Title	Mystic Messenger
Credit	Cheritz
Media	Otome Game
Platform	Mobile
Genre	Romance
Year	2016
Character Type	2 Yanderes, 2 Obsessive Characters, 1 Yandere (Minor)

You come across an application titled “Mystic Messenger” while browsing through your phone one day, and downloaded it out of curiosity. Opening the application connected you to a group called RFA. Through the platform, you begin to chat and interact with the members, and your relationship with them grows from then on.

SPOILERS AND PERSONAL OPINION

Mystic Messenger is indeed one of a kind among all the existing mobile otome games. The games mechanics itself is already vastly different. The plot, characters, and relationship development are all exceptional. There are tons of content for the player to explore. Straight of the bat, this is an otome game worthy for everyone to try out.

The game starts when you enter the application you have downloaded and connected to “Unknown” through a chatroom. He claims that he have picked up a smartphone along a subway station and is trying to find the owner. However, the smartphone provides no information other than an address, numbers, and the chatroom that connected him to you. As he is abroad, he asks for your help to visit the address to find the owner and inform them of their lost phone.

You decided you have nothing better to do than to follow a stranger’s words to visit an even stranger apartment. There, the application connected you to the RFA, a group of young people from different walks of life. In the chatroom, you learn that RFA used to be a fundraising organization headed by Rika, and they have held several successful events in the past. However, since Rika passed away, the RFA had ceased their activities. Now, they mainly used the messenger application to chat with one another.

The apartment you had visited actually belonged to Rika, and you were informed that the apartment contains highly confidential information about the past events and their guests. Searching the place recklessly would result in alarm to sound, and revealing the place is strictly prohibited. As such, you were told to stay put and keep in touch with them. Since the RFA members also believed that you were brought to the apartment on purpose to continue RFA’s activities, they invited you to join their group.

Again, you decided you truly have nothing better to do but to follow their instructions. So, you spend the next few days staying in the unfamiliar apartment, interacting with the RFA members through the application and preparing for the next fundraiser event.

The application interface is so cute. From the page, you can access the members’ profile, exchange email with guests, message and call the RFA members, and most importantly, take part in chatrooms. There is even a little spaceship flying towards a pack of potato chips at the bottom of the screen, and when it reaches, you get free hourglasses or hearts (used as in-game currency).

The chatrooms are where most interactions with the characters take place. The chatrooms open at different timings of the day, and the RFA members will enter at different timings. This keeps the interaction realistic, and you will begin to notice that the characters have different sleep and wake patterns. Similarly, you will miss a few chatrooms due to your personal schedule. Fret not, as you can still view the interaction that took place in the chatroom between the characters. Unless you miss a huge amount of chat, which will lead to a bad ending, it doesn’t matter otherwise.

Visual novel segments are also available after certain chatrooms to further narrate the story. These works the same as all other visual novel otome games. The segments are partially voiced, but I find it sufficient for the game since it is not 100% visual novel (in which case I would strongly prefer it to be fully-voiced).

The text messaging system allows you to interact more with the characters. You may receive text messages from the RFA members after exiting chatrooms, and your answers can raise their affection towards you. Unfortunately, the system does not allow you to initiate a conversation. It would be good if that was the case, but this feature is interesting nonetheless.

Fortunately, the call function allows both the characters and you to start a call. Again, you may receive a call from the characters directly after exiting a chatroom. You can also choose to call the RFA members at any time of the day, though they may or may not answer your call. The conversations can range from light-hearted small talks to plot-heavy dialogues. While this is a fun function that unlocks more content, it also consumes hourglasses (in other words, it is paid). Purchasing a call card for unlimited calling is recommended. Otherwise, you can visit sites that offers calling guides to save you some money. Though I would say that if you are really broke, skipping the calls won’t hurt much.

Other smaller features include RFA members profile, guest invitation, CGs gallery, etc. Each enriching the gameplay and engagement even more.

As of 2022, there are 7 potential love interests (if you count Jae Hee, whose relationship with you is quite ambiguous till the end). Around 7 endings are available for each character, with best ending, good ending, and multiple bad endings to explore. Each route takes 11 days to complete, and hourglasses are required if you want to fast forward. Some routes are more light-hearted while others contain more secrets, so playing by the recommended order is encouraged.

Besides the standard routes, there are also DLCs and event chatrooms to unlock. The DLCs contain way more content and gameplay, featuring chatrooms, calls, and messages where you can participate in. Event chatrooms on the other hand is purely for viewing the interaction between the characters, so it is significantly less engaging.

Either way, the game style is really unique in the otome market. Since its release, I dare say many other otome companies have tried to follow the style, but none came anywhere close to Mystic Messenger’s standard even after so many years since its release.

The story is also very compelling, and each potential love interests have their unique personalities and flaws. While it appears to be light-hearted, the story can get heavy as you progress deeper into it. There are also instances where the characters break the fourth wall, which makes the game even more compelling.

Overall, I will definitely recommend anyone who likes otome games to try out Mystic Messenger. It is a rite of passage that every avid otome gamer should go through. The game is also brimming with yando characters. All the more reason to try it out, right?

CHARACTER SPOILERS