Your thoughts on Visual Novels?

[adz2ka]

Fully engrossed in them? See them as shallow "games"? Would be good to hear multiple perspectives here.

I'm going through a fairly polarising experience right now. Currently working my way through 13 Sentinels on the Ps4 and it's a wonderful game. The narrative structure combined with the artwork and setting make for a really engaging experience. I can see why it's getting plaudits.

On the other hand, I'm also working through AI Somnium on the Switch in my downtime and I'm having a miserable time with it. Having high expectations from VLR and 999, this is just a downright disappointment. Never hooked on the characters, nor the tech-noir setting, plus the Psyncing is utterly dreadful.

Expect Danganronpa and Stein's Gate to be the stand outs here, but are there any others you'd recommend?

 

[Admiral Woofington]

i like them mixed with other gameplay or with multiple choices.

 

[Strings]

I like most everything Uchikoshi, Takumi Nakazawa and Ryukishi07 work on. The House in Fata Morgana was great, Code: Realize was surprisingly a lot of fun, 428 and Machi are ludicrously enjoyable, etc.

I'm sloooooooooowly going through Muv-Luv at the moment, and that's fun too, despite being paced like molasses.

... As for semi-recent, well-regarded stuff I didn't enjoy: Raging Loop. Super slow and with a laughably bad ending.

 

[Unknownlight]

"Pure" visual novels should be read on a Switch (or streamed to a tablet) while sitting on a comfortable couch with a hot tea, reading it like a book. It's not really comparable to regular games.

 

[bounchfx]

I quite enjoyed 999 on DS but otherwise don't seek them out. I don't know if Murder By Numbers counts but I'm playing that one too...for the puzzles. I bought 13 Sentinels before I understood it was a visual novel. I might have held off if I realized that beforehand. Still looking forward to playing it though. I guess I just want a game to be a game more than a book, but I'm not against it if the story is actually worthwhile. I'm pretty picky when it comes to thinking game stories matter at all though, unfortunately.

 

[Zuly]

I've been playing visual novels for a long time now on PC. I don't mind purely text based ones either. I play tons of those on both Vita/mobile.

 

[Rotobit]

Really like what I've played, prefer them portably though.

I also like them to have little occasional bits of gameplay, whether it be Ace Attorney trials/investigations or 999 puzzles. I think 13 Sentinels would have been better without the walking around tho, it basically feels like a barren adventure game with how little interaction there is with the environment.

I am really curious about otome games since some of those seem really neat conceptually and I feel they must have more going on than just dating anime boys. Would kinda suck if they're passed over when Steins;Gate (which I like) basically has romance route endings by any other definition.

 

[Dlanor A. Knox]

Umineko, the GOAT.

 

[Wein Cruz]

The majority of the popular ones have really embarrassing moments of sexualization that most people try to gloss over when recommending them.

 

[lightning16]

I enjoy them. I read Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception and Mask of Truth this year and they're my new favorites in the genre.

 

[rickyson33]

I basically view them as something in between a book and a movie

have to be in the right mood for them which doesn't happen very often but i've had some great experiences with them over the years

edit: I don't really care for the ones that mix gameplay in though, i'll play them anyways if they are good enough(i've played the first two Zero Escape games) but at best it just feels like a mildly annoying chore to get to the bits i'm actually playing it for

 

[Zweisy1]

I do like them to feature some actual puzzle solving as well instead of just exhausting every option in the menu over and over until the story moves forward like some of the more shallow ones.

In other words I prefer them to be as close to adventure games as possible.

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

I really prefer it when they have choices that have a meaningful impact on the story, puzzles are good too.

 

[Melpomene]

It's a lot of garbage and creepy over/undertones to wade through, and even the best games have... issues, sometimes, but yeah, I'd say there are a good number to pick through that are worth one's time, particularly when at least the overarching narrative veers a bit away from romance. Non-VN gameplay helps, too, though I find that the competency of that sort of thing varies heavily from game to game.

 

[MadeULook]

Been playing Visual Novels for quite a while now and really enjoy them. I finally got around to Umineko and Higurashi a few months back. Basically a commitment reading them back to back but was well worth it in the end.

 

[Trigonometrize]

They're the most immersive type of game for me. There's something very intimate about their use of sprites and static backgrounds while still having you interact with them whether it be as little as moving the text forward or moving characters, solving puzzles, et al.

They unfortunately are limited by the trends, tropes, and writing styles of Japan being primarily made there. But having said that there are quite a few I find interesting.

 

[Possum Armada]

Way too mired in anime tropes and fan service for me. That said, seems like a valid genre and kudos to everyone who enjoys it.

 

[Princess Bubblegum]

Aside from the Ace Attorney series and 999, I really don't care for visual novels.

Now indie visual novels made by queer women, I live for that shit.

 

[Deleted member 59109]

They seem pretty boring to me. I like games that have more running/jumping, character movement, etc

 

[Rosebud]

Loved every one I played until now. Higurashi is just words and made me more scared than any traditional horror game.

Umineko, the GOAT.

Click to shrink...

It really is.

 

[Stefarno]

Absolutely love them, but they have to be on a portable. Perfect games to play in bed.

 

[tokkun]

I will put in a vote for VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action if you want a game where you can relax with a drink and soak up those PC-98 synthwave vibes.

... As for semi-recent, well-regarded stuff I didn't enjoy: Raging Loop. Super slow and with a laughably bad ending.

Click to shrink...

I liked the first half of the game a lot. It really does implode in the end though.

As for my own unpopular opinion, I found House in Fata Morgana to be a real slog to get through. I really dig the overall plot and the artwork, but the actual prose did not work for me at all. I don't know if it was the English translation or the source material, but it is so tedious. And some of the music tracks could be used to disperse rioters.

 

[Ralemont]

I find they become way too convoluted for their own good to the point that the story loses whatever it had going for it. Or at least, the VNs that usually get recommended.

Would love to play some that are down to earth and just focus on the characters.

 

[Kaeden]

I've tried to get into 999 so many times that I've realized it's probably just not for me. I like the premise but I quickly got bored of hunting around for everything. The puzzle aspects were fun, the layout not so much.

 

[Deleted member 68874]

I like a VN with more than just reading. VLR and 999 were super enjoyable.

The VN's without any gameplay mechanics are an instant pass. If all I'm going to do is read, I'd get so much more out of reading a book.

 

[StrangeRoboMemory]

I mostly find them boring, never could get into the genre, the point and click interactivity was always kind of annoying to me, even in classics like Monkey Island and such. I do like a handful of them like Snatcher, though.

 

[Rosebud]

I like a VN with more than just reading. VLR and 999 were super enjoyable.

The VN's without any gameplay mechanics are an instant pass. If all I'm going to do is read, I'd get so much more out of reading a book.

Click to shrink...

Umineko is like a love letter to classic mystery books, that why I loved it so much.

The setting is basically a copy of And Then There Were None, but it goes wild lol

 

[Laser Ramon]

I think they're one of the most misunderstood genres in all of video games.

 

[Hexa]

I love them. I consider them their own separate medium though and not inherently games.

 

[Kill3r7]

They don't work for me. I desperately want to like them but outside of the Ace Attorney Trilogy and the nonary games I find the rest to be boring. I think that has more to do with the subject matter.

 

[NightShift]

I see visual novels as a cheap but effective way of getting across a story and think literally any other method than straight up text boxes is better. The story has to be really good and/or have plenty of breaks from visual novel-ing or me to get into them.

I think most visual novels in general are shit but the most popular ones (Ace Attorney, Zero Escape, Danganronpa, Persona) handle it very well.

 

[Squid Bunny]

I haven't played much outside of AA and AI : The Somnium Files, but I enjoyed them, with AA being among my favorite franchises.

 

[Shelbyville Milhouse]

Not for me but that's okay

 

[tokkun]

I find they become way too convoluted for their own good to the point that the story loses whatever it had going for it. Or at least, the VNs that usually get recommended.

Would love to play some that are down to earth and just focus on the characters.

Click to shrink...

Well, the entirety of the plot in VA-11 Hall-A is "Girl works in a bar while coming to terms with the end of her last relationship."

Some of the characters are kind of out there though, so if you are looking for something super grounded and serious it might not be your cup of tea.

 

[kosmickitten]

I looooove VNs. My second favorite genre, after RPGs. I like all types of VNs too. But like with any genre or books for that matter, obviously I find some that don't pull me. I tend to love Otome VNs and ones with puzzles (like 999) the best. Or any one that makes me tear up lol. I actually prefer them on my monitor though, instead of portable. That way I can recline in my chair and get a better experience with the art and music.

I really need to start 13 Sentinels next. I saw that Vanillaware made it and assumed it was a game more like Odin sphere or Dragon's Crown and passed on it. I just ordered a copy once I learned more about it though.

 

[TheMadTitan]

If the screen layout is this:

I automatically hate it. It's a visual nuisance and I can't stand looking at how boring it all is. Even edging close to this is why I immediately dismissed Persona 3 and 4.

I haven't dabbled in many games in the genre as a result.

 

[Type-Zero]

I love visual novels. I feel that they are easy to pick up and enjoy at your own pace. I especially love the feeling when the story starts to pick up and it's hard to stop reading. I recommend anyone who has not read one to give them a try even more if you like to be emotionally invested on characters or the world in general.

 

[purseowner]

I like them more than other video games, if you want to consider them video games. My presence is on this forum is somewhat skewed towards them over other stuff.

999 was my gateway game - I similarly love Virtue's Last Reward and Uchikoshi's works in general. Zero Time Dilemma was the ultimate mixed bag.

The House in Fata Morgana is better than most published literature.

I love the Utawarerumono sequels - those are nearer and dearer to my heart than any other visual novels I've played. The worldbuilding is unparalleled. One of the few series I'd consider myself a 'fan' of.

Other masterpieces: Ace Attorney 3, VA-11 HALL-A, Planetarian

Fair few I'm partway through. I'm loving Little Busters and Yu-No, and Silver Case is impressing so far.

I have one hell of a backlog.

I enjoy them. I read Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception and Mask of Truth this year and they're my new favorites in the genre.

Click to shrink...

 

[Jawmuncher]

VNs with some sort of gameplay addition are definitely my favorite. Can be argued if they count, but stuff like Ace Attorney, Danganronpa, etc are really nice to get both things without really having to worry about any sort of skill level to get to the end.

Besides that, just regular VNs in-general can be a cool time. You can do a lot with games and being able to tell a story differently from a big is cool, especially when it uses the format to its advantage.

 

[Lemony1984]

428 Shibuya Scramble is GOAT.

 

[Exist 2 Inspire]

Love em. Katawa Shoujo blew my mind years ago. Now VLR, Clannad, Danganronpa and others are some of my favorite games of all time.

 

[Lulu]

IF I wanted to read id go back to school lol

 

[Slushimi]

I like most everything Uchikoshi, Takumi Nakazawa and Ryukishi07 work on. The House in Fata Morgana was great, Code: Realize was surprisingly a lot of fun, 428 and Machi are ludicrously enjoyable, etc.

I'm sloooooooooowly going through Muv-Luv at the moment, and that's fun too, despite being paced like molasses.

... As for semi-recent, well-regarded stuff I didn't enjoy: Raging Loop. Super slow and with a laughably bad ending.

Click to shrink...

The first Muv Luv game is definitely a slog, but it's so worth it in the end.

 

[AniHawk]

i can handle danganronpa, 999, and ace attorney. they remind me of the 90s pc adventure game. when ace attorney was first coming out here, that's the genre i thought it was in - i didn't know about vns back then. 999 felt more like my first exposure to the genre as it had a lot more reading than i expected.

the only other one i gave a shot was steins;gate. about 60-90 minutes in, i stopped playing and haven't gotten back to it.

 

[FantasyFreak07]

Personally, I really enjoy them. Ace Attorney is probably my favorite game ever. The most recent one that I have completed is 13 Sentinels, and I loved it.

 

[Rae]

Really like what I've played, prefer them portably though.

I also like them to have little occasional bits of gameplay, whether it be Ace Attorney trials/investigations or 999 puzzles. I think 13 Sentinels would have been better without the walking around tho, it basically feels like a barren adventure game with how little interaction there is with the environment.

I am really curious about otome games since some of those seem really neat conceptually and I feel they must have more going on than just dating anime boys. Would kinda suck if they're passed over when Steins;Gate (which I like) basically has romance route endings by any other definition.

Click to shrink...

There's a otome OT here too:

Otome Community Thread: A New Era of Beefcakes

Source: Wikipedia. Yo-Jin-Bo: The Bodyguards (PC) Source: VNDB. Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom (PSP) - Also available as Hakuoki (iOS), Hakuoki: Memories of the Shinsengumi (3DS) and Hakuoki: Stories of the Shinsengumi (PS3) Source: GameFAQs. Sweet Fuse: At Your Side (PSP)...

www.resetera.com

I like VN but I dislike popular certain VN you all know which series I'm talking about now orz

Mostly I play otome VN but I will play any FeMC VN since they're p rare overall in games. I've tired of stat-raisers or puzzlers since I have no energy. The gameplay varies so I'm OK w/just relaxing and listening to the VA lines.

 

[Barkspawn]

My only problem with visual novels as a genre is that they often feel overly long and padded out. I've never played a VN with perfect pacing. Every time I read one, I'm left feeling like it could've used an extra editing pass to tighten up the script. Some of my favorites are Steins;Gate, Chaos;Child, Robotics;Notes, Umineko, The House in Fata Morgana, Muv-Luv series, Kara no Shoujo 1 & 2, Baldr Sky and the Utawarerumono series.

As much as I love those titles, you could easily remove a few hours from each of them without losing anything.

 

[francium87]

A genre almost entirely dependent on writing. When the characters and story work, I really don't feel like I need anything else. When they don't, I'm out real fast.

I do find I really like games with VN elements mixed in. Persona, Tales of Wuxia, Taikou Risshiden V, etc (and Three Houses really should have been a VN instead of that drab city)

 

[THIJJ]

I love a good VN. I am kind of against a lot of the new gameplay mechanics being shoved into them in attempts to be more than just a VN though. AI, is a perfect example. Halfway through the game I just started following a guide for the psyncing cause the entire mechanic is dreadful.

the very first one psyncing bit made sense. They get completely nonsensical after that though and I honestly wonder how anyone gets through them without either just following a guide or a legion of trial and error.

 

[Mullet2000]

I really really love certain ones (Ace Attorney games, House in Fata Morgana, 999/Virtue's Last Reward, Danganronpa 1/2/3, and recently 13 Sentinels), but I'm pretty specific about what I'll play.

Someone recommended a game called Muv Luv to me and I just... can't get past how it looks.

Going to try out Steins;Gate very shortly too, so we'll see how it goes.