My Vow to My Liege
- September 21, 2020
- YETU GAME
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"My Vow to My Liege" is a grand strategy simulation game where players manage a kingdom and its nobles. Navigate complex political landscapes, form alliances, and make strategic decisions to maintain the stability and prosperity of your realm. Experience engaging narrative events and dynamic gameplay systems that challenge your diplomatic and leadership skills.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a beautiful art style and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- The protagonist is a strong and well-developed character, breaking the typical mold of passive female leads in otome games.
- The story is rich with political intrigue and mythology, providing a unique and engaging narrative that keeps players invested.
- The romance elements feel forced and underdeveloped, often overshadowed by the heavy focus on politics and war.
- There are technical issues, including bugs and translation errors, which can detract from the overall experience.
- The common route is lengthy and can feel repetitive, with limited choices that may leave players wanting more interactivity.
- story371 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is a complex blend of political intrigue, historical fantasy, and personal drama, set against a backdrop of ancient China. While many players appreciate the depth and richness of the narrative, some find it overly convoluted and heavy on plot at the expense of romance, leading to mixed feelings about character connections and pacing. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its emotional weight and well-developed characters, though it may not satisfy those seeking a more traditional otome experience focused on romance.
“The storyline was honestly captivating and I was really invested in the game.”
“This game has gorgeous art and compelling, well-written characters with distinct personalities and storylines, and a complex, refreshingly competent main character.”
“A beautifully crafted and beautiful story, rich with tragedy, longing, war, and fantasy.”
“I found myself bored through a lot of the dialogue; though some parts were good, a lot of it seemed like a conflict war story with the relationships forced into the end as afterthoughts, and I did not have any connection to the characters built to be invested in the conflict.”
“But I feel like the story has very boring details and background that seemed unnecessary.”
“The story was over-engineered.”
- music84 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, enhancing the overall experience with fitting soundtracks that complement the story and visuals. Many players highlight the quality of the original compositions, particularly the Chinese instrumental pieces, which evoke strong feelings and add to the immersive atmosphere. While some reviews mention minor issues with abrupt transitions, the consensus is that the music significantly contributes to the game's appeal, making it a memorable aspect for players.
“Both the art and the music were very beautiful and fitting; voice acting was on point, and learning a piece of ancient Chinese history and mythology was exciting.”
“The music, voices/sound, and graphics are absolutely stunning, to top it all off.”
“The music is phenomenal, the voice acting is immersive, and the story is engaging.”
“Music isn't included in the extras.”
“Minor issues with sound effects, music, and voice lines initiation (probably due to incompatibility with Steam), not critical though.”
“Though I know that this isn’t one of those top-notch companies that can just have TV drama music, so I don’t really count this as a negative.”
- graphics43 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics in this game are widely praised for their stunning artwork, impeccable character design, and beautiful backgrounds, contributing to an overall visually appealing experience. Many reviewers highlight the art style as a major draw, complemented by excellent music and voice acting. However, some criticism arises from the limited visual representation of the story, with a call for more diverse artwork to enhance narrative engagement.
“The graphics are impeccable, character design solid, music outstanding, and the many sound and graphic effects bring the text to life.”
“I absolutely love the art style, and that is usually what draws me specifically to otome games at first.”
“The art style, CGs, music, and voice acting are absolutely stunning!”
“The one aspect that makes me unable to recommend this game is the lack of any visual/artwork to help describe the story.”
“The only things that are drawn in this visual novel are the sprites/artwork of the guys, the background image indicating where a scene takes place, and a handful of lazily drawn non-descript NPCs.”
“Be warned though, there are implied rapes in the story, not graphical, nevertheless they are still there.”
- emotional26 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players noting its ability to evoke strong feelings through well-crafted stories, impactful character arcs, and poignant endings that often lead to tears. Many reviews highlight the depth of the characters and the emotional weight of both good and bad endings, creating an engaging experience that resonates deeply with players. The combination of beautiful writing, music, and a compelling narrative structure contributes to an emotional rollercoaster that leaves a lasting impression.
“Great story that features strong, intriguing characters and an amazing female protagonist that has unique, heartfelt romance scenes with each equally brilliant love interest.”
“I actually cried on two of the routes because they were so touching and meaningful.”
“Damn near Shakespearean levels of tragedy and beauty for the bad ends and so freaking wholesome for the good endings.”
- character development13 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Overall, character development in the game is praised for its depth and complexity, with even non-romanceable characters receiving attention. While many players appreciate the main character's growth and the engaging interactions across different routes, some feel that certain characters, particularly one male lead, lack sufficient development. The character designs and voice acting further enhance the experience, contributing to a solid narrative overall.
“All the characters, including even the non-romanceable ones, have good character development throughout the game.”
“Personally, I enjoyed it; the character designs were eye-catching, I liked the main character as a character (she is very complex and has agency), and the voice acting was very good.”
“I love the character developments and interactions in each route; even the main character had some good development, which was really nice to see.”
“There's also barely any character development for the MC.”
“Well, his route is not that bad per se, but it's boring and he feels neglected as a character. At the end, his character development feels lacking; I feel like Cheng Feng gets the short end of the stick even in his own story. Nevertheless, in other male leads' routes, poor Cheng Feng.”
“The character development is minimal and fails to engage the player, leaving many characters feeling one-dimensional.”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily dialogue-driven and lacks depth, offering minimal decision-making and predictable outcomes, which may disappoint players seeking a more engaging experience. While the visuals may enhance the experience slightly, the overall mechanics feel mechanical and lacking in emotional resonance.
“It's a small thing, but it really elevated the gameplay.”
“The gameplay is obviously easy, since it's just dialogue clicking.”
“As far as gameplay goes, there are very few decisions, and it is generally obvious what impact your choices will make (the exception being Wu Zixu's route).”
“Not a great pick for those looking for heavy romance or a lot of gameplay.”
- stability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with frequent crashes, freezes, and various glitches reported by users. Issues include being unable to exit certain menus, soft locks, and problems with specific achievements, indicating that the game engine is quite buggy overall. Additionally, the skip feature has been noted to be unreliable, further detracting from the overall experience.
“I love this game, but it crashes often or freezes for me.”
“There are some really annoying glitches (i.e. being unable to leave the configurations tab after opening it, resulting in file loss and having to reopen the game).”
“The game engine is buggy enough to have chances to soft lock you, and one achievement is buggy enough to need to switch language to Chinese to even get it to unlock.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by awkward word choices and moments that evoke unexpected laughter, such as the amusing portrayal of the hurt sprite. While some routes may feel repetitive or overly complex, players appreciate the lightheartedness found in character interactions and quirky elements like humorous sketches and songs created during gameplay. Overall, the humor adds a charming layer to the experience, though some players wish for more variety in comedic moments.
“Some word choices were hilariously awkward.”
“After some time, I started finding the hurt sprite funny.”
“I haven't touched the game in a while, but I still remember making up songs by hovering my mouse over the menu buttons or the funny little sketches in between scenes/chapters.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its rich and immersive qualities, drawing comparisons to other titles like Steam Prison and Hakuoki. The detailed environments, such as shrines and cityscapes, effectively enhance the game's soulful oriental setting, creating a captivating blend of suspense and mystery that complements the narrative. Despite some shortcomings in romance, the overall ambiance is described as breathtaking and mature.
“The outfits all looked great and the environment (for example, the shrine during the ritual or the images of cities you saw) fit perfectly to establish a matching atmosphere.”
“Despite the issues described above, I can already see that my vow to my liege is a very solid and mature otome game, a bit lacking in the part of thrilling romance (mostly because it is quite bittersweet and somewhat in the background compared to other events) but making up for it ten-fold with its soulful oriental setting and breathtaking atmosphere.”
“I loved the atmosphere of terrifying suspense and wondrous mystery hanging over the story.”
“Some of the characters remind me of Steam Prison's characters, while the world setting and atmosphere remind me of Hakuoki.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
While otome games typically lack high replayability, this particular title offers some incentive to revisit certain routes due to its engaging politics and poetry. However, the story's surprises may diminish the experience on subsequent playthroughs, potentially leading to boredom. The inclusion of extra materials like a glossary and replayable scenes adds some value for players looking to explore the game further.
“🌸 And last but not least – lots of extra materials, such as a glossary, collection of CGs, replayable scenes, etc.”
“So far, I think the replayability of this game isn't very high, because there are some elements of surprise in the story that will not be as fun to read again on the second playthrough, which might come off as kind of boring.”
“Otome games don't usually have a lot of replayability, but I might just replay a certain route because of how much I enjoyed the politics and poetry and how perfectly the fantastical elements were blended in.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is criticized for its poor optimization, requiring users to restart their PCs to access certain arcs, and the screenshots are not yet optimized. However, developers are reportedly addressing these issues.
“It's poorly optimized, and I had to restart my whole PC to get to some arcs.”
“Screenshots are not optimized for the game yet, but the developers are working on it.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players note that the game involves significant grinding, particularly for achievement hunters, who may find themselves investing considerable time to unlock all accomplishments.
“If you are an achievement hunter, be prepared for some serious grinding.”
“The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious.”
“I found the grinding mechanics to be repetitive and uninspired.”
