Visual Novels - What should we play?

[Flub]

Coming off two play throughs of Doki Doki Literature Club I have a hankering to play some more visual novels.

 

What do people recommend? Steam availability would be a bonus.

 

I've previously done a short play through of Clannad which I enjoyed and keep meaning to go back to. I'm very tempted by Stein's Gate. Any good dating sims (kinda like Doki Doki before you know)

[Harsin]

Danganronpa

[Nespresso]

Gal Gun

[ThePixelbarks]

Steins gate

[Alan Stock]

Zero Escape series is incredible (though not a dating sim). Also second recommendation for Danganronpa which is in the same vein. Also you have to play Hatoful boyfriend, the pigeon dating simulator and play it through a number of times. That's one I still need to go back to and uncover all the plot!

[shynra]

On steam have a look at:

 

Planetarium (short game) 

The house in fata morgana (long game) 

 

Recommended both of these

[Gambit]

Steins Gate is fantastic. And so is Steins Gate 0.

[strawdonkey]

The Steins Gate games are great but very slow going. I'd start with Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors and go from there.

 

 

[Wiper]

I'm generally a big fan of visual novels, but they form a broad genre, both in design and theme. With that in mind I'm going to limit and split my recommendations into a few major design strands, and by whether they incorporate puzzles or not, in an attempt to make them as useful/relevant as possible.

 

Linear Narrative Visual Novel

Aka. a novel with pretty drawings and occasional clicking.

• Puzzle-free 
  • VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action. This could arguably be classed as a branching VN, as  your decisions* throughout significantly impact the way you interact with the different characters in the story, and those choices feed into a series of different endings.** However, the story follows a single thread; and all of the endings can be collected in a single go (they simply bolt together), bar the 'bad ending'. Whatever you class it as, this is a strong, mostly single-room game whose strength lies in its characterisation. Short and sweet. And on PC (as well as Sony consoles).
• Puzzle-led
  • Ace Attorney series. Particularly the initial trilogy, though I have a great fondness for the entire series (Edgeworth and Layton spin-offs notwithstanding). Available on a wide variety of devices including mobile, but sadly not available on PC edit 2019: and now available on PC, these are absolute classics that deserve to be played by anyone who enjoys the genre.
  • Danganronpa. Owing a great debt to the AA series, albeit with a rather darker bent. These could be argued to be a branching VN as you do have some options to make in terms of who you spend time with in the game's 'free time' sections, plus some meta-game elements, but the core story never changes so I'm sticking the series here. On balance I prefer the slightly less stressful, significantly more cheerful Ace Attorney series (and not just because they have some of the best soundtracks in any adventure games), but these are great nonetheless. And very available on PC. (Incidentally, you'll probably want to ignore the aberration that is Ultra Despair Girls)

 

Branching Narrative Visual Novel

Aka. Choose Your Own Adventure. As above, but with added decisions to make which alter the plot, and offer multiple endings (albeit often of a premature nature). I enjoy this form a lot, and due to the crossover with the CYOA genre this probably features the highest number of Western entries. My particular recommendations:

• Puzzle-free
  • 80 Days. A visual novel as a series of vignettes. The resource management metagame could be seen as a puzzle of sorts, but it's a minor one, and it's very much the narrative journey that is the focus here. Or, rather, journeys, as this is a game of constant branching, with a huge number of brilliantly told short stories to enjoy as you travel the world. Moving, beautiful, available on both mobile and PC. And cheap as chips, too! Inkle's finest game, but it's also well worth giving their Sorcery! CYOA books (and, most interestingly, their expansion of that series with later, designed-for-computers games in the series).
  • 2064: Read Only Memories. A second cyberpunk VN, this one wearing its Snatcher influences on its sleeve. Albeit, a less creepy, less dark game than Kojima's famed adventure. This one has a few significant choices to make, both in conversation and action, and is a fun adventure from start to finish. It could also sort of be classed as having puzzles, inasmuch as you do have to click around and find clues every so often, but there's nothing here to stump the player, so... Again, this one's on PC, amongst other systems.
• Puzzle-led
  • Zero Escape series. Particularly the superlative second game, Virtue's Last Reward, this is a fantastic, brain-melting set of sci-fi visual novels centred around room escape puzzles. The second game is the strongest in the series, and near-unique in the way it actually addresses its branching nature in-narrative, but it's worth playing all of them. Great storytelling, satisfying puzzles, and all around brilliant design. Really fab, and these days available on PC, along with a variety of consoles and handhelds.

 

Romance Visual Novels

The category containing dating sims, otome, and any other visual novels where a major aim is to get your character in some sort of relationship. These can definitely be subsumed into the 'branching VN' category, but their focus is generally different, their branches generally focussed on who you end up in a relationship with/whether you progress said relationship. These don't tend to really have puzzles (beyond 'how do I get this person to fall for me?'); there are a fair few 'stat-crunchers' (i.e. ones where you level up stats in order to impress your potential partners - see the next section), but I've not played any of that sort that I actually rate. Which is a shame, as I like the mechanic.

• Hatoful Boyfriend. Most famous for its high concept (it's a dating sim... only the people you can date are all birds!), this is actually far more than just the gimmick its subject matter suggests. As with the best examples of this genre, this improves with every replay (each full playthrough helpfully coming in at around an hour), and is absolutely worth giving a go. Also, on PC and extremely cheap.
• Sweet Fuse: At Your Side. Possibly a bit of a left-field choice, but in the none-more-schmaltzy subgenre of otome, this is my favourite. A daft setting, endearing characters and enjoyable branching all make this a game I spent far too much time with. Alas, it's only available on PSP (and, by extension, Vita), so out of reach for many.

 

Life Simulators

The worst name of all, but this is a subgenre whose potential I greatly enjoy, even if it's rarely lived up to. Invented by the (none more creepy) Princess Maker series, the mechanics of these will be familiar to anyone who's played the later Persona games: between story sections, you get to pick actions for your character that level up specific stats. Those stats then feed into your ability to react to sections of the story, and thus direct the flow of the game. These are distinct from general branching visual novels in that they tend to have a lot less dialogue, and a lot more choices to make. Sadly I've only got one real recommendation to make here, but it's a doozy:

• Long Live the Queen. The game in this list with the widest variety of ways to die (which is saying something, given the Zero Escape games), so it's just as well that dying is a lot of fun. A ridiculous number of endings (good and... less good) and routes to take, based on your actions in and out of the story, this benefits from an extremely short start to finish time (you're unlikely to hit an hour in a single playthrough, particularly once you've finished a few times and know what you're doing). Silly, fun, and on PC, you'll have a great time whether you're saving your country through the power of song, or dying embarrassingly after going on an ill-advised jaunt to the forest without having built up any practical skills.

 

*which, uniquely, aren't actual conversation choices, but simply what drinks you decide to make for people.

**strong recommendation: if you don't want the sole bad ending, be frugal on your first playthrough

[DeciderVT]

It's nowhere near Steam but I really enjoyed the story and atmosphere of Saya no Uta, after seeing it recommended on GAF. (You can censor the H-scenes if you prefer.)

[deerokus]

Danganronpa is excellent and the right amount of weird. The sequel slightly less good. Apparently the recent third entry is fantastic however. 

 

Steins Gate has a very interesting time travel story but is SO SLOW. Mileage may vary on that one.

 

 

The vita is the ideal platform for visual novels, I like that portability for these games. 

[Vorgot]

Danganronpa. Just at the end of the first one (I think) and it has me and my 2 boys hooked. 

 

Also the Zero Escape games. Done 9 persons and am a ways through Virtues Last reward, which is brilliant.

[MW_Jimmy]

Great write-up @Wiper - I think finding the right visual novel is really difficult as some people have dividing lines which generally come down to how much player agency there is, and subject matter is obviously quite important too.

 

I think both Snatcher and the Phoenix Wright series are good starting points as they feel more game-like as you choose to move around the environments.

 

I utterly adored Steins Gate but there is extremely limited choice - it is basically entirely linear - but if you are interested in a game that explores time travel in a interesting way then it's highly recommend. If you've watched any episodic anime then I feel that you will have an easier time with it than perhaps others.

 

Finally Hatoful Boyfriend (and it's pseudo-sequel Holiday Star) are some of the strangest games I've ever played and is vastly different from first appearances.

[NEG]

Monster Loves You! gets my vote. It's nothing deep, but satisfying and you'll leave with a grin regardless. General run is about a half hour long, loads of endings.

 

 

Crush Crush gets the boobs vote, but it's more a clicker with amusing dialogue*

 

*memes & knuckles

[Novelty Bobble]

Timely thread as I'm about to dive into the world of visual novels with absolutely no experience other than loving the Phoenix Wright games. I've picked up The Nonary Games (Zero Escape) and Danganronpa 1 + 2 in the Steam sale purely because I've had them described and they sound fucking incredible. Also I like escape rooms, sue me. 

[michael]

My wife and I have played through a few visual novels on our YouTube channel - I really enjoyed the ones we've done, so other folks may like them too.

 

First up, The Men of Yoshiwara - it's a strange curio where you play a female protagonist who illicitly visits Yoshiwara, which is basically a red light district in a matriarchal society. Of course, you fall in love with one of the gentlemen. A few interesting choices, but I like this one mainly because it jumps away from the tropes you usually see in VNs.

 

 

Next up, some days I can't recommend Panzermadels enough. Other days, I feel ashamed that I've completed it. You're a new kid at school, surrounded by cute girls. The girls, of course, are tanks. Because... I have no idea. Still, the game is fun, and dumb as hell. And you will die a LOT.

 

 

[therearerules]

Absolutely the Zero Escape games, which I still can't bring myself to sell. Even the third entry, whilst disappointing in some respects still keeps things fresh in both mechanics and story.

 

I also really enjoyed Remember 11. Especially when I cheated in order to stop dying repeatedly.

[Trumpets]

The story modes for the four Blazblue games are essentially visual novels with occasional fighting bits. I've played through all four (~60 hours) despite not liking either fighting games or visual novels, so they must do something right.

[Retroid]

I remember really enjoying Fate Stay Night when it was out, before I'd watched the series it blew my mind and after I watched the series it was cool seeing where my choices matched up/diverged to what happened in the show. It's probably worth going for the complete version as one of the added storylines is perhaps the best thing ever. Similarly Steins; Gate gets strongly recommended as well.

Enjoying Danganronpa atm, great game for subverting expectations if you can get over some slightly clunky mechanics. Beutiful to boot as well.

[SMD]

Echoing the recommendations for Ace Attorney, Danganronpa and the Zero Escape series.

[donpeartree]

Having never played Danganronpa, what's the best starting point to get in for a ps4 owner? 

[Harsin]

37 minutes ago, donpeartree said:

Having never played Danganronpa, what's the best starting point to get in for a ps4 owner? 

 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Danganronpa-1-2-Reload-PS4/dp/B01M1CVD4S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1514996471&sr=8-1&keywords=danganronpa

 

Then:

 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Danganronpa-V3-Killing-Harmony-PS4/dp/B01NAJXLJH/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1514996537&sr=1-1&keywords=danganronpa+v3

 

You can skip Ultra Despair Girls.

[Alan Stock]

Definitely do the Danganronpas in order as characters/plotlines carry over a bit.

[ThePixelbarks]

4 hours ago, Harsin said:

You should skip Ultra Despair Girls

 

[Vorgot]

On 03/01/2018 at 17:29, Alan Stock said:

Definitely do the Danganronpas in order as characters/plotlines carry over a bit.

They better had. I've just started number 2 and am confused as hell as to where the plot is at. Incredibly intrigued though. Loved the first one and will look forward to seeing how it plays out

[Anne Summers]

Are any of these on Android? I honestly find most story based non action games more enjoyable on my phone or tablet now as I rarely have time to sit in front of the PS4 or on my laptop. Also it's cozy to tuck up in bed to solve puzzles.

 

I really enjoyed that weird hotel guest sim on the DS. Room something? Never worked out what the hell was going on, even though I'm pretty sure I got close to the end before getting stuck. I just really enjoyed walking around the hotel and talking to the guests listening to the cheesy muzak.

 

[SMD]

12 hours ago, Vorgot said:

They better had. I've just started number 2 and am confused as hell as to where the plot is at. Incredibly intrigued though. Loved the first one and will look forward to seeing how it plays out

 

If you loved the first one, keep at it. You didn't finish school mode in the original, did you

[Vorgot]

2 hours ago, SMD said:

 

If you loved the first one, keep at it. You didn't finish school mode in the original, did you

I didn't do the school mode, I figured I had too much else to play. Should I have done? And I will definitely be keeping at it! 

[SMD]

4 hours ago, Vorgot said:

I didn't do the school mode, I figured I had too much else to play. Should I have done? And I will definitely be keeping at it! 

 

School mode fleshes out each character, gives you some extra traits/skills/whatever they're called, I've forgotten, but the first one ties in to the sequel right at the end. You might as well just Youtube that ending because it's not worth the time if you're not trophy hunting and didn't want to dip into the characters more.

 

I just watched the anime for the first game because I've forgotten all the details and I've had Dv3 waiting for me for ages. Can't wait to finally get stuck in.

[Vorgot]

43 minutes ago, SMD said:

 

School mode fleshes out each character, gives you some extra traits/skills/whatever they're called, I've forgotten, but the first one ties in to the sequel right at the end. You might as well just Youtube that ending because it's not worth the time if you're not trophy hunting and didn't want to dip into the characters more.

 

I just watched the anime for the first game because I've forgotten all the details and I've had Dv3 waiting for me for ages. Can't wait to finally get stuck in.

 

I've just started the school mode, I'll dip into it now and again, as I did really like a lot of the characters. It's pretty easy chill out gaming as well it seems