In a nutshell

The MC is thrown into the midst of a pack of wolves (or, in this case, high school boys — which is practically the same thing) when her parents enroll her in Shinran High — an all-boys school that has recently opened its doors to girls. Unfortunately (or, fortunately — depending on whom you ask — especially if it’s the MC’s mom), she happens to be the ONLY girl to take the offer!

On top of that, since her parents are moving to Malaysia for her dad’s work and because their old home is far from her new school, the MC ends up boarding with a bunch of ‘bad boys’ in an all-boys dorm connected with the school.

(clockwise from L) Ryoji, Keiichiro, Rei, Akira, Yu, Bad Boys Do It Better ©Voltage Inc.

Now surrounded by BOYS, BOYS, and even more BOYS both in school and at home, the MC cannot hope to escape your standard reverse-harem roster:

[Sarcastic x Mr. Confident]

RYOJI RYUKAI (Check out my review!)

The ‘king of bad boys’ who, for all his fighting and class-cutting abilities, turns into a hopeless bundle of blushing nerves when it comes to girls — especially the MC.

[Cool x Space Case]

REI TODO

His apparently cold and aloof demeanor belies just how deeply and passionately he can love the people and things he does care about — books, his dorm mates, and the MC.

[Stubborn but Sweet x Firecracker]

YU AGATSUMA

The class clown and resident jock. His single-minded devotion to basketball makes him think that there is no room in his life (or heart) for love — until the MC comes along.

[Mysterious x Playboy]

AKIRA SAKAKI

Notorious even among his dorm mates for being ‘a lover, not a fighter’. His ‘perverted’ tendencies are not lost on the MC, who does her best to avoid him — until she discovers a secret that reveals the hurting boy behind his smooth-talking player facade.

[Awkward x Manly]

KEIICHIRO MINASE

Quiet and gives off an older brother vibe. He is quick to support his dorm mates, restore order, and soothe ruffled feathers, but doesn’t hesitate to call things as they are — in a way that everyone can accept. Still, he is far from boring because his ‘maturity’ is also evident in his relationship with the MC — in more ways than one. Route COMING SOON! Main Story and Epilogue OUT NOW!

BBDIB had me seriously ROFL-ing from Prologue to Epilogue. This is Voltage’s FUNNIEST English-language game, IMHO (I’m not sure about the JP ones ‘coz I don’t play them). The new-fangled (LOL) moving graphics also helped make all the funny, romantic, and dramatic moments even more so.

I had my reservations about one or two ‘Bad Boys’, but all of the characters released so far — as well as the supporting cast and the MC — have managed to steal my heart (not to mention my credit card). I thank God that Voltage made the MC her own sassy person (FINALLY!!!) who could hold her own in a house and a school full of boys — without losing any of her teenage femininity. I loved how she didn’t go all boy crazy and fall head-over-heels in love into the lap of the first ‘Bad Boy’ she met (she could teach other, older MCs a thing or two). In fact, I think the boys and the MC were completely believable and sympathetic teenage characters — especially when it came to how unsure they were about what they wanted to do with their lives, and how to deal with love, authority figures, raging hormones, crises, and the opposite sex.

Individual route reviews to follow.