Highlights
- Visual novels are often unfairly overlooked, but they offer heartwarming stories and intriguing mysteries that fans will adore.
- VA-11 Hall-A is a special visual novel with a dystopian cyberpunk setting that combines love, kindness, and humility in a unique way.
- Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! subverts the tropes of a cute dating sim, making it a viral hit that can now be fully experienced in its refined state.
Most people write off visual novels as nothing more than interactive pieces of fiction flooded with walls of text and pretty art. The actual game side of these titles is woefully lacking in most titles, which can be tough to digest for players who want to boot up a game and feel like they’re playing something instead of just going along for the ride with a story that trudges along regardless of any input from their end.
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This unfair reputation leads to many visual novels being overlooked by people who would be interested in what these titles have to offer if they gave them a chance. Whether it be heartwarming stories, intriguing mysteries, or a combination of both, there’s no denying that visual novels have evolved significantly to become story-rich titles that fans will adore.
5 VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
Metascore: 83
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
- Released
- August 16, 2014
- Developer(s)
- Sukeban Games , Wolfgame
It’s rare for a story set in a dystopian cyberpunk world to be so heartwarming, but that’s precisely what makes VA-11 Hall-A such a special game. It’s a great visual novel that shows how love, kindness, and humility can still be valued in a world that has seemingly forgotten all three values.
The bartending gameplay helps break the monotony that most people may experience from watching walls of text unfurl in front of them, and the characters are well-written, likable, and have engaging personalities of their own. Players looking for a cool indie visual novel to spend some time on will have a great time with VA-11 Hall-A.
4 Danganronpa Decadence
Metascore: 83
Danganronpa Decadence
- Released
- December 3, 2021
Danganronpa is one of the most unique visual novels anyone can get their hands on, with the story taking some seriously unusual turns along the way. Each and every game in the series is an escalation of the core concept that is so incredibly ridiculous that fans can’t help but wonder just how the writers managed to concoct such a wild and entertaining plot.
All three games in the series provide many hours of Danganronpa goodness as players are forced into participating in a twisted killing game by Monokuma, but Danganronpa Decadence is the best of the bunch. Each death triggers a class trial where players must employ everything they’ve learned to try and figure out the identity of the true culprit, which is easily the best part of the experience.
3 Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!
Metascore: 85
Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!
- Released
- June 30, 2021
- Developer(s)
- Team Salvato
Most people remember the time when Doki Doki Literature Club was released, with this free visual novel operating under the guise of a cute dating sim only for things to go south after a major turning point in the story. The subversion of tropes in this title is pretty engaging indeed, and it’s easy to see why the game went viral in no time.
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The popularity of this title led to an updated re-release called Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! which is the best way to experience this unique visual novel. It was released on all major platforms, including the Nintendo Switch, and lets players go through this horrific fourth-wall-breaking title in its most refined state.
2 The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
Metascore: 86
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo 3DS , Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 , Microsoft Windows
- Released
- July 27, 2021
The Ace Attorney series has a loyal core fanbase that loves every game to death, which is why the wait for The Great Ace Attorney was positively agonizing. The spinoff duology takes a look at Phoenix Wright’s ancestor, and the localization issues made it clear that releasing this title on Western shores would prove to be a major challenge indeed.
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Thankfully, after what felt like a very long wait, players finally got their hands on The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles. Both games in the series are a blast to play through, with the second game considered by many to be one of the best Ace Attorney games ever made.
1 Steins;Gate Elite
Metascore: 86
Steins;Gate was a great visual novel that was eventually adapted into a lauded anime adaptation that most fans can’t stop raving about to this day. Given how popular this story was, the developer decided to go forward with an updated re-release of this title that featured full-motion cutscenes and new story material.
Steins;Gate Elite is certainly the best way to play through Rintaro Okabe’s story and see how his trifles with time end up triggering a chain of events that darkens the relentless optimism of his character. The initial few hours of this game focus on establishing the characters and their personalities before the crux of the story hits players like a freight train, capturing their attention and making them root for Okabe as he tries to reach the elusive Steins;Gate.
