Ludography
70/100
Critics1 review

Where to get it

Charade Maniacs cover

2018 · Adventure · Simulation

Charade Maniacs

Timed PlayStation exclusive

Charade Maniacs is an otome visual novel full of romance, mystery, and adventure.

Released
9 August 2018
Platforms
AndroidNintendo SwitchPlayStation VitaiOS
Genres
AdventureSimulationVisual novel
Developers
—
Publishers
—
Perspective
Text
Themes
MysteryRomance
Country
Japan
Age ratings
ESRB TPEGI 12CERO B
Languages
English

About

Charade Maniacs is a 2018 otome game and visual novel developed and published by Otomate/Idea Factory. It was released for the PlayStation Vita in Japan in 2018, released for the Nintendo Switch in Japan in 2021, released for mobile devices in Japan in 2022, and released in English for the Nintendo Switch in 2023.

›Story

In the near future, in a certain city. With summer break just around the corner, the protagonist Hiyori enjoys a peaceful life as a 2nd-year high school student. But one day as she and her childhood friend are heading home after school a mysterious figure suddenly appears before them and they are taken away to a strange world where two moons exist.

She notices nine other people who have been put in the same situation. While they are trying to figure out what is going on a masked man begins to speak.

"Welcome to another world, Arcadia!"

"In this world, as long as you perform our 'drama', all of your wishes will be granted!"

In order to leave this parallel universe and return to the real world, the protagonist and nine others have no choice but to cooperate to take part in this drama as a part of the cast.

However, they discover that there is a traitor among the ten of them that were brought to this world. What are the traitor’s aims and the real reason this drama series is even happening in the first place?

Swaying between suspicion and trust; at the end whose hand will you choose to take?

Keywords

  • otome
  • branching paths
  • alternate dimensions
  • multiple route mystery

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

As Charade Maniacs is a visual novel, gameplay consists of reading dialogue and occasionally making choices that determine the events of the plot and the protagonist's relationships with other characters. Additional features include a flowchart of the various paths the story can take, a glossary, and a gallery of unlocked art and videos.

Story

In the 22nd century, a teenage girl named Hiyori Sena is taken to an unknown location with nine other people, where they are forced to participate in the Other World Stream, a mysterious livestream whose cast members must act in fictional dramas. In order to return home, the cast members must either work together to identify the Producer hiding among them or individually earn Stream Points so they can request to leave.

Reception

Charade Maniacs received "mixed or average" reviews, according to the review aggregator website Metacritic.

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
PlayStation Vita9 August 2018Japan
Nintendo Switch16 September 2021Japan · Worldwide 27 June 2023
Android27 October 2022Japan
iOS27 October 2022Japan

Editions and related releases

Ported as
Charade Maniacs for Nintendo Switch

Games like this

Collections3 collections

Years

Platform libraries

Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.