Visual Novels

[ElkinFencer10]

Okay, so now that I'm home, I'll toss up a couple of suggestions I have. I still haven't finished a lot of visual novels (I only got into the genre about a year ago), but here are some of the ones I would definitely suggest.

Analogue: A Hate Story (Steam)
This is a really interesting one exploring the ideas of transhumanism and relationships between people and artificial intelligence. It's still one of my favorites.

Cherry Tree High Comedy Club (Steam)
This is one that's actually got a bit of gameplay to it, and it's a really entertaining story about a girl who's trying to build up a comedy club at her high school. She has to convince her friends to start the club with her, but you get to pick which friends to focus on.

Go! Go! Nippon! ~My First Trip to Japan~ (Steam)
This is only for those of us who REALLY like cliche anime romantic comedy. It's honestly not that great, and it's every bit as cringy as it sounds, but if you like that kind of thing (I, personally, do), then it's worth checking out.

Sakura Spirit (Steam)
This currently holds the title as my favorite visual novel. It's super anime with cat chicks and shit, but it's REALLY entertaining, and it's got a few sequels (I have a couple downloaded, but I haven't gone through them yet). I DEFINITELY recommend this one to anyone who likes visual novels, is lukewarm about them, or hasn't tried one yet.


If anyone else has some recommendations, throw them my way. I've got six or seven in my Steam library that I still need to go through, but I'm always looking for recommendations!

I have a few of them on the Vita...and I find them tedious... Clicking X every 10 seconds while progressing through boring dialog... gets old very quickly. Honestly, I'd rather just read a book.

Maybe I'm not playing the right ones

Now that I'm home and not trying to Racketboy and teach history at the same time, I just realized that THE Metal Jesus responded to me. Holy crap. I literally spent like three hours last night watching your videos. This just made my day. #fanboyingsohard

[TSTR]

Katawa Shoujo sonnnn dem feels

[pepharytheworm]

I have a few of them on the Vita...and I find them tedious... Clicking X every 10 seconds while progressing through boring dialog... gets old very quickly. Honestly, I'd rather just read a book.

Maybe I'm not playing the right ones

Which ones have you played? Ace Attorney series, Zero Escape series, Snatcher, Policenauts, Hotel Dusk, Last Window, Another Code series, Sakura Wars series, Lux-pain and Time Hollow are all ones I enjoyed. I like visual novels that have interactive elements.

[Exhuminator]

If anyone else has some recommendations, throw them my way.

Due to sheer word count, it would be fair to consider Hotel Dusk and its sequel Last Window to be visual novels. Albeit visual novels with a lot more gameplay than normal. If you have a DS (or care to use DeSmuME), I cannot recommend those two strongly enough.

As for more traditional visual novels, here's what I can recommend. All are for PC unless stated otherwise. These were either officially localized or have fan trans:

Another Code R (Wii sequel to Trace Memory on DS, both are gems)
Aviary Attorney
Dangan Ronpa (Vita)
Dustmania Grotesque
Ever17
Fate/Stay Night
Gadget Trial (VN+SRPG)
Grisaia no Kajitsu
Jake Hunter Detective Story: Memories of the Past (DS)
Long Live the Queen
Love Plus (DS)
Muv-Luv
Muv-Luv Alternative
Muv-Luv Extra
Policenauts (PS1)
Rose Gun Days
Yu-No
Viper-V16

And tons I'm forgetting.

Since you liked Analogue: A Hate Story you'd probably like this:

http://scoutshonour.com/digital/

To research visual novels these are sites I recommend (just Google the names):

The Visual Novel Database
-It's like the Wikipedia of VNs. You can lose hours of your life just browsing around there. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Fuwanovel
-For fan translated VNs, I recommend "Fuwanovel". Fuwanovel also has nice "best of" articles from time to time.

Eroge Download
-Best site to research eroge VNs. That is, ecchi, hentai... you know, le naughty stuff.

[ElkinFencer10]

I picked "If My Heart Had Wings" back up tonight, and it's like the entire translation team quit and was replaced by high school students halfway through the game. Like, shit completely stops making sense, and the Engrish is worse at times than some bootlegs I've played. The first half of the VN was fine - the sentences were rationally constructed, and I actually knew what the fuck was going on. It's like a train derailed and just kept on going with the cars swinging from side to side behind it, slinging people out the windows to their deaths left and right.

[TSTR]

that actually sounds pretty hilarious

[Exhuminator]

Sounds like suddenly machine translation syndrome.

[flash1987]

I like them if they combine elements with another title quite often. The two I've put in a lot of time to are:

Long Live the Queen
Reccetear

Capitalism Ho!

[RyaNtheSlayA]

I love VNs. I need to play more of them! I've played a lot of 80 Days over the last few weeks. I'll be getting Danganronpa (one of my favs) and Steins;Gate when they come to Steam - day 1 certainly.

Analogue: A Hate Story is pretty neat. I need to read/play/experience/watch/interact with the sequel Hate Plus too.

[Exhuminator]

The very best visual novels I've played in years are the Sorcery! series:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... ery1&hl=en

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... ery2&hl=en

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... ery3&hl=en

These are actually remakes of the original four part Fighting Fantasy series, with part four still in the works, but I have no doubt it will be released.

You will do tons of reading, and that's the visual novel part, but you also traverse a world, collect loot, battle monsters, and make all kinds of tricky decisions. The Sorcery! VN-RPG hybrids are super fun. Easily the most entertaining mobile games I've played.