Dating Sims: Games I Used to Play in my Weeb Phase
DISCLAIMER: This blog is just an appreciation of a certain genre that I personally find cringe. This genre is not for everyone. It’s for those people who either have too much free time on their hands, or are just sad. Also, this blog in no way represents my likes, for I am into MILFSSSS!
Moe used in slang refers to feelings of affection, adoration, devotion, and excitement felt towards characters that appear in manga, anime, video games, and other media (usually Japanese). Moe (in the context of Japanese popular culture) the quality in a fictional female character of being youthfully innocent and vulnerable in an idealized way, perceived as eliciting feelings of affection or protectiveness. The Ministry of Education (MoE) was created on September 26, 1985, through the 174th amendment to the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961. Yeah, we’re talking about some “moe visual novel apps”.
Moe! Ninja Girls/Sexy School is a mobile game for Android and iOS, it also is available on PC through Facebook and Steam. It is developed by NTT Solmare Corporation. You’re a genius ninja that hides your true identity and transfers to Mizaki School when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. Surrounded by cute schoolgirls, you finally get the peaceful everyday school life that you’ve always longed for. Through a twist of fate, you end up in a “Ninja Seeking Club” at school to find ninjas! As you spend your days busy with girls and club activities, you start to discover the true identities of your fellow club members… Can you unmask your favourite girl’s identity? And what’s the big secret behind Mizaki School?
That was copied from Play Store, by the way. Its basically an anime with tags- harem, ecchi, slice-of-life, and comedy, but the ending changes depending on your choices. The protagonist, Kazuki Araya, is secretly a ninja (a rather powerful one, it seems) and you just wanna enjoy a quiet life at school. By quiet life, I mean the life you’ve seen in mangas and animes. There are many girls to choose from, obviously. Ever-optimistic Akari, tsundere Enju, kuudere Ricka, cute and shy kouhai Myu, flirtatious Tengge, otaku Yamabuki, ignorant Lily, another otaku Nanao, and fashionable Hotaru.
The plot is basic, with some twists here and there. There is a ticket system that allows you to unlock each chapter. 30 seasons and many extra stories and spin-offs are enough to keep you interested for a long time, unless you spend money. Oh and there are about 2 checkpoints each season which you’ll have to absolutely grind your ass off for. Good luck with that! There’s this ninja fight section too… and I haven’t understood till now how to play that shit. NTT Solmare used to conduct events one after the other before, though I dunno if they do so now too. Its definitely worth checking out though, if you’re into dating sims, that is.
Let’s talk about some other games from NTT Solmare. By the way, all of the other games are from a female perspective, called otome games. ‘Ninja Shadow Shall we date?’ is a game where our heroine pretends to be her dead brother… and finds love on the battlefield. ‘WizardessHeart – Shall we date’ is a game where our heroine gets accepted to the most prestigious magical school, and… meets three boys. ‘Love Tangle – Otome Anime Game’ where you moved to a new city and are now living in a luxury apartment… with attractive neighbours. ‘Guard me, Sherlock! – otome’ where you date… Sherlock Holmes, John Watson and… even James Moriarty? ‘Otome Games Obey Me! NB’, ‘Lost Alice – otome sim game’, ‘Blood in Roses – Otome Game’ all these are similar games, so check them out. And I think their main game right now is ‘Obey Me! Anime Otome Sim Game’. I mean, at least the name is properly written.
Moving on to another dev, we’ve got Genius Studio Japan that “brings you the hottest original bishoujo game content for your smartphone!” They have, and I kid you not, a hundred and forty games. Don’t think all of them are original, but what do I know? I only played 2 chapters before giving up in frustration at the slow rate the tickets were getting collected. And you can only hold 2 tickets at one time. Oh, and there’s a minigame- a slot machine with one of the worst RNG I’ve ever seen. And the plot? Oh boy, where do I start? The ‘choices’, if they can be called that, essentially amount to good (paid) or bad (free). Well, whatever. You can install a bunch of them at the same time, and play them.
Let’s see what’s next… oh, there are a bunch of other romance games you can get on Play Store. Gameloft has two of them… you know what, just go to Play Store and search “romance games”. Why is it showing I’d searched “romance games in bedroom”? But… if there’s one game I’d personally recommend, it is Path to Nowhere.
I know, I know. I had talked about this game before, but stay with me now. See, I hadn’t said anything about romance in this game. The truth is, Path to Nowhere doesn’t showcase your traditional love stories. The romantic themes are more about complex, emotionally charged relationships that develop in the context of its gritty world. As I’ve said earlier, the game portrays a dystopian world where we, as the “Chief,” must manage and guide Sinners—individuals with dangerous powers imprisoned for their crimes.
Most of the Sinners flirt with the Chief, emphasizing trust and understanding in a world that discourages vulnerability. During interrogations with the Sinners, we learn more about their pasts and their personal lives. Relationships teeter on the edge of professionalism and personal connection, creating tension. Many Sinners carry heavy emotional baggage or dark pasts. Romantic undertones sometimes emerge as part of their character arcs, suggesting that their bond with the Chief could be a path toward emotional healing or redemption. This shows that even in a platonic or unspoken sense, love and connection can bring out the humanity in characters who’ve been hardened by circumstances.
Path to Nowhere avoids overt romantic narratives, instead opting for subtlety. We may read deeper into the bonds between characters based on our own preferences and interpretations, allowing for a personalized sense of connection. This open-ended approach makes the romantic subtext feel organic and integrated into the game’s narrative rather than forced. Love or affection is rarely pure or uncomplicated. Instead, it’s portrayed as a fragile light in an otherwise dark and chaotic world. Thus, while love isn’t a central theme of Path to Nowhere, it is rather artfully woven into the character dynamics, creating an emotional hook for people like me, people who are more interested in connections that are complex, layered and rich with subtle details.
That was it for today. Moral of the blog? Go play Path to Nowhere, it’s a great game for mobile. So long, peeps. Happy procrastinating!
P.S. Fuck you, Reaper.
