Monday, June 23, 2025
Aiming For The Moon
On
the surface Action Shooters and Shmups might seem to be the gameplay
styles which have the most patchy and inconsistent relationship with
narrative. Yet when it comes to visual novels they follow a series of relationships in order to allow them to function at their
best. While the flexibility of visual novels allows them to form
around the Shooter, the gameplay style itself is by its nature
extremely fixed and controlled meaning it cannot offer the same
ability to change in return. One of the ways this manifests is
through each part’s ability to act as an accessory to the other
where they can highlight key moments rather than being a primary
focus. A visual novel element can adapt to match the rigid nature of
the Shooter or push against it to meet the developer’s needs. There
is an important feeling of forward momentum to Shooters which can
sometimes be uneven in a pure version due to the necessity of downtime
but with the addition of visual novel sections this can be more
consistently maintained. Let’s fire out bullets and discover how
this hybrid comes together.
Accessorizing Core Identity
A
common way visual novels and Shooters merge is through one of them
acting as an accessory to the other. What is this often means is one
of them is reduced to a minor role where they appear briefly to create an impactful moment the other could not achieve on their own.
Their functionality in this situation comes from their ability to be
a flexible tool capable of appearing wherever it is needed. When the
visual novel sections are the minor element they work to give the
otherwise disconnected Shooter levels a sense of cohesive direction.
This is made easier due to their simple presentation lending them a
fast pace so they can communicate information and tone in the small
time frame given in a way a more elaborate narrative style would
struggle to do. Being lower cost to produce also plays a role in this
since committing a large amount of resources to something which
appears infrequently is not something many developer’s want to do
and this makes the visual novel an appealing option. On the opposite
extreme are the title where the Shooter occupies the position as the
minor element. In many ways it is similar to other gameplay styles in
that it offers a break from the visual novel and a chance to create a
vastly different mood within the game. However, what makes it
distinct from other examples of this is the way its action gameplay
is such a large departure from the static nature of visual novels it
creates a powerful and memorable way to provide a dynamic feeling. It can help
support the drama and pace of the story surrounding it through asking the player to act fast just like the characters are doing while not
overstaying its welcome. A fast paced gameplay style also allows it
to feel natural in the short and aggressive bursts needed to fulfil
its role without feeling too simplistic within its limitations.
 |
| Here come the butterflies |
Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly is one such visual novel
containing Shooter elements in an arcade style where butterflies move
towards the screen and the player must shoot them down. These are
placed in narrative moments when the cast is in danger and act as a
way to provide weight to scenes which can otherwise come across as
lacking impact. Actions scenes in Psychedelica lack a
proper sense of tension and stakes as it is clear the character drama
is the game’s main concern and so the Shooter gameplay has been
brought in to compensate for this weakness. Due to that focus on
characters and their interpersonal conflicts there are only few
Shooter sections in the entire game so they are basic in nature in
order to not interrupt the flow. The game does not want the player to
be challenged by the arcade shooting and it is difficult to fail them
since there is a generous amount of health, enemies move slowly and
you have infinite ammo. In terms of how the Shooter is presented
within the aesthetics and tone of the title, there has been a lot of
thought put into preventing it appearing too out of place on this
front. The characters all have guns in the story so it makes sense
for them to be able to engaging in shooting gameplay and choosing
butterflies as the enemies works within what has been established
about their role in the setting alongside creating a common imagery
for both side to use.
On Rails
When
talking about Shmups it is rare for visual novels or narrative in
general to come up in the conversation and yet when one wants to
present a story they always fall back on some kind of visual novel
element. This is due to the contrast between the on rails nature of
their mechanics and the appearance of the more open and free-form
nature presented by visual novels. Obviously visual novels can be
just a rigid as Shmups in terms of progression but their human focus
allows for a feeling of chaos to be injected into proceedings and
create the idea that anything is possible. The result of combining
these two is a mixture of complimentary drama and contrasting
flexibility. A Shmup level is inherently a roller-coaster ride of
particle effects, explosions and moment to moment decision making and
this works well as the dramatic core which a visual novel section can
build off for its heightened emotional moments which keeps pace with the gameplay. By deliberately
creating a friction between the structures of the two parts, the game
is able to highlight their individual distinguishing features and
draw the player’s attention to aspects of each as they are given
new life. Despite there being little in common in terms of mechanics, there is some crossover in terms of presentation which can be used to
make it clear what matters on both sides.
 |
| Quick solve the mystery! |
Let’s look at a somewhat
unconventional example in the form of Yurukill: The Calumniation
Games. This is an odd one since it converts parts of its Shooter
gameplay into a multiple choice deduction puzzle were the ship must
fly through the correct answer. Having such a large departure from
the expected gameplay of its genre is an attempt to draw the visual
novel half closer to it by placing elements commonly found there into
a Shooter context. Rather than reconciling the two halves, it instead
seeks to align them in what they represent in terms of narrative
direction with everything tying back into the interpersonal conflicts
of its cast. There is still a strong contrast between the visual
novel and Shooter sections even with their common ground and they
push up against each other to create a series of highs and lows
depending on where the game places them within its overall structure.
The over the top tone which remains constant through the cast’s
exploration of Yurukill Land helps these parts from a cohesive
feeling whole since there is an underlying expectation from the
player for things to not be straightforward and the inclusion of
contrasting mechanical elements certainly fits.
Constant Momentum
On
the opposite end to the use of two as contrasting elements are the
titles which push both into the role of perpetuation the game’s
momentum. Presenting the title through only one lens leads to a
degree of predictability as the player becomes comfortable with the
limits of what they can expect for it. For a game relying on its
action and drama as its core hooks this is not a desirable state
since they want to keep the high moments coming and that is difficult
when the tension has been drained out of the gameplay. The answer is
into lean into the Shooter’s nature as an experience with a lot of
forward momentum and combine with it with the personal tension of a
visual novel narrative to create an experience which bounces between
the two in order to never lose steam. This is not to say that these
games do not have any downtime but instead they emphasise their high
points through a back and forth along narrative and mechanical lines.
It does not completely remove the familiarity since if the title
wants complex gameplay or plot it needs to slowly build it up and so tries to space the swaps far enough apart that they can still hold some
impact but not so much that it undermines the player’s ability to
engage with the mechanics or narrative.
 |
| Mecha combat has quite an impact |
One set of titles which likes
to play this angle are the BALDR SKY games. Its mecha Shooter
gameplay is cleverly weaved into the narrative to keep it moving
forwards with a noticeable briskness during sections of escalating
conflict. This way its momentum does not get in the way of the
downtime and character interactions which shape the direction of the
plot. Sharing a common focus on the destructive battles of the mecha
contributes to a feeling of the player’s actions within the Shooter
sections having weight and smoothly leads into and out of the visual
novel’s presentation. Without these mecha piloting sections these
massive machines would lack a proper sense of place within the
narrative as the act of pushing through enemy resistance provides a
momentum and physicality to this hulking metal humanoid. BALDR SKY
does highlight how this use of the hybrid prefers titles with an easy
to communicate source of fighting which a Shooters can systemise in
order to create a coherent mechanical identity. Something too simple
or non combative would not suit the kind of gameplay favoured by
Shooters hence why BALDR SKY’s mecha are perfect for this purpose.
Conclusion
Heart
pumping Shooters and edge of the seat visual novels are a
surprisingly good match for each other despite their vastly different
natures. One can act in a minor role inside the other where they
offer a short break from the established identity of the work to
present an idea or tone which would not be easy to otherwise convey.
Their union can also bring out their respective strong presentation
of forward momentum while keeping the player from becoming too overly
familiar with either side. Above all the contrast between the two is
the most powerful tool they leverage to play on the rigidity and
flexibility of their respective content and communicate ideas and
themes on a more subtle level than could be achieved in isolation.
This hybrid is one all developers should keep in the back of their
mind when looking for a way to blend action and a strong narrative.
