Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling review – an unbalanced flavor profile

While there are definitely parts I enjoyed about Sweet and Spicy Darling, there was a lot left to be desired

Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling / Reef Entertainment

I have played a lot of otome games and even more visual novels, but as I have never played the original Cupid Parasite, I was hesitant to play the fan disc Sweet and Spicy Darling. As the name suggests, fan discs are made for fans of the original game, and they offer extra stories for the characters you already love. Despite this, when the publisher sent the game with a box of chocolates, where each romanceable character has a different flavor attached to them, I decided to add some spice to my play. Here is my slightly unhinged review of Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling where I chose the order I played the stories according to how much I liked an accompanying themed chocolate.

Raul Aconite – Passion Fruit

Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling / Reef Entertainment

The passion fruit chocolate surprised me. It’s a flavor I’d never tried before and it was surprisingly smooth and bursting with taste. This fittingly describes Raul Aconite, a hunky movie star – which is not my usual type. The main part of the story is a slice of life, but the ending goes off the deep end. Like his chocolate, Raul appeared straightforward but revealed his depth later on, leaving me pleasantly surprised. He seemed like himbo but had a more intellectual side, and I didn’t regret getting to know him. I do regret that he couldn’t have an ending that showcased more of his sweet side.

Shelby Snail – Salted Caramel

I identified this as the chocolate I would enjoy the most, and it was sadly disappointing. I wanted more salt, more flavor, which demonstrated how I felt about our boy Shelby. I like slice of life, but when Shelby runs into trouble, he hides from me until it’s resolved instead of just telling me what’s worrying him. This is a trope in otome, but it just makes the characters seem a bit dim and socially inept. Shelby has his hero moment at the end, and this reminds me of how his chocolate ended up being one of my favorites – I just wish there had been more intensity.

Merenice Levin – Pistachio Rose

Merenice Levin - Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling / Reef Entertainment

The rose was far more potent than the pistachio and I wish it had been more balanced. However, this wasn’t a problem with Merenice, a fortune teller with his head in the clouds. He has genuine mystic powers and is interested in me because he can’t see my future. Merenice is different from the other darlings, as he plays more like a traditional otome instead of giving a sweet or spicy ending. Like Raul, his ending clashes with the rest of the story, but it’s more forgivable here as you feel more of an emotional attachment, which carries the unhinged ending where a trip to the desert leads to somewhere a little more out there.

Ryuki Keisaiin – Huntington Tea

I used to live in Japan, and one thing people don’t realize about Japan is its obsession with English tea. It makes sense that our Japanese husband Ryuki would enjoy the bitterness of his sweet. Ryuki is young and naive with no relationship experience, which leads to more silly miscommunication. I’ll forgive the fact that everyone in this story is acting a bit simple though, as the spicy ending lives up to that name. It’s simultaneously a situation that could – but probably won’t – happen to you; the escapism fantasy you want.

Gill Lovecraft – Hibiscus Honey

Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling / Reef Entertainment

I loved the flowery take of the hibiscus despite the honey being overly sweet, but what I dislike in chocolate I love in a partner. I usually love the sweet and nerdy guy who is very into me, but Gill tips over into the scary kind of into me. His whole personality becomes protecting me and making me happy, but in a way that makes my husband feel more like a stalker. Just back off Gill, let me go off and do my womanly things.

Peter Flage – Double Yuzu

Double yuzu is not a chocolate I enjoyed, but Peter Flage ended up as one of my favorites. By leaning into the supernatural aspects of the series, the bombastic ending doesn’t feel like a slap in the face. Peter is the things I like; kind, sensitive, and into me, without the desire to lock me in a cage for my own protection. There are frustrations, like things that could easily be solved if we just talked to each other, but that feels par for the course at this point.

Allan Melville – Black Forest

Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling / Reef Entertainment

Few games let you find out that a guy called Allan Melville is literally Satan, but then few chocolates make Black Forest taste gross. Allan is one of the best-written characters, with a storyline that is genuinely touching while including enough twists, turns, and resolutions to keep you on your toes. Like Peter, Allan puts the supernatural front and center, which stops these elements from feeling like whiplash. Allan makes you realize that even Satan has his sweet side. Wait, maybe that isn’t the message I should take away from this.

Conclusion

Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling is all over the place, mixing some touching slice-of-life storytelling and interesting character arcs with endings that explicitly juxtapose this for some exciting set piece. Playing this game without the original was a fun experience as parts of the other stories were slowly revealed to me, and I never felt as if I needed to play the first game. The choice to include only good endings, sweet, spicy, or balanced flavors, is a great addition and something I’ve noticed otome games trending towards. However, whether it is mixing up the genres, or using Greek and Roman god names interchangeably, something feels confused and lost. The truth is I don’t like chocolate, and while there are definitely parts I enjoyed about Sweet and Spicy Darling, there was a lot left to be desired. However, if you like to feel surprised rather than comforted, this is the selection box for you.

Score: 6/10

Version tested: Nintendo Switch