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Collar x Malice
● Completed

Collar x Malice

Also known as Collar×Malice

Otome, Romance, Mystery, Thriller · by Otomate / Design Factory (Idea Factory) · published by Aksys Games · 2017

A young police officer wakes up with a poison collar locked around her neck and must hunt down the group behind a wave of terror in a sealed-off Shinjuku.

Who it's for: Players who want an otome game with a darker crime-thriller plot and real investigation stakes.

The story (spoiler-free)

Shinjuku has been walled off after a string of public killings tied to a mysterious group. Ichika Hoshino, a rookie officer, is attacked and wakes to find a collar on her neck that can inject a lethal poison at any moment.

She teams up with a band of former detectives who now operate outside the police, each with a personal history connected to the case. Investigation segments, deduction and danger set the pace, with romance developing alongside the case.

It is one of the more serious, mature-leaning otome titles available in English, with each route tackling a different strand of the conspiracy.

Where to play

PlatformEditionEnglishHow to get it
Switch ↗Switch edition (2020)YesPurchase
PS VitaPS Vita edition (2017)PS Vita store; current purchase not checkedYesPurchase

Why play it

  • +Tense crime-thriller plot rather than pure romance
  • +Investigation and deduction mini-segments add variety
  • +Routes each tackle a different part of the mystery
  • +Strong voice cast and polished presentation

Keep in mind

  • −Console only in English (Switch, PS Vita)
  • −Dark subject matter will not suit everyone
  • −Long playtime to see every route

Content warnings

Show 6 content warnings
violencebloodterrorismdeathsuicide themesabuse

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Complete game; a fan disc (Collar x Malice -Unlimited-) was released separately. Playtime: VNDB player average (~55h, 92 votes). One-time purchase; no PC version in English. Rating: ESRB M (Nintendo eShop).

Sources: VNDB entry, Nintendo eShop page, VNDB release list.