Vehura Reviews – Sweet Scandal [My Love Report]

Some handsome guys. Hooray!

[Picture: some handsome guys. Hooray!]

Note: This review is NOT for Sweet Scandal Returns even though, storywise, they are the same game.

Note: This game has since been discontinued and removed from app stores. Thus, can no longer be played.

Sweet Scandal is a free to play otome game by OKKO/Arithmetic where the basic premise you are a journalist who has been given your dream assignment: control over the famous women magazine Queen’s very popular ‘Total Coverage’ section. When this review was posted, three potential routes are available.

The game is a pretty easy play through, like most games of this genre, you are given five tickets daily for free to play through the story where every few scenarios you will be asked to make a reaction choice through 3 selections with affection ratings of one, three, and five.

This is one of the first games I began playing and I found it to be a fun, simple game for a first time player who is curious about otome games but don’t want to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of things that can be in these games.

The three characters you get to choose from all hit the different tropes. Their varying jobs (writing, tennis, and photography) creates a different experience between routes. You also get to meet the other characters who’s route you didn’t pick in the game you are playing. So, you can get a little more insight into their personalities.

Overall a nice game. Writing is pretty good and the love interests are overall good. I feel bad for the MC in Amasawa’s route though as he seems to enjoy playing with her and she doesn’t really seem to like it. :/

Anyway, now it’s time for me to break down my opinions about Sweet Scandal.

Pros:

• Free love gacha is nothing but affection boosts with clothes. Why is this pro? Because free clothes AND affection! After finishing one character’s route with so much affection, I could stop worrying if I was making the +5 decisions about 2 chapters early. When I started another, I was already up 18 affection points, which is pretty awesome. You get love gacha via logging in 7 days consecutively, dressing up your friends, and playing the mini game.
• Mini game is adorable. Before I maxed out my friends, I played it several times a day and got really good at it. My top score was 1745000, which netted me (heh, net) 200 love!
• Scenario Re-reads. At any point, if you want to go back and re-read a scenario, there is a place on the menu to do that.
  
• Getting together with your Love Interest does not mean the game is over. The game goes on for a few chapters after the final realization of each others feelings and I love that. I’m not talking about an epilogue that some games have. I’m talking you are still making decisions that affect your points.

Cons:

• No CG gallery. You’re just gonna have to screenshot it. 🙁
• Picking your route blind. In some games, you get to meet your potential love interests. Not here (or with most OKKO/Arithmetic games). Read the little blurb on their graphic and just hope for the best. Though, if you know the different tropes, it’s pretty easy to tell which character in this game has which personality just by looking at him.

Tip(s):

• Friend as many people as possible (50 max). Yes, it is a bit of a chore to spend a few minutes every day saying hi to all your friends, but you get love points for the free capsule that can give you clothes to up your affection rating. It can come in handy if you are trying to play without a walkthrough.
• Until you max out your friends, play that mini game until you plays are depleted twice daily. It is silly, yet fun watching a chibi Misato bounce around the screen.
• Login in everyday. Just open the app, tap past the login in screen and then, if you don’t plan on playing, exit. You get 500 free love points every 7 days of logging in to use in the love capsule machine.

Another note: there are extra story gacha available in the capsule machines. These cost gacha tickets which cost platinum to purchase. Platinum can only be acquired by spending real world cash, installing apps/completing actions, or getting people to install the game using your invite code. Each ticket is 300 platinum or $3.05USD to purchase. It is up to you if you want to do these. The bonus to this is not only do you get an extra story, but you also obtain an item that boosts your affection. If you obtain a rare item, it unlocks another scenario for you to read.

That’s about it. Like I said, this game doesn’t have a lot going on it, so it’s a pretty basic, dare I say more casual otome game.

Enjoy! And if you decide to play, my invite code is: eRs6DS. 100 free platinum for both of us is pretty sweet. 😉