Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly

A gripping story filled with emotional and thrilling moments. Twists and turns in the narrative feel very well done, and may leave you feeling shaken. [Issue#150, p.94]

Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly stands above the rest with its unpredictable, deep mystery and its pathways to the various endings. If you’re looking for an atypical otome, especially one where the romantic endings aren’t always the happiest, then you owe it to yourself curl up into your couch with this one.

If you want an otome game that isn't quite as dense as Otomate's usual fare, you can't go wrong with Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly. Between the mysterious thriller at the game's heart and the romantic side stories, this is a game that kept me turning page after figurative page.

The big problem with Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly is that it contains a lot of fluff. If you want to advance the story, the game forces you to watch bonus episodes that consist of little more than Beniyuri and co. sitting around the mansion. It adds nothing to the story, and, to make matters worse, you have to replay chapters over and over in order to earn points to unlock the bonus chapters. The story would’ve been worked just fine without it, and it all just feels like a bunch of unnecessary padding.

If you like that neo-Gothic, dark Victorian setting, contrasting grays and sepia with rich, saturated color, you will likely adore this "psychedelic" game. But given the choice, I would recommend checking out Ashen Hawk before Black Butterfly, as the other title doesn't rely on amnesia to weave a tale.