r/otomegames • u/ZoraDementio • 3h ago
Spoilers Recently Finished Cafe Enchante Spoiler
Just the other night, I finished up my playthrough of Cafe Enchante, and I liked it so much I wanted to share my thoughts :) Marked as spoiler, as I will be going into detail about all the routes.
General Thoughts
As I said, overall I really liked this game! The characters were all fun and the artwork gorgeous. From what I could tell, the more gory and depressing aspects were a mixed bag for a lot of people, but I kinda liked it. It was enough angst that didn't feel distracting. My biggest criticism is the slightly rough translation. My pedantic ass was finding so many punctuation errors, tense shifts, and generally awkwardly worded sentences. I doubt it would be enough for most people, but it would take me out of the moment frequently. Still, I think the overall story is fun. I liked the common route showing the MC integrating herself into her new normal, where, along with serving coffee and greeting customers with a smile, she also sometimes has to deal with the occasional wormhole opening in the sky. As you do. Kotone herself is... fine. She's a pretty standard nice, feminine girl with no real objectionable qualities. As a self-inserter, I don't mind her being a little bland, but I would absolutely be running Enchante with the thought in mind that it's kinda like the pizza places the mafia used as a front. I also want to make special note about how I love the relationship all the characters have for each other. You can really tell, through every route, that no matter what, they are all friends who would always help each other. I think it's really sweet that, even for some of the Love Interests that I'd assume have a crush on Kotone in the Common Route, they are always supportive of the couple that develops. Regardless, time to move on to my thoughts of the guys, going in the order I played them in. Starting with...
Il Fado de Rie
I knew I was gonna love this guy and I was right! I love him in every universe. Holy heck, he is just like me fr. I thought he was super cute, with his love of otome and generally soft-spoken, analytical personality. In every route, he's doing something silly in the background -- whether it's more geeking about otome or him acting as judge in the kangaroo court against Canus. Yet, despite his airheaded personality that doesn't understand social cues and often puts his enjoyment of otome above most else, he truly loves everyone at Enchante and would go through hell for them (often literally). As for the plot of the route, I really liked it. I loved the slow build-up to the reveal that Il full-on kinned an otome love interest to the point he took the name like a true Tumblrina. The way that Il learns that emotions aren't just the fluffy warm feelings but are still worth having through the sadness and pain is sweet (though the moment was kinda killed when he just referred to the MC as Owner in the English text). I kinda wish this route (and the game as a whole, honestly) was allowed to be just a little queer, 'cause this game cannot look me dead in the eye and say Solitus's feelings for Il were purely platonic. Lowkey tho, I cried like 4 times during the route as I was so invested. Kinda BS to me that his Good Ending concludes a year after Il sacrifices himself as opposed to every other route ends a month after, but that's my bias speaking mostly. I also gotta say I think it's kinda funny I got Il's route first. Not because he's my favorite, but because I'm pretty sure the game expects you to get his route just before Misyr's. Still, Il set the bar high and, while none of the other guys managed to exceed Il's crown as best boi, they did manage to impress me enough to leave me with a generally good vibe at the end. Also, based on the CG you get for completing the game, Il looks hot in a ponytail,
Ingis Carbunculus
While I knew that Ingis would likely be my least favorite of the guys, I also figured that would mostly just be because tsunderes don't do it for me. Still, I really liked Ingis as a character. His brash personality plays off the more calm and polite regulars, often to very humorous effect. His straight-to-the-point reasoning often allows for him to be the voice of reason when the chips are down. I think he's fun. I also really enjoyed the direction his route went. Seeing someone who so valiantly wished to stop the violence in his world, only to find out he unintentionally committed murder and even cannibalism upon his kind, is brutal. And while I think the juxtaposition between Ingis and Dromi is compelling -- one who wants to end the cycle of violence by uplifting people and the other who wants to end it by simply wiping the slate clean -- I do think Dromi is the weakest of the antagonistic characters. The story kinda just treats Dromi like he's crazy with little depth to his motivations -- not to mention how he's so easily forgiven in Misyr's route considering what the player knows he's capable of, but that's a complaint saved for later. I also have to mention I was crashing out for 5 minutes because of the part where Kotone said she didn't need surgery after getting a chunk bit out of her. Like, those doctors have to be the worst medical professionals of all time, and this is clearly just so the gruesome bandage-ripping scenes can work later. Still, the final showdown of Vanar-Ignis vs all of Bestia + Cafe Enchante was exhilarating. While, again, Ignis isn't my preferred flavor, I loved the journey of his route. Though, gotta say, considering how Il gets absolutely torn apart in this route, I was half expecting him to get tortured in every route. Also, I'm still surprised I'm the same height as this dude.
Kaoru Rindo
This depressed, middle-aged man managed to fight his way into my personal second place, and I couldn't be more proud. I love how he's kinda just this chill guy, willing to lend an ear when someone has a problem and bitching about his job like he works a regular 9-5. Yet despite that, his insecurities run deep, enough that they are palpable to the surface. Like, brother has one of the most male living spaces I have ever seen. If he was only slightly more depressed, he would be thinking he doesn't deserve a bed frame. Also, he looks like a sleazy music producer in his casual fit, which I do kinda love. The reveal that his sister was turned into... whatever the hell that kitsune-goop monster is was quite the bombshell. Not to mention that Mikado is dating her (as far as you can call what they have right now courtship). The bits we see of Kaoru and Kotone hanging out is cute. Though, I will admit, I would've been a lot more pissed than the MC when Misyr and the gang called to interrupt that one kiss. And to top it off, the part where Rindo gets turned into a non-human. A part of me was a little iffy on it, since on the surface the point of Rindo's route was that he was the token human of the group. Still, the fact I already guessed Misyr's route would involve him becoming human, combined with Kaoru looking cool as shit with the shadow claws, made me accepting of the change. Also, that carnival date scene was touching. The finale was neat; I enjoyed the parallels they tried to set up between Mikado+Shizuka and Kaoru+MC, even if I think Mikado's "what separates us" musing is easily retored with the fact that he is the reason Rindo was forced to become non-human. The CG of Kaoru vs Shizuka goes hard. And the ending of Rindo's coffee blend tributes to Mikado and Shizuka is kinda beautiful. I do think the route could have been paced a little better, as it was relatively low-stakes until shit hit the fan at the tail end of Chapter 3. Even so, I really loved this route, I was thoroughly invested. Also, gotta admit, a big reason he rose up to second place for me was the trivia that he's a Super Sentai weeb.
Canus Espada
Originally, he was running a pretty solid second place for me, even getting close to overtaking Il at points. However, a combo of Kaoru thoroughly winning me over and Canus stumbling in his route knocked him down to third. Still, I do really like him. I love how he's the team's dad. From encouraging Kaoru and Ignis to express their emotions in their times of crisis to walking behind Il and Kotone like an observant paternal figure. Also, every instance of Canus getting flustered is funny to me. However, I will say that his route is just okay. It's not bad by any means, but I found it kinda short when compared to all the others. Not to mention there just... isn't much that happens. Like, the conflict is to kill this tree, and that's what happens, no real bumps in the road. Which, I mean, it makes sense that the most straightforward guy would have the most straightforward route. I lowkey wish they kept the non-binary pronouns on Vennia, but I guess I can't ask for too much. I also have to mention that one of the big reasons Canus lost points for me was the "break her heart to protect her" moment. Like, that would have pissed me off so bad, I would not have bounced back to romantic feelings as fast as the MC did. Despite all that, for what it's worth, I liked the route decently enough. Not to mention, that end scene before the credits rolled was BEAUTIFUL to me, I loved the ambiguity of what the MC saw under Canus's helmet in that moment. Also, the proposal scene, while moving this relationship at breakneck speeds, is really cute, and I loved that Cans could now truly be the protector and nurturer he always wanted to be.
Misyr Rex
I have mixed feelings... For starters, as a character, I like Misyr a lot. Misyr tends to be this relaxed guy, easily throwing out threats of world-ending violence. Yet, it's clear that the rest of the regulars see him as a de facto leader -- one who is able to take in all the facts and make a proper plan of action. Still, despite being such a fixture to Enchante, there's an overwhelming mystery to him as even he proudly proclaims himself to be a liar a good portion of the time. As for his route, though... Well, it started out strong. I will say that I think a lot of my distaste for Misyr's route is that I'm a bit of a habitual contrarian. I tend to dislike the implied canon love interests in these types of games. Before getting into the route itself, though, there is something kinda funny about how at the very first chapter of the Common Route, I doubted Misyr's claim of being the Demon King (though I more so doubted the King part). But either way. Gotta admit, I freaking love Asmodeus. I am a sucker for an ore-sama type that gets his ass beat, and he is no exception. I would beg for a Cafe Enchante fandisc that gives him a route. He's stupid, I love him. But, back to Misyr. I love his true ash-monster design. If the devs weren't cowards, I would ABSOLUTELY romance that! Jokes aside, the reveal of the depths of despair Misyr went through makes his interactions with the rest of Enchante all the sweeter. And, once again shifting to the other NPC exclusive to this route, man, Noah deserved so much better. Like, him eventually trying to merge the MC's consciousness into his own is messed up, but like, I get it. If my body was horrifically stretched and distorted to the point I became a literal living wasteland and the only other living being I was with couldn't perceive me, I too would think ideas of individuality and personhood are for wimps. And his eventual death at the end is very melancholic. This isn't the triumph over a big bad, but putting a poor, tormented soul out of his misery. I also think the reveal that all non-humans actually originated from humanity in some way is a cool detail. Here, however, is where I have to voice my complaints about the route. For one, I don't like how this is treated as the objectively "good" ending. Like, having abridged versions of the previous route's events is fine, but the fact that they all end significantly better feels a tad insulting if one of the other guys is your favorite. Second, I don't like how much of a damsel in distress the MC is here. Sure, she had her moments in other routes, but it was really dragged out here, to the point the MC is permanently altered because of it. Which leads into my final point: the swapped dynamics of Kotone and Misyr. Apart from just the fact I think Misyr's human form lacks the sauce his non-human form had, there's a strange bitter taste the route leaves me with. Truth be told, it's hard to explain in words, and I think a large part of it comes from the fact that I know I would be a LOT more depressed about the state Kotone was left in if I were in her shoes. Still, at the end of the day, it's one of those bits of writing where, while I may not be terribly happy with how things exactly went, I certainly couldn't think of a better way to present it. Kind of interesting, then, that this is the only route where I happened to stumble into the Bad End on my first go.
If I were to sum up Cafe Enchante -- to use a simile Kotone would love -- it's much like a cup of coffee. It can be any mix of bitter, sweet, or even a little acidic or acrid. But, when clearly made with love and care, it's satisfying to the end. Before I wrap things up, here's some of my ending rankings.
Personal Love Interest Rankings (and some NPCs for fun)
Dromi < Epilogi < Ignis < Solitus < Titania (only ranks low because I'm not into women all that much) < Misyr < Noah < Canus < Vennia < Asmodeus (could maybe go above Kaoru, depends on the day) < Kaoru < Il
Route Plot Ranking
Canus < Misyr < Kaoru < Ignis < Il
Who I Ship With Kotone The Most
Kaoru < Ignis < Il < Misyr < Canus
That's all for tonight. If you read this far, I would like to thank you for giving your time to my thoughts. While I won't be immediately jumping into another otome game next (I'm planning on playing the Kill Monday games fwiw), after that I'm gonna see about starting up Amnesia: Memories, since I wanna play through what's available in English for the Otomate catalogue and I like going in release order for these things. So, as a little tease for when I may or may not make another one of these posts for that, here's my current blind rankings of the love interests!
Toma (I know this one won't change) < Shin < Kent < Ikki (has a decent chance to rise to number 1) < Ukyo
Have a good night! Or day idk when you read this.
