Does it feel like cheating?

I've tried out quite a lot of otome games in a short period of time. (I get addicted easily.) Now I'm wondering does anyone else feel a bit uneasy sometimes when replaying and taking another route, romancing another character even though you just had a love story with the other one.

I noticed I really feel this after I've played the "childhood friend" or "old crush" and found out how much this person has loved the protagonist  - usually for years. Nexttime playing through with another character I really sympathize the poor friend zoned dudes. The effect is not so big on "new" characters as they don't usually fall for you on other routes.

Honestly I think I'd have easier time playing a game where you can pursue multiple character simultaneously, as long as one of them hasn't harbored his undying love for years.

This is going to make me sound crazy, but I don't normally have this problem because in my head, each route I play is kind of like an alternate dimension. So if Guy B is sad because the MC is happy with Guy A whose route I am playing...I just think "Don't be sad! You're happy with her in another world." And to me, that is the real Guy B when he's on his route.

In Voltage games, I always give the MC a different name for each guy, so in my head, they all end up happy with a different girl.

And now I sound like a significant crazy person, but everyone is happy this way in my head lol!

I do. That's why I never finish all routes in otome game. In each game I only have one of my favorite and I only do his route.

I have that feeling too! Not for only the childhood/old types though, but there will be that one guy with a sad back-story and actually needs the MC to pull him out of the dark and miserable life, I feel bad when I ignore him and go for other guys (I always think: "Is he gonna be like that forever? How can he get out of that life without the MC? I don't want it to happen blablabla")

insight_blue I don't think that sounds crazy at all, you have a good thing going on in there. I might have to try to think like that myself. I hadn't even thought about changing the character name, though I usually use the (random) suggested names if there are ones.

Only finishing the one route could work too but honestly some games and characters are just too good to pass up. I'm never interested in all of the routes, but easily 2-4 of them.

And I agree with Reina_chan and otaku, it's also very hard when other characters are sad/stay unhappy because the protagonist doesn't "save" them.

The situation overall isn't so bad if the rejected character doesn't show up much but that's the fault in the friend types, they tend not to disappear from the story. Also I feel that especially the games where you are stuck with the same group are really bad for this, especially since it seems sometimes multiple heroes take a liking to the protagonist in one route. How horrible it will be to watch the other guy pining for you...

I would maybe hide the spoilers for  what happens in pirates in love please. hit the 11th button on the top and put the info in between. i have not played that game and that was spoiled for me. its really no big deal cause its not number 1 on my playing list right now. thank you

Sorry, I thought I was being vague enough, I took away the whole reference.

Yes... sometimes it does feel like cheating, especially right after a really sweet character. And then you realize that your actions determine his fate  
I felt super guilty after I moved onto Saito's route right after Okita's beautiful route! Because since I chose Saito, Okita died of tuberculosis.............        

This has become a long post, but here are my thoughts:

95% of the time, I go through all the routes, completely guilt free.

I don't consider playing a different character route to be "cheating". To me, playing a different route is like starting the game again. In many cases, you really must start from the beginning of the game, or at least, during the common routes and work your choices from there in order to enter individual routes. In other words, it's rare to be in an individual route and still have the choice to jump ship to get into another. I don't like those types of routes, anyway.

For example, unless you have to pursue character A, "officially" become partners and then cheat on A in order to end up with character B, then it's not cheating at all. Some people like the love triangle thing, but I tend not to. I can't empathise with that level of indecision; particularly when others' feelings are involved. In this scenario, I do feel guilty, even if it's just a game. While I'm not a big believer in monogamy, I am a big believer in faithfulness. I never do cheating routes and such unless it contributes towards 100% completion. I rarely enjoy them, too.

In the 5% of cases that do bother me, exlcuding unfaithfulness in the "true" sense of the word, it's mostly about the character's individual circumstances. If I know that a certain character can only improve their bad situation thanks to the protagonist's involvement, it's a bit of a downer to play another route with the knowledge that your not being in the said character's route will cause them to still be burdened.

As for the childhood friend thing, I'll preface by admitting my bias since I don't like the childhood friend trope in many instances. It's far too cliche and improbable (thus, harder for me to empathise with). I realise that admitting feelings can't be an easy feat, but rejection is a poor excuse for not confessing, since not confessing and confessing both carry the risk of rejection in some shape or form anyway. It comes down to whether you can live with losing a possible love, or live with losing a close friendship. If they don't pursue, no wonder nothing will start. Especially in the otome world, seeing as Japanese culture doesn't exactly encourage women to be forward.

I don't like going for multiple partners at once- especially when it triggers those jealousy events. Lots of girls love being fought over or guys getting jealous, but I loathe both. I have enough self-esteem without needing virtual or IRL assurance obtained from screwing around with others' feelings. What other entertainment is there in these multiple-guys-like-you-thing, unless it is more deeply explored (they rarely are)? It just seems pointlessly nasty, even if the guys are fictional.

I don't think it really comes down to your self esteem if you like jealous guys in otome games. I like lots of things in these games that I really would not enjoy irl. But I agree that actual cheating is not something I'd pursue (though I'd definitely want to play a promiscuous character that doesn't make any promises) except when there's really no reason to stay faithful - like In Your Arms Tonight. It would be really hard for me to relate to a character that has just recently fallen in love and is already going for other people, but in a dead relationship that's pretty normal.

And I don't think that "pursuing" multiple characters simultaneously is really bad in cases where it's all about budding feelings and eventually you make the choice on which one interests you the most. No need for cheating then.

I also agree that some of the (childhood) friend plots are kinds ridiculous, but then again some of them are very plausible. Especially the cases where you've been separated for years (maybe he didn't have the courage when you were teens but he has it now) or when the friendship is relatively new and/or the protagonist has been dating someone else.

But it seems that pretty much all of the guilty feelings we have come down to causing pain - or not preventing it - to other characters. I like that some people look at the games differently, their views will always help me think about it in different ways too.

Millenia wrote:I don't think it really comes down to your self esteem if you like jealous guys in otome games. I like lots of things in these games that I really would not enjoy irl. But I agree that actual cheating is not something I'd pursue (though I'd definitely want to play a promiscuous character that doesn't make any promises) except when there's really no reason to stay faithful - like In Your Arms Tonight. It would be really hard for me to relate to a character that has just recently fallen in love and is already going for other people, but in a dead relationship that's pretty normal.

And I don't think that "pursuing" multiple characters simultaneously is really bad in cases where it's all about budding feelings and eventually you make the choice on which one interests you the most. No need for cheating then.

I also agree that some of the (childhood) friend plots are kinds ridiculous, but then again some of them are very plausible. Especially the cases where you've been separated for years (maybe he didn't have the courage when you were teens but he has it now) or when the friendship is relatively new and/or the protagonist has been dating someone else.

But it seems that pretty much all of the guilty feelings we have come down to causing pain - or not preventing it - to other characters. I like that some people look at the games differently, their views will always help me think about it in different ways too.

Yes, playing a promiscuous character would be interesting. Also, I'm of the belief that if you love somebody else and no long love your current boyfriend, just break up with the boyfriend. Especially if there is no reason to stick around. I typically can't stand playing in the eyes of a cheater, since there is rarely a truly legitimate excuse for cheating. It often comes down to cowardly greed (at least, from the cases I've seen)- staying with the bad boyfriend for money or other material conveniences, not wanting to leave the current relationship in case the "affair" goes south, etc.

I suppose to many people, regardless of their motives, it's not as simple as breaking up with the old and moving onto the new. I have no problems breaking up with people, especially those that treat me like crap. Bad behaviour rarely changes (another common, improbable type of "effect" the protagonist has on the "bad boy") and I'd rather not hang around and invest in a relationship that's doomed to fail anyway.

TL;DR: There are sympathetic reasons why somebody would cheat, but there are very, very rarely the "only option".

About the multiple characters thing you mentioned, that's a good point. I can't believe such a case didn't come to mind when I wrote my last post! -__- I totally agree; nothing wrong with exploring options.

Definitely, some childhood friend scenarios are plausible. Which is why I don't like the trope "in many instances". The examples you mentioned are the ones I don't facepalm at. Though with the "separated for years" thing, I tend to not believe it even more if s/he still loved you all of those years. I've read stuff where the friends drifted apart, and somehow met again, then fell in love. That scenario is plausible, at least, to me.

It's really interesting to read through everyone's opinions on the matter.

I think I've only ever felt like that when I really liked the first character I played (which is usually why I like ti leave the best for last XD)..It's even worse when another route has a bit in it that makes my favourite character either upset or mad or even dead  

I guess in a way it does feel like cheating...

I'd actually like to use the strategy of saving the best for last but I really can't afford to buy all the routes and I'm not terribly interested in every one of them. And then there's the possibility that while I play another route, I find out something really appealing about a character I wasn't interested in earlier. But to me it probably would be a good strategy to try save the friend type to the last.

I've played a few routes on Be My Princess and I think that at least on the routes I've played there's very little interaction with the other princes. So I didn't really feel bad about hanging out in the same parties with a different prince . Princes aren't really my thing but there's a sale now and several of them were interesting personalities.

I usually play with barely any guilt for any of the dudes, unless the case is similar to something like The Dousei Kareshi series. I often take a route as an alternate universe, and only really feel guilty in a case where it's a forced breakup or something. Jealousy events are not my cup of tea as well, due to the fact that the dudes often show their 'bad' personalities, which basically happens to the yandere characters. I'm pretty fine for anything else, since I can even have a few biases in the same game!! 

In the case which there are interactions with pursuable characters in another character's route, I will often go like "hey he was much nicer in his own route!" and basically compare the dudes to their own routes.

Nope not for me.

Ui wrote:Nope not for me.

  Ooh! girl, these otome guys better not mess with you then 

As I play otoge strictly with a 3rd person POV in mind, it never does. I might feel a tad awkward at times, but it is not enough for me to feel that dedicated to one character. I know of quite a few people who change their MC's name (if it is changeable) after every route because they feel torn this way.

Even in sequel stories, where you romance the grandchildren of the original characters. Lots of awkwardness rages about, but I can tolerate it because it is like reading a book about another person. And, hehe. I see you play BMP and other mobile otoge. Thinking of exactly that.

And now I am instantly feeling guilty for being here and not updating walkthroughs.

I funnily never associate myself with the MC but still feel its cheating when my MC is a male, and watch the fun when the MC is a female. Like when I play those harem games, I purposely make my guy choose and stick to one girl alone. However, when I'm playing the female, I am far too curious to only go with one guy per playthrough so if I can, I try to romance them all ... I should probably feel guilty but I don't since its not me in the real life...  

Not really. I tend to think of different routes as alternative universes. Like each different choice is a different path. A what if I choose this way path.

Kouryuu wrote:Not really. I tend to think of different routes as alternative universes. Like each different choice is a different path. A what if I choose this way path.

That's exactly how I feel about it. I always see every route as a different reality, where different choices were made, and consequently you got a different outcome for that girl's life (in the romantic aspect anyway).

I would probably only feel guilt if I had to actually cheat on Guy A to get access to Guy B's route (like Laramie Castiel exemplified before)

I remember the first time I went for another guy in the same game... it felt awful. But then I thought about it the way most of us do. It may be a different universe. A different story with a different ending.
Just try to enjoy the current route. Go with the flooOoOoow. Haha.

I do tend to feel guilty when I go for another guy's route, but it doesn't really feel like I'm cheating or anything. It's more along the lines of, "I saw the possibilities of my relationship with you, and now I'm subconsciously comparing my current route with yours."

I try to avoid it by playing the routes in an order that leaves the villain (if that's an option)/sad story guys for the end, because I know I won't be able to play any of the other routes and not think about him.

I'm trying to get off from "it feel like cheating"~ by playing Amnesia~ I'm still feel bad if doing another routes sigh~

Most of the time I don't feel like it's cheating, because starting the game from the beginning mostly just feels like I'm starting fresh and getting a new chance. And usually, in the game, the other characters that you aren't pursuing tend to have a little bit of a different personality or they do things a little differently.

I gotta admit though - I felt sooo guilty when I played Always Remember Me. I had a hard time pursuing anyone but Aaron. >.> Maybe because the MC couldn't figure out her own feelings.