Visual novels originated in Japan during the tail end of the 20th century and introduced new ways to create games based on immersive storytelling. While some games focused on adult content, others developed rich worlds where players build friendships, solve problems, save the world, or find true love. Others let you mingle with the local androids and serve drinks to make a quick buck.
From dating sims to horror titles, to epic science-fiction stories with multiple timelines, visual novels provide some of the best writing in video gaming today. And for newcomers and avid readers alike, these are some of the best visual novels available in the genre, in no particular order.
428: Shibuya Scramble
Getting a rare 40 out of 40 score by the acclaimed Japanese magazine Famitsu, 428: Shibuya Scramble is a must-play for any visual novel fan. The game revolves around the kidnapping of Maria Osawa, who was abducted the previous night at a party. This case brings five strangers together: a young detective, a former gang leader, a journalist, the head researcher at a pharmaceutical company, and an amnesiac girl stuck in a cat costume.
The game goes from this small case and spirals into something massive that puts everyone in Shibuya in danger. 428 is split up into one-hour time blocks where you need to make the correct choices as all five characters in order to proceed to the next time block. Thankfully, the game allows you to go back to any choice in the game thanks to the helpful JUMP system, so you don’t have to worry about replaying the entire block.
The game’s 40+ hour narrative is incredibly engaging. 428: Shibuya Scrambles manages to balance everything so perfectly, it’s no wonder why this game is beloved by everyone who’s played it.
AI: The Somnium Files
Kotaro Uchikoshi has written fantastic visual novels such as Ever 17 and the Zero Escape trilogy. However, we believe that AI: Somnium Files is his best game to date. In this mystery visual novel, you play as Kaname Date who is put in charge of a serial killing case dubbed the Cyclops Serial Killings where each victim has their left eye removed. In order to try and get to the bottom of this case, Date has to go inside people’s subconscious and find clues that would hopefully lead him to the killer.
There are a lot of mind-bending twists and turns in this game that’ll keep you guessing, which is a Uchikoshi signature. AI: The Somnium Files also features fantastic characters that are brought to life thanks to the strong writing in this game. For being a dark and gritty mystery game, there’s surprisingly a lot of heart in this game and you’ll find yourself getting attached to some of the cast. Those seeking a thrilling adventure need to play AI: The Somium Files.
Aviary Attorney
For fans of Ace Attorney, you’ll want to check out Aviary Attorney. This comedy game takes you back to 1848 France and has you step into the shoes of Jayjay Falcon, a bird attorney who will make sure that his client gets that not guilty verdict. Much like Ace Attorney, you’ll be collecting evidence over a period of days and then try to present your case in court.
However, where Aviary Attorney differs from Ace Attorney is the fact that the former has branching paths. In Aviary Attorney, cases can play out differently depending on your choices and if you have the correct evidence. Evidence in this game can be missed, so it’s important that you spend your time wisely during investigation days so you can win in court.
This game is stylistically very unique. Instead of having anime characters, the utilizes caricatures of 19th century French artist J.J. Grandville, who was famous for drawing aristocrats and politicians as animals. So, not only does the style fit in perfectly with the game’s setting, but it also works well with the game’s comedic tone. A lot of the characters are over the top and hilarious. Added in with the game’s hilarious writing, you’ll be crying tears of laughing with Aviary Attorney.
Gnosia
Featured on our list of the best indie games for 2021, Gnosia is an interesting visual novel for all the right reasons. In this game, you wake up on a spaceship with no memory. You’re told that some of the crew is Gnosia, an alien species that need to be eliminated. You do this successfully but when you wake up, you find yourself stuck in the same situation. However, you have no idea who it is. The only way to figure out who is Gnosia and who is human is through debates. It’s revealed that you’re stuck in a time loop and the only way to get out is to gather information about all your crew members so you can figure out how to break the loop.
If you’ve played any social deduction game like Among Us, Town of Salem, or Werewolf, Gnosia operates much like that. Upon each loop, everyone’s role is randomized. On one loop, you may be a Doctor, someone who diagnoses that the deceased was really a Gnosia. On another playthrough, you might actually be the Gnosia. By playing these different roles with various conditions, you’ll unlock special events that will help reveal critical information about the cast that’ll help you get closer to breaking the loop.
What makes Gnosia really interesting to play is that on one loop, you’ll be friends with a character, maybe even have a touching event with them. Then on the next loop, you could be stabbing them in the back. Although most of the cast has no recollection of the loops, you do and just having to break everyone’s hearts after foraging a bond with them is really heartwrenching. But, it’s what you need to do too. Gnosia provides a fulfilling experience to newcomers and veterans of the visual novel genre.
Raging Loop
Raging Loop has you playing Haruaki Fusaishi, a young man who accidentally wounds up in a remote village called Yasumizu after crashing his motorcycle. During his time there, a heavy mist shrouds the entire village, preventing anyone from leaving. He’s told that the Feast has begun and that no one can leave until it’s completed. What is the Feast? It’s an event where every night, someone in the village turns into a werewolf and kills someone. It’s the job of everyone else to figure out who the werewolf is and kill them before it’s too late.
During the game, the player must carefully choose their next action or else it could result in Haruaki’s death. Raging Loop does an excellent job at making every choice feel incredibly important and feel like your life is riding on it through its excellent writing. Players who are looking for a psychological horror game that’ll keep them on the edge of their seats will need to pick up Raging Loop.
The Letter
For those who loved Supermassive’s Until Dawn or The Quarry, you’ll want to check out The Letter. This game is a horror visual novel where you take control of seven characters who all end up getting entangled in a deadly curse. They’ll need to figure out how to break the curse before it kills them.
The game doesn’t rely a ton on jump scares and focuses more on making you scared through its writing and effective sound design. The characters in this game also take a front seat. They’re not just there for the ghost to kill. They’re fleshed out, they feel real. As a result, you want these characters to make it out alive. In a genre filled with games where cheap jump scares are prioritized and the game’s cast are as flat as a piece of cardboard, The Letter is a breath of a fresh air.
What makes The Letter similar to Until Dawn or The Quarry is the incredibly in-depth branching paths and character relationships, which are all impacted by your choices. Depending on two characters’ relationship with each other, they might end up getting together in the end. Or, if they absolutely hate each, something else might occur. Now, this will also depend on whether one of those characters is alive. So, trying to see all the different scenes in the game allows for a lot of replayability.
