Want to try a different genre of video games aside from the usual gameplay of killing monsters or enemies? Give Visual Novels a try.
Visual Novel (VN) is a genre where you follow a narrative. Along with text are characters who are usually voiced, to give you a feel that you are talking to them. You are given choices that will decide how the story goes.
A few popular anime series are based on VNs such as CLANNAD and STEINS;GATE. As such, you may access hidden storylines or get to know some titles not yet animated!
Watch out though! Some VNs are not for younger audiences. Always check the game rating.
I play otome games which are catered to women. It’s a dating simulator where your choices cause changes in their affection towards you. It’s perfect for women with lonely hearts.
But most popular VNs are catered towards men. Some even have an R18 rating so always check before you buy/play. Do not let the R18 rating deceive you though, some have good storylines!
Some VNs have romance, while some do not.
The following is a list of a few VNs which can cater to both men and women.
15. Long Live the Queen (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux)
Live the life of a Crown Princess Elodie constantly threatened by assassination. Guide her through coronation as she studies royal demeanor, public speaking, and even magic. How can you stay alive when people want to get rid of you to sit at the throne?
Most kids had a Tamagotchi which they raised until forgotten. This game is like having one again, except that you have to take care of the Crown Princess targeted by assassins. Along with keeping her alive, hone her skills needed to lead as the Queen. Skills are categorized into four: social, physical, intellectual, and mystical. This game doesn’t focus much on marriage, so this can be played by both men and women.
What makes this game interesting is that you most likely will get killed early in the game and you’ll repeat it as if you’re coming back in revenge. This also involves the use of tactics and political thinking, even with the cute art. It’s a mix of cute and dark, brought to you by Hanako Games.
14. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy (Windows, NSW, PS4, XBO, 3DS)
Defend your clients as defense attorney Phoenix Wright of the Wright Anything Agency. Beside you are your assistant and her cousin, who have spiritual powers which can help you see the truth. Of course, you will have to use your investigative abilities to get clues and evidence.
The first thing that came to mind when I saw the trailer was Detective Conan, only that you are not a little kid and you’re an attorney instead. The search for clues remains the same. As an attorney, you will have to stand in trial and know when to say objection as you hear the witnesses’ statements which may contradict the evidence that you have. Your innocent clients are framed so it is up to you to find the truth.
13. Baldr Sky (Windows)
WARNING: This game may contain sexual content.
Kou Kadokura has been accepted into Seishu Academy with remarkable talent as a simulacrum pilot, and yet he woke up in a fully adult body being called “Lieutenant”. His life mission is to find justice for lives lost in a tragic event, but his memories have so many gaps. As he continues to pursue justice, he also seeks his lost memory. Can he succeed with the world against him and his goals?
The trailer showed that this game has ventured into action to go along with its visual novel genre. For those looking for more activity in the usual narratives of VNs, this is for you. Follow a dystopian world in this game where nanomachines have been developed. However, this game holds several hours of playtime which may or may not be good depending on your preferences. Nevertheless, Baldr Sky has excellent story writing. Don’t let the cliché synopsis fool you.
12. eden* (Windows)
The final love story on the planet.
Threatened with the end of the world, the unified government initiated the evacuation of all mankind into space. To do that, genetically modified human beings were developed called “felixes.” Sion, the most gifted of the felixes, has been kept in a research facility for the past hundred years. Ryou Haruna, a soldier from the unified government, was sent to watch over Sion. The felix simply wants freedom from her imprisonment imposed by the military.
Brought by minori that also gave us ef, I have high hopes for the drama of this game. Not to mention that they developed a playstyle that diverts from the usual visual novels. The game is like a movie, which shows several images and subtitles. Along with the much enjoyable playstyle, the story has a lot of promise.
It tackles the choices given to you when the world is ending. Would you save yourself yet meet your doom in space or prioritize someone’s wishes and meet the end of the world upfront? I am curious as to how the conversations between a soldier and a highly intelligent felix would turn out and would she be convincing to the player.
Note: this is a kinetic novel, meaning that there are not many choices/routes to be made. Thus, the playtime is short.
11. Dies Irae (Windows, NSW, Android, iOS, PS Vita, PSP)
WARNING: This game may contain sexual themes.
61 years ago, in the Second World War, a group of men and women performed a ritual in Berlin using the lost lives in war as a sacrifice. They disappeared after the war. However, in the year 2006, they resurface. Ren Fujii is a boy who wants to rebuild his life after a certain incident that led to his hospitalization. He seems to be at the center of this predicament involving the said group of sorcerers. Wanting his normal happy life back, he is even willing to cross the boundary between ordinary and extraordinary.
Dreaming of a guillotine, a serial killer, and “knights” in black, it seems that he wasn’t meant to be ordinary.
Ren sounds like a normal guy, but his willingness to achieve a normal happy life is quite admirable. Bringing you a dark and rich atmosphere, and twisted personalities of characters, this game sounds to be worth a try for those looking for a fantasy adventure visual novel.
10. ATRI -My Dear Moments- (Windows)
“As the world sank, I found you”
Soon, the sea unexplainably rose and the human civilization found itself nearing be underwater. Ikaruga Natsuki went back to his hometown disillusioned only to find it half-swallowed by the sea. With a ship and submarine to his name (along with some debts) left by his grandmother, he sets sail to the sunken ruins to find the rumored treasure. However, all they found is a coffin holding a girl. That girl is a robot named Atri.
The sea level rising? Sounds quite possible in reality. That’s what piqued my interest. What can we do as the sea level rises? Maybe the protagonist has some clues.
ATRI -MDM- seems to be lighter than most visual novels which may be a good refresher after you’re worn out from the usual story-heavy ones. Of course, I’m still preparing myself for a few tears here.
9. planetarian ~the reverie of a little planet~ (Windows, NSW, Android, iOS, PSP, PS2)
“Won’t you come to the planetarium”
The Neverending rain—thirty years ago, Sarcophagus City was abandoned after a sudden biochemical attack. Men who are labeled as “Junkers” loot goods and artifacts from the ruins of civilization. One Junker sneaks into Sarcophagus City and finds a planetarium at the center of the city. Inside is a robot guide named Yumemi who has been waiting for a visitor for 30 years. Yumemi, slowly breaking down, urged him to repair the projector. Slowly, his heart is being moved by this planetarium guide.
Brought to us by yet another legend in the visual novel scene, VisualArts/Key presents planetarian ~the reverie of a little planet~. Like CLANNAD from the same developers, this VN has no adult content. Other works by Key include AIR, Kanon, Little Busters!, Rewrite, and Angel Beats! That sounds very promising.
From my experience, Key is astounding at delivering beautiful stories which make a mark on people’s hearts. This VN has a short playtime for those trying out the game genre first. Key has always given drama which makes a grown man cry and a young girl like me question the world’s cruelty.
With a short playtime required, you are given access to high-quality drama content. However, there are not many other routes accessible as a downside.
8. WORLD END ECONOMiCA (Windows, Mac OSX, Linux)
The author of Spice and Wolf is back with WORLD END ECONOMiCA. Set 16 years after humans colonized the moon in the far future, a young man named Haru chases his dream to stand where no man has stood before. To do that, he needs a huge amount of capital. To do obtain that capital, he needs to play the field in the risky game of the stock market.
So here’s Isuna Hasekura, the author, back with more enjoyable economics lessons. The economics lessons may not be accurate, but beneath that is some important moral of the story. This is a nice self-reflection story especially for those in their adult and young adult years where you look for ways to get rich to achieve your happiness.
7. Kara no Shojo (Windows)
WARNING: This game may disturb some audiences. It contains graphic violence involving decapitation, severed limbs, and bruised naked bodies. This also contains graphic sexual scenes between adults.
“I want you to look for something. Me. My true self.”
Play as a detective surrounded by a series of bizarre murders and drama. A young girl requests the detective to look for her true self. Meanwhile, the detective disguises himself as a substitute teacher to investigate the disappearance of two women—which is now his third case. There, he meets the young girl again. The mysterious case grows even darker.
Kara no Shojo is a visual novel with a more serious psychological plot with murder looming over. It is categorized as a psychological horror, so it is not for the faint of the heart. However, with the mature premise, this may appeal to some. If all the happy ending running to the sunset stories may be tiring to you now, this is for you. Playing this game seems to be a dreadful experience, triggering adrenaline and other emotions, but something nice to look back to.
6. CHAOS;CHILD (Windows, PS4, Android, PS Vita, XBO, PS3)
WARNING: This visual novel with sexual material and fetishes, gore, and masturbation.
From the creators of STEINS;GATE is a new mystery visual novel with some mix of action and science fiction. Six years since the massive earthquake, Takuru Miyashiro realizes in his investigation that it recent events lead to the same terror six years ago. Simultaneously, gigalomaniacs such as yourself, who can make their delusions real, are beginning to awaken. Behind all these is a puppet-master that you have to outsmart.
As the fourth entry to the Science Adventure (SciAdv) series, CHAOS;CHILD holds a lot of expectations. Although this is a sequel to CHAOS;HEAD which does not have an English localization, you can play this and still understand the plot. The prequel is not a prerequisite to understand and get the endings.
With beautiful art and complete illustrations, this project is high-budget and offers adventure with a story-rich plot. You play as one of the characters who survived the enormous earthquake in Shibuya six years ago, and along with your companions who survived as well, you become gigalomaniacs.
This is interesting as you get to play someone special instead of being a regular joe.
5. Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception (Windows, PS4, PS3, PS Vita)
WARNING: This game contains partial nudity and sexual themes, blood and animated violence, strong language, and references to alcohol.
You wake up in a field of snow with no memories and monstrosities out to get you. A girl named Kuon rescues you and names you Haku. In a setting where a tyrant threatens to invade the country you wake up in, you set out on a quest to help prevent casualties in a land about to go to war.
With a tactics-RPG playstyle along with an adventure storyline, Utawarerumono is a tale with a classic theme. Without a heavy theme, this is another one you could enjoy after the heavy stories of some games in this list. With a cliché storyline, this is a good starting point for those new to visual novels.
4. STEINS;GATE (Windows, PS4, PS3, PSP, PS Vita, iOS, Android, Xbox 360)
What would you do if you could send messages to the past?
Considered to be one of the finest visual novels ever made, STEINS;GATE follows a group who made a discovery that they can change the past via mail using a modified microwave oven. With the discovery of time travel, they come across a conspiracy surrounding SERN, the organization behind the Large Hadron Collider, and John Titor who claims to be from a dystopian future.
One of the most popular visual novels, STEINS;GATE is sure to make to any list due to its wonderful narrative, interactive gameplay, beautiful art, and interesting characters. You play as the mad scientist Okabe Rintarou, who, despite his strange personality, has a realistic character. You encounter moments of weakness as you face different events, which you may want to prevent.
This is a classic that was my introduction to science fiction. As a high schooler, I did not understand much of its anime but was entranced by the wonderful story. I am quite relieved that my young self was not the only one. Each character is complex, and as you progress through the series, more revelations and even more mysteries are found.
3. CLANNAD (Windows, PS4, NSW, PS3, PSP, Xbox 360, PS Vita, PS2, S3G, FOMA)
The highly-rated and popular visual novel CLANNAD is back with improved visuals. For those not familiar with the story, the protagonist (you) is Tomoya Okazaki, a guarded delinquent who struggles to make sense of his abusive alcoholic father and finding meaning in his life. He then meets Nagisa, who is also a delinquent but it is due to tardiness that she is repeating her senior year. In their encounter, Nagisa decides they should be friends and rebuild the drama club. With nothing else better to do, he agrees. Along with a few friends, they find belonging.
CLANNAD can be described as building Jenga—you put the blocks to build something nice and you enjoy things along the way, only to have a strong force suddenly push everything down and destroy everything.
Okay, so shoot me for putting this classic high on my ranking, but this was my first drama-heavy anime. As a small girl, I watched the anime adaptation and cried a lot. Remember when I said Key makes me question why is the world so cruel? This was what I had in mind.
So why not just watch the anime? This will provide you with a more engaging experience as if you’re caught in the drama as you talk about life’s purpose.
2. Danganronpa (Windows, mac OS X, Linux, PS4, PSP, PS Vita, Android, iOS)
The popular series starts with Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. Set in Hope’s Peak Academy, Makoto Naegi and his classmates are suddenly imprisoned in school where a murderous little bear named Monokuma introduces himself as the headmaster. The requirement to graduate and be free is to kill one of their classmates and get away with it.
Looking for a mystery visual novel with higher stakes? Here is Danganronpa. Along with several interactions in its gameplay, the game is a suspense mystery since getting the killer wrong means the death of everyone but the killer. Search for clues and talk to your classmates to get closer to the truth. Since anyone can be the killer, you also have to convince your classmates that you are innocent through a reflex-based game. During the trial, dissect each statement and pull the trigger to shoot back at them and expose their lies.
A visual novel has never been so suspenseful. Not only that the choices you make sway the story, but you also have to “pull the trigger” to rebut false statements in trial. There is also a reflex-based mini-game.
An adorable yet murderous bear, Monokuma may attract some people and even call him cute. Set in a mystery Battle Royale style, this title is thrilling and interesting to any audience. There is no romance but it is a good general visual novel.
1. Doki Doki Literature Club! (Windows, mac OS, Linux)
WARNING: the game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed
The Literature Club is full of cute girls. One of them is Monika, who invites you to fulfill her dream of making special out of the things she loves.
For those who are mentally strong, you might want to give this game a try. Telling more about the game story will destroy your overall experience, so I’ll just say that this is a short, engaging story. As a third warning: this may have disturbing content.
