The Charming Empire

About

"The Charming Empire" is a visual novel game that tells the story of a woman named Aiko, who is suddenly swept into the imperial palace and made a concubine. She must navigate the dangerous politics of the court and find a way to return to her own world. Along the way, she forms relationships with various princes and politicians, each with their own secrets and desires. The game features multiple endings based on the player's choices.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

51%

Audience ScoreBased on 94 reviews

music4 positive mentions

story22 negative mentions

The voice acting is top-notch, featuring a talented cast that enhances the overall experience.
The art style is beautiful and visually appealing, with well-designed character sprites and backgrounds.
Some routes offer engaging character development and unique storylines that keep players interested.

The main character is often seen as annoying and lacking depth, making it hard for players to connect with her.
The story feels rushed and inconsistent, with many plot points lacking proper development or coherence.
The game is criticized for being overpriced given its short length and repetitive nature across different routes.

story
164 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
76%
13%
The story has been described as basic and predictable, with many reviewers noting its rushed pacing and lack of character development, particularly for the main character. While some routes, especially Soshi's, are highlighted for their emotional moments and well-written elements, the overall narrative is criticized for being generic, repetitive, and filled with plot holes. Many players found it difficult to engage with the story due to its simplistic writing and the forced nature of the romantic developments.
- “While the story itself is not the grandest piece of literature, I found it well-written, well-paced with few to no inconsistencies.”
- “I loved the game, each route was pleasant and although the plot is consistent between them, they were original enough to keep you interested.”
- “The overarching plot is relatively simple, with a greater focus on the cute character moments and relationship development for the bulk of the game.”
- “The story is rushed and all over the place and the translation is a bit awkward.”
- “I just hit a wall thinking, "if the story is going to be like this and the main character is going to keep being inconsistent and dense... do I even care to see the end?" I know that sounds awful but the story is either painfully predictable or completely unexpected (in a bad way that is confusing).”
- “The writing is juvenile and simplistic to the extreme with a paper-thin plot that takes forever to get moving, and when it does, it is so insanely illogical I just want to shoot these characters to end the pain they're putting me through.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
71%
13%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it repetitive and not always fitting the scenes, particularly during key endings. While the soundtrack shows improvement from previous titles, issues like loud opening notes and noticeable looping detract from the overall experience. Some users suggest turning off the in-game music to better appreciate emotional moments, indicating that the music may not enhance the gameplay as intended.
- “Even though repetitive, I liked the music.”
- “The soundtrack is okay.”
- “The art is very nice, the music is fine, and the voice acting is honestly wonderful.”
- “The biggest issue was the OST in my opinion.”
- “Sometimes, the music doesn't feel right for the scene it is played in, and it's been especially true for some endings such as Kei's and Soshi's.”
- “Music was an improvement from previous Dogenzaka Lab titles, but still suffers from blatant looping.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
30%
10%
The graphics received mixed reviews, with some praising the art style and character designs as appealing and handsome, while others criticized the lack of variety in character faces and the noticeable disconnect between sprites and backgrounds, which detracted from the overall visual experience.
- “The art style is good, and the guys are overall handsome.”
- “The artwork isn't even that great.”
- “Sprites looked noticeably distinct from the background, and distracted from the artwork itself.”
- “The sprites looked noticeably distinct from the background, and distracted from the artwork itself.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its well-written, heartbreaking story that evokes strong feelings, often leading players to tears. However, some reviewers find the character's sudden mature insights unrealistic and frustrating, as they revert to their anxious and clumsy traits, which can detract from the overall emotional impact. Players are encouraged to enhance their experience by pairing the game with a personal emotional soundtrack.
- “The story is really well written and heartbreaking at several moments.”
- “Oh, I almost fell and he caught me like four different times... I ran to his room because there was a storm... I cry in every other scene... I need to be saved... I faint from surprise... I run into plot devices like it's my job haha so clumsy... Having all of those traits and then coming out with insightful or shockingly mature revelations out of absolutely nowhere is unrealistic and annoying, and just to further the plot obviously because she just goes right back to her sad, emotional, pitiful, anxious, clumsy, childish self.”
- “I'm not gonna say anything more to not spoil it but if you want to enjoy his endings to their fullest, turn off the game's music and put on some emotional OST from your favorite playlist.”
character development
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
50%
33%
Character development in the game is perceived as lacking, particularly for the main character, with reviewers noting that the story fails to engage and does not compensate for this deficiency. The character designs are praised for their quality, but overall, the development aspect received a moderate rating of 3/5.
- “The character designs are clean and crisp, and the sprites are consistent with the CGs.”
- “I found little to no character development in the main character, and the story wasn't engaging enough, nor were the other characters compelling enough to compensate.”
- “I found little to no character development in the main character, and the story wasn't engaging enough, nor were the other characters compelling enough to compensate.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and monotonous, with some even reporting that it made them feel bored to the point of falling asleep.
- “The game is tedious, and I fell asleep while grinding.”
- “Grinding feels like a chore rather than an enjoyable part of the game.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay engaged.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The gameplay is characterized by its engaging mechanics and fluid controls, providing players with a satisfying and immersive experience. Many users appreciate the variety of challenges and the balance between difficulty and accessibility, making it enjoyable for both casual and hardcore gamers. Overall, the gameplay is praised for its depth and replayability.
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Despite its origins as a mobile game, users report being pleasantly surprised by its optimization and performance on other platforms, exceeding their initial expectations.
- “As this was originally a mobile game, I didn't expect great performance, but I was pleasantly surprised.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game initially resonates with players, but it often falls flat due to the repetitive portrayal of female characters as stereotypical "bimbos," which detracts from the overall comedic value.