This is probably my favorite story game of all time. T.T
It feels like you have relationships with all of the characters. Sure there's the schtick where Cove actually grows and changes depending on your interactions and relationship, and that's super cool, but I feel like I have meaningful interactions with all of the characters. I remember them so fondly, and I love feeling like I'm actually interacting with them.~ I legitimately cried when I opened the game again recently and heard the music. xD
I guess, there's a sort of distance in Otome games because the situations, people, etc. tend to be kind of far-fetched and out there. There's also the understanding that you will get with one of the characters. In this game, it's not like that. You don't even have to be romantic if you don't want to, or if the character you're interested in doesn't like you that way. It's not a given. It feels... realistic in a way that other games don't, and not just because of the slice of life. If you set this game on a spaceship during an alien invasion between firefights, but still had all the choices, variable relationships and interactions, memory system... it would still be amazing.
That being said, I'm super curious about all of the things that can happen in the game! Is there somewhere where all of the different branches and differences are listed? I feel like I don't want to replay making different choices because that wouldn't be MY life. xD