Those who have checked out Otaku’s Adventure on Steam should be delighted to learn that the game is now available in the mobile version. The game whose tongue is firmly set in cheek with its overabundance of otaku culture references and self-deprecating humor works well in the mobile game format. With deceptively simple art and gameplay, and the incredibly low price of admission, Otaku’s Adventure is worth taking a look at.
Story:
There seem to be multiple branches in the story, adding replay value, and below is simply one path to be enjoyed by potential players.
The game starts out with an opening narration from the titular Otaku, who laments not having a girlfriend. That day, he set to meet with a girl he talked to online. Struck by her beauty, and voluptuous figure, they have a date at a diner, where she orders water and excuses herself, never to return.
Disheartened by the experience, the player-named Otaku goes to a convenience store and meets another girl who, after being saved from a falling light, introduces herself as Waifu, as “otakus call girls waifus”.
The next girl our Otaku meets appears to be a pro gamer, who wrecks numerous players in Pong, including the player character. All of this, of course, is but the start of the otaku’s adventure in gaming and potential romance.
Art:
The art style is simple and charming. The characters, besides the Otaku himself, are detailed enough to make out changes in expression. Of course, the girls come out looking the best, each one more attractive than the last. Everyone is unique in their style, the gamer girl wears tomboy clothing, with an angered expression when she fails to find a good rival, the girl who stood the Otaku up looks very attractive, but her bored expression perfectly foreshadows her hasty exit.
The cutscenes play out in one of two different ways: transition scenes play out in progressive comic panels, further adding to the theme of nerd culture, and standard discussion scenes portray characters standing in the center of the screen with changing expressions as dialogue appears at the bottom of the screen.
The backgrounds also hide their own details, perfect for the gameplay elements that require the player to find items hidden away in the world.
Gameplay:
Otaku’s Adventures combines multiple game types: such as multiple-choice questions that affect the story, sometimes with humorous results: waiting for the attractive girl after she excuses herself to “make a phone call”, even after already waiting a half an hour, shows the skeletal remains of the Otaku determined to wait even longer, resulting in a game over and the credits quickly scrolling by.
Scavenger hunts, oftentimes where the player must figure out what it is they need to find, are a recurring feature in Otaku’s Adventure. The game starts out asking players to turn off the air conditioner, and after some poking and prodding, it is discovered that remote control is needed. After further poking, the remote is found, but it needs batteries, requiring item manipulation to turn the remote over, and removing the back to a slot in the batteries.
Later on, two tokens are needed to play a game of Pong, and rather than spend money, the player can find the tokens for free.
Conclusion:
Otaku’s Adventure is a simple, yet entertaining mobile game, and with a price tag of $2.99, it may be worth it to some to pick it up if they appreciate some humor as an otaku goes about trying to get a date.
Sources:
©XD Entertainment Pte Ltd, ©Spacelight Studio
Anime Corner was provided a copy of Otaku Adventure in exchange for an honest review
The game is available on both Android and iOS.