Pub Encounter

Most visual novels in the otome genre feature boys in high school or young men fresh out of college. Pub Encounter is spicing it up with the same love stories, but involving older men. As part of the forbidden romance series, this visual novel features romances with your pick of men 20+ years older than the main character. In the game, you play Itsuki Shiori, a stressed out worker who decides to hit up a bar in order to try and relax. There, she meets 5 older men who are completely willing to be romanced.

Unlike many visual novels, this game is fairly light on text, and you don’t have to spend hours sitting through tons of stories unrelated to your favorite man to get to the actual romance part. Pub Encounter is very direct in that way, which makes it a refreshing change. If you liked the Shall We Date series, you’ll like Pub Encounter, as it has very similar vibes.

M for Mature

With such variety in the otome genre, it’s worthwhile to mention that this is a mature series. Each romance ends with more than just a first kiss, and is not suitable for players under the age of 18. The sex scenes are explicit, but manage to strike a balance between way too much and disappointingly little. Still, this isn’t an appropriate game for minors, or anyone uncomfortable with explicit scenes.

Simple, straight forward plots

Pub Encounter doesn’t spend very much time on story line, and dives directly into the romance aspect of the game. At times, this can tip into feeling a bit cliché and over the top. Since the theme is forbidden romance, they also repeatedly mention the age gap between the characters, and this can get uncomfortable.

There are also scenes where the main character is treated like a child, and this can also come off as a bit pandering. Still, Pub Encounter manages to add depth to the romance that many other romance novels fail to. The 5 men each have problems that any real person could relate to, and it helps move them away from standard stereotypes just a little bit. While there is still some stereotyping there, it’s not nearly as bad as the usual tsundere etc.

Hours of game play

Despite the light text and straight forward plot, there is still plenty of game play to be had here. Each section is divided into different chapters, and you can delve into each characters backstory, learn more about them, and find out why you’re the perfect person for them.

Pros

• Unique approach to the romance genre
• Light reading
• Plenty of game time

Cons

• Plots wrap up a little too neatly