Displaying items by tag: Visual Novel
Though this visual novel has an interesting narrative, it is hindered by a lack of impactful choices, a lack of options, and branching errors that take you out of the story.
Interrogating is really not the answer. Worth some of your time, especially if you’re into that whole noir scene, but otherwise, you can give it a pass.
With interesting characters, this RPG is a fun way to pass time, but the overall gameplay is not immersive enough to provide an involved experience.
The first installment of what looks to be an interesting series, Misadventures of Laura Silver: Chapter 1 brings polish and interactivity to the visual novel genre.
A successful PC port with exceptional storytelling that lacks important control options and falls short of expectations in certain technical areas.
A darkly humorous and entertaining addition to the series, Corpse Party: Sweet Sachiko’s Hysteric Birthday Bash has a charming assortment of unique characters and a host of interesting choices, but doesn’t always translate well into the visual novel format. Fans of the series will enjoy seeing their favorite characters in outlandish scenarios, but the lack of any lasting consequences ultimately detracts from the title’s overall impact.
A beautiful and well-crafted visual novel, 7'scarletexcels at storytelling and manages to create a compelling mystery full of shocking twists and turns.
The Ballad Singer is a fully illustrated, narrative adventure created by Curtel Games. It’s a text-focused storytelling experience based on classic RPGs, role-playing tabletop games, and other epic adventures. The story takes place in the fantasy world of Hesperia and is told through the eyes and experiences of four different but connected heroes (or, rather, “adventurers,” as some of them aren't all that heroic).
The graphics are great, but the story and the characters could use more development. The choices you make don’t feel like they matter to the outcome of this brief experience.
The cleverly lovely Camp W is a charming visual novel where you simply click your way through to the end — for better, or for worse.
Monster Prom is a dating sim that’s ready to scare away the competition with drop-dead gorgeous art, killer writing, and music that’s to die for.
This light-hearted visual novel is the equivalent of indulging in a giant piece of chocolate cake. You know it's not what your doctor would recommend; it's mostly empty calories. But nevertheless, it looks amazing, the rush from the sugar is pleasing, and you enjoy every single bite.
Educating the public about mental illness is important, but a problem inherent in accurately portraying depression is that, well, it isn't fun to be depressed. Indygo skillfully builds a gloomy atmosphere: The voice acting, music, black and white art style, and narrative all work together to convey the disconnection and emptiness a person suffering from depression can feel. You may come away with a better understanding of depression by playing, but if you're looking for entertainment along with your education, you will be disappointed.
A neat tool, VNMaker makes it easy to tell a story and share it with friends. It boasts a wide variety of features and several options for creating anything from a short romance in the classroom to a full-fledged RPG. The interface is intuitive and sleek, and the program itself is fun and easy to use.
Dreamy yet disturbing, Cherrymochi’s Tokyo Dark keeps its crosshair leveled at a sweet spot between Japanese visual novel and point-and-click adventure. Backed by beautifully illustrated environments and an eclectic soundtrack, Tokyo Dark gives the impression of having been carefully crafted; the creators were thoughtful in how they integrated different elements to evoke a striking ambiance. Featuring supernatural cults, dark family secrets, kawaii cat maids that wax existential and a protagonist who speaks primarily in ellipses, the game nails narrative but misses the mark on a pointless stat system.
Your quest to quench your thirst while maintaining good relations with every other student is bigly entertaining, though occasionally you’ll speed through some of the more monotonous parts. On the surface, there is a lot to look at and dive into. Between the bunch of boys, to the mall at which you can shop, to the jobs you can work, it seems like there would be more variety to each choice, but each decision feels trivial; the repetitive nature of some of the conversations exacerbated this and, over time, XOXO Droplets lose its shine. However, the jerk characters of XOXO Droplets promises to entertain.
ICY: Frostbite Edition takes you hostage with a compelling narrative rife with tragedy, mystery, treachery, and danger. With an extensive variety of story arcs, endings, and random encounters, IFE offers excellent replayability.
The HD edition of Symphonic Rain is coming to Steam June 14, 2017. All 100+ pictures have been modified by original character artist, Shiro, in this remastered version of the popular music adventure game. Available for the first time officially in English.
Faithful to the franchise, PSYCHO-PASS: Mandatory Happiness manages to involve the player into speculative science-fiction that poses fundamental questions about the human condition. While the graphics rely on still images and, at times, follow dialogue to an extent that feels tedious, the storyline creates a gripping experience on crime and mystery that leaves one pondering their own views on happiness and self-determination.
Visual novel veterans will enjoy The Falconers: Moonlight, as will gamers, of any breed, who seek well-crafted stories. Its aesthetic suits its themes, and its sound plays a key role in the player's process of working out its mystery. Dialogue choices remain meaningful despite their limited impact on the plot. This title delivers an experience that, while short, is more than satisfactory.