Collar x Malice (2016)

For those looking to jump into the otome genre of visual novels and dating sims, or those that simply haven’t played it yet, Collar X Malice is a must buy!

I have played and reviewed a couple of visual novel games now, and I was then and still am entirely undecided on what I think of them. Then I saw Collar X Malice on the review list. Was I ready for another visual novel? I didn’t know, but I’d played a few hectic games, and the idea of something chilled out certainly appealed to me. Plus, I love reading and story-driven games, and what could be more story-driven than a game that is essentially a novel. So, I ventured into this title, recently launched on the switch after a run on other systems earlier in its life. I did not know anything about the game going into it, but what did I make of my time in the world of Adonis? Was it a real page-turner of a game, or was it one of those stories that weren’t ever as strong as its blurb?

Collar X Malice is an absolutely fantastic visual novel. It has a strong narrative and a compelling cast of characters to work within its intriguing mystery. The title uses a whole bag of interactive tricks to pull you into its uncertain world, and it works wonders, with the masterful visual style being the icing on the cake.

If you're OK with dealing with text issues—or will speed through too fast to notice—then Collar X Malice is going to hook you. The themes may be disturbing to some, and the M rating the ESRB gave it is definitely deserved, but it left me thinking for a long time after I hit the title screen for the last time. Sometimes, that's just what I need.

This game was a bit like reading Harry Potter: Personally, I don’t care much for the main characters. However, in every chapter I was so engaged in the story, or fascinated by the side characters, that it overwhelmed the fact that I really didn’t care that much about the fate of Harry and his friends. Playing Collar X Malice was a bit like that for me. I wasn’t always very engaged with the protagonist or her partner, but the intrigue of the story, the way it tackled the issue of justice and how it can become entangled with the many grey areas of human emotions and experience, as well as the side characters and villains that cross and re-cross your path as you play through the routes, make it a title I can’t make up my mind about. My feelings on it are all over the map. This is a game where I suggest careful consideration before playing. I’m no stranger to difficult themes and stories in gaming, movies, or books, but this game is tough. For all of the above reasons, I’ll have to rate this: