Oni Onsen

I'm usually not such a harsh critic but I've been following Y Press Games for years, buying every game they come out with. The art in this is very beautiful but I couldn't stand the story. It felt like the writing was rushed, there were several typos or weirdly phrased sentences, and missing scenes (I know its because of the recent credit card drama and trying to prevent the game getting censored, but it does make it feel incomplete). It's more of a Japanese setting too so seeing the very Scottish Oni was off putting. I couldn't stand his route honestly.

the art in this game is top notch and i enjoyed the story and characters. my only issue is they reuse some of the same cgs and just change the background which feels a little cheap with how little cgs there already are in this game. there are also random scenes were the screen just turns black and it describes a sex scene with no cgs or images at all which feels very cheap and i have never experience that in any sims ive played in the past.

Honestly, it's just the same as the Incubus game they released a few years ago. The theme is cool, I like the fantasy and demons in general, the art is nice but... it's just as cheesy as all other projects. Why even the demons are so dramatic and emotional? As soon as they appear, they start a fight like in married couples... They talk, react or getting surprised as some very sensitive gentle humans. The first dialogue (with the half-incubus guy) was about who of them suffered the most, and ended with some cheering up speech and preaching. The others talked about marriage. What, really? Is that a dark fantasy about lustful demons, or a teenage girl romance? In what age does the story happen? Looks like ancient Japan, vassals, etc, but they are talking about Britney Spears, ♥♥♥♥ pics, etc. What kind of creature is Onisan and why (s)he doesn't surprise anyone by his/her appearance? The romance choice is too obvious and simple, the game just locks you onto one of the characters and you clearly make that choice (would be way more interesting, if its plot events that indirectly cause you to get closer or further with one or few of the characters, and if romance points are high for more than one - the branches would collide and the characters would fight for you or with you - much more complex and realistic!). Voice and music volumes need to be balanced better (some are too loud, some are too quite) by default. The voice of the MC is way too deep and mature in contrast to his look.

Nice game with jokes but too short, I completed all routes in 5 hours (okay, I skipped some parts for the characters I was not that interested). Regardless which partner you choose, overall story doesn't change significantly, the girl and old guy riding on whatever onis you didn't pick in your route. Voice acting is nice but sometimes voice lines are randomly either too quiet or too loud.

[b]💬 Supportive Caveat[/b] This is a polished and genuinely engaging M/M visual novel, but I would strongly caveat it for players coming to Y Press Games expecting the studio’s usual fully M/M focus. Each route includes a parallel love story involving Mina and one of the oni, which means every love interest is framed as bisexual. For me, that felt unnecessary and out of step with what longtime players of this developer are likely to expect. It pulled against the M/M-focused escapism rather than adding anything I found compelling. Mina could easily have been a male character. What makes the Mina subplot especially frustrating is that it feels out of character for Y Press Games. Having played most of the studio’s catalog, I came in expecting a much more clearly M/M-focused experience, and the game’s marketing does little to suggest otherwise. Players should also know that there is BDSM content in some routes, heavier in Hanyo’s route and lighter in Nensu’s, and that the protagonist, Asano, is dealing with past sexual trauma that is brought up throughout the game. His past assault and coercive abusive relationship are not just referenced in passing. They are shown on screen and remain an active part of his emotional arc in every route. [b]🎮 Gameplay & Genre[/b] Oni Onsen is a mostly kinetic visual novel with light dating sim elements, so this is primarily a story-driven experience rather than a systems-heavy one. Player choice exists through route selection and branching outcomes, but the game is focused much more on reading, character interaction, and erotic progression than on deep mechanical play. A full run through all routes took me around 15 hours, with only light skipping of previously read text, and the pacing was strong enough that I never felt tempted to rush. The presentation also helps keep things lively, with comic-style interludes used to show past events and action scenes in a way that feels more dynamic than a standard talking-head VN. Compared with some earlier Y Press Games releases, this one also feels lighter in both achievement structure and route complexity, which adds to the sense that the narrative is more streamlined than it could have been. [b]🔥 M/M Content[/b] This is a sex-forward bara VN with four large, muscular oni (Japanese demon) love interests, and visually it delivers that fantasy with confidence. Just as importantly, the protagonist is explicitly and unambiguously gay. He expresses desire for men in both the present and his past, and the game never frames that attraction as uncertain, reluctant, or in need of softening. I appreciated that a great deal, especially because one of my recurring frustrations with some past Y Press Games titles is that they sometimes lean on hesitant or reluctant protagonist framing in ways that dilute the fantasy. Oni Onsen does not do that with Asano. He feels like a genuinely gay male lead, and that gives the central M/M dynamic much more weight. The sexual content is explicit, and the CGs are lightly animated, mostly in aftermath moments rather than fully animated sex scenes. There is also a heavier emotional thread running through several routes because Asano is processing a past abusive relationship that continues to shape his reactions and emotional arc. BDSM is present in certain routes, with Hanyo’s route leaning into it most strongly and Nensu’s including a lighter version. That said, the Mina subplots substantially complicate the M/M framing. In each route, Mina is paired with a different oni, and that relationship ultimately progresses to marriage depending on the player’s path. As a result, none of the four love interests remain exclusively within an M/M space, which weakens the gay male fantasy the game otherwise works hard to establish through Asano. [b]🎨 Visuals & Style[/b] The art is one of the game’s strongest qualities. The bara character designs are gorgeous, the men are consistently large and masculine, and the overall visual polish is high across both sprites and CGs. What especially stood out to me was the continuity. The sprites and CGs look like they belong to the same project at the same level of quality, which is refreshing in a space where VN assets can sometimes feel stitched together. The CGs include light animation, and the game also uses some more novel visual devices such as comic-like sequences to depict backstory and fights. It all contributes to a presentation that feels crafted and cohesive rather than cheap or slapped together. It is a clear step up in quality from past Y Press Games titles. [b]🗣️ Tone & Writing[/b] The story kept me engaged all the way through, and I never felt like I was just clicking forward to get to the next sex scene. There is real narrative pull here, and the protagonist’s emotional arc gives the routes more weight than pure erotic fluff. The repeated attention to his trauma makes the story heavier than the premise first suggests, and players should be ready for that. At the same time, the writing does not always settle on a consistent tone. The game gestures toward a feudal Japanese setting, but it regularly undercuts that atmosphere with modern slang and references. It has funny moments, but it would have been a more compelling narrative if it had committed more fully either to historical flavor or to a deliberately modernized style instead of wavering between the two. The voice acting is mixed. Asano sounds great and brings a lot of appeal to the role, but some of the other performances are more grating, with a few voices sounding too high-pitched or simply irritating. Shudo, in particular, has a Scottish accent that initially feels very out of place in the setting. It is eventually explained in his route, but if you leave him for last, as I did (because I have a soft spot for big, kind, muscle daddies), it comes across as an odd and distracting choice for much of the game. The sound mixing also needs work because some lines come through much louder than others. The soundtrack is serviceable, but generic enough that it adds little to the atmosphere. [b]👍 Best Thing[/b] The consistently gorgeous bara art and strong route pacing make it easy to stay fully invested from start to finish, with compelling backstories for both Asano and each of the oni adding real emotional weight to the experience. [b]👎 Worst Thing[/b] The Mina romance subplots, which feel unnecessary, weaken the M/M focus, and are especially disappointing coming from a developer known for clearly M/M-targeted work. [b]⭐ Final Verdict[/b] Recommended, but with some caveats. Oni Onsen is visually polished, engaging, and clearly made with care, and its fully gay protagonist is a real strength. But the Mina subplots, route-specific BDSM elements, recurring sexual trauma, and lighter route complexity make it a more complicated fit than players may expect, especially if they are coming to Y Press Games assuming a more exclusively M/M experience. I also curate a Steam page reviewing M/M games if you’re looking for more titles in this space: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45790038/

I really liked this game. It did not take itself seriously, but it told a wonderful story nonetheless. Each route was good with a story that stood on its own. Still, each route made me curious about the other routes. I loved how accessible the game is. You can take control of all the voice acting in the advanced settings menu. The extra were all so-bad-it's-funny levels of cringe and memes. I did not mute a single one. I know that it is not for everyone, and that is why I love having the option. My favorite character is Aku. Clearly, he was a favorite for the staff too with the most content. 4 endings and a commissioned side story is no joke. I love how Mina and Asano got to have love blossom in different way, but have both sides be believable. My only complaint was that there were so few sex scenes. I would have liked to see more. I might be a bit spoiled, but I would want to choose whether to top or bottom. For example, you only top Aku in 1 route. I had more passion to give. All in all, I'd give this game a 8/10. Can't wait for the poly DLC!

I've played less than an hour thus far. Please bear in mind the following review reflects my limited gameplay. - The script and prose is tight. There's a few pop culture references sprinkled throughout which, in my case, makes it even more enjoyable; - The artwork is well realised - from the chibis, backgrounds, sprites and CGs - there's plenty to enjoy and you'll find yourself fully immersed; - The game features good voice-acting. In my experience, whenever I play games featuring VA, I find myself turning it off as it's more distracting than anything. This is not the case here - good job team :) That's it for now! I'll update the review whenever possible to reflect my updated gameplay time. Good job and can't wait to explore more of Oni Onsen! ♡

不枉费我天天都在等૮₍ •́ ₃•̀₎ა，玩了总之只能用一个词来形容， sexy❤️ 'n' hot🔥. 如果你喜欢性感瑟情的男人那你一定不要错过，不仅有性感的男人，可爱的男人，帅气的男人，强壮的男人，应有尽有任你选择(虽然都是妖怪)。但这个价格非常香(参考价：港区打折价161港币，约150R)买不了吃亏你买不了上当！走过路过不要错过。游戏全配音，能享受视觉，听觉上的双重盛宴，更重要的是能看到这一群毫无廉耻的穿着暴露的大JJ男人们互相搞基。我特么冲冲冲冲爆，我螺旋冲 倒立冲 360°无死角冲(但我没有牛子TT)，我高低得把牛子冲到爆炸好吧！！ 游戏难度：游戏非常简单，选项分支并不多，完成结局也非常方便，一个人就能轻松完成，角色攻略顺序也可任意选择，可单推可全厨。关于游戏时长，每个角色的全剧情约5-6h+，全部攻略能达20h+（我还剩一个角色没攻略）。 游戏剧情：OMG如果你不能吃虐心故事那你一定要谨慎，因为这个游戏公司最喜欢给他家孩子们写刀子，我是该公司老受害者了，尤其是Hanyo线没有强大的心脏你可能会难受死，(我缓了两天才缓过来)。每一个角色的历史以及经历都真的真的很虐，但他们都在互相救赎，互相帮助，互相鼓励，每个人都成为了更好的自己！这个游戏真的很正能量。 ⚠️关于洁癖党请注意：关于本作品的浪漫故事线，当你选择拯救/释放/爱上 其中一个Oni时，你能在主线中看到其余某个Oni与女性Mina(以下称为米娜)的恋爱故事(包含接吻立绘，但无s*x)，其余某个Oni与男性Sakuna(以下称为渣爹)的某种故事(⚠️含该Oni与渣爹的s*x cg)。且Nensu线有Aku与神秘客人邂逅(有s*x cg，但你可以拒绝让他们相识。) 总结：🐮牛💥！

I bought this game as joke because I thought it would be funny if my friends got a notification on Steam that I was playing an adult game. I did choose a game I thought I would enjoy at least a little, but the plan was to play maybe once or twice or do one route at most. Instead, I ended up playing all routes and enjoying it immensely. This game represents a genre I'm not that familiar with, having played only a couple indie LGBT visual novels before and those being many years old, so there was so much that was fun and refreshing for me. The humor really vibed with me and was what made me stick with the game; it had some moments that legit made me laugh, and the voice acting, while seeming campy at first, added to the effect once I got used to it. I also appreciated that the Oni you don't choose may end up having a different relationship, which is a stark departure from the mostly-Japanese VNs I'm used to. It was really fun following these side relationships as they developed along with the main story. Another thing I loved about this game was how it handled the tough topic of abuse, despite being a comedy overall. It was handled with so much validation and healing, and not played off as something to just stimulate the player. Admittedly, I don't know how many CGs are typical for an indie VN, but I thought the amount of CGs for the price was appropriate, and the quality of them was quite high. The characters were all beautifully drawn, and the music helped build the atmosphere. I would definitely try a game from this dev again if I start craving another taste of this genre!

ok so i backed this on kickstater and was able to play it before it came out ;) i love it so far! The game has a lot of lines that made me actually laugh out loud,especially in the intro. Im currently in Akus route and the voice acting is delightful, i'm pretty sure hes also in their other game Morning dew farms and plays Jace. Anyways i love his voice acting. I also enjoy the relationships the onis have with eachother, theyre so sweet to one another. Also love that Mina [spoiler] also gets to be romanced by other Onis, im assuming, shes definetly getting romanced by another in Aku's route [/spoiler] Overall i'm excited to play this game through. Th art is really nice and i mean the sex CGs too. although i will say during one of the sex scenes there's a black screen and then it just descibes a sex scene. i thought it was a glitch at first but i thinks its a creative choice. I'm no where near being done but there's hours of fun here and im excited and hopeful for a poly DLC god pleaseeee. Anyways this is a really well polished game. the story here is so creative and the back stories for everyone is very touching, Honestly F Sakuna, the main antagonist, i hope he gets Whats coming to him in the game lol. 10/10 game and i'm thrilled to have backed this and being able to play it !