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Visual Novel recomendations.

Dunki

Member
In the light of the recent Giant Bomb GOTY Podcast which by the way made me as a huge fan of Visual Novels/dating Sims pretty upset about the notion that something like Dream Daddies does something new to this genre I thought to myself "Why not open some recommendation Thread about great Visual Novel/Dating Sims.

Note: These kind of games often have some adult themes in it. So if you are pretty sensitive to these kind of topics (Violence, depression, illness etc) you better should take a look first what you are dealing with. And if the game is on Steam its also a given that it is a censored Version so be aware of that if this is important to you.

So to start I would introduce 3 totally different Novels: One fun one, one with in depth characters and story and one detective Novel which heavy themes and not for the sensitive Person.

But Lets Start with the Fun one:


Maji de Watashi ni Koishinasai!

Opening

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Kawakami City is famous for its strong dedication to its samurai ancestors. A strong fighting spirit is always valued and it's even an important factor in succeeding in school there.

Yamato, a second year student from Kawakami Highchool is always with his close friends (4 boys and 3 girls). They have known each other since they were young and have done loads of things together. They have many other friends, but this seven people is a close-knit group, they even have a secret base where they meet...

With the new semester, they welcome two girls into their group and shortly after things start to change...

This one stands out for me because I really liked the Characters and their chemistry. They know each other for a long time and during the game you learn a lot more about their personalities which are often hidden behind their normal quirks and stereotypes. Also it also covers the topics of being the new one in a closed circle of friends and trying to fit in, it is still a bit like a Fighting Shounen Anime in which the women play the role of the fighters while you are the smart and tactical one. Overall its a pretty funny VN with stupid scenes but also touching moments.

Next is Grisaia no Kajitsu Le Fruit De La Grisaia or better the whole Triology which Is I believe also on Steam without the nudity stuff. So its great for people not liking this at all.

Triology Opening: Prologue, Fruit, Labirinthe, Eden)

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Mihama Academy - on the surface, a closed learning environment established to nurture students who find themselves at odds with the world around them; in actuality, an orchard-cum-prison built to preserve fruit that has fallen too far from its tree.

Whatever the circumstances behind its establishment, Mihama Academy is at present home to five female students, all with their own reasons for "enrollment." For better or worse, each girl has established a routine obliging of her current situation; life moves at an idle, yet accommodating pace within the walls of Mihama.

Yet with the arrival of the institute's first male student, the nearly preposterously opaque Kazami Yuuji, the students at Mihama begin to fall out of step with their predetermined rhythms. Will Yuuji prove to be the element the girls around him needed to take hold of their lives once more, or will the weight of their pasts prove too steep a wall to overcome?

And in the first place, just who is Kazami Yuuji? While the true nature of the "job" he is wont to alight to at the most haphazard of moments remains shrouded in secrecy, one thing is for certain - his encroachment upon the quiet orchard known as Mihama Academy will prove itself momentous in one way or another. And of course, one cannot discount the possibility that perhaps Yuuji himself carries the weightiest past of any of the students...

While this whole thing is HUGE (150hours) it is also very engaging and interesting since it really goes places starting as typical school setting but even there each person deals with dark secrets and psychological Problems that you will uncover. Also since it has many different routes you can play this forever if you really want to uncover everything.


And the heavy hitter Kara no Shoujo

Opening

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The year is 1956; a series of bizarre murders rocks the city of Tokyo. Tokisaka Reiji, an ex-cop turned private eye, joins the investigation at the behest of his friend Uozumi Kyozo, a detective in the MPD. At the same time, he takes on a missing persons' case at a private all-girls high school, as well as a mysterious request from a girl named Toko to find her true self. As Reiji frantically struggles to crack the case, he learns that the murders bear an uncanny resemblance to a case in which his own fiancé was murdered six years ago. But try as he might, the body count just keeps rising...


While the best this is also the most brutal one and I am not even talking about the depiction of violence. While you play as Reji the game constantly shifts into the roles of the victims to make this even more "exhausting" What makes the role so great is that Reji is not a Super detective and is going to save people. During the Span of the 2 Month the game is set you often feel really helpless while you try to investigate these murders. Also No one is safe even in the best possible route people will die and it can be everyone which makes it even harder. But that makes if also so outstanding in my opinion.

These are 3 Visual Novels I really liked and if you had some to add feel free to do so. Since I believe this will not get that many posts to begin with.
 

sadaiyappan

Member
Visual novel means what exactly? Life is Strange is kind of a visual novel (takes place in the US). It has good reviews and too many awards.
 

FMbarbarian

Member
While not pure visual novels, the Danganronpa series owes a lot to the genre. They are filled with twists and turns and
are gleefully violent. I love all three games of the main series and would recommend to anyone even those who are resistant to these types of games.
 

Dunki

Member
Visual novel means what exactly? Life is Strange is kind of a visual novel (takes place in the US). It has good reviews and too many awards.

Games like Life is Strange or Firewatch are no Visual Novels. Life is Strange is an Adventure game while I think something like Firewat h could count as more open walking simulator.. Visual Novels means basially a interactive book with choices and or other ways of Navigations. For example: Kara uses a map which lets you decide who you are going to meet and how the story plays out.
 

Smax

Member
I'm always looking out for new VNs, but I prefer playing/reading them on the Vita. Where exactly are the ones mentioned on the OP available?

And by the way, does anyone know when that notorious Fata Morgana VN will be released in the west on Vita? I don't understand why it hasn't been released yet when pretty much everything else has.
 

Dunki

Member
I'm always looking out for new VNs, but I prefer playing/reading them on the Vita. Where exactly are the ones mentioned on the OP available?

And by the way, does anyone know when that notorious Fata Morgana VN will be released in the west on Vita? I don't understand why it hasn't been released yet when pretty much everything else has.

In the west you will only get them on PC. There is a Vita Version for The Fruit of Grisaia but I think only in Japan. Otherwise you can find a non sex version on Steam and the other Version on Denpasoft which are curently on sale for 20$ each (Steam and Denpasoft)


Steam Link

I do not know If I am allowed to link to the Denpasoft site but just google the name and you will find it as first result.

Kara no Shojo is an 18+ game you only can buy on Mangagamer

As for Maji I noticed that there never was a version released in the West. So i apologize for this. But there exist a fantastic fan translation available if you google it. Again only on PC.
 
Subarashiki Hibi is the best VN i have ever played. Its definitely not for the young though because it deals with very adult themes.
 

SentientMalware

Neo Member
Zero Escape trilogy if you don't mind some puzzle escape rooms mixed in with your visual novels, Clannad if you do mind.

Out of all the ones I've played, Clannad is the VN that elicited the biggest emotion reaction from me (Kyou ending). I was a wreck the entire day after I finished jt
 

WaterAstro

Member
Zero Escape trilogy if you don't mind some puzzle escape rooms mixed in with your visual novels, Clannad if you do mind.

Out of all the ones I've played, Clannad is the VN that elicited the biggest emotion reaction from me (Kyou ending). I was a wreck the entire day after I finished jt

Wait til you get to the Afterstory.
 
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