Variable Barricade

 Switch
Variable Barricade Image
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
tbd

No user score yet- Awaiting 1 more rating

Your Score
0 out of 10
Rate this:
  • 10
  • 9
  • 8
  • 7
  • 6
  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • Summary: A proposal within five seconds of meeting!? The mysterious handsome men who appeared in front of Hibari, the only daughter of distinguished Toujou family, were the groom candidates who had been sent by her natural enemy, her grandfather. Alerted by her intuition Hibari realized that thereA proposal within five seconds of meeting!? The mysterious handsome men who appeared in front of Hibari, the only daughter of distinguished Toujou family, were the groom candidates who had been sent by her natural enemy, her grandfather. Alerted by her intuition Hibari realized that there must be something more behind this. Why now? And anyway, who are these guys in the first place? Though she showed a firmly defiant stance toward this obviously suspicious situation, her grandfathers decision was absolute. While still surprised they were given a villa, and on the premise of a marriage proposal they started living together.

    The four men try to pursue her in many ways, aiming for the groom position. Within the dazzling days of seduction, Hibari resolutely makes her decision.

    “There’s absolutely no way I’ll fall for you!”    … Expand
Buy Now
Buy on

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. RPG Fan
    Mar 10, 2022
    94
    You can count on Variable Barricade to treat you to highly enjoyable love interests that are surprising in the best ways, and span some fun and whacky romance tropes. You can trust it to provide an incredibly well-rounded cast of both love interests and secondary characters, in addition to a protagonist with her own capacity for engaging character growth. And you can be confident that it will have you grinning from ear to ear from start to finish. With Variable Barricade, I’ve found not only the cure for my own Resting Bitch Face syndrome, but a genuinely loveable title that’s permanently wormed its way into my heart. Yes, it’s a heart that’s been running on otome games for quite some time by now, but Variable Barricade stands out in all the right ways with its mix of uproarious humor and heartfelt romance. No matter what mood you enter in, you’ll leave and think back on Variable Barricade with a smile.
  2. Noisy Pixel
    Feb 24, 2022
    90
    Variable Barricade was a great experience that subverted my expectations multiple times. From its unique flowchart system to the constant comedy punchlines, I could not stop playing. The interactions across every route kept me playing for hours. I said this once, and I’ll say it again: An otome game truly gets my high praise if it manages to make me lose track of time and keep going nonstop until I feel fatigued. And, Variable Barricade managed to check all of those boxes. So, if you’re looking to wind down with a comedic romance, look no further.
  3. TouchArcade
    Mar 2, 2022
    90
    Aksys Games has been selecting some superb otome visual novels to localize in recent years and Variable Barricade is one of the best in the genre on Nintendo Switch. With each newer release, it feels like the genre is becoming more accessible to those who aren’t fans of pure visual novels. If you’re a fan of otome games, you need to get Variable Barricade. For newcomers, this light-hearted experience might finally get you into the genre.
  4. Siliconera
    Feb 16, 2022
    80
    The whole game is a pleasant surprise. Given the premise, I wasn’t sure if I’d take to it. I mean, a grandfather deciding his high school-aged granddaughter is ready to be engaged and sending her to live with four suitors he selected? It gave me pause. But I really loved how things turned out. Hibari is a fantastic heroine, the bachelors are often a lot of fun, and its great pacing means Variable Barricade is a great way to spend some evenings.
  5. Nintenderos
    May 24, 2022
    80
    Without having supernatural elements or overly extravagant aspects, Variable Barricade is a fairly entertaining game, with a fun plot with no greater pretensions than to make us have a good time. If you are one of those who enjoy otome games, this is another strong candidate to be added to your list.
  6. NintendoWorldReport
    Mar 9, 2022
    65
    Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve now reviewed eleven games from the same developer in the last two years, but I’d really like to see them take some more risks with the endings in these romance games. Variable Barricade seemed like it would be the time, but the ending did leave me feeling a bit baited. But I accept that I’m part of a very small minority compared to the rest of the audience, and if you’re looking for romantic hijinx with a side of gritted teeth then climb over the barricade.
  7. GAMINGbible
    Feb 7, 2022
    60
    Perhaps this isn't the best the genre has to offer, then, but it's one for members of the otome armada who fancy a bit of a change from more extraordinary stories surrounding relatable matters of the heart.

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. yangshoe
    Apr 20, 2022
    9
    Absolutely amazing CG arts by the amazing artist duo Usuba Kageroo. This game has an abundance of high quality CGs. There are over 120 CGsAbsolutely amazing CG arts by the amazing artist duo Usuba Kageroo. This game has an abundance of high quality CGs. There are over 120 CGs which are all beautiful. The story seemed basic and ridiculous at first, but over time the puzzles fall into place. The music also took me in right away. There are three fully voiced tracks, an opening theme, a route completion theme, and a finale theme! The game tracks throughout were catchy, and some tracks were reminiscent of old school visual novels too, like Girls' GATE and Hibari's theme. I love Taiga's theme the most. Anyway, while I have some issues with minor parts of the story's characters, most things make sense, this is best otome game I've played in a while!!… Expand

Awards & Rankings

67
#67 Best Switch Game of 2022

Current Switch Games

Full List »
83 PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid's Curse
81 Death Howl
81 Love Eternal
81 Temirana: The Lucky Princess and the Tragic Knights
81 Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors
80 Lovish
80 Winter Burrow
80 Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection
79 R-Type Delta: HD Boosted
79 ChainStaff
79 Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth
79 Homura: The Crimson Warriors
78 Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream
78 Big Hops
78 Under The Island
77 Ariana and the Elder Codex
76 Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta
75 Pokemon LeafGreen Version
74 WiZmans World Re;Try
74 Hitman: Absolution
All Current Games »