Step into a bustling indie studio where code meets creativity, and every choice shapes not only your story but your heart. Talents, Izumi Games’ new otome visual novel, invites players to live out the dream of building a game—while navigating romance, rivalry, and real-world hustle.
“Talents is a romance slice-of-life visual novel that follows an aspiring game writer who teams up with a talented and rowdy group of co-founders to chase success in the game development world. Blending drama, comedy, and heartfelt moments, the story explores creativity, ambition, and relationships.” explained Talents’ sole developer, Izumi in an email interview with The Gaming Districts.
A Day in the Studio
When you launch Talents, you become a fledgling game writer joining a motley crew of creatives. The air buzzes with possibilities as you brainstorm plots in meetings, troubleshoot buggy builds, and share late-night snacks over design debates. Along the way, you’ll encounter the following: Four romanceable co-founders who are a musical composer, a vibrant artist, a whip-smart programmer, and a driven CEO. Then there are two special characters: a wise mentor and a meta narrator, each offering unique insights. The game has over 100,000 words of branching dialogue, complete with partial English voice acting and 50+ hand-drawn CGs.
Your writing skill is literally put to the test through mini-game prompts that unlock secret scenes and shape endings. Succeed, and you forge deeper bonds; stumble, and unexpected “bad” endings await.
The Vision Behind Talents
Talents is more than an interactive romance, it’s Izumi’s love letter to her fellow Filipino indie developers. As she explains:
“The game was born from a desire to promote the game development industry and the otome genre here in the Philippines. When I first started writing the concept and prologue, the local game dev scene felt almost invisible.” said Izumi.
Having studied game development online and connected with creators worldwide, Izumi saw both the potential and the challenges Filipino indies face. She wanted Talents to shine a spotlight on their passion, inviting players to feel the excitement and setbacks of building original IP from scratch.
“It’s more than just a game. It’s my personal love letter to creativity.” they added.
Inspiration and Heart
Where did a love story set in a game studio originate? Surprisingly, from a Korean drama:
Izumi adds, “The main inspiration for this actually came from a Korean drama called Start-Up. It’s a business-focused story set in the tech industry, and I was drawn to how accurate and informative it was, even with a touch of romance fiction.”
They also credit those on-screen insights, along with their own personal journey, to guiding the overall narrative choices of the game.
“I also believe God guided me by giving me bits of personal experience that helped me write this story. From challenges I faced to the people I met, everything seemed to line up in a way that gave the narrative more heart and depth.” they said.
Branching Paths, Countless Endings
Talents offers six distinct story routes, each with its own themes and surprises:
| Route | Focus | Key Moment |
| Composer | Harmony in creativity | Overcoming creative differences—and each other |
| Artist | Identity through visuals | Finding a new dream |
| Programmer | Solving code and conflicts | Overcoming prototype challenges and personal struggles |
| CEO | Leadership and sacrifice | Unraveling the truth behind the studio |
| Alexis (Extra) | An antagonist’s point-of-view | Sharing the past of the antagonists |
| Otome (Extra) | The value of having talents | Making an Otome game in a team full of men |
Decisions in dialogue and mini-game performance determine which of 19 endings you’ll experience, from triumphant launches to bittersweet farewells.
What’s Next for Talents
Since its demo debut, Talents has proudly represented Southeast Asian indie talent at festivals like Otome Jam, the Philippine Game Development Expo, and Anime Expo 2025. Awards for storytelling and innovation have followed, underscoring its role as both an engaging romance and a beacon for underrepresented developers.
While the base game is complete and accolades pouring in, Izumi isn’t done sharing her journey. Fans can look forward to a digital behind-the-scenes book, packed with concept art, scrapped ideas, development diaries, and even a quiz to test your studio savvy:
“We’ll be launching a digital behind-the-scenes book soon! It’ll feature the development process, scrapped concepts and art, character profiles, fun trivia, a quiz, and even exhibitor diaries.” said Izumi.
Whether you’re drawn to its writing mini-game, the richly detailed studio life, or the promise of multiple romantic outcomes, Talents offers a fresh take on otome storytelling. Add it to your wishlist on Steam or try the demo on Itch.io, and prepare to write your own chapter in the vibrant world of game development.
Talents is now available for download on both Steam and Itch.io for $19.99 (with regional pricing on Steam). The visual novel supports Windows, Mac, and Linux and is fully playable in English.
To learn more about the game, connect with Izumi Games through their official socials on Twitter, Facebook, Itch.io, WordPress, Bluesky
