#om criticism

[sugarandspice-games]

Me: I'd like to see the boys overcome their unhealthy tendencies and learn to be better from it so they can have healthier relationships with MC and each other--

The angel event: 😏

Me: OH GOD NOT LIKE THIS. NOOOOO

[sugarandspice-games]

Also like, Simeon's characterization here was REALLY OOC. You're telling me that this angel who was HAPPY to see Lucifer starting to grow in the Devildom and learn to trust people, who brought Luke there to learn that demons aren't always bad, who in general isn't a stickler for the rules, is 100% fine with whatever fucked up bullshit that was?

And look, like. I love evil and sadistic characters, I'm a villain fucker from the word go, so if Simeon turned out to be evil? It wouldn't stop me from simping for him, I would simply just love my evil terrible angel man and not make excuses for him. And sure, there might be something shady about him! I don't know! But the fact that he's just willing to brainwash Lucifer and his brothers, especially when he canonically loves Lucifer so much? I dunno, I don't buy it.

[sugarandspice-games]

S*lmare: Hmmm, we wanna show what the brothers were/would be like as angels, if only there was some way to go back in time... hmmm... guess the only thing we can do is this creepy mind control route

Barbatos, who needs more love:

[sugarandspice-games]

Anyway I'm gonna keep rambling bc I feel like... this is an important statement for me to make here about this game. But what I really need to say is this: for me, when I say that I want the characters to overcome toxic tendencies and etc, it doesn't mean I wanted them to not be themselves or act the way they acted in this event at all.

What do I mean by that? Well...

The thing is, everyone has toxic traits whether they know it or not. And having a toxic trait itself isn't a sin. Being jealous, or insecure, or possessive, or angry? Those things are fine in a relationship 100%. However, 1) you can't afford to act on those things 24/7 and 2) if those things result in you taking an action that hurts someone, you can't do that thing again and you must unpack and work on those traits.

I'm okay with, for example, Lucifer and Belphie being possessive. We all get possessive in a relationship. Hell, Sugar and I are polyamorous and sometimes WE get possessive over each other. It's natural to crave the majority of someone's attention and affection when you love them. But what I'm not okay with is that possessiveness *actually hurting MC*. Some of Lucifer's stuff, depending on your choices (and by that I mean, if your MC isn't horny for him 24/7), veers into dubcon territory, same with Belphie's. While I'm aware that they're demons, consent is consent. (Don't you need consent and trust to form a pact anyway...?) If they're being possessive and MC is fine with it, that's one thing, but I'd like to see them both learn to take no for an answer without immediately being hurt or angered. That DOESN'T mean they have to stop being possessive, just that they shouldn't let it get the better of them, and that they shouldn't take a "no" from MC personally. People don't belong to other people, they belong to themselves. And saying "no" to someone doesn't mean you don't love or care for them, it just means that you don't want what they're trying to do. There are a lot of reasons to say no to someone and people should respect those reasons.

And Levi, for another example, is very insecure. I'm aware that it's part of his characterization to be insecure and unconfident, and that it'll probably never change either. That's okay. It's alright to not believe in yourself. I understand and relate 100%, it's really difficult. But what's not okay is disbelieving MC's affections because of that insecurity. And I say this because.

Yes. I have been in Levi's shoes before. Where you believe that you're not good enough and never will be. That nobody could ever love you and that anyone who says that is lying. I get it... but. I have also been MC. I've been the one who loves and adores someone to death, and when you love and love and love someone with your whole heart, and you still know that despite your efforts to show them that love, that they will never, ever believe that you love them? That shit hurts, and it kills relationships. I don't think Levi has to learn to believe in himself 100% to have a healthy relationship with MC, but he does need to learn to believe in MC. To believe that MC loves him when they kiss him, and that when they spend time with his brothers, it's not because they don't want to spend time with him.

And like, I'm aware that these things *haven't actually hurt MC in game yet* (aside from Belphie straight up murdering them, but that's unrelated to his toxic trait). We haven't seen MC cry over those things. But therein lies the problem. MC isn't allowed to be hurt by those things, or sad, or angry. MC isn't allowed to call them on it, and because of that, they don't learn. And yeah, I know this is an otome game and this stuff is all par for the course, but man... couldn't it be beautiful if it was different? Wouldn't it be great to see a character making that kind of effort for you? Wouldn't that make you feel the most loved of all, to see them overcome their fiercest demons just for you?

I don't know. I just have a lot of feelings.

[sugarandspice-games]

Alrightie, so. Spice has said his piece about The Angel Event so I figured I should say mine: I am not the hugest fan personally. The writing was sloppy and weak-- we could have gone a different route and I won’t echo too much but the meat of having the brothers’ be ‘softer’ or ‘redeemed’ or whatever term is not in the words but in the actions...

Now, I am a sucker for angst and maybe this is a set up for a large overarching theme with the archangel (and I suspect Michael is... not as good as Luke think he is) but man, the actions of the brothers is borderline painful and MC, Diavolo, and Simeon don’t bat an eye at this.

It isn’t bad for people to overlook things, sometimes it happens, but the Devil Prince usually has a bit more of an awareness of things, especially the comfort of Lucifer. While he may not always be able to cater to those needs, he at the very least is aware and in this event, Dia, I’m so sorry that made you seem so frivolous while your friend is uncomfortable. 

Simeon is also hinted to be a bit of a rebel and yet... he lets the brothers put on the bangles almost gleefully and it is a stark shift that has me scratching my head. Since when has Simeon been sadistic in a way that is malicious?

Again, I’m with Spice-- I love my evil, irredeemable villians when they are just that-- consistently ireedemable and evil. I like my morally grey/neutral characters and while Simeon, Solomon, and Dia seem to fall into that scale... They have their hues they settle into and Simeon definitely settles into the lighter end.

So, what’s up with this, Devs?

Also, my heart was absolutely ripped out for Levi. 

For me, loving someone means loving the negative as well as the positive aspects. That means not being afraid to call them out of their problematic behavior, and encouraging to grow into healthier ways, but also appreciating the things that may be annoying and not so great. I would have loved to have had a Levi confession but not at the expense of ripping away his interests. He asks if his identity is based on being an otaku and it isn’t-- Levi is also the Admiral of Hell, he is insecure, he is very unsure of how to show affection, shy, passionate, funny, and determined. He puts his mind to learning dances, creating foods from mangas, and creating costumes. His being an ‘otaku’ translates into many hobbies and possibly, talents but his self-imposed isolation and unwillingness to see himself cripples him and we were ROBBED OF A PROPERLY CUTE CONFESSION BECAUSE IT, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES ISN’T REAL!

It feels hollow, awkward, and wrong because it is. There isn’t anything of Levi in it.

Satan is in pain when he talks with MC.

Lucifer and Beel probably have traumatic memories associated with their respective angel forms and yet, it is played as a joke and you see why the brothers are how they are as demons-- the wounds that make them unable to resist temptation: Angel! Beel feels that he is not kind enough and is willing to starve and not take care of himself; Asmo and Mammon are willing to give away things that are important to them to seem ‘good’ and to be ‘good’...

Maybe demons aren’t perfect but selfish isn’t an inherently evil word and therein lies the whole issue I have with the event.

The demon brothers are selfish as demons and they are selfless in a very dangerous way under the bangles spell... and therefore, no amount of cute confessions and altruistic actions will make this sit right because it is fake and forced and painful.

I appreciate the event. the outfits, the glimpses into what could have/might have been, but I can’t overlook what I feel is a disservice to the boys and their fans. They deserved better.