I'm a love interest in my childhood friend's reverse harem!!!
A downloadable game for Windows, macOS, and Linux
♦ Website ♦ Twitter ♦ Discord ♦ Patreon ♦
A not-so-generic otome game with BL possibilities.
Instead of playing the heroine and choosing between several men that have typical dating-sim personalities, you play as the childhood friend. That's right! The route that's usually the easiest to complete is no longer available. You (Geum Park) are thrust into the world of a reverse harem, where your precious childhood friend (Emily Carter) is being hit on by two of your classmates (Ao Yazawa and Hong Yang Chan). You can choose to either play the role of a love interest and try to win the heroine's heart, or... you can play your own game and try to make the two boys fall for you instead! The choice is yours!
Note: The game takes place in Australia, so there are times when the characters may say things that seem a little odd to people not familiar with Aussie culture.
Additional Note: Australia is a multicultural place, a good majority of the population speak more than one language. As such, in certain routes the characters may end up speaking to one another in different languages.
Game Features [2.0.0 Update]:
- A spin on your everyday otome game
- BxB and BxG routes to play
- Three romanceable characters (2 male 1 female)
- Over 45k words
- Mini Games
- 20+ CG scenes and Gallery
- Over 10 different endings
- Phone texting feature
- Original music and SFX
- Animated chibis and transitions
- Secondary outfits for sprites
- Unlockable polyamory route
- 4 After stories
[2.0.0 Update released on 25/06/2024]
[1.4.1 Update released on 05/05/2024]
[1.4.0 Update released on 30/04/2024]
[1.3.0 Update released on 29/01/2024]
[1.2.0 Update released on 28/11/2022]
[PDF guide to achieving Endings 00-03 (Romance Endings) uploaded 13/04/2021]
[1.1.0 Update was released on 12/11/2020]
[1.0.0 Initial release build was released on 01/07/2020]
Demo Features:
- Approx. 5500 w for the demo
- Phone texting feature
- Original music and SFX
- Animated chibis and transitions
Credits:
Red Chan (project lead)
Alison 'Draz' Huang (editor)
Eric Matyas (composer)
Jeff Penny (SFX composer)
Cats on a Lilypad (audio editor)
thiskidthatkid (additional artist)
Adhylia (additional artist)
Pumpkin Spike (additional artist)
Arctic Fox (additional artist)
Played the game? Want more?
Try the Halloween special, made for Spooktober 2019.
Spooky fun at Geum's house.
Or try the spin-off game, made for YaoiJam2020
Geum is a side character in a side character's game.
Or our other spin-off, made for YaoiJam2021.
Less about Geum, more about Ao and Hong Yang.
Also available on Steam
Status | Released |
Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
Rating | Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars (103 total ratings) |
Author | WitPOP |
Genre | Visual Novel |
Made with | Krita, Adobe Photoshop, Paint Tool SAI, Audacity, GIMP, Ren'Py |
Tags | Amare, Boys' Love, Comedy, Dating Sim, Gay, LGBTQIA, Parody, Queer, Romance, Yaoi |
Average session | A few hours |
Languages | English |
Inputs | Keyboard, Mouse |
Accessibility | Subtitles |
Links | Steam, Patreon |
Mentions | Q&A with MC and Geum pt.2-5, RELEASED!, 1.1.0 update + play on browser |
Purchase
In order to download this game you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $10 USD. You will get access to the following files:
Download demo
Development log
- Happy Birthday Emily + Update 2.0.0Jun 25, 2024
- Next Updated Coming TomorrowJun 24, 2024
- Next Update Coming Soon + New BGM TeaserJun 11, 2024
- 1.4.0 UpdateApr 29, 2024
- Next update coming soon + new CG sneak peekApr 12, 2024
- 1.3.0 Update!Jan 29, 2024
- 1.2.0 Update!Nov 28, 2022
- Next four updates timeline 2022-2023Nov 12, 2022
Comments
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I just bought it(had no idea it was on steam, and if it has steam achievements ,then i'll be sad ngl) and i so far enjoy the game! Wish there was a guide to help me out ,but if thats my only complaint, then the game is great! I hope for much more Hang Yang!
Thank you YurikoOmega! I'm glad you like the game!
You can download the romance ending guide for free on the main page, I hope that helps.
There aren't steam achievements sadly. I'm also having trouble updating on steam so it's a good thing you got it on itchio instead because this is the latest version :)
Aw man is there not any hope for Android 😭
I see the 3 love interest in a poly relationship. Is it just me?
Hi! There is a poly route with all three love interest, yes.
I got this game in the ukraine bundle and am just now getting around to playing it. Holy shit!!!! I am SO happy with this game!!!! It's funny, it's fun, and it has potential aroace rep. It feels good to have representation in a genre that usually is very not built with folks like me in mind haha.
also, i did just make this acc so I could comment on this specific game. that's how strongly I appreciate it lmao
Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for the kind words moominbloomin!
I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed the game enough to make an account. Lol. I'm honoured.
I wish I could play this lol
Is there a specific reason why you cannot? E.g. cost, platform not supported, or other?
All i have right now is my tablet as i am saving up for a laptop for uni
the latest build gives me an exception screen when i try to go to endings.
Can you take a screenshot, thanks?
Thank you! I'll look into it this week and try to fix it.
Hi thebob7,
please try the new update and let me know if it works now.
that was concerningly quick, but it does work now. thank you :D
The screenshot helped me figure out what the probably was (literally just needed to fix a typo)
It was odd because I didn't get the same error whenever I was testing, so thank you for your help.
hope you enjoyed the after story
Cool game, but please remove tag Otome, this game only have male MC not female MC.
Fair enough. It is meant to be a parody of the otome genre but I see your point.
This game looks really interesting and I love the concept, but I'm hesitant about the price since it really doesn't seem fleshed-out or produced enough to be a ten dollar game. Do you guys think it's worth it?
Hello Kazlkid.
I'm glad you think the game looks interesting!
It's unfortunate you think the game isn't fleshed out or worth $10.
What do you believe makes a game worth their price?
I mean obviously quality of writing, story, etc, but playtime/word count is also definitely a big factor and this game is only 45,000 words, which is only a couple of hours of reading, though idk exactly how much of the game is purely writing ofc so could be way longer. It’s also a shame there’s no voice acting.
I realized re-reading my other comment it likely came off rude, which wasn’t at all my intention. I don’t have a lot of money to spend on leisure, so usually when i’m browsing, paid games are an instant no, but I thought this one seemed really interesting so and wanted to know what people thought. Sorry for not being very well-spoken :,)
Hello Kazlkid.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my previous question.
I agree that quality of writing and art are important factors when considering the price of a game. And I see that you value a larger word count. Voice acting would indeed be wonderful, unfortunately, in order to hire voice actors, a VA director and an audio engineer requires a lot of money that at the time of developing this game I did not have (still don't, to be honest, haha :,))
However, thanks to the wonderful people that have played and purchased my games so far, I have been able to continue updating this game with additional scenes after the romance endings, more art, and as of this year more music as well. I'm actually working on an update now. I am very grateful to people that can afford my games, and I understand being able to afford buying any game is a luxury. I understand not everyone has that luxury, but I hope you continue to have an interest in my game and support it in other ways.
If it interests you, there are Let's Play videos up on YouTube that are free to watch if you want to experience the game that way. And I often take part in seasonal sales here on itch and steam.
I'll definitely do that, thank you! Good luck on future developing & such :))
I didn't get it
Really love all the characters and the art style for all of them!
Thank you for playing!
Hey there! I've really enjoyed the game so far, but I'm having trouble with the poly route. I bought the game on steam, so I don't have access to the guide you've posted and can't find any info elsewhere. I've gotten the friend and romance endings for all three, and the bad end for both boys, but I can't seem to get both guys interested at once
Thanks for the game, and thanks for your help!
Based on what I've seen elsewhere, I got a hunch that perhaps these routes had to be played consecutively on the same save file, and that worked! I'm so excited to read it!
Hi thiswasnttaken!
Thanks for playing the game and I'm glad you're enjoying it.
Yes, you will need to get two friendship endings one after the other (can be both boys or Emily and one of the boys, doesn't matter). Once you finish one of the friendship endings it will prompt you to try again after the credits, continue from there.
Best of luck!
but is there an order to select? I have the same question. I think I tried it but didn't give me the option to be with both guys. I went to the park by myself but didn't see an option for both just to pick one of the guys
i am excited to play this, looks great!
A really fun game, enjoyed all routes! The different minigames and options were really enjoyable. Only thing is I can't get ending 6, which is really frutstrating me as I don't do well with leaving things incomplete. I read the hints but those did not really help, I keep getting the same endings. Other than that, it's a great game and I'd highly recommend it!
Thanks Darthmongoose!
I'll have to work on releasing a complete walkthrough before the year ends.
A fun lighthearted VN that even I, someone who doesn't typically read LGBTQ+ stuff, enjoyed. Give it a shot! I will say tho that unlocking that 1 missing CG and ending 6, was difficult enough for me (couldn't do it with my best efforts) that I'd say to not spend too much time one 100% this game. There's no full guide, so just have the fun with it you want to have and move on without fretting over perfecting everything.
Thanks Saragraph!! I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed it!
And thanks for reminding me that I really should make a full walkthrough at some point.
It's lighthearted and hilarious, which I really enjoyed. Re playing it *giggles* I really like this. I also enjoyed those minigames (灬º‿º灬) dont forget those mini animations especially the meow Geum ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ ahh adorable. I love that every characters have their own charms. I really liked how Geum's orientation as a BI was handled. I am not an Australian so Im also curious about it and I like the Australian experience of slang, pop culture and a core of multiculturalism shown in here. Im glad that there were tons of endings to choose with for each routes (〃'▽'〃)
Thanks again MyKawaiiPanda!
I've been thinking about redrawing all the CGs and animations to make them a little smoother. This feedback has kind of given me an extra boost :)
Adorable! Left a five star rating as well, but seriously this is so cute and inclusive, and it gave me true joy in my heart to read them say “loo” and “lollies” and swear a lot.
<3
Thank you for the kind words kannaophelia!
The world needs more games set in Australia. Lol
Did my aimlab routine before the ducky minigame. 10/10
Very nice !
hmm... i've managed to get every ending other than six and ten, are there any tips you'd be willing to offer?
Hi OverTheWhiteCliffsOfDover!
Regarding ending six, you'll need to pick most of Emily's friendship choices... It's a bit of a hard ending to explain sorry.
For ending ten, this is one of the Polyamory endings, so you'll need to befriend two of the love interests and once you're on that route, select different choices to what you chose in ending eleven.
Hope that helps.
I loved it! I'm a big Ao and Hong Yang fan. Geum and Emily are cute too. <3
Thank you!!! I'm so glad you liked it :D
Besides the odd sentimental BGMs choice, not bad actually. I found the writing, pretty funny and wholesome at times especially at the parts when the characters are self-aware that they're part of video game and poke fun at it with pop culture references.
I can see how Ao route has influenced, the writer herself with whole "starts with taking interest in someone" part in story. A bit of self-injection here lol but it was cute moment. Overall, it's pretty interesting take on sub-otome genre as a parody.
Appreciate, the out of box Xinput support. Just need button to skip all dialogue.
I'm glad you liked the writing =]
There is a 'skip' button at the button left to skip the dialogue, but it only skips scenes that you have already seen. So if it doesn't seem to be working it's probably new dialogue or a glitch that I need to look into.
Ah, I meant physical skip rebinding button for xpinut so I don't have to touch screen haha. Maybe next time for Emily's side story or something.
I bought it on Steam and really liked it. I'm looking forward to future games. I got all the endings except ending 6. Can someone help me with ending 6?
hi missysol!
I'm glad you're liking the game! Ending 6 is a bit difficult to explain how to get, but you need to pick most of the friendship options for Emily. So get close to her but not too close?
I hope that helps.
Hi! Thank you for replying. I will try that. Are you working on anything new? I look forward to future projects.
Good luck!
And yes, currently working on the Valentine's Day spin off and a new game set in the same universe but doesn't focus on the same characters.
I still can't seem to get ending 6. Is there any other hint you could give?
I’m a love interest in my childhood friend’s reverse harem is a nice VN done with care and filled with love.
Albeit original, the premise remains simple in its execution – for all the best as it feels genuine.
We might be given the choice to act like a boor; however, at the end of the day, empathy and acceptance are what truly shine through the overall story. In that regard, I absolutely love Emily’s route. I never thought her route would have turned out this way, but it was so refreshing to see it addressed – all the more with that much care and positivity.
I truly enjoyed the mini-games and the breaking-the-fourth-wall-scenes. There were not too many of them and they made me crack a smile/laugh every single time (special mention to the quirky music during the mini-games).
What pleasantly surprised me most was the insertion of other languages. This was nothing major content- and lengthwise, but still particularly enjoyable as it gave more depth to the characters’ interactions and the setting. Also, Geum mixing up languages with his mom felt so close to home that I was literally whispering him the French words he did not have to help him out of his ordeal (whilst grinning from ear to ear XD). Guess I was really engrossed in such a genuine and lovely game ^^
Thank you so much for the detailed review and kind words!!
I'm glad you enjoyed the little scenes where they speak different languages. I believe multiculturalism is very important here in Australia and I wanted to portray that in as many ways as I could.
Is it possible to choose to romance just one of them? Considering the name of the VN has harem included in it's name...
Yes
Thanks for answering. It's good to know. :)
No problem ^w^
Happy gaming!
oh wow great concep- (sees 'BL' in the header)... ah. disappointing lol, i hope the games not as homophobic as that makes it out to be
Hi sunspotty!
I'm a little confused, could you tell me why you think the game might be homophobic?
If you haven't yet, I invite you to try out the demo or watch some of the Let's Plays on youtube to really understand what the game is truly about.
'BL' bascially translates to 'i consume yaoi and fetishize gays', REALLY bad word choice unless you only want straight homophobic girls playing. like im not even a gay man and its scaring me off just from the connotations it brings
like im not gna judge the whole game from that (and i likely will give the demo a peek) but i know a Lot of people (mainly gay guys) will be instantly put off by 'BL' being advertised
Hi sunspotty!
Thanks for clarifying why you think the game might be homophobic, I see that you're concerned about me using the term BL to describe my game.
The term BL actually stands for 'boys' love'. I assure you, there are many people (female, male, trans and more) that enjoy BL content for the stories, art and overall messages that the creators are trying to portray. Just like any other genre of entertainment out there. It is unfortunate that some people will see the tag 'BL' and feel put off by it, but I know that each person will have their own preferred genres.
If you decide not to play the game because of your preference, that is understandable. But if you do try out the demo, I hope you can see the game for what it is beyond the tag.
Hi! Random gay here to weigh in. I'm an LGBTQIA+ librarian and it is literally my day job to evaluate visual novels like this. I understand where you are coming from, as the BL genre is known to have a fetishizing problem. BUT! Not all games in the genre are like that. This game is one of those exceptions. This game does a wonderful job of giving respectful representation to multiple sexualities and romantic orientations. If you have ever played the LGBTQIA+ routes of "Backstage Pass!", this game is on about the same level. I recommend it highly and I'm sending it to some friends of lesser known sexualities, because they would eat this representation up with a spoon. I'm not saying you have to give this game a chance. But I do want you to know this is one of the good ones. :D
Thanks Catastrofica!
It means a lot to hear you say it does a wonderful job at representing multiple sexualities and representations!
I bought this game on Steam and just came here to say: I LOVE IT! Thank you so much for your work))
Also, there is poly route in the game?! Damn, i need a walkthrough) Will there be an endings guide?
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Haha, the walkthrough won't be out for a while... like a long while.
But if you want the poly route you have to get at least 2 out of the three friendship endings and watch the after credit scene.
There's two endings for the poly route. So good luck!
oh man oh man oh man. i love this game so much. as an asexual who kinda wants romance, that talk about asexuality really hit home. and the poly route! amazing! i kind of want to see everyone else's reactions to their unconventional relationship. i love you!
I'm so glad to hear how much you liked the game!!
My editor really helped out with the ace talk, I wanted to make sure it was informative for people that might be unfamiliar with the term but still lighthearted and presenting in a natural way.
I played the demo and the spin off game, and wow, I'm definitely buying this as soon as I can!! The characters are all very cute, I love the concept, and POLYAMORY ROUTE! I love you.
Hi Alex!
Thank you! I'm glad you seem to be enjoying the series.
Good luck getting the polyamory route!
Hey! First of all thanks for making it play able in Steam,I am finally able it to play it. :)))) Secondly,game is quite good as a time-killer or pain...But I have a question :where are the stickers?
Hi Polaton, I'm glad you're enjoying it on steam!
Ahahahhaa... the stickers... The walk through guides won't be coming out any time soon, but I can tell you there are 9 stickers overall. Depending on which character you're trying to romance, it might even be better to get no stickers. *hint hint*
I see... I guess it is time to look again gotta go fast,thx!
This was so much fun! I tried the demo and bought the game straight away after playing it. The self-aware humour is really well done.
I'm adding this to my show case on my itch page, if you'd rather I didn't just let me know and I'll take it down. :)
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Thank you for adding it to your show case. =]
Great game thank you!
thank YOU for playing =)
will this also come out on steam?
working on setting up a steam account =) so hopefully before the end of the year but it won't be anytime soon.
Okay so after playing the demo ages ago I've been waiting for this game to come out with so much excitement. I played it all through in one go because it's just so good and honestly couldn't stop. By the time I finished all the routes (well I think all the routes anyway) I was craving more! I'm probably going to play them all again in a few days because wow! (Also I'm Aussie so it was even better playing a game set in my own country!)
Now this might get **SPOILERY** (for those who don't want minor things spoiled maybe don't read the rest of this review lol)
I love that there was a confirmed bisexual character and asexual character! Being bisexual myself I was like yes! Representation! It also helped make the the multiple routes way more believable and natural. Flowed so nicely. The asexual exploration was so lovely and the honest discussion the two characters have about it felt very natural and supportive. I also like that the "wrong" decisions in those aspects were true to the ace characters feelings because it's true, they wouldn't want that stuff forced on them after saying they don't want it.
I like how Gerum was adaptable to each love interest without losing the essence of who he is. It was really really well done. The way he interacts with Ao, Hong Yang and MC shows different sides and allows to cater to different players likes. I personally loved it all.
The art style is also very cool. I loved the CGs! The Ao one in the court yard was great, I had a good chuckle at that scene. The CG of Hong Yang on the Sunday of the route was honestly (ehem) very nice ;). The Emily one in the hallway was so sweet! Loved all those moments. The character designs are really unique too and I'm a big fan of them since they weren't super tropey (nothing wrong with tropes I just love how this game seemed to turn tropes on their head lol)
The dialogue was also really natural. I was laughing a lot while reading. Especially the moments where characters were just blunt. The flustered moments were also the best.
Every route and pairing felt right and natural. Even the one where Gerum wasn't involved at all. It made sense! Was totally happy with every outcome. Even MC's decisions when you didn't pick her route. She's such a sweetheart.
Sorry if this is long, just as a creator myself I know how valuable feedback is, I could honestly go on and on about all the things I love about this game. I would love to see sequels, honestly would donate all the money possible to see more! I'd love to see how their relationships progress! Thank you for creating such a fun, interesting and beautiful game.
(The only buggy issue I came across other than the CG mentioned about the spring roll scene already, was every route I finished ended in saying "now you've go Ao smitten with you try the others" even when it wasn't Ao's route. No biggy just thought I'd let you know)
Also it would be cool if there was a menu that you got little tokens or pics for every route you finished so you know whether or not you got all the routes. Again, no biggy, just always think that it's cool seeing what you've completed.
Again though, great game, I'm a really big fan! Thank you for creating.
Thank you so much yagirlez!! Your feedback and review really does mean a lot to me, it's got me feeling warm and fuzzy inside <3
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, and I'm glad the relationship dynamics made sense to you, I wanted them to be relatable and make sense, but still being within the realm of an otome/BL. (and yes, there needs to be more Aussie games SET IN AUSTRALIA out there! WOOOOO!)
Thank you so much for writing something this long, I honestly appreciate and value it! Thank you for trying out as many routes as you could! And thanks for picking up the error with the after credits mentioning Ao every time. I will look into it. Did you get the polyam ending in the end? Because good news... one of my current yaoijam projects is a sequel to I'm a love interest!! Bwahaha, just finish one game and I'm already working on the the next.
I'll work on adding a CG gallery to a future build of the game, it sounds like something people will be interested in and will help track all the endings. Thank you for the suggestion!
I don't know if I've said thank you enough times, haha, but it made me so happy to read your review. Thank you for playing =]
Yaaaay I'm glad!
Yeah every time the characters said uni I was like yes! Aussie slang haha. None of that college nonsense lol (jk jk).
YES I GOT THE POLYAM ENDING HONESTLY IT WAS THE BEST ENDING BECAUSE EVERYONE IS HAPPY! It took me so long to find the right combination to get it aha but oh when I saw that "Hell yeah" click toggle I was like HELL YEAH TAKE ME TO THAT ENDING! They all get along so well it's so sweet and had so much good content for an ending :) (also the group text conversations in that ending killed me. I loved it. It was so real the way they all conversed lol just like a real group convo)
Also I just realised there was also a they/them character (Charlie) yay for representation!
OMG YES A SEQUEL I AM SO EXCITED! I know these things take time to work on (As a writer I know the writing aspect alone takes forever not to mention all the work that must have to go into a game) But I'll wait as long as it takes because it'll be so worth it!
I'm glad you were happy to read my review! Thank you for your reply! Good luck with everything to come!
I think I found a missing CG... :/ Because I got a scene where Hong Yang was feeding Geum a spring roll (or not ;P ) but the screen just went black, and it felt like there was supposed to be something there. (I have the Kickstarter reward version released last week, if that makes any difference.)
Thanks! Otherwise it's a great game.
Hi ParrotWatcher!
Had to double check and yes, there was originally meant to be a CG scene there but it wasn't made (instead a different CG scene in his route was added) and I forgot to recode the spring roll scene. Thanks for picking that up! I'll fix that up in a later build.
Red
Same black screen issue when eating lunch with Emily. (Also in the early Kickstarter version, if that makes a difference.)
Thank you for picking that up too!
I found another when Hong Yang kabedons Geum...
And I found even more instances in Ao's route, too, although I'm afraid I can't remember the exact points that they happened.
This game was so cute and wholesome. I loved everything about it. I loved the Asian representation, I loved the way it kind of takes jabs at the otome/dating sim trope, how it breaks the fourth wall and how funny it was in general. I also loved the emphasis on good communication and honesty. I love that every character is distinctly different in characterization and romance. I love that how intimate you get with each character varies depending on the love interet's comfort levels and how Geum respects that. The poly route was also well done. Thank you for making such a gem and I'm so happy to have seen this game from kickstarter to completion <3
Thank you so much Alacriteve!!!
I'm so happy to hear your thoughts on the game! I'm glad you enjoyed it and seriously, thank you for your support!
Love the demo so far! So excited to play the full game, but is this going to be on Steam?
thank you Bellalove!
At the moment it will only be on itch.io. if the game does well then I can look into a steam release later on. But that's currently low on the priority list.
Ah yes, taking a trope and running with it! My favorite kind of thing. The art style is nice, and I like how self aware it is so far!
Can't wait to play the full game!
Thank you =)
really liked it, gonna wait for the full release!
thank you =)
AHHHH!! it's amazing, i was just getting into it lmao and then it was the end of the demo :(( Anyways, i love your style and the characters are really well thought out, also am i the only one that has a big ass soft spot for geum?
Thank you =) I'm happy to hear you liked the demo.
I just found this game and I must say that I'm already in love. I like the dinamic Geum has with MC, the art is amazing and I adored the demo. The caracters also seem very interesting and I know I'll probably cry on the bad ending(s) with the boys bacause my poor heart whon't be able to take it. I'm eagerly awayting the future of this project and keep up the great work.
Thank you Minniboe!
If it helps, I felt pretty guilty while writing the bad endings. But they're really not that bad! I swear!
I'v heard that one before. I'm just going to have to do my best not to get the bad endings
i love this so much and this just has to be one of my fave harem games and i love all the characters so far. I like how u do geum so cute , i hope u keep up ur good work
Thank you!!