Visual Novels

[hazeredmist]

There doesn't seem to be any comparable threads and with this being one of my favourite genres - but still relatively niche - I think it's worthy to start one up and hear about each other's tastes and choices in the genre, and to get ideas of what to pick up next.

I've always found these games to be ideal wind-down games on a handheld following playing on other things, and a lot like curling up with a book on the sofa. It started on the DS for me, and continues to the present day on Vita / 3DS. I hope to see games like this on Switch too, but I haven't really delved into anything on that format yet, other than seeing that some ports have been released.

To kick this off I'll reference some of my all time favourites, perhaps with detail to come in later posts:

Phoenix Wright - Ace Attorney (basically all of them, from DS to 3DS)
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 (DS)
Steins;Gate (Vita)
Trigger Happy Havok: Danganronpa (Vita)

...and a bit on the game I've just finished, Root Letter (Vita)

This one is interesting, it follows a 30-something man's quest to find out what happened to a female penpal of his, digging around her past in her hometown, talking to former classmates and people from the local area. It's got multiple endings which is often a thing with this genre, which differ wildly and of course a "true ending". I may discuss this in more detail in a spoiler post if there is interest in the thread / game.

How about you!

[Simonsloth]

The Danganronpa and Zero Escape series are probably my favourites. Although saying that I still haven’t gotten around to playing the third game in each trilogy.

Hatoful boyfriend is all kinds of brilliant bonkers too.

[hazeredmist]

Hatoful Boyfriend is in my PS Plus list I think... I'll download it!

*edit - no it's not by the looks of it. I might have dismissed it and not added it to library when spotted on PS Plus... I'm positive it's been on there *

Played 999 on DS and LOVED that, the story is epic. The C&R podcast on the game is also my favourite C&R show ever too - the research, structure and detail explored by a passionate host and guests alike was superb. I've got Virtue's Last Reward which I have one bad ending on so far and need to go back to, and also have Zero Time Dilemma in my library for when I get to it.

[Simonsloth]

Having played all the games in your list I would say that Virtue’s last reward is my favourite by a country mile. The branching story path is much more of a big deal in that game than 999. It was free on PS plus a long time ago and was probably the biggest surprise in my many years of subscribing.

Hatoful boyfriend like Steinsgate is much lighter on interactivity and getting all of the endings is a little bit of a chore as it isn’t clear where the branches are. That’s why the Virtue’s last reward flowchart is a godsend.

[KSubzero1000]

I love a good visual novel, although I haven't played that many.

The Ace Attorney series can be a bit uneven at times, but when it fires on all cylinders it's an amazing experience. The original trilogy have some of the greatest character moments and bits of writing in all of gaming. Still salty that Capcom made zero attempts to localize the Sherlock Holmes spin-offs.

I adore 999 as well, and honestly, I think VLR is even better. I put it in my Top 10 when we made our Top 50 lists last year and I stand by that. Absolutely phenomenal experience from start to finish. Rich character arcs, beautiful score, ingenious twists. I don't think I'll ever forget my initial playthroughs of either of those amazing games.

ZTD was a noticeable disappointment in comparison and an unworthy ending to the series for many reasons. But I'm still looking forward to Uchikoshi's AI: The Somnium Files later this year. I know next to nothing about it and I'm really excited, actually.

I have the two Hotel Dusk, the two Steins;Gate, and all three Danganronpa games waiting for me in my backlog for whenever I feel the urge to dive headfirst into another visual novel series. And I still need to finish Spirit of Justice at some point.


Great genre overall, full of very high peaks and some very low valleys.

[Alex79]

I really enjoyed what I played of Steins Gate on Vita, but kind of abandoned it about ten hours in. I've tried a couple of others, but my biggest gripe of the genre is they're so long. Imagine a great visual novel you could get through in 4-5 hours. I'd love that. I played 999 to completion (or at least one ending) and enjoyed it, but again, far too long! I have the sequels on Vita so will have a look at them at some point. I also played the first Phoenix Wright game but really didn't enjoy it. I liked the courtroom bits, but not the exploring. So it's a genre I have a funny relationship with. I want to like it, but just don't have the patience.

Also, I wish there was a bit more variety. Maybe a Lovecraftian visual novel set in Victorian times, or with pirates, or in space, but 90% of the ones I've seen are Japanese teenagers involved in high school dramas. Happy to be corrected with some examples that step outside this though, as I said, I want to like them.

EDIT: I do really want to try 2064 Read Only Memories when it's on sale for Vita. Looks great, cyberpunk style, very much inspired by Snatcher - which I really enjoyed. Which reminds me, I really need to finish Policenauts too, because that's brilliant and does class as a visual novel I guess. Something like a cross between VN and point and click adventure, at least.

[hazeredmist]

I really enjoyed what I played of Steins Gate on Vita, but kind of abandoned it about ten hours in. I've tried a couple of others, but my biggest gripe of the genre is they're so long.

See I do know what you mean here but the length is sometimes just what I need. I tend to play these games over months, a little bit of time when I go to bed etc - only really crunching them when I get really into a section, or I can feel them drawing to a close. Steins;Gate was a game which felt like it did develop slower than I'd have liked so I'm with you there but then (and you may have been just short of this) there is a twist which sends the game into overdrive and it comes alive for the latter half. But it's hard to say "sit through 10 hours of being bored" to recommend anything if you aren't into the slower paced character building stuff which is understandable.

[hazeredmist]

I have the two Hotel Dusk, the two Steins;Gate, and all three Danganronpa games waiting for me in my backlog for whenever I feel the urge to dive headfirst into another visual novel series. And I still need to finish Spirit of Justice at some point.

All "God Tier" as they'd say in the shmups thread

Spirit of Justice is one of the weaker overall Ace Attorney games I think, with some great highs but a few dud cases in my opinion. The last case is superb though, as it always is in those games. I'm contemplating the DLC case, I think it's the only western-released case I've not done. Most PW games I've played through so many times over the years the hour count must be ridiculous.

[hazeredmist]

Picked up Chaos;Child on Vita, to add to the backlog. Looks like an interesting one, made by the team behind Steins;Gate

[Alex79]

I've downloaded VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender on my Vita. Really like the aesthetic and the game sounds interesting.

[Alex79]

Argh gutted! I checked Wikipedia and the game I mentioned above is listed as Japan and US only for Switch, so I got it on Vita. Today I find that it IS on the UK Switch store, AND is a pound cheaper than on Vita! Doooooh!!

[hazeredmist]

That's no bad thing! The vita is perfect for visual novels - let us know what the game is like

[Alex79]

Enjoying it so far, only a couple of hours in but seems fun. It's nice having the story broken up by mixing drinks every now and then.

EDIT: Although I've been playing it a bit this morning, and there is some questionable material in the game really. One of the characters is a sex robot who's unique feature is that she's opted to stay 'underage' in appearance because it makes her more money. Not really sure where the story is going yet, but the whole game has a really quite seedy undertone to it. Hmm.

[Alex79]

I'm currently playing (and enjoying, thanks to Scrustle) Coffee Talk on Switch. It's a visual novel in which you play a batista, mixing drinks for patrons whilst listening to their stories. Gameplay-wise, it's virtually identical to another game I played recently, VA11-HALLA: A Cyberpunk Bartender Adventure (or whatever it's called) in which you mixed drinks for patrons whilst listening to their stories.

I also enjoyed what I played of Steins Gate in the past, and aside from the Ace Attorney games, which I found a bit boring, I seem to like these visual novel type games. I've also played 999 back on DS, too. It was OK, but I'm more after story based stuff without too much puzzling and moving about. Also, I have no interest in 'dating sims'.

With this in mind, are there any other games people would recommend? They're not the sort of game I'd play on TV, so Switch, Vita, NDS and even Android recommendations much appreciated.

I was surprised there was no dedicated thread already, so thought I'd make one. Thanks!

[KSubzero1000]

I was surprised there was no dedicated thread already, so thought I'd make one.

There is. You posted in it.

[ratsoalbion]

Merged.

[Alex79]

Huh, crazy man. I literally searched for +visual +novels in message titles and nothing came up!

Haha, thanks!

EDIT: Gah, I searched for +novel, without an S on the end...

[hazeredmist]

I was surprised there was no dedicated thread already, so thought I'd make one.

There is. You posted in it.

NOTHING gets past Ksub, doesn't matter how old it is

[hazeredmist]

I have the following yet to play on the Vita and Switch which I'm excited about, obviously I love visual novels too:

Vita:

Chaos;Child (makers of Steins;Gate which I implore you go back to...)
Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma

Switch:

Tokyo Dark Remembrance
Worldend Syndrome

There may be others, I'll post if I remember any.

[NoMoreSpearows]

This is the part where I urge everybody to play either 428: Shibuya Scramble, for those looking for a story that is equal parts thrilling mystery and farcical nonsense, or The Silver Case and its sequel The 25th Ward, for those who want to see a terrifying prediction of current events as written in 1999 and 2005, respectively. In other words, those latter two might hit a bit too close to home, so I can't blame you if you don't want to experience them right now.