• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Dipping into Visual Novels

9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors for the DS and its 3DS/Vita sequel Virtue's Last Reward are amazing entry VNs since they have gameplay as well. VLR is GOAT.

Ace Attorney Trilogy on 3DS (eshop) is solid too, thouth I only played the first myself.

The Infinity trilogy is amazing. It consists of Never7, Ever17 and Remember11 (release order), you don't need to play any one to enjoy another since they are mostly unrelated.

As for VNs on Steam... Grisaia is quite popular though I don't like it much myself. Great comedy, pretty bad romance (contrary to popular opinion).

If you have a Vita, Danganronpa is a must.

Going to echo the Steins Gate recommendations.

Higurashi, from the first chapter I played (there are 8 of them), is pretty good. However, only the first two chapters are out so you might want to wait for the releases to be complete.
 
On iOS, you can also try "An Octave Higher". It is short but really good. The plot is basically "the industrial revolution in a world where magic is real". The characters might not reach the heights of other Visual Novels, but they are interesting, and have their own character arcs.
 
As an ignorant who never conciously bought into "visual novels", is Steins;Gate worth it if you already know (and love) the Anime? Also, is it actually a game, like e.g. the Phoenix Wright titles, 999 (!), etc, or is it really just clicking "next" on text boxes?

edit: Same with Higurashi
 
Bufbaf said:
As an ignorant who never conciously bought into "visual novels", is Steins;Gate worth it if you already know (and love) the Anime? Also, is it actually a game, like e.g. the Phoenix Wright titles, 666, etc, or is it really just clicking "next" on text boxes?

edit: Same with Higurashi
Click to expand...

Higurashi and S;G have no gameplay.

S;G is worth it even if you watched the anime.

Also lol, 666
 
Can anyone recommend native English Visual Novels? It's kind of a specific request. I have a friend who's interested in finding some, and he isn't fond of localized VNs. He's already played Katawa Shoujo, I should add. Thanks!
 
Grisaia no Kajitsu
Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai
Swan song
Wind - A Breath of Heart -

So many greats VN.
 
Tezzeractor said:
Can anyone recommend native English Visual Novels? It's kind of a specific request. I have a friend who's interested in finding some, and he isn't fond of localized VNs. He's already played Katawa Shoujo, I should add.
Click to expand...

Dysfunctional Systems (a episodic game) showed a lot of potential, but unfortunately the developers shut down their company. The first and only chapter is available on Steam, and it's pretty good; he could check that out.

Juniper's Knot, from the same devs, is a good VN too!
 
Tezzeractor said:
Can anyone recommend native English Visual Novels? It's kind of a specific request. I have a friend who's interested in finding some, and he isn't fond of localized VNs. He's already played Katawa Shoujo, I should add. Thanks!
Click to expand...

He can search for OELVNs if he's looking specifically for english-made VNs.

Some notable ones,

-Ones made by Ebi-hime and sakevisual
-Long Live The Queen
-An Octave Higher
-Area-X
 
The only issue I have with 999 is that replaying it to try different routes is annoying because you have to repeat all the puzzles that you've done already. Even fast forwarding can take a few minutes to get through some of the longer scenes. It really needed a function to skip to the next choice on replays so you could get to something new faster. Well, that and the option to set a text speed faster than "agonizing".
 
Syril said:
The only issue I have with 999 is that replaying it to try different routes is annoying because you have to repeat all the puzzles that you've done already. Even fast forwarding can take a few minutes to get through some of the longer scenes. It really needed a function to skip to the next choice on replays so you could get to something new faster. Well, that and the option to set a text speed faster than "agonizing".
Click to expand...
That's the primary reason I prefer VLR overall. It just handled this so much better.
 
i'm still wondering why Ace Attorney hasn't been released for Steam.

Durante said:
That's the primary reason I prefer VLR overall. It just handled this so much better.
Click to expand...

VLR gameplay is better but the awesome sense of dread and horror from 999 was lost.
 
Syril said:
The only issue I have with 999 is that replaying it to try different routes is annoying because you have to repeat all the puzzles that you've done already. Even fast forwarding can take a few minutes to get through some of the longer scenes. It really needed a function to skip to the next choice on replays so you could get to something new faster. Well, that and the option to set a text speed faster than "agonizing".
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's unfortunate that 999 did not include the skip feature that's been standard for VNs for ages.
 
Umineko is my favorite. Here is my love letter to it: Gameplay Inside Your Head

A more interesting and extreme example of this is Umineko no Naku Koro Ni, also known as Umineko: When They Cry. Umineko is a Japanese visual novel, the successor to the popular Higurashi: When They Cry. What starts off as a murder mystery on an isolated island devolves into an existential question. Without spoiling too much, the main conflict in the story is the battle of wits between the heir of the Ushiromiya family, Battler, and the golden witch Beatrice. Beatrice tells Battler a version of the events that happen on the island, full of impossible locked-room murders, witches battling each other and other shenanigans. Battler tries to come up with explanations to what actually happened on the island without relying on any supernatural phenomena. You see, if Battler accepts that the only way what happened can be explained is “witches exist”, Battler loses everything.

...

It’s up to the player to figure out whether there’s a way, given all the physical limitations and red truths, this could have happened without witchcraft. That’s the gameplay inside the head. The player needs to think, fight self-doubt and red truths to come to their own conclusion. The decision the player makes on the events puts a completely different spin on what’s happening, and that choice is a direct result of the player playing the game inside their head. Despite not presenting any mechanical or actual challenge to the player, the game forces them to play against themselves.
Click to expand...
 
Best you can get right now it's Steins;Gate, but it's not on Steam. You'll have to order a physical copy or download it through JAST USA website.

There are a few visual novels on iOS and the best one for me is Banshee's Last Cry.
 
hosannainexcelsis said:
Yeah, it's unfortunate that 999 did not include the skip feature that's been standard for VNs for ages.
Click to expand...

Despite losing the puzzles (stupid as they were), the iOS version of 999 has the node-selection mechanism of VLR, autoskip to branch points, and a reasonable text display speed. Those QoL improvements make it the superior version of the game, IMO.

What's with the kindergarten-friendly reading paces in VNs, anyway?
 
emag said:
Despite losing the puzzles (stupid as they were), the iOS version of 999 has the node-selection mechanism of VLR, autoskip to branch points, and a reasonable text display speed. Those QoL improvements make it the superior version of the game, IMO.

What's with the kindergarten-friendly reading paces in VNs, anyway?
Click to expand...

I think the text display speed in 999 was meant to mimic the speed of speech, despite there being no actual voice acting.

Ideally there would be a text speed setting in an options menu so that people could speed up the text to their ideal. The VNs I've played on PC have generally had that.
 
Some of the Choice of games are pretty fun, they are full on text games though. But they do have stats and some randomized elements in the narrative.

Best one i have "played" from them was this one
link
 
E-flux said:
Some of the Choice of games are pretty fun, they are full on text games though. But they do have stats and some randomized elements in the narrative.

Best one i have "played" from them was this one
link
Click to expand...

If we're going for interactive fiction of the CYOA style, I'd put several of the Fighting Fantasy books well above any of the Choice-of titles and Life's Lottery above anything else in the genre.
 
emag said:
If we're going for interactive fiction of the CYOA style, I'd put several of the Fighting Fantasy books well above any of the Choice-of titles and Life's Lottery above anything else in the genre.
Click to expand...

Yeah, many of the choice of games are not that well written, many of them read like a really good forum story, but i have enjoyed a few of them and they aren't that long, which i think is good for beginners. Plus, they are available on android and apple stuff.
 
Katana Shoujo being free and as a entry VN is just perfect to me. It's always the one I recommend for anyone wanting to dip their toes into the genre.
 
I like Higurashi, at least try the first chapter

game is a horror/mystery

hatoful boyfriend is decent too, that's pretty much all I've played on steam
 
emag said:
Despite losing the puzzles (stupid as they were), the iOS version of 999 has the node-selection mechanism of VLR, autoskip to branch points, and a reasonable text display speed. Those QoL improvements make it the superior version of the game, IMO.

What's with the kindergarten-friendly reading paces in VNs, anyway?
Click to expand...

999 is more of an exception. Most VNs on the PC have those options such as adjusting text speed and autoskip.
 
999 and Virtue's Last Reward are a great starting point, but be sure to get 999 on the DS - as some people in the thread have already mentioned the iOS version doesn't have puzzle rooms, and because of that the narrative loses a lot of impact in the final sections of the game. Also, be sure to play these games in that order; don't just skip to VLR.

The Ace Attorney series is also a mixture of visual novel games with point-n-click adventure elements and it's definitely worth checking out - I'm not a big fan of the investigation part of the game, but court trials with their plot twists completely make up for it. Get the DS versions of the games if you can get them for cheap, otherwise go for the 3DS Trilogy release; the iOS version was horribly upscaled/overpainted (with super ugly fonts) and it doesn't look nearly as good (you can use it as a last resort though).

Steins;Gate is also pretty amazing, even for people that have seen the animated series because it has additional routes that flesh out the story. (S;G anime is still worth checking out even if you don't want to play the game)

If you'd like to venture into Key's work - start with Planetarian (it's fairly short, but very tear-inducing) and then once you think you might be comfortable with that, I'd advise checking out Clannad and Little Busters. Both of those are (IMO) some of the best games in the entire genre, and will make you smile / cry a lot. Beware that both Clannad and LB are 50+ (if not 100+) hour long games.
 
Mifec said:
I'd say stay away from VN's and LN's.
Click to expand...

I'd say stay away from this thread.

yami4ct said:
There's also shit like Fate/Stay Night. I'm not a huge fan, but it's still sort of worth reading. It has terrible pacing, a pretty unlikable cast and some ugly art, but there are interesting ideas here that spawned a huge multimedia franchise, so it might really click with you.
Click to expand...

I don't think we played the same game.
 
Syril said:
The only issue I have with 999 is that replaying it to try different routes is annoying because you have to repeat all the puzzles that you've done already. Even fast forwarding can take a few minutes to get through some of the longer scenes. It really needed a function to skip to the next choice on replays so you could get to something new faster. Well, that and the option to set a text speed faster than "agonizing".
Click to expand...

Use an emulator and toggle the frame limiter / turbo
 
I started Banshee on iOS, played up to the paywall, and am wondering if this is just a choose-your-own-adventure? Are there any puzzles or anything that makes it more interactive, or is it just reading and choosing an option?

I've only played 999 and VLR before this, so was expecting something along those lines. Would you all say that most VN are more "read and select" rather than puzzle solving?

I'm not entirely against the CYOA style, but just wondering what to expect.
 
I would check out Steins;Gate or G-senjou Maou off of Steam. Both of those are good English visual novels with no real hassle to play them.

If you are fine with horror, and a fair amount of sex, then Catargra: Afflication of the Soul from Manga Gamer or Saya No Ulta from Jast are a couple ones that come highly recommended.

If you can get a Japanese copy and patch it I can't recommend Fate/Stay Night enough. Played it for the first time a few months ago and it sits in my top 5 games of all time.

Dunno about IOS except it has 999 sans puzzles, my phone is android.
 
Jarsonot said:
I started Banshee on iOS, played up to the paywall, and am wondering if this is just a choose-your-own-adventure? Are there any puzzles or anything that makes it more interactive, or is it just reading and choosing an option?

I've only played 999 and VLR before this, so was expecting something along those lines. Would you all say that most VN are more "read and select" rather than puzzle solving?

I'm not entirely against the CYOA style, but just wondering what to expect.
Click to expand...

Straight VNs either have no interaction at all beyond scrolling through text or only dialogue choices. Stuff like Ace Attorney/Zero Escape/Danganronpa are hybrid VNs with adventure and puzzle elements.
 
I've never played the series, but think I might want to. But I thought I remember hearing something about the 3DS versions being subpar compared to the originals. Something about the animations, maybe?

Can anyone clear that up for me?
 
Quasar said:
So with the Steam sale going on I thought this might be an opportunity to finally dip my toe in.

Not sure where though. I considered Clannad, but its pretty highly priced and the anime made me a blubbering wreck. So I might skip that for now. Have been considering Grisaia. I didn't mind the anime. Is it voiced and with the same people? Also been considering World End Economica as its by the Spice and Wolf writer.

Tangentially related, are the many visual novels on iOS? Or does Apples policies get in the way?
Click to expand...

I'm playing World End Economica Episode 2 and the series dosn't get the appreciation it deserves, sure it dosn't have the turns and twists of the most famous VN's but is a heart warming story as is heart wrenching.

And the setting and background is more interesting than the usual high school ambientation that is so usual in VN's: the stock market and the life in a colony funded in the moon, which by itself is an interesting theme to look into as the plot goes forward (and the game uses layman terms to explain it, also it never goes too much into the territory of dragging to much).

The protagonists are still youngsters, so some of the usual character themes are present, but is fairly well written and interesting along the way.

I also think they a very good to start VN, since they aren't that long, although it dosn't have the production values of the high caliber VN's mentioned in this thread.

Definetly, my two cents is that you can go wrong with these.

Another recomendation, that dosn't get either the love it deserves, is Analogue: A Hate Story, but to be fair, this one breaks a bit more the usual mold of the VN, nontheless is a very enjoyable experience.
 
themagicalkitsune said:
Avoid the iOS versions of AA and 999. If you have a 3ds / ds, get them there.
Click to expand...

They are ok if you don't have something else. Beside AA/Dual Destinies, Danganronpa, 999/VLR, there are couple really good games.

Steins;Gate is amazing if you have any interest in Sci-Fi and Time Travel. It's very very good, just bear with MC for first couple chapters. It's very well done VN, by far my favorite.

Kira Kira on iOS/PC is quite good due to the awesome music. There is a sequel Deardrops to it which I haven't played but just bought. (just realize that Mangagamer site is very very NSFW and in general, wtf are they not separating shit, it will make your eyes bleed :().

Heard good things about Senjou no Mao on Steam but haven't gotten it yet. Not a big fan of Grisaia setting.
 
themagicalkitsune said:
Avoid the iOS versions of AA and 999. If you have a 3ds / ds, get them there.
Click to expand...

The iOS version of Dual Destinies is easily the definitive version. The original release of AA on iOS (non-HD) is also at least as good the DS version. It's only the HD version of the AA Trilogy that is (arguably) inferior due to the "redrawn" graphics.

999 has been covered earlier in the thread. The iOS version skips/auto-solves the (braindead) puzzles, but has massive quality of life improvements over the DS version. Either version can be argued to be better than the other, but the DS version is clearly the intended version and really plays up the twist.
 
emag said:
The iOS version of Dual Destinies is easily the definitive version. The original release of AA on iOS (non-HD) is also at least as good the DS version. It's only the HD version of the AA Trilogy that is (arguably) inferior due to the "redrawn" graphics.

999 has been covered earlier in the thread. The iOS version skips/auto-solves the (braindead) puzzles, but has massive quality of life improvements over the DS version. Either version can be argued to be better than the other, but the DS version is clearly the intended version and really plays up the twist.
Click to expand...

For iOS 8. This is a game that isn't supported for iOS9. It might work, for now, but there is no guarantee that it will work when iOS 10 rolls out or even a smaller update in iOS9. I wouldn't recommend it.
 
Ivan A Nguyen said:
For iOS 8. This is a game that isn't supported for iOS9. It might work, for now, but there is no guarantee that it will work when iOS 10 rolls out or even a smaller update in iOS9. I wouldn't recommend it.
Click to expand...

Ahh. I'll keep that in mind. Must admit the fracturing of ios like that is pretty weird and amusing given how they hammer google for that kind of stuff.
 
Can someone try and sell me on Steins;Gate?

Got it for Vita when it came out, put about 3-4 hours into it, but was bored to tears. Really drawn out dialogue and nothing was really happening.

Really should go back and give it another go...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Best visual novels?
2
70
6K
Shaggidy replied
Visual Novel recommendations
2
60
3K
KiteGr replied
Yorhel, founder of VNDB (The Visual Novel Database) has passed away
0
268
nial replied
BL visual novel #ThisGameIsNotReal banned from Steam due to not meeting the distribution standards, will be available on DLsite
43
495
dgproject replied
  • Featured
Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse |OT| Square Enix Mystery Visual Novel
|OT| Trailer 
20
2K
Vampire On Titus replied
Top Bottom