Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs

It has been a journey, not going to denied this is a good read (I gave it a 7/10) however not a strong one (I can only gave it a 7/10). I believe to most of us light novel is an undiscovered gold mine and unlike amines there is no aging for literatures so there are plenty gems hidden in the depth of the light novel world. Thus, although "Otome Game Sekai wa Mob ni Kibishii Sekai desu" is good enough, the others are just better. If you decide to give it a try I highly recommend to read this novel accompany with its spin-off"Ano Otome Game wa Oretachi ni Kibishii Sekai desu"(IF: Mari line) to have a much full filled experience. Let me explain... *When I mentioning earlier volume I am generally referring to Arc 1(first year) and first half of Arc 2(second year) Character: The most important part for any story in my opinion, and in terms of characters this novel is semi-ok (very mid). For main characters, aside from the MC Leon, Mari, and Luxion got a sort of decent development the others are barley got any attention given to their characters especially the harm girls they are pretty boring and serve strictly as plot devices I think they take more of a side-liner supporting roles even compares to Mari's gang (the 5 idiots). On the other hand, the spin-off(IF: Mari line) introduces new perspectives to and from different characters while providing them space to be developed which makes their characters more dimensional than just flat harm girls. The actual side-liner supporting characters in this novel is positively ok, there are many characters were introduced through out the journey and they do affect the overall direction of the story and sort of memorable where I could recall their involvement of the story when their name appeared during the final finale but who is he/she still the first thing comes in my mind no one really stand out. World building: The world building is quite 'loose' in the earlier volumes which you can tell the author was just thinking on the fly which also did get a confirm during epilogue. After the world building takes off majorly of the dots got connected and the world structure got expended, it is a pretty interesting world and personally I am satisficed. Plot: "Otome Game Sekai wa Mob ni Kibishii Sekai desu" is a power fantasy with harm elements, cannot give much detail without spoiler but plot is where this novel shine. The MC is reincarnated in a dating sim with game knowledge but as a side character (duh as title suggested), so we can get a reality check of the clichés and tropes of the dating sim from a bystander's perspective where the simple fantasy clashes with complex social norm and expectation shifts with MC's perspectives when he is not the MC of the 'story'/dating sim which a lot twists and turns. The 'under dog actually overpowered' + 'bad guy is actually good' type of tropes was used a lot in the earlier volumes, and as a power fantasy the MC always overpower the norms and expectations to become the true MC of the 'story'. In the later volumes, it is just world saving power fantasy mixed with political dramas while more world building and random events keeps being introduce... To be honest I do prefer the earlier volumes but the later volumes also have their charms, which always makes me wondering what if the MC didn't get into the spot light due to the nature of the power fantasy and where the plot is heading if the MC stays in the shadow and makes different options? this is where the spin-off(IF: Mari line) comes in, if the "Otome Game Sekai wa Mob ni Kibishii Sekai desu" is the alternative-line(where the MC actively intervenes the 'story' of the dating sim) then the spin-off "Ano Otome Game wa Oretachi ni Kibishii Sekai desu" would be the side-line (where the MC intervenes much less? with the prior knowledge of the true ending/alternative-line it actually could be more) and follows more truly towards the game progression, however as we already knowledge in both parent and spin-off this world is much more complex than it seem and since the spin-off has been only been half way of the Arc 1 (web version goes further) there is no telling of which ending is going to be the better or worst yet... To sum up, this is a quite good light novel to read if you decide to read it. Is it a mind-blowing masterpiece? no; Is there better reads out there? yes; Am I regretting to read it? NO!