and Energy are required to perform actions, and if they drop too low, you have to go rest at the dorm which can cost you time in solving the case. Doing certain tasks raise different stats (Zeal, Diligence, Amity, Wit), which in turn help you woo certain guys and also help you find more clues. It also helps to pay attention the clues bar. There are multiple endings based on whether or not you solve the case as well as whether or not you were able to develop a relationship with a character. I got really frustrated because my first playthrough ended with a “Very Bad Ending.” I was so focused on solving the mystery that I neglected to develop a relationship properly. Ultimately, I was so drawn into the mystery that I had forgotten that this was an otome game which focuses on relationships. On my second playthrough, I paid more attention to the hints during the end-of-day recaps.
There are three difficulty settings. When I played on normal, the game felt kind of long, and relationship progress can seem like it takes forever (especially before you unlock part time jobs). However, when you choose an answer that the character you're pursuing likes, they get +5 affinity. It sounds like a small victory, but you raise get their affinity up pretty quickly once you start online shopping (if you choose the right gifts). It always made me happy to see that meter increase! You just have to be careful what you choose. There were times when I was trying to be mean to Kurt because I didn't like him, but he actually liked that about me so his meter increased. I actually whined about it. These characters are very polarizing!
Presentation
I loved the look of this game! The characters were very detailed and well-drawn. It has kind of an anime style to it which is the norm for otome games. I loved all the expressions and the character nuances. Ted and Darren were my favorites. Ted's always angry so he has this scowl on his face which is pretty cute. Darren's a bashful megane (glasses) type, so he's always pushing his glasses up and blushing.
The neat thing about the characters is that you have to be really careful who you pursue because there is a possibility he could be involved with the disappearances. Each guy has two sides to him, and some of them even know the previous victims. Despite that information, I was pretty sure who I wanted to pursue. Their personalities (while sometimes stereotypical) really draw you in. I really liked to see the interaction between certain characters. There were times when I felt like some of them were too stereotyped (even in dialogue), but it didn't completely ruin the game for me.
There was something that irked me at first until I thought about it: brand names. Why do you have to change it to Lie's potato chips or Mrs. Plains' cookies? Legal action, that's why. However, as silly as the names sounded, it reminded me that characters in some of my favorite manga titles have lunch at WcDonald's. It helped give this game the feel of a shoujo manga for me. However, it did feel a bit excessive after a while. I mean, Nicole talked a lot about Rollr, her favorite blog site.
However, this silliness doesn't detract from the atmosphere created by the gorgeous scenery. Backgrounds are detailed and drawn in vivid colors. The dorms are similar, but they are nuanced enough to show the personalities of the characters who live there. My favorite scenes are revealed a little later in the game when you're investigating the disappearances. They're so creepy and atmospheric.
Sound
What also helps set the tone for certain scenes is the music. I was thoroughly in the moment during the more intense scenes because of the music. There was no voice acting in this, which disappointed me. However, that may have been a good thing. The dialogue might have been difficult to pull off as some of the characters seemed to be a bit unbalanced in terms of their speaking habits. Some characters used youthful slang, but in the next breath, spoke or recognized a foreign language. I really felt that Ted was stereotyped in that he was from Alabama, and his diction was very “y'all” and drawl. I cringed when I think of what could have been. Southern accents are hard to do well without sounding completely condescending. No voice acting was a good call.
Overall
The game was engaging, fun, and intriguing. It drew me in. I loved the characters and loved to hate some of the others. The graphics were beautiful, and the sound worked well in providing appropriate atmosphere. Even though my first playthrough didn't end well, I was itching to play again. With multiple endings, it has a good bit of replay value.
Pick it up on Steam today!
