Bewitching Sinners is an absolutely wonderful Otome/BL Visual novel set in a world full of many beautiful wonders, including its delightful romance interests. 

You follow the main character, Palmier, as they are whisked into another world entirely, one full of chaos and unfamiliarity. As your doppelganger's body lays in wait in a coma, can you save them? Maybe along the way, you'll catch the heart of another as you explore and discover many secrets of the world that even those who came before you couldn't solve. I mean, hell, now you've got witches and four deliciously attractive men to worry about! …Not that I'd complain.

You can choose a masculine or feminine appearance, name your main character, and pick your pronouns in this visual novel. CGs will then always show the respected appearance you chose. And let me tell you, both of the choices look absolutely beautiful.

Very quickly, you're thrown into the thick of things in Bewitching Sinners. Waking up from a terrifying dream, we find ourselves at the main character's home, messaging their mother. It's Palmier's birthday, and you're also shot with the information that their sister, Fia, had died some time ago in a drunk driving incident. Palmier has since started essentially throwing their life away. Drugs, partying, drinking… much like their doppelganger, who they meet moments later.

Incoming is our meeting with the first romance option! Quill is the best friend of the other Palmier, who we'll just call the doppelganger from now on. He very quickly pulls the main Palmier into his world, giving very little explanation of what is going on. However, you very quickly learn that the doppelganger is in a coma after the aftermath of a fight they'd just had with a witch - the same one you had just dreamed about.

Your job now is to discover how to save them - how to awaken them while playing the role of your doppelganger in this world. It's not really as easy as it sounds, though, as Palmier comes to learn that their doppelganger is not a very kind person at all. However, the use of drugs and drinking is pretty consistent, as it seems they have both been going through some rough trauma. Can you fit in and play the role? Maybe in a world full of magic and witches, this isn't something you want to mess up.

The world you're pulled into is full of wonders and mysteries. There's plenty for you to learn about. From the species that inhabit Bewitching Sinners to the magic that flows through the world, there is plenty to discover. It's told to you in many ways and blends into the world well! You can discover different topics by listening to people talk or discussing things with your new friends. You can also interact with spots in the world and discover more things and items. If you want to find some more deep lore about the world, there's a library full of interesting books, and it'll give you quite a bit of awareness of some people around you.

Containing four different romance options, the dateable men in this game are truly a delight, from their art to their personalities. It is very rare that I find myself interested in every single available option for a VN, but this one didn't disappoint, and I enjoyed them all.

• Quill is the doppelganger's best friend. Having known each other since they were children, they've been through thick and thin and are glued to each other's sides. He's a playful and flirtatious beast known around campus for sleeping around with, well, probably a majority of the campus. Don't judge this book by his cover, though - get to know Quill and discover his secrets. 
• Arshem. After being dumped by Palmier's doppelganger, he's still struggling to come to terms with the breakup. He's a possessive, lovestruck fool who wants nothing more than to be at their side. While certainly full of himself and confident, there's more to his relationship with the doppelganger than meets the eye. 
• Thane. My baby boy. The best option here, if you ask me. A golden retriever energy friend who's also a vampire. Although he may not be the smartest, he is very sweet and caring. Cats may not love him, but I do! Thane suffers some hard times through the story, however. Hopefully, you can ease his pain and keep him safe?
• Lyall is our final love interest, and he is a hulk of a man. This lovely, timid cinnamon roll might just be the most unfortunate of our characters. His eyes are golden and beautiful, but not everyone sees them that way. With a dark family history, he just wants to find somewhere to fit in.

𓆩♡𓆪

Romancing is fairly straightforward to follow in Bewitching Sinners, and you have plenty of time to get to know them all before you really need to make any choices. But do not miss their main events, as you won't be able to try again if you do. Taking characters on 'dates' gives you a chance to not only get to know them better but also charm them and increase their love metre. Touch them where they like, talk to them about topics they enjoy, and give them things they like.

Now you want money, right? No problemo! Gold is pretty damn easy to make. Primarily, you will make it by completing quests. You get these from the main characters and talking to random people around campus, and they often reward you with gold. Alternatively, you can fish and sell it back for money, but from experience, quests alone are more than enough to cover what you need. Completing - or not completing - different quests can change the game somewhat at certain points. Some are critical and can change your ending entirely, so make sure to keep track of those. While time management is not very significant here, exploring is. You can talk to many figures around the campus and, during the weekends, the town. From this, you'll gain potential quests and a lot of bits of dialogue as NPCs talk about events that have happened in game. You also have access to buy items, ingredients, and gifts, and soon a place to craft items like food and potions. Progressing romances, you'll also want to make sure you spend time with your target on some available days to max out their love metre.

The shining gem of Bewitching Sinners is its art. Miss Xero's art style is wonderful and unique, filling this game with some handsome sprites and absolutely gorgeous CGs. There's also a large amount of background and scenery. The price of this game for the art content alone is almost criminal, and I wish you luck in getting that 300+ image gallery filled! Another very pretty addition is the use of comic panels for some moments. It's absolutely beautiful and stylish, and there's even a fight scene where it is used perfectly.
Bewitching Sinners also includes some NSFW content. At the current state of the game, the developer considers it 16+, as these scenes do not go into much detail and are more of a "fade to black" situation. I enjoyed the nod to the mature content, and the art that was made to accompany such content is fantastic. If sales go well, there is a plan to make a full 18+ DLC.

𓆩♡𓆪

Overall, after playing Bewitching Sinners, I was left feeling the Otome/BL genres are quite blessed this year. I'd personally consider it the best release I've played so far in 2024, and if this is the content we're to get, this is going to be a great year. The worst part of this game was, honestly, the fact it ended. Since there are four romances and a few alternate endings, it'll definitely fill up some of your time and keep you entertained.

Otome Lovers wishes to thank Miss Xero for providing a free review copy for this game.

Review originally posted on Steam

Please follow our curator page, Otome Lovers, if you'd like to see more reviews like this one!