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Welcome to the very first 2Game Creator Spotlight! In these special featurettes, we're going to help you get to know some of our most fascinating community creators, and we've got a very special guest for our first highlight: Resting Peach Face!
Resting Peach Face - Luli - is into Otome gaming and everything that comes with it. If you're not overly familiar with Otome, then you're at just the right place, and we hope you're in a learning mood because this stuff is pretty fascinating from a Western point of view. More broadly, though, Luli has a preference for anime and cute games in general, so even if Otome isn't specifically your thing, there's much to enjoy here regardless!
Back on track, though: coziness is the crux of Luli's content, and our interview will show you as much. If you're even remotely interested in Japanese culture and gaming, and if you're looking for an awesome new personality to help you learn more about this specific niche of gaming - this is the ticket.
Oh, and lest we forget - we've got a special surprise waiting for you at the bottom of this article. A Hogwarts Legacy giveaway for PC!
Wait, what is Otome?
If you need a bit more context before we really get into it, Otome is a very particular sort of thing. Primarily targeting female audiences, Otome games are story-based adventures that emphasize character progression and romantic involvement over, say, the destruction of demonkind. We'll let Luli explain in detail, however.
Where do I know Resting Peach Face from?
Does the name ring a bell? If it does, you may have come across Luli on some of her social media! Or, perhaps, via her Twitch or YouTube content. For those who'd like to get a sense of Resting Peach Face and her content ahead of the interview, consider checking her stuff out using the links below:
And, of course, if you're interested in joining the cozy little community that Luli has whipped up, you may also wish to check out her Discord channel.
Now, on to the interview itself!
2Game November Creator Spotlight, Featuring Resting Peach Face
"Hello! My name is Luli, aka Resting Peach Face on YouTube and Twitch and I would describe myself as a half-Japanese and half-English girl obsessed with gaming and shiny things," said Luli when we asked her to tell us about her content. "On YouTube, I primarily focus on introducing people to a niche category within the visual novel genre known as "otome games", while on Twitch I casually play a variety of games for a wider audience." She also added that first-person shooters aren't her thing in any capacity and that she wouldn't be able to play them to "save [her] life," which is fair!
Naturally, we immediately had to delve into Otome and what it really is. Definitions are all well and good, but there's nothing quite like a good explanation from an expert!
"Otome games are visual novels that tell a story about a female protagonist alongside one of several love interests. I like to call it a mix between manga, anime, and books," explained Luli. "The appeal depends on who you are," she admitted.
According to Luli, there's a rather comprehensive division of Otome into disparate niches and sub-genres: "There are those that focus more on the plot (Collar x Malice, Bustafellows, and Hakuoki) where seeing how everything happens can be exciting for the reader, particularly as your choices can affect how the story ends; sometimes bloodshed and disaster," she explained, adding that "there are some that focus more on lifestyle and romance between the characters (Cupid Parasite, Variable Barricade, and Lover Pretend) in which case the appeal is feeling butterflies and/or enjoying the relationship develop as you would when reading a shoujo manga."
On Otome and personal interests
"It’s kind of embarrassing," said Luli when we asked her how she came to be interested in Otome in the first place. "initially it was a close friend of mine who was into Otome, and I made fun of her thinking it was just all about pretty guys! Then she told me that I shouldn’t judge without playing one, which I agreed with, so I played Hakuoki. I did not realize how much of an emotional rollercoaster a game could be, I swear I was depressed for three days after just that one route! I never made fun of her again, and that spurred on my obsession with the genre."
Importing Otome into Western territories: hassle or not?
The core subject matter of Otome is, by default, Japanese-centric. This means that Luli sometimes ends up having to import games she means to play, but it doesn't seem like it's a huge problem for her: "It depends on the game, but it isn’t such a big hassle if you can find it on Amazon JP," she said. "For me, I, fortunately, have family in Japan, so sometimes I get them to send it over to me." Luli did admit, though, that shipping and taxes can add up - something our readers may wish to keep in mind if they find themselves interested in Otome in the first place!
It's not all doom and gloom for Western Otome fans, it's worth pointing out! Sure enough, there's a bunch available on PC already.
Luli told us that there are ongoing efforts to localize much of the finest Otome output. In fact, it seems to be proliferating, says Luli: "Previously, everyone could afford to just pre-order every game because there were so few, but now that there are so many, our bank accounts are weeping, and we must pick and choose!" Luli did add that she was happy to see the genre recognized in the West, though.
Luli's thoughts on Otome and its place in the broader gaming sandbox
"Most games have a male protagonist, which is fine, but having a female one instead is very refreshing," said Luli when we asked her what she thought about Otome in the broad context of the gaming industry. She added that she feels there's value in Otome for all gamer profiles, not just women. "I adore gaming in general, but sometimes I’m feeling tired and Otome games allow me to just curl up and enjoy the experience," she said.
"You could argue I could simply read a manga, watch an anime, or read a book, but Otome games have a nice balance as you can appreciate the art alongside listening to the voice acting, etc. It feels like you’ve taken good things from these media types and stuck them together."
Otome titles' openness and freedom of choice were a particular highlight, said Luli, adding that she feels like the gaming industry has matured enough for Japanese developers to localize a greater variety of Otome titles. She hopes that this will help Otome fans in the West get access to these niche games faster than ever before!
Western alternatives and parallel production preferences
Curiously, Luli does feel that, while Western developers don't have a one-to-one equivalent to Otome, certain aspects of the genre are successfully emulated in other dedicated games. "If you enjoy the 'plot' part of Otome games, I think of games such as Heavy Rain, Indigo Prophecy, Beyond Two Souls," Luli told us, adding that "any game with a story that can be manipulated to lead into multiple endings," which means classic adventures could tickle a similar fancy; TellTale titles in particular.
"If we are focusing on the 'romance' elements, then the games that come to mind are Stardew Valley, where you have characters that are marriage candidates. There is also Fire Emblem in which you can choose a partner, as well as games like Persona 5 where there are characters who you can be romantically involved with via leveling up social links."
It's not just about Otome, though
"I’ve been enjoying Yakuza 0 recently, as well as the Shenmue series," said Luli when we spoke about video games other than Otome. "I would recommend Yakuza 0 to anyone who enjoys a good adventure with comical side stories and wants to experience glamorous 80s Tokyo and Osaka, and Shenmue to those who can appreciate a good classic game that doesn’t have to rely on high graphics and effects to be good!"
Much like everyone else here at 2Game, though, Luli too is a big Pokemon fan: "I am constantly in Pokémon Unite hell. It’s actually a nightmare," she laughed.
Is Resting Peach Face going to expand her business into categories other than Otome?
In our talks, we couldn't help but feel that Luli had immense potential when it comes to highlighting non-Otome video games and, indeed, she does agree. Albeit, with an obvious caveat: "It all depends on my audience."
Luli told us that "there has been some interest shown for reviews of cozy games and story-driven games. I have been blessed with having understanding viewers, some of which are happy to watch me talk about games as long as I’m having fun."
Resting Peach Face's gaming waitlist
We couldn't possibly not talk about up-and-coming titles that Luli was excited about. That is, after all, one of the big topics here at 2Game, and it ties in directly with our big surprise (remember?)! According to her, there are three big games that she's eagerly waiting to play.
According to Luli, Crisis Core was her very first PSP game and she's very excited to see the (kinda-sorta) remake launching on PC. "I remember crying at one point in the story because it was so emotional," she said.
The Silent Kingdom is an indie Otome by Lucky Cat, and Luli described it in very exciting terms: "It’s Otome meets JRPG and I’m really looking forward to seeing how it turns out given I have yet to play an Otome JRPG."
Finally, on the topic of Hogwarts Legacy, our interviewee was rather particular: "I’ve heard that there’s a possibility of going down an evil path!?" Ominous stuff! And - yes - evil path might be an option from what we've seen so far.
Wrapping it up
Luli's content is available on a broad spectrum of media via her delightful Resting Peach Face tag(s). If you're wondering whether her stuff would tickle your fancy in the first place, she does have words of encouragement for you!
"If you would like to listen to a crazy girl obsess over games as if they’re your friend, then my channel is the perfect place," she told us. "The vlog-style reviews will make you feel like you’re sitting there chatting with me, and my viewers have described the experience as cozy. It may be a fun way to unwind after a long exhausting day ?"
We don't know about you, but Luli got a bunch of new subscribers from the team here at 2Game after this interview!
Hogwarts Legacy Giveaway - Join Today!
So, about that surprise! Indeed, 2Game is giving away not one but two copies of Hogwarts Legacy for PC to celebrate our collaboration with Luli and her Resting Peach Face persona. Joining the giveaway is both easy and fast, and you've got plenty of time to do so.
Join the 2Game Hogwarts Legacy PC giveaway today!
We're timing the giveaway so that it wraps up on Hogwarts Legacy's release day: February 10th. This means you've got plenty of time to massively increase your odds of winning, too: just complete all the featured tasks (from following 2Game on Twitter all the way to referring your friends, for example) and you'll have way better odds in the end.
In the interim, be sure to look up Resting Peach Face and her content - that's bound to keep you busy! And, of course, do stay tuned for our future Creator Spotlight features, as this is just the first of many.
Get in the Game ! 
