Otome Senki

About
Otome Senki (literally translating to "Maiden's War Record") is a turn-based dungeon-crawling RPG by Alicesoft. It was first released in 1995 for PC-98 systems exclusively for members of the Alicesoft User Club before receiving a wider re-release for Windows 95 on the company's SYSTEM 3 engine in 1997 as part of the Alice's Cottage 9 compilation disk.

A relative rarity among Alicesoft titles, Otome Senki features no explicit content whatsoever. While it features original artwork by MIN-NARAKEN, one of the company's in-house artists, many of its assets, most obviously its enemy designs, are reused from Toushin Toshi II. It is also fairly sparse in terms of story, with an emphasis being placed on the player creating their own ideas of how the characters interact in the vein of an older role-playing game.

Otome Senki is noteworthy for taking place on The Continent, the primary setting of the Rance Series. It is an indirect prequel to Kichikuou Rance set during Oda Nobunaga's conquest of the nation of JAPAN that incorporates multiple concepts introduced in the Alice Blue title Kakure Tsuki, such as Youkai and Nuhe. Though it is no longer considered to be canon to the Rance series following several major setting changes introduced in Sengoku Rance, aspects of its design, most prominently the classes used by its playable characters, influenced the aforementioned game. Similarly, its gameplay structure, a timed first-person 3D dungeon-crawler in the style of the Wizardry series, would later be revisited in varying capacities by the Alicesoft games Rance VI and Galzoo Island.

Gameplay
Otome Senki places the player in control of a party of nine female JAPANese warriors who must traverse Crow's Labyrinth, a dungeon in the southern Yamato region, to rescue the kidnapped Kyouhime of Hara House to restore their fallen nation. Four of the nine women can actively participate in battle at a time, with the option to swap between party members being available at any time outside of battle. Each character specializes in a different form of combat that makes them more or less suited for facing certain enemies, making it important to play to their strengths.

Dungeon exploration is done from a first-person perspective with the player being able to move in each of the four cardinal directions. Each floor of the labyrinth contains one or more elevators which must be found to move to a deeper level. Every time a new floor is cleared, the player is treated to a sequence revealing the backstory of one of the nine party members.

While a conventional turn-based role-playing game in terms of combat, Otome Senki has a prominent dimension of time and resource management to its gameplay. The player has thirty days to complete all ten floors of Crow's Labyrinth, with each action taken removing a portion of the available time. Furthermore, every playable character has a set amount of stamina that is depleted each time they take part in battle and will be rendered unusable once that value has been exhausted. Healing items are available, but are found only in limited quantities and must be rationed carefully. Both health and stamina can be fully replenished by exiting from the dungeon and returning to the party's base camp at the cost of 24 in-game hours. Characters are also able to Level up at the base camp by visiting Ando Shinemon after gaining 1,000 experience points. There is no shopping system, meaning that all items and equipment must be obtained from the dungeon. The game is automatically saved every time the party leaves the dungeon, steepening the risk of exiting even more.

Plot
June of LP0002,

A small country located on the easternmost edge of the world, JAPAN.

The land is divided into several warring nations that fight constantly to capture each other's territory.

In one such nation, there is a clan that serve as guardians to the Great Buddha statue at Yamato Castle. It is known as Hara. The Hara family was attacked many times by other countries, but with the aid of well-trained samurai, formidable Diviners, excellent Ninja, and talented commanders was able to repel each and every one.

However, this time was different.

June 15, LP0002...

The last of Hara's armies has been cornered at Todaiji Temple. Though called an army, its numbers are less than half its original size and most of its soldiers are injured. Behind it sits the Great Buddha that it is sworn to protect, wearing the same peaceful smile as usual.

What could it have been to have managed to hunt Hara's elite forces down so far?

Several soldiers line up at the front gates of Todaiji Temple. Each holds their weapons at the ready, prepared to charge at any time when given the command.

At the center of the army, mounted atop a particularly large horse, is a man wearing western-style footwear. Oda Nobunaga, the general leading the assault.

Over the last few years, Nobunaga's army has seized control over its neighboring territories using underhanded tactics and soldiers with the strength of Monsters. The Hara family now stands as the next target on its path of destruction.

A sword is raised. A battle cry echoes through the battlefield.

And in an instant the Hara family is no more.

July of LP0002,

Nobunaga enters his new territory of Yamato Castle. He finds what he had been looking for on the top floor of the main building. The only surviving member of Hara's ruling family, Kyouhime.

"Hmm... I had heard you were beautiful, but you really are quite something."

Nobunaga's tone drips with admiration and slight surprise. Kyou meets his words with a glare, maintaining a firm will. If she did not, she would lose herself to the suffocating fear steadily enveloping her body.

Kyou answers, her voice quavering.

"Nobunaga... I have heard rumors of you. You kill every member of the ruling clans of the countries you conquer, even the vassals... Please, I do not care what happens to me, but... my home... my vassals... Please have mercy on them...!"

Nobunaga grins at Kyou's serious expression.

"...Interesting! Well then, Kyouhime, I shall grant you a chance to earn my mercy. We'll decide it with a simple game. If you win, I'll consider allowing you to rebuild your house. But, if I win... Do you know what will happen?"

Kyou nods in understanding, clenching her lower lip to stop a scream.

"Good. But I wonder, Kyouhime, if there is any way for us to ensure that you cooperate?"

Without waiting for a reply, Nobunaga turns back his heels and exits.

A few days later, Nobunaga releases a proclamation to the surrounding area.

"Kyouhime has been trapped in Crow's Labyrinth. Should the brave former warriors of Hara challenge the labyrinth and rescue her, I promise to authorize the reconstruction of their household."

Crow's Labyrinth. A place where sinners are sent to die; to Nobunaga it is like a playground. Many monsters lurk within it, eager for new prey to arrive.

The people tilt their heads in astonishment after hearing the decree. It was far too generous of an offer to take at face value. The samurai of Hara would have no trouble accomplishing such a task.

However, one of the people present suddenly realizes something and speaks up.

"Who will go? All of Hara's samurai are gone... Wait, are there even any men left?"

They look around. Only old men, women, and children seem to have been spared the wrath of Nobunaga's army. None are likely to wield a sword against a beast.

At that moment, everyone understood that this challenge was yet another way for Nobunaga to torment them. He was teasing their destruction like a lion toys with its prey before taking a bite.

Time passes. Now, nine people stand together to challenge the Labyrinth. They were brought there by their own power, not having been ordered to do so by anyone.

There are no men gathered among them, however. Only young girls.

Women are unlikely to fight in JAPAN, yet each of them is armed and dressed for combat. One with a sword, one with a spear, one who seems to be a diviner...

Yet the hands that grip the weapons are awkward. The armor rests on their bodies unnaturally, as though being worn for the first time.

But there is no trace of fear in the girls' eyes.

They pass through the front gate, said to be impossible to exit from once entered.

The door slowly closes behind them. They do not care.

They have no intention of leaving until they free the princess.