One thing i’ve noticed so far is that the only few games i haven’t romanced anyone are the romance focused games (The wayhaven chronicles, soul stone war and the shadow society are the ones i remember rn) All the characters seems so one-dimensional and always boss around or impose into the mc that it becomes a huge turn off on me.
And since the plots aren’t entertaining enough (the mc having little agency is a huge no for me) and seem to run parallel to RO character development (that I remember) I have decided to stay away from romance-centric books, unless something calls my attention lol
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I think, those being perfect examples, I would describe them as like otome games, which has the bad habit of kinda boring tropey characters and absolutely no player agency or power, and all the ROs are at least somewhat dominant/aggressive on top of it. They (those stories, though the romance too) also feel so incredibly straight, no offense cishets, regardless what gender anyone is.
I feel so validated to see someone else who’s picked up on those being in a similar grouping. Like I theoretically could enjoy the story, but that style is so off-putting for me personally.
My initial thought was that writing off all largely romance-focused stories is a bit harsh but I’m realizing I can’t come up with any good examples 
Also, YES SOMEONE ELSE WHO EXPLICITLY DISLIKES WHEN THE PLAYER HAS NO AGENCY! I KNEW THERE WERE OTHERS WHO ARE BOTHERED BY THAT! Thank you for all the validation c:
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Regarding otome games, they don’t just feel straight. They’re literally for straight women. I do agree with The Wayhaven Chronicles and The Soul Stone War being cliche as fuck as much as I like them enough. I don’t really hate clichés since they can be pretty good if done correctly in my opinion
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I suppose one could argue that you have the agency to not hook up with any of the romance options, but most every otome or otome-adjacent game treats you like you’re crazy if you do that.
I was about to say that When Twilight Strikes is an example of a romance-centric game having player agency, but then I remembered that the key moment that gets the plot moving depends on you agreeing to go along with Rylen’s plan, and if you don’t, your partner throws agency policy in your face in order to force you.
And then most every event that happens after that involves you being volunteered as point man, while everybody else does god knows what.
Incidentally, all the romance options aside from maybe A, if you can forgive her shoving you into the plan if you try to set your feet, are kinda not worth the trouble. And even then, in chapter six, if you and A haven’t been getting along, she tries to apologize for forcing you into things, but immediately gets pissy if you choose not to forgive her. This on top of her saying that she understands if you don’t forgive her.
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I said I’ve never really been a fan of Wayhaven for some of the reasons that’s been listed above and been called crazy for it so I’m glad there are people out there with a similar mindset. The characters do feel kind of one dimensional, the plot is more or less stereotypical, the pacing isn’t much better, and you get hit in the face with the lack of character agency a bunch of times, although I can usually live with it depending on the circumstance and if I like the reason. The things I do agree that it does well is the writing but with romance stories like that, where the characters are a huge focus, it’s easy to find flaws and for said flaws to make center stage when there isn’t much else in the story to speak of
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Yeah, otome plots tend to be weak but at least some like mystic messenger try to take into account your choices and make you feel like your doing something.
Wayhaven doesnt do that. One, the mystery your detective has to solve is fake. None of your choices matter, which already makes half the plot (being a detective) uninteresting and even frustrating.
Two, the ros are actively being obstacles to your useless investigation. Theyre obviously hidding something from you while people are dying.Their horrendous actitude: one constantly challenges your authority and breaks your office furniture? Another blows smoke in your face and is generally and AH. One is trying to be so sweet its toothrotting, but it just feels fake since hes always giving evasive answers and covering up his friends. The last one kisses your hand at first meetup in the middle of your work shift, with your mother present and doesnt take anything seriously.
At least the mystery could be figuring out what the bravo team is, but here’s the thing, its completely destroyed by having Pov changes right at the beggining of the story (and the middle pov changes actually made so angry bc some of them think of you with the tenderness of starcrossed lovers while i am just fighting for my life, my blood and my town here guys, c’mon) and any attempt to bring it up is immediately shut down by the mc so, yeah
No offense towards anyone here but this particular kind of genre™ doesnt do me any good
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I’m just being a little hater here so I’ll stop with wayhaven lol. But yeah what said above, if romance is gonna be the focus it has to be very good or else the problems are incredibly noticeable
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Thank you, that has been my biggest gripe above all else with Wayhaven - it’s advertised as you being a detective and solving supernatural crimes, but then the damn crimes solve themselves and you barely get to do anything to influence it one way or another. Like, damn, if I wanted to watch an episode of CSI, I’d just go watch CSI, man.
I get that the police work isn’t the central focus of Wayhaven, but if you’re gonna have the main character be a cop and not have that part be relevant, don’t put focus on them being a cop! Just mention that it’s their day job and move on!
And the part about the police work not being important that super bothers me is that all the characters I WANT to romance are members of the Wayhaven PD, a.k.a. not ROs.
Sorry, off topic I know, I just needed to let that out.
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You’re definitely not the only one…
The emperor is naked.
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Yeah agree with you, M from wayhave is too unhinged and unstable. He’s one of those “fix me” type of ROs lol hell nah
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For all the valid criticism that can be thrown at M (“jerk” is certainly one), “unhinged and unstable” is not really one, unless you want to completely redefine what those words mean.
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Yeah, unhinged and unstable is more like Hayden Winter or Jun/Junko. M is just an ass to most people other than Unit Bravo
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Of course. I have my own blacklist of IF from CoG and itch, where your MC is just a plaything in dev’s hands. It’s frustrating, boring and annoying. And yes, When Twilight Strikes in that list, but I think it’s discussion not for this thread.
I wanted to close the game after this.
And cherry on the cake was when MC’s mother just walked in and messed with their investigation. There are always bad vibes where different departments stealing cases from each other.
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“Yeah, you know that murder investigation that you started literally, like, yesterday? My agency is taking it over now, and if you want onboard, you have to work with my team and play by our rules.”
Like, what the hell, Rebecca? The victim was a new resident in Wayhaven, Wayhaven PD was first on scene, and the detective was the senior officer on scene, can we maybe have SOME input as to whether we’re allowed to investigate a murder within our own jurisdiction or not? (This is keeping in mind that the detective doesn’t learn the truth until midway through the story, so as far as they know, it’s just a murder investigation that their mother randomly decided to rip the rug out from under them over.)
Nevermind that even Unit Bravo thought that getting involved in small town murder investigations was a farce, since they already knew damn well who did it and were on his trail well before I even scrounged up a name. Hell, I interfered with them kicking his ass before I even knew he was the suspect! If you’d have just let your team do their own field work and stayed off my toes, they could’ve caught the guy in chapter friggin’ one! (Sure, the murder investigation would’ve become an unsolved cold case, but I mean, shit happens, unfortunately, and at least the other kid would’ve survived.)
This is just one of many reasons why I have yet to play a file where my detective gets along with Rebecca in any way, shape or form.
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This is not ENTIRELY true. You learn pretty early on that the murderer has killed in other countries before; this is an international criminal and, seeing as the Agency is an official international enterprise, it probably does have jurisdiction over the whole shebang, in the same way that the FBI has jurisdiction when stuff crosses state lines. Cooperating with the local authorities is optional, not mandatory, though it certainly is a plus… provided you’re actually doing an investigation, which, of course, is not exactly what the Bravos are doing.
The whole situation DOES let you tell A that if their methods were actually good they would’ve caught the murderer by now (much fuming ensues), so it’s not all negatives. 
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Honestly I think I’m very open with my RO types 
I guess my least favorite are the ones that are plain mean, like, I can take some rudeness but if at some point they don’t let up then I can’t romance them, I’m very petty person lmao, in A (TWC) case since the detective can retaliate with their own rude comments I had fun (the worst thing you can do to me is give me a rude RO and not let me call them out on it) and on M (TWC) case I was kinda “meh” about them in B1 but come B2 I felt like they got more comfortable with the detective and now they’re one of my faves along with F 
And then there’s another case where if RO1 is mean to RO2, and I like RO2 then that automatically makes me pissed off at RO1, some good examples are Merry to Lea/Clem in The Northern Passage (it’s on itchio now) and Blane to A in The Midnight Hours (also on itchio), I literally feel like “you come to my playthrough and have the audacity to disrespect a RO that I like and I’m supposed to want to romance you? Heeeeell no 
”
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Yeah, fair enough. I had forgotten the whole “international jurisdiction” thing that Murphy incurred on himself.
And any excuse to piss A off is a good one.
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This is why when the chance to kill Winter in the Evertree Saga I think is coming arrives, I’m not only taking it, I’m picking the most painful options possible. You absolute motherfucker, you’re coming for my stable girl? MY STABLE GIRL?! That shit will absolutely not fly, and you.
Will.
Be.
A.
LESSON!
“I should’ve shot you.”
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When I played Lux for the first time, I continued my Lamuel playthrough and didn’t run into Winter once. How do you even meet them in Lux, if you don’t romance them?
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I have a suspicion that the elf you meet in the L romance route that knows all about their parents and time in the city is Winter.