FAQ

General

What is Tears of Themis?

Tears of Themis is a mobile otome game for iOS/Android published by Chinese game developer MiHoYo, notably also the creators of mobile RPG Genshin Impact. The game was first released in China and Taiwan in July 2020. In addition to the global server, it is also available in Japan and South Korea.

What is joseimuke / why do I frequently see this game and similar games in this genre labeled as otome?

Joseimuke is an all-encompassing term for media designed for a female audience -- things like otome, yaoi, shojo manga, etc.

Otome (maiden) games are a genre of video game that feature romance between the female lead character and her male love interests. The actual gameplay itself varies from title to title.

A simple rule of thumb is that all otome is joseimuke, but not all joseimuke is otome.

For a more in-depth overview of the topic, this article by Otome Obsessed offers an excellent break down of the distinctions in terminology: https://otomeobsessed.com/why-you-think-a-joseimuke-is-an-otome-game/

What is the point / objective / appeal of this game? Why should I play it?

If you’re not interested in the romantic elements of Tears of Themis, you may still find it appealing for it’s collection elements -- obtaining and leveling up your cards -- and/or for the visual novel element, as the main plot of the story is less focused on romantic development and more on the detective/mystery aesthetic (or at least it is at the time of writing).

I’m coming from Genshin Impact. How is this game different and what should I expect?

Unlike Genshin Impact, Tears of Themis does not have an open world and there are no avatars to control. It’s a visual novel with card collection by means of the gacha (or other tasks, but rarely.)

I’m coming from Mr. Love: Queen’s Choice or similar otome game. How is this game different and what should I expect?

MLQC and Tears of Themis are pretty similar in how they’re structured. You’ll collect cards from the gacha and power them up to use them to beat mission quests and other objectives to progress through the main plot and side stories.

How long is the story?

At the time of publishing, seven chapters have been released for the main plot in the CN server. Each male love interest also has their own personal side story, which at the time of publishing contains four chapters each.

Cards of SR and SSR rarity also come with side stories specific to the artwork of that card that consist of various sections each.

Progress in completing the available content will be dependent on a player's card collection and regulated by the limited nature of resources like stamina, but eventually most long-term players will complete all available main story and personal story content and be left to focus on card collection-related tasks, mini-games, and events while waiting for new content updates.

Are any of the choices in the story permanent, and will the story change depending on what I pick (for ex: if one guy is picked over another)

At the time of publishing there’s no indication that anything you choose will have a long-term effect on the story or is irreversible, nor does the game force you to choose one love interest over the others.

The romance development in Tears of Themis is highly dependent on the collection of cards for the love interests, from the base set but also from time-limited events that occur regularly. Otherwise, though, the romances are fixed, meaning that you can pursue.