Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Representation
is important for games. They are the medium of the modern age and as such
they should reflect this new world. Visual Novels are at the forefront of
this push for diversity in no small part due to their
low cost allowing for more people from the LGBTQ+ community to
express themselves in diverse ways. This list consists of two types
of visual novels, the first are those directly about the LGBTQ+ experience and the second are the ones who have
LGBTQ+ characters as the protagonists and in prominent
roles to normalise their presence in our medium. Now without further
ado, let’s begin at number 10.
10. Blackberry Honey -
 |
| It is a nice change to have genuine period maids in a visual novel. |
Steam
– https://store.steampowered.com/app/716340/Blackberry_Honey/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v21426.
Play Time – 8
hours.
When
I decided to make this list I knew I had to include a title by
Ebi-hime. She is one of the most prolific producers of western
yuri visual novels and they are all of excellent quality. Since I
did not want to populate this list with multiple works from a single writer, I
settled on Blackberry Honey since I think it is her best work. What makes this visual novel stand out is the setting of 19th
century England which is a rare period for the medium to cover and
goes a long way to separating it from its peers. One of the benefits
of this choice is that the romance between the two women is
highlighted within a context distant to the reader. Through this
sense of place and distance the relationship is examined with greater focus than a
more modern day setting as is a time where the acceptance of their
bond was non-existent. Overall a solid entry to start this list with
excellent characters and gripping setting.
9. Ladykiller in a Bind -
 |
| Being tied up occurs surprisingly regularly. |
Itch.io
– https://loveconquersallgames.itch.io/ladykillerinabind.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v14359.
Play Time – 20 hours.
This
visual novel is certainly a distinctive memorable experience in
both the positive and the negative sense. The story takes place on a cruise
ship where our protagonist, simply referred to as The Beast, is
forced to pretend to be her twin brother as she finds herself
thrown into a game of social manipulation. By far the strongest point
of the narrative is its unashamed look at sexuality through various
lenses, such as cross-dressing, homosexuality and bondage. It is
refreshing to have these subjects receive equal billing rather than being segregated and treated as a taboo.
Of all the games on this list Ladykiller in a Bind provides by far the
most direct exploration of its subject matter and if you want a game
that addresses these issues in a clear manner than this is for you.
If this visual novel is so good why isn’t it higher on the list I
hear you ask. The reason is fairly simple, all the characters are not good people and are constantly doing morally questionable things. I
understand that this is part of the point which the work is making,
but there is only so much of these characters I can tolerate
before I start losing empathy with their self destructive actions.
8. A YEAR OF SPRINGS -
 |
| These three tales are endearing through their sweetness. |
Steam
– https://store.steampowered.com/app/1688580/A_YEAR_OF_SPRINGS/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v22619,
https://vndb.org/v25720,
https://vndb.org/v27085. Play
Time – About 1 hour per
game.
While
is in fact three games instead of one, they are all short
experiences which are tied together through a strong common theme and work together as a cohesive experience. A YEAR OF
SPRINGS is a collection of the three visual novels by npckc which
focus the feelings of love, connection and belonging. This game makes
the list for the diverse range of topics its covers, including being
transgender and being asexual, which are handled with the needed
sensitivity. Rather than directly addressing these ideas A YEAR OF
SPRINGS focuses on having you inhabit the mental space of the
characters and making you feel these experiences first hand. This
gentle approach allows for an emotive exploration of topic which
deserve more coverage of this quality in our medium.
7. Kindred Spirits on the Roof -
 |
| I wouldn't be so sure about that... |
Steam
–
https://store.steampowered.com/app/402620/Kindred_Spirits_on_the_Roof/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v8508.
Play Time – 23 Hours.
Liar-soft
are one of my favourite visual novel developers and in Kindred
Spirits on the Roof they bring their unique style to the exploration
of homosexuality. Our protagonist Toomi Yuna is trying to live a
quiet life when she meets two ghost on the roof of her school and is
enlisted by them to help create more ‘yuri’ couples so they can
understand their own feelings. As you might expect the narrative
focuses on the couples that the ghosts are trying to create and is the
strongest point in the game’s favour. While most narratives would be content with a single homosexual pairing, Kindred
Spirits is interested in seeing the growth of these feelings from
multiple perspectives. The result is a broader consideration of the
people and feelings which go into the formulation of their
relationships and presents that to the player in a light and
digestible form so as to not overwhelm them. Kindred Spirits is
probably the most interested in presenting the normality and natural
formation of homosexual feeling of any of the games on this list and
for that it definitely earns its place here.
6. The Expression Amrilato -
 |
| A cute couple cuddling, what could be better? |
Steam
–
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1044490/The_Expression_Amrilato/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v21321.
Play
Time – 11 hours.
The human
desire to be understood by others, to communicate their purist
intentions to one another, is a powerful feeling and it is at the heart of The
Expression Amrilato.
The
story begins with Rin finding that she has been shifted into a
different world which is only subtly different from our own with its
pink sky. There she meets Ruka
who offers a helping hand
and Rin comes to realise
that the people of this world speak a different language to her. From
here the learning of language is used as the literal and
metaphorical barrier of communication between the two and as they
slowing break it down they come to understand each other’s
feelings. This blending of the themes of communication and acceptance of
one’s sexuality elevates this simple narrative above many of its
peers as it understands how to use metaphor to deal elegantly
with its ideas. The only
point against this game is that it also frames itself as an
educational product and has the player learn the language of this new
world. Unfortunately, this
language is Esperanto which isn’t widely spoken making the learning
sections feel like a bit of a waste of time.
5. Hashihime of the Old Book Town -
 |
| The distinctive art-style of Hashihime makes it stand out from the crowd |
Manga
Gamer –
https://www.mangagamer.com/r18/detail.php?goods_type=1&product_code=1137.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v17018.
Play Time – 30 hours.
This
is the second visual novel on this list to be set in a historical
setting, but rather than 19th century England it is set in
20’s Japan. With its striking visual style, Hashihime of the Old
Book Town makes a lasting impression on the player’s senses that
complements a narrative of existential thoughts and murder mystery.
While the homosexual elements are one part of a whole work rather
than the sole focus, as similar aspects have been in the previous places on
this list, Hashihime explores them in amongst the other tensions of
the narrative to both normalise these feelings and explore them in
this cultural setting. If you want a plot with twists and turns
accompanied by excellent characters and a gripping world, then you
can not wrong with Hashihime of the Old Book Town.
4. Lonely Yuri -
 |
| We all need someone to lean on, to support us when things are tough. |
Steam
– https://store.steampowered.com/app/800120/Lonely_Yuri/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v10569.
Play Time – 2 hours.
If
there is one phrase that sums up Lonely Yuri it is short but sweet. This is a story of opening up to someone and how that can be both
difficult and rewarding. Lonely Yuri is a tone piece which explores
its themes and sexuality through an emotional resonance between protagonist and
player. As a result there is not much of a narrative to speck of, but
given its short length this never becomes an issue. It is the simple
story of two girls, Konno Fusa and Aeba Seri, and their budding
relationship. Nothing more and nothing less, yet it somehow captures
a strength of emotion which many visual novels strive for and fail
even with their much longer play-times. If there is one game on this
list you should play if you only have a small amount of time then it
is Lonely Yuri.
3. DRAMAtical Murder -
 |
| I think he has a thing for hair. It is nice hair. |
Steam
– https://store.steampowered.com/app/1481080/DRAMAtical_Murder/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v5916.
Play Time – 20 hours.
Cyberpunk
is a genre which always catches my attention as its ability to
comment on our society and create engaging narrative is second to
none. DRAMAtical Murder is an excellent entry in this genre with its
gritty yet eccentric world and thoughtful and exciting story. Our
protagonist Aoba lives in the shadow of the Platinum Jail, a
walled-off resort where the wealthy live in luxury. While many people
his age fight in street gang or lose themselves in virtual reality,
Aoba just wants a peaceful life and works at a junk shop, but as strange things
start happening it becomes clear he will have to fight or have
nothing left to return to. The strength of the writing on display in
DRAMAtical makes it stand out not only for its roller-coaster ride
of a narrative but also its weaving of strong homosexual
romances into each route. It truly deserves its high spot on this
list or any list of the best visual novels.
2. FLOWERS - Le volume sur été -
 |
| Innocent Grey's style is at its strongest in the FLOWERS series. |
Steam
–
https://store.steampowered.com/app/858940/Flowers_Le_volume_sur_ete/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v15395.
Play Time – 20 hours.
The
second game in the FLOWERS series, Le volume sur été (or Summer as
I will refer to it) follows Yaegaki Erika, a sharp-tongued and asocial
girl, as she start off on the wrong foot with her new Amitie partner
Takasaki Chidori and the mysteries of the school soon start to reveal
themselves. This visual novel earns its place at number two because
of the strength of its characters and the reflection of their
homosexual relationship in their dynamics and growing feelings.
Similarly to some of the other games on this list, Summer is a game
which uses the emotive and empathetic nature of its characters to
engage the player and have them experience the themes and ideas it
wants to present through these emotions. It succeeds brilliantly at this technique while
still having the room to build up the overarching mystery of the
series in a meaningful way which does not detract from the core of
its identity.
1.WE KNOW THE DEVIL -
 |
| The way the art, sound and writing all come together makes this game special. |
Steam
– https://store.steampowered.com/app/435300/We_Know_the_Devil/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v18419.
Play Time – About 2 hours.
The
first place on this list is held by the self styled Group
Relationship Horror Visual Novel. In this story three kids must spend
twelve hours in a cabin in the woods and live through their encounter
with the devil. WE KNOW THE DEVIL’S focus is on what it means to be
queer and the feeling of being isolated because of what makes you
different and it achieves this through its choices where you must pair of
two of the characters and leave a third alone. Couple this with the
haunting use of sound and music and the distinctive art style and the
effectiveness of the atmosphere and message of the game could not be
clearer. There is nothing else quite like WE KNOW THE DEVIL and its
keen writing and structure make it truly deserving of the top spot.
Honourable Mention – Nurse Love Addiction -
 |
| What a cute couple... for now... |
Steam
– https://store.steampowered.com/app/485040/Nurse_Love_Addiction/.
VNDB – https://vndb.org/v16610.
Play Time – 25 hours.
Our
honourable mention is one of the subtler visual novels on this list.
If you start to play it you might be forgiven for thinking that this
is just another cute yuri game with no real substance to it,
but how wrong you would be. Nurse Love Addiction only reveals its
true nature if you make the wrong choices and then things start
taking a turn for the strange and the characters show the other side
of themselves. The overall mystery which unveils itself as you play
keeps you glued to the screen as events play out. This visual novel
was a strong contender for this list but ultimately its darker
elements can be a bit overbearing and so it only earns a place as a
honourable mention.
