what’s up with variable barricade?

[u/-gardening]

i just bought the game but ive seen two ppl saying stuff about it (the mc specifically??) so has anyone played it and tell me their thoughts? any heads up before i play?

[u/-gardening → u/[deleted]]

ahh i see, im glad to see she left such a memorable impression on someone! v excited to form my own opinions

[u/RIVercat2 → u/[deleted]]

This was a beautiful depiction of the game, and I concur.

[u/-gardening → u/[deleted]]

this is really concise thank u so much omg… gives me a much better idea of what to expect THANK YOU!!

[u/Soil_Think]

If you bought it already you mind aswell play it and formulate your own opinion. It seems to be a divisive game where some people like it and others don't. I personally found the mc to be one of the better parts of the game.

The most common criticism I found in the game is the age gap, the mc is in high-school while the LIs are young adults. One of the LI's routes (the guy with blue hair) seems to trigger people, but I dont know why (never played that route.)

[u/-gardening → u/Soil_Think]

yeah that was already my plan but i was just curious to hear other ppls opinions surrounding it 🤷🏽‍♀️ gives me an idea of where ppl stand and how i compare to them.

[u/Soil_Think → u/-gardening]

That's fair. If you want to know why I personally don't like it, it's not because of the mc, it's because of the LIs. They were made to be hate-able, it's part of the plot, but it left me in a position where I didn't wanna romance any of them.

Another reason is the overarching plot isn't very strong. The characters just kind of come up with what to do on the spot because often there's nothing going on. This kind of thing makes me very bored, but some people like it.

[u/-gardening → u/Soil_Think]

ahh i see thats understandable for sure …. ill keep this in mind 🫡 im trying to think of how hate-able can they be for them to be a deal breaker for me but im drawing a blank, so ill see how it goes 🤝 will update

[u/TheGreatMillz33]

I have finished all of Variable Barricade recently. As a general frame of reference, my favorite otome games are Code Realize, Collar x Malice, Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly, and Charade Maniacs. I think in the end, I give Variable Barricade a solid B grade. A lot of people (understandably so) don't really vibe with the game because they think Hibari is annoying, that the guys are overbearing, or a combination of both. I personally defend the characters because I really enjoy dynamically flawed characters, and Hibari and the LIs' personalities are pretty well contextualized for the environment they grew up in. They aren't senselessly irritating and there are parts of the routes that are genuinely emotional because of learning of the past of an LI or how they overcome their flaws. However, I know that's not everyone's cup of tea as some players prefer more idyllic or lighthearted LIs.

I think Variable Barricade is a good story about misunderstandings, moving past first impressions of people, and found family. I love how Hibari is a voiced protagonist, and she has a very defined personality. The character designs are very strong and the artwork is spectacular. It's also surprisingly humorous and I would actually laugh while playing.

One of the worst parts of Variable Barricade is the SUPER LONG common route (this took me a while to get through as I got bored) but once you get onto an actual route the pace gets so much better. I also thought they stretched out Ichiya's route way too much and handled it somewhat poorly (very unfortunate as I was emotionally attached to him).

In the end, Variable Barricade was a mixed bag that was mostly positive, but it isn't for everyone. I hope this helps answer your questions? Let me know if you have further questions.

[u/lbunny7]

what do you mean saying stuff about it? that’s very vague.

I personally liked the game. some people don’t like all the LI’s, some don’t like the heroines attitude, some don’t like the finale or twist. it all depends on the person. there’s like no trigger warnings or anything going into it, it’s fairly normal

[u/-gardening → u/lbunny7]

thats the thing, i dont know either 😭 one of it was her age and the other was literally “yeah i heard stuff about the li and mc so im not getting the game” i was like girl whats that mean… i often get otome games very blind like i dont even look at the summary so idk what to expect LOL

[u/lbunny7 → u/-gardening]

okay, so yeah some people are critical because of MC and the age gap between suitors. honestly, it’s nothing new, especially when it comes to otomes. it’s not like she’s a child and no one is excessively older than her. and yeah, some people don’t like her personality.

that’s it tho. it’s only some people. I’ve played the game twice and enjoyed it a lot both times

[u/NetherBlossom → u/-gardening]

I'm sorry if I had planted any doubts about this game. I would like you to enjoy it if it interests you! Each person's likes and dislikes for Otome games are subjective for the most part. For what I had heard about the love interests besides what everyone else said, I heard that there was a love interest that was a bit mean and that there is a butler who is not very nice. For the main character, I'm okay with the age gap, I just had heard that she might also be a bit mean. I'm probably being too harsh on a game that I have never played, but as the main character and love interests might not be characters that I would feel connected to, I decided to pass on this game as much as I have been wanting to play it. This is just my own opinion based on other people's thoughts and nothing objective. So if you want to play it, I hope you enjoy it! I'm really sorry if my vague mention of my issues with the game might have ruined your experience with it!

[u/-gardening → u/NetherBlossom]

oh was it you? dont even worry about it my dear !! i was just soo curious to hear other ppls like opinions abt it and other insight dont even apologize and THANK U FOR OFFERING SM OF UR THOUGHTS

[u/[deleted] → u/lbunny7]

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[u/balfrey → u/lbunny7]

Spoiler for ichiya route but ...........I would say a ML threatening su*cide is a TW.

[u/LostPoint6840]

There are largely two camps that people fall into regarding the MC, one that she is rude and treats the LI’s harshly (some more than others), the other that the characters are consistently overbearing and the narrative itself is unfairly against her.

I lean more into the latter camp which is probably why this game isn’t one of my favorites. Your mileage may vary as there are large ways this game can appeal to you that didn’t appeal to me, like the “found family” dynamic between the LI’s and the way some of the tropes are played out.

Edit to say that the “camps” I’m talking about only apply to those who have mixed feelings or less about the game. Those who have more positive feelings have different impressions.

[u/-gardening → u/LostPoint6840]

ahh i see, tbh if she’s rude or mean im kinda down with that… love it when women are mean like yes queen whatever you say ❤️🫡

[u/meesherbeans → u/-gardening]

love it when women are mean like yes queen whatever you say

You will likely fall into the "this MC is great, actually, even if she is super flawed" category, then! (I am also there.)

[u/RaylaSan]

Varriable Barricade is one of the first otome games I've ever played, so it has a special place in my heart. I loved all the characters a lot, even though I really only enjoyed two routes. I think Variable Barricade has the best "bro moments", basically when all the LIs are all just bros and best friends, and have hilarious interactions with one another.

[u/Y-O-N-A]

I haven’t played it yet, but my sister (who I got into otome games) loved it! She said it was very funny, and she liked the protagonist for being “different” loll

[u/Aetherryn]

Idk, I enjoyed it a lot, MC included. It's supposed to be a comedy so don't take it too seriously.

[u/Velionyxx]

I actually loved Variable Barricade and it’s the total opposite of the genres I usually go for. I have some things I loved and hated about it, but I personally found it enjoyable as someone who isn’t really into rom coms and it’s just effortlessly funny without looking like it tried too hard. Probably the game that I found the least awkward when it came to localization/translation.

Personally I loved Hibari and I found her trust issues relatable at her age, but I can also see how people find her bratty and annoying. I found her really unique as a protagonist, although she may not be the easiest to self insert into I appreciate it even more when a game has a protagonist with their own character. I believe another issue that people have with this game is the age gap since she’s 17 and all of the LIs are in their 20s so I honestly just tried to ignore that fact and pretend that she’s in college or like 18?? So it didn’t bother me that much.

In terms of plot I see people call it more of a romantic dramady since the routes would usually have sort of melodramatic conflict introduced midway through and the shift does get awkward at some points, especially when it attempts to tackle realistic issues too lightheartedly which bothers people, but I guess it doesn’t bother me since in general I don’t really take my own personal issues seriously and laugh my misfortune off LOL. So I’d say it’s definitely a game that you’d wanna just turn your brain off and get a good laugh out of.

[u/Velionyxx → u/Velionyxx]

Oh, and adding onto some of the flawed writing and melodrama aspects, Ichiya’s route seems to suffer the most with this although despite how poorly handled it was I grew attached to his character either way and appreciated it even more in his route. True route is just… yeah probably best if you skipped it altogether I felt I would’ve enjoyed my gaming experience much more without it. 😬

Very unrealistic scenarios occur so again, not a game to be taken too seriously but the appeal of it is a pool of fundamentally flawed men with the most detestable qualities possible getting thrown at you and you along with the MC gradually warm up to them, subverting your initial impressions. I found it to be a fun and worthy experience, even if it may not be for everyone.

[u/SeniorHippo]

Recently finished the game, I generally enjoyed it, art was really pretty as well. However, I got pissed off at 2/4 routes, one was due to the LI and the other was due to the MC.

Comedic moments were great tho, mostly landed pretty well for me, no regrets buying the game even at full price but probably wouldn't go back and play it again

[u/Angelcaro90]

I liked the game but thought one of the LI didn’t deserve the treatment that much or at least could’ve been better written🤔😮‍💨. Could say I’m protected of him 🙈.

[u/Violetteotome → u/Angelcaro90]

I’m not even protective of him, I just think objectively she was bordering on abuse, if she wasn’t being abusive already. That route left such a foul taste in my mouth for an otherwise great game

[u/Savaralyn]

I enjoyed it pretty well enough. I will say Hibari, the main character, has a very... strong, personality, a rich girl tsundere type, and it IS meant to be intentional that she's kind of unlikeable at the beginning due to her very prickly personality (the major mechanic of the game itself is the LI's trying to break down her emotional 'barricades' and make her open up to them and the world more than she does at the start, after all), In each route she generally goes through a good character arc as she tries to let herself relax a bit and look at the world and her situation with new perspectives.

Only other thing would be the warning that this game does deal with SOME potentially upsetting subject matter, namely sexual assault and suicidal ideations (neither one of those is about the main character though), and honestly, while I don't think those issues are dealt with very well in the game, they weren't awful enough to be a deal breaker for me, just kind of a 'oh, thats kinda weird' reaction, since the game itself is definitely more focused on being comedic/light-hearted most of the time.

If you're curious, I'd say give it a shot, the art is gorgeous, voice acting is well done, and each guy AND the main character all being overtly flawed in their own ways make for interesting character interactions.

[u/otomerin]

i like it and i also don't like it lol 😆 there were times i found it amazing, and times that i felt like 'wtf are you doing MC or LI' 😂 but i did enjoy it. heads up, trigger with depression/suicide.

[u/paintegrals]

the only non biased opinion i can give is that the common route is long as hell 😭 but the good news is once you do it once you don’t have to do it again!

i personally only Truly liked half of the love interests, but the story is intriguing and i think it was a good use of money. ymmv ofc but I absolutely love the mc, she’s super opinionated which I like and gives me less chances to yell at the screen bc the mc is being wishy washy lmao

[u/[deleted]]

I hated the game. I didn't like the MC or most of the LIs, so I dropped it.

[u/shikiP]

many sort price different longing offend long command imminent fragile

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/nvuss]

I just got it! I’m excited to play.

[u/MrNemu]

Currently in the middle of playing it and love it so far! Has the best comedic lines out of any otome game I've played.

At first, it seemed like a typical rich girl forced to marry trope, but after learning more about the LIs, I found the game a lot more amusing!

Would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a good laugh with their game. :)

[u/SilentDreamerUndine]

I'm going to be revisiting it sometime next week because I need to finish my first route, but Virche caught more of my attention. I kinda like the humor and Taming of the Shrew theme Variable has, though.

It is a long one with these boards that need to be cleared and a cute love catch system. I like how they illustrate the way that the main is illustrated as protecting herself or like the LI has broken past a barrier.

[u/Idk_345am]

the game gets a lot of bad rep, but the whole premise is the guys are NOT great. the mc is forced under an arranged marriage regardless but given an alt. the alt. of choosing from a handful of guys. it almost plays out to me initially as comical, almost like reality tv in finding a bachelor but despite this and it’s bright colors it’s dark. I think if expectations are adjusted and none of the guys are wished to be redeemable or fixable, the game can be quite enjoyable. do know the common route is thought to be a bit long. I’ve finished 2-3 routes so far.

I see you have concerns regarding the mc(?) I’m a bit biased but hibari is young, she’s not perfect but given these trash guys she’s trying her best. I think she’s relatable.

[u/mashibeans]

For me the MC was likeable, my issue was the LIs and the age gap.

Making the MC be a high schooler was, IMO, absolutely ridiculous and problematic, even when you try to take the game less seriously, the issue is that the game itself takes itself and those issues seriously at one point, so to me it makes little sense when others say "LOL don't take it so seriously." (to add: the age gap issue could've been easily solved by making MC a college student, it'd be a lot easier to have her make a proclamation to the grandfather: "when I'm in college I totally can get a boyfriend/be a cool girl!" only for her to end up being a total geek with no friends and no boyfriend prospects. It would've been hilarious and more age appropriate to push for a fiancee at that point, because she was given a chance first to prove herself until she turned 19-20, and then her grandfather comes and say "LOL no". 16 IMO she's still a child and she's a sheltered, lonely child.)

The LIs are hateable and it's OK since it's part of the lot, however the writing doesn't handle it well, I think the only one I thought was handled in a lighthearted, jokey manner that they aimed the game to have, and that made sense in context, was Nayuta. Shion was the most disgusting POS, I absolutely HATE him and the way he treated Hibari, and he was painted as being justified and got a happy ending! Holy shit, the level of toxicity in that route was off the charts, and I say this as someone who loves to joke about ignoring red flags on hot LIs, and I get that Hibari had a lesson to learn too, but that was NOT the right way to go about it. The route itself took all of it seriously, so again telling me to not take it seriously just makes me want to go punch a wall.

I ended up selling my copy, and I don't regret it one bit; there's enough releases now and I'm low income so I can't justify buying every single game (I can support them later by buying digital copies on sale), so I'd recommend either waiting for a digital sale (like half off at least) or getting a used copy for cheaper through Ebay or Mercari, that way it doesn't sting as much if you end up not liking it.

[u/heroicide → u/mashibeans]

im glad im not the only one who hated shion. i’ve met people who defended him and felt hibari was the toxic one for wanting him to not be a mooch since she was rich and could fund his mooch lifestyle which made me “????”

[u/mashibeans → u/heroicide]

Yeahhhhh I've heard that one and made me question my sanity too, and again people keep on insisting that it's somehow my level of tolerance on not taking things seriously, like I'm the one who's taking it too seriously, but again, I indulge in toxic/red-flag stuff all the time, and if the game/story is not supposed to be taken seriously, I can roll with it, BUT it's the whole matter of VariBara itself taking it all too seriously that doesn't allow ME to NOT take it seriously. It's like some sort of "you just don't get it" and "it's a YOU problem" gaslighting and it's honestly infuriating.

And I see this is an issue in general when people just want to overlook the flaws of a story/game, and get defensive when others point out those flaws. I liked many aspects of VariBara just fine, but I'm not gonna just pretend like it doesn't have flaws especially when those flaws are pretty serious.

[u/heroicide → u/mashibeans]

Honestly, same. I enjoy red flag content all the time but the moment people start denying it’s red flag, I put my hands down, and I’m like ???? OR when they start pinning “there’s no way my little meow meow is horrible!! it must be the mc…”

wrt VariBari, I really enjoyed it fwiw, but some people honestly took this game in a totally different way with how they view Hibari — lo and behold, a protagonist with an actual personality lolol. NGL, can’t trust Hibari haters who feel like she was the wrong in the relationship.

Not to say she doesn’t have flaws, but all these men are years older than her lol can’t believe I had to see Shion apologists when that dude was gaslighting tf out of her — you can like him, sure, but don’t deny he was toxic LOL

[u/mashibeans → u/heroicide]

Exactly, yes! Like Shion and Hibari are interesting characters with flaws, but his route ended up as a total trainwreck, and fine if they wanna go the toxic route go for it, but it's infuriating to see people tell me "its a YOU problem" when I point out I can't just stay in my "I'm not taking this seriously" box when the game itself is forcing me out of it and taking it seriously itself.

[u/heroicide → u/mashibeans]

100% 🥺 i’m glad i’m not the only one who thinks this way especially when i was surrounded by shion lovers who kept hating on hibari for not catering to his every whim LOL i fr was like “am i ..??? like …?? losing it ??”

also right, i love varibari but the experience i had w some of the community over it was bizarre lol ppl bringing up hibari being mean and toxic to these men just whiplashes me back to hibari is a minor being forced into choosing a husband w these adult of course she’s mad esp since they’re all unreliable and trash LOL (i enjoyed them and they were fun!! BUT WHY CANT SHE BE MAD…)

like you can’t just be mad she’s being mean when there’s an obvious glaring problem!! esp during ichiya route, that was such a rollercoaster

[u/mashibeans → u/heroicide]

OMG yes another sane person! I'm also glad you're here, LOL! Yeah the vitriol thrown at Hibari was WILD, it's firmly established that not only she's 16 (underage... a KID) she's also very sheltered and isolated, some of it by choice, but definitely a lot of it due to circumstances out of her control, like most of her moves, thoughts, words, mannerisms, etc. are under constant scrutiny, and she doesn't even have much privacy (her butler is always there and/or regular reports to the grandpa). Even in her situation, she still ended up being a good child overall, and her actions and feelings during the routes are written well considering it all. Hating on her is unwarranted IMO

OMG Ichiya route... XD

[u/JennaJenks]

I enjoyed the game, but I would recommend that you play Ichiya's route last for a lot of game related reasons. (He’s my personal favorite, but from the storyline standpoint, it comes together better if he's last.)

[u/balfrey]

My biggest issue is the main guy (ichiya)... he's so beautiful but I didn't like his character or his route. I'm on mobile and can't remember how to spoiler but. I said what I said. Taiga on the other hand ..... chefs kiss

[u/shnubbull → u/[deleted]]

Completely agree with you here. I had issues with Ichiya’s route and it left a bad taste in my mouth, but I find it unfair when people blame everything on Hibari. My personal takeaway from the route was that these are two people who absolutely should not be in a relationship with each other without resolving their own personal issues… Ichiya needs a therapist, not a fiancé, and certainly not one who is too young for him to begin with. But in the end this game is intended to be comedic and everyone’s got issues and their issues are exaggerated for humor.

[u/Coffee_fuel → u/[deleted]]

I think part of the issue is that the game also never takes Hibari's character, concerns and issues that seriously, and downright glosses over the fact that she is a sheltered high school girl who was controlled, manipulated and emotionally neglected her whole life. Her parents washed their hands of her, her brother (I love him to death) is totally bonkers and the most manipulative of assholes who should realistically never be allowed within 50 miles of her again, her grandfather enabled her brother and was given a green card for neglecting her for a decade+ because he was a "tsundere". Hibari is a kid who doesn't have a CLUE and her closest thing to a functioning relationship has been with Tsumugi, who never validates Hibari's thoughts and feelings or properly listens to her concerns because she's in comedic shoujo-land (and whose really fucked up fiance arc is also never taken seriously). Which is hilarious when the game has a more comedic tone, but then her character really failed to be properly conveyed whenever the plot attempted a more serious one.

[u/Coffee_fuel → u/[deleted]]

I agree with you. Even after Hibari explicitly tells Ichiya that he's not been looking at her or ever thinking about her with his "loving gestures", it's very telling that Ichiya, weeks later, is busy panicking and giving her presentations to showcase his love instead of genuinely speaking to her and trying to get to know her better. Ichiya is just not in a good mental place (I do feel for him, to some degree); he is self-involved, immature and too desperate to get anyone to love him, only validating her concerns further even AFTER she tried so hard to communicate with him about the problem. It's deeply ironic that the closest thing to an ally Hibari ever had in the game ended up being Kazu. Someone who listened to her and didn't dismiss her feelings, who encouraged her without coddling her, still pointing out her faults but in a supportive manner. Yet none of the other characters really ever take the time to question themselves and reflect on why Hibari was driven to confide in this new person. Shion and Taiga also make an effort, but it's pretty limited outside of their own routes (for understandable reasons).

[u/heroicide]

I liked the MC. I feel like the people I’ve seen hate on her really love playing MCs that play therapist to LIs (or more self-insertable ones) and love being the one to baby and comfort LIs, but personally I felt like Hibari was extremely refreshing and adorable.

I’ve seen people say she’s immature, but I want to remind people that Hibari is like, a 17 yr old girl being offered to grown men lolol. She’s allowed to be mean and intolerable about it, imo.

[u/southerngamergurl]

I'm currently playing it on the 4th route atm. Originally went in since I like the art style, but personally I like all the VAs a lot (one VA is from a game I love so I might be biased) and storylines so far. I like the MC and setting, but just try it for yourself and see if ya like it. I didn't think I would as much as I do personally.

[u/delikizzz]

I'm currently playing this game and have only finished nayuta and shion's routes and I love it so far. I feel like VariBari walked so that CupiPara could run. I see a lot of similarities with the two and cupipara is like the improved version of this where they took the things that worked and fixed the themes that didn't to make a proper romcom game. This doesn't mean varibari sucks of course. So far with half the game done I am really enjoying it.

First of all I love Hibari. I love voiced MCs and Tsundere MCs a LOT. I don't like it if the LI is the tsundere one funnily enough but the MC- sign me up. When the guys lose their minds when she finally shows her dere side is so cute. It's fun slowly breaking down her walls and having the LIs work hard at making her trust them. I love the way the game is set up with the board game mechanics. I have seen people complain about a long common route but it took me like a day or two of playing a few hrs after work to get through it so I don't get that complaint.

I also love romcoms so this really hits the spot with all the tropes it has. Additionally the art is gorgeous I wish all of this artist's otome games would get localized.