Saccharine: A misleading sim date is a free online visual novel by Amiralo. You play as Branwen, a young woman trying to protect her sickly friend Isador, who has been accused of heinous crimes and is wanted by the royal authorities. When Branwen hears that the prince is searching for a bride, she sees a chance for them to escape the law. She has 30 days to woo the prince, but even if she succeeds, she may not be in for a happily ever after...
Saccharine, as alluded to by its subtitle, is not your typical romance game. Everyone, even Branwen, has their secrets, and how those secrets entwine unfolds as you unlock each romanceable character's route (initially, only Prince Ivan's route can be pursued, but you unlock new routes upon completion of the available ones). The game is marked adult for graphic violence and dark themes, but there is no sexual content. It can be played here
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Contains examples of:
- Artificial Human: Branwen herself ends up being one of these, Frankenstein-style.
- Babies Ever After: In Ivan's ending. It's not as happy as you'd think.
- Beta Couple: Ellyn, the girl who works at the inn, and Oswin, the town baker, can become this if you encourage them to get together. Actually serves a mechanical purpose as well; if they get together, they combine their businesses, and you can earn more money working for Ellyn.
- Bittersweet Ending: The true ending. Isador dies and Branwen is punished for aiding in his crimes, but the kingdom is free of Ivan's insanity. Years later, Branwen is managing to lead a somewhat normal life, and Dominicus drops by to return the childhood picture she drew of herself and Isador as a family, signifying that Isador kept the drawing because he truly did care for her.
- Black-and-Grey Morality: Branwen can do awful things to protect Isador, especially in Dominicus's ending, and the other bachelors are even worse.
- Butt-Monkey: Dominicus has it rough and arguably suffers the most misfortune (that isn't of his own doing) of the three possible love interests.
- Crapsaccharine World: Says so right in the title, doesn't it? The game's visuals are cheery pastels and cakes are the most popular food in the kingdom, but the storyline and characters are very messed-up.
- Easy Amnesia: Dominicus, in his ending gets hit in the head with a rock and develops amnesia.
- Failure Is the Only Option: None of the endings have Branwen succeed at her primary goal of keeping Isador safe. In Ivan's ending, Isador is killed by Dominicus. In Dominicus's ending, Branwen and Isador are forced to flee town and hide out in the woods with only the amnesiac Dominicus for protection. And in his own ending, he dies again, this time fighting Ivan off. Technically you fail at romance in all of the endings too; only in Ivan's route do you actually end up with the bachelor, and by then Branwen hates and fears him.
- Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: Prince Ivan's backstory explains why he grew to be the way he is, but it doesn't excuse what he did, nor do the characters absolve him once they learn the story.
- Hates Being Touched: Prince Ivan can't stand being touched by anyone but Branwen.
- Mystical White Hair: Branwen has silver-white hair, unlike anyone else in the kingdom.
- Multiple Endings: Each route has only one end where you romance the bachelor, but the game has at least three endings overall.
- Parental Substitute: Isador was one for Branwen, which makes her seeming romantic interest in him a bit... questionable. One could read it as non-romantic devotion as well, or Branwen not being able to separate familial love from romantic, but the implication is still there.
- Professional Killer: Isador is one, and Dominicus ends up being one for Branwen in his ending.
- The Reveal: While the game is up-front about not being a straightforward Dating Sim, the plot twist about one-third of the way through changes everything. As you might be able to tell, it's difficult to discuss the overall plot without going into the swerve.
- Serial Killer: What Isador is accused of being, though Branwen believes in his innocence and is searching for a way to keep him safe from the law. It turns out the accusations are true.
- Stepford Smiler: Once you get to know him, it becomes apparent that Ivan is not as put-together as he first appears, and town gossip informs you that he has issues stemming from a plague that afflicted the kingdom when he was a child, killing his mother among many others. He's also a psychopath and the one who commissioned Isador to murder women in order to create Branwen, his perfect woman, in the first place.
- Wham Shot: The portrait in the prince's palace is of Branwen herself.
