Yay or Nay?: A Knight's Devotion (Otome Game)

Sighhhhhhh, I just...I really tried here. I really tried for months to get through this game. I promise. For those of you who don't know, I mentioned this otome game-- A Knight's Devotion in one of my previous Voltage (aka now as Otome Romance-- which I want to repeat, is the worst name change ever since it's like the "No Name" Brand of otome but I digress) reviews, although forgive me I can't remember which one. Regardless I promised to get to it, and here we are! I started playing this game after Voltage offered daily free stories and one of these was Lute's route in the game. Since I had a little time to spare I figured, why not? Knights, princesses, medieval romance and adventure and all that! Also, I was a little upset since Voltage has released yet another new title since Masquerade Kiss and this title, like the previous, is yet again a Love Choice only story, and if I haven't stated, I avoid that system like the plague because it's scammy and greedy. That's a rant for another day, but I was feeling like some mobile otome, so I decided to pick up a game I dropped when I didn't have enough time (or patience as you'll see in this review) before. 

In other words, this game reminds me of my first introduction to this genre--which was Solmare's Ninja Love. And that was a chore to get through. But anyway, here we go, this is my review of Voltage (Otome Romance's) A Knight's Devotion-- Lute's Route. 

The Story 

Once upon a time, you're a girl living (I believe) in the Kingdom of Rapier in a quiet, sleepy village. Coming home through the woods, you spot some handsome men in armor and (gasp!) you realize they must be knights, of which you've heard tales of, but never seen, and who are treated with the utmost respect. Having gotten lost later in the self-same woods you were traveling through, you run into the knights, who escort you home to your brother-figure/caretaker/baker(?) Gaia. 

But SURPRISE! The Knights aren't congregating in your sleepy town for no reason. It seems they've come for you. You're the daughter of the King, the Princess, who was sent away at birth (and this story is so bland I honestly forget the reason why). The King has gone missing, and the Knights have gone to retrieve you and take you back to the castle so until the King is found, you can stand in his place. But along the way to the castle, hijinks follows and you fall in love (of course) with one of your knights. 

Wait, was there a reason for her being sent away? Because try as I may, I cannot remember this plot point. I want to say it was a cross between "it was dangerous at the time" and "for you to grow up normally and undisturbed as a citizen". This will bother me that I can't remember for the life of me. But it does set the tone for how I feel about the route I played. Bland, forgettable...

Like a saltine cracker. 

From this point, you're asked to pick your route and begin the game. And I'm beginning to think this was an early draft of Be My Princess. Except I loved that game more. And this game reminds me of a lesser cross between that and Solmare's (oddly) War of Prayers. Again. Two much BETTER games. 

My Thoughts (Lute's Route) 

Lute is...many things. Dutiful, good, responsible, reliable, and often times emotionless (at least for the first few chapters of the story). He's a model knight, and everyone admires him, even MC. The people of the castle admire him, and Lute has quite a few female admirers as well, although he doesn't quite notice it's for his looks or for romantic pursuits. He's your personification of chivalry-- in the courtly romance sense, probably not in the reality sense, and your Prince Charming. I believe he is the "true route" although I can't confirm this since I haven't had the chance to play other routes. But he is the first route suggested to you. 

Flawless characters like this bore me, and I didn't think that was the character I was setting myself up for when I chose this route. Like the story, I found him to be a saltine cracker equivalent. Nothing interesting, bland, and his story is equally that. Boring. Regardless, that's my personal opinion and not something I want to really critique the game for. I might find his route boring, but Lute's personality might be your taste. No, what I'm going to critique this game for is the lack thereof, of story. 

I understand the story isn't exactly the most "exciting" in terms of the fact that it can definitely be spiced up a bit. Plenty of games have taken this exact "simple" storyline, and turned it into really interesting, really twisted, and really awesome games to play. Even if you don't want that, there's plenty of ways that this "simple" plotline can be changed, or made more exciting. I say that because I felt that while playing through not even the story was interested in the story itself. Things kept getting diverted, or off-topic. Its one thing to divert a journey through the Princess and the chosen knight getting separated and stranded in the wilderness from the group and having to survive together (ie. an opportunity for the two to grow closer) as in Lute's route at the very beginning of their journey. That's not diverting, that's development because it gives the two characters an opportunity to get to know each other better. Diverting is when the story takes a 180 and the Princess (you) must pretend to be some random Count's bride because you scared off the original one, the knights have to track her down, and this Count turns out to be a real tyrant so you have to expose him.

Like...what? What happened to the story? Where'd it go? We're not even halfway through the story and already the story is bored of itself and decides to divert you from the original goal. No development, no reason for this. It would be different if say, something happened that indicated clues to the whereabouts of the King, but that's not really the case. It's merely an excuse to add some exposition and meat to an otherwise short story. The art is nice, nothing too noteworthy to mention. It's perfectly nice, if not maybe a little simplistic. But other than that I have no complaints. 

I just don't have the patience to deal with unfocused and uninteresting stories. I just really don't. It makes me angry and feels like I'm wasting my time when I could focus on other games or just other things, and perhaps it was this route, but that's exactly what it felt like. As if the game was dangling "keys" in front of me going "look at this, look at this! Knights, Princesses, Love!". But it wasn't really a put together story. At least not one that kept me well engaged. 

My Rating 

So yeah, wouldn't recommend you purchase this route at the very least. But perhaps go see if some of the other characters are offered for free trial. Maybe they'll be better than my experience was. 

My Rating: ⭐⭐.5 (2.5 Stars) 

Also, as a caveat, Merry Christmas to all our viewers! We hope you have a happy holidays this year and that you get some rest and relaxation with the holiday season ahead! 

~Meghan