Obey Me: Nightbringer is a visual novel rhythm gacha game by NTT Solmare. It is the sequel to Obey Me. You play as a namable main character (who will be called MC from now on) who encounters seven demon brothers in the kingdom of Devildom. You are tasked by the Prince, Diablo, with caring for the brothers.
If this sounds familiar to the original, you’re right. Despite being a sequel, it mostly reiterates the original game. The difference is that MC is now in the past, soon after the seven demon brothers have just fallen from the Celestial Realm. MC encounters the sorcerer Solomon who does not know how they have fallen back in time but will try to help them as best he can.
A Return to Form
Obey Me is near and dear to my heart. I downloaded the original game shortly after its release in 2018 and played through two anniversaries. I was there when only the demon brothers were romanceable (and we’ll get into the levels of how romantic the game is later), and then there when new characters were announced. I’ve been playing “Shall We Date?” games for a solid seven or eight years now.
When Obey Me: Nightbringer was announced, I laughed. Exhausted by the gacha and poor storytelling, I left. Lo and behold, I’ve been pulled back into the Devildom. But it isn’t good enough for me to stay.
Something Stronger
Yes, the dance battles are now rhythm games, which offer more challenge and engagement. They use character songs sung by the voice actors of all the characters. However, I am terrible at rhythm games, and even after changing the settings to the left and right sides of the screen instead of up and down, I still miss a lot. The gameplay is also based on how strong your cards are. You could suck at the rhythm part (hello, hi, that’s me) but have strong cards and still pass the level.
In terms of the story and the cash-grab nature of the VIP, it isn’t good. Solmare has made more money off of this series than any other otome game they have released. They included more places to buy cards, videos, and outfits than before. There is a brand new in-game TikTok-like app where you can buy phrases that other characters will see. The characters in certain new mechanics are in a 3D style that looks poorly designed and makes the characters look odd. Compared to the original 2D art, these 3D models are riddled with technical errors.
Starting Over
Having to start over in terms of cards, affection and character development sucks. It was bad enough that the writers changed throughout Obey Me after each season (every 20 chapters), leading to inconsistent characters, regressed behavior, and one-dimensionality. Now, Solmare has started the game over in order to entice new players and make original players experience FOMO. The characters are allowed to be petty and bicker amongst each other. Previously made improvements are mitigated in favor of new mechanics.
