Showing posts with label A Year In Visual Novels. Show all posts
2025 – A Year In Visual Novels
As
the year that was is soon to leave us once again, let’s look back
at what has shaped the world of visual novels. 2025
has been a productive year in all corners of the medium and the
breadth and depth of releases on offer only grows. Be it small indie
titles pushing the bounds of what visual novels can be while celebrating their
past or the official localisation of the heavy hitters which defined
the visual novel space. The flexibility of these releases and their
audiences willingness to engage with them demonstrate the importance
of this bond to the continued growth of the space. Let’s light
our fireworks and welcome in the new year by remembering all the good
times and see the showcase of the past year.
Selection Of The Best Visual Novel Releases
Ever 17 + Never 7 E17 Steam N7 Steam
This
pair of Infinity series visual novels have left a large mark on
the medium and now English speaking audiences finally have a way to
experience these landmark titles. Unfortunately this set of releases
came with a whole assortment of odd decisions and issues which muddy
what should have been an easy home run. These range from a wonky
translation to the use of the Xbox 360 version of Ever 17 over the
original to a bare bones UI. Yet despite everything they still make
this list because even in this diminished form they are still classic
games worth playing and stand up despite these weaknesses.
Fate/hollow ataraxia Remastered Steam
After
the success of Fate/Stay Night’s release last year, Type-Moon came
back again with its fandisc Fate/hollow ataraxia in a new
remastered form. Hollow ataraxia received the same visual uplift as
its predecessor giving it HD artwork in widescreen resolution for a
better experience on modern hardware. The only notable removal of
content in this release (outside of the fact this is an all ages
version) is the absence of the Capsule Servant mini game which is a
shame but it was never the main reason to play the game. It
interpretation of the time loop narrative and the strong cast it
inherits from the original are the reasons why it remains lodged in
the memory long after completion. Now all we need is for the PC
version of the Tsukihime remake to be released and we will have all
of Type-Moon’s modern titles freely available.
Detective Instinct: Farewell, My Beloved Steam
Like
the rest of the video game space, there has been a revisiting of mechanics from the medium’s past and injecting new life into them
through the advances made in hardware. Tapping into the classic
command based ADV visual novels, Detective Instinct shows this style
has a unique appeal and blends well with the mystery genre to scratch
that itch for players. Committing to this era of games also comes
with its art style which emulates the anime aesthetic of its time to
stand out against modern visuals to make it memorable and sell the
illusion of being from the period. It is quite a blast from the past
but has enough of its own imagination to leave a sense this genre has
a bright future ahead.
The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- Steam
While
I have issues with the execution of its ideas and over-reliance on
Danganronpa’s legacy, Hundred Line is such an interesting and
ambitious title from some of the best minds in the industry and on
that merit alone it is a worth your time. The hundred different
endings (even if they are of wildly varying quality) provide a good
incentive to engage with its well-defined SRPG mechanics and discover
the vivid world and the colourful people who live in it. A game which
will no doubt leave a mark on the medium but what the mark will be is
difficult to say so close to its release.
Tsui no Sora Original Download
Through
the hard work of a group of fans, the original 1999 version of Tsui
no Sora has been translated and ported to Ren’Py from the ancient
Macromedia Director. It keeps the original’s assets and
presentational choices to faithful recreate the experience of playing
this first version of these core ideas. A lot of the core material is shared between this game, its remake and Wonderful Everyday, but this
first attempt has a simple clarity to its messages and theming which
formed the foundation for those later titles to build off. If you are
interested in how it all began then you will not be disappointed by what you find here.
Urban Myth Dissolution Center Steam
By
far the strangest title of the year, investigating all kinds of urban
myths from cursed items to dimensional anomalies has never been quite
so arresting as it is here painted in strong pixel art colours. Playing
these oddities off against some equally off the wall characters
causes them to just smash into each other in the most entertaining
and dynamic ways possible. It is a joy to see the weirdness of the
medium being written large and proud upon this canvas and once over
it stays with the player in its through this load statement of
intent.
Interesting Visual Novels From Game Jams
NaNoRenO 2025
Voices, blaming, blood and she
Mixing
bold colours and a twisted world make for a strong first impression
and it works perfectly for the game’s theming while allowing for a
level of strangeness to exist. A teenage girl is seeking out a room
where all wishes come true and must wrestle with her internal worries
and dreams in order to decide on what she wishes for. The player’s
job is to guide her through these inner thoughts and deal with the
trials awaiting on her journey. Crawling inside her head makes for an
odd experience as the world outside of it becomes even more
outlandish.
Pigeon West: Call Of Gun. ISEKAI
Want
to be a the most dangerous pigeon in the entire Wild West who has
been subjected to an isekai and landed in a fantasy world? Continuing
the ever weird lineage of Hatoful Boyfriend, Pigeon West replaces its
human characters with various birds and takes its concept to the
absurd extremes you would expect. There is something oddly satisfying
about watching a grizzled Wild West outlaw have to deal with the
common troupes of the isekai genre all while everyone else takes it
entirely seriously. Something about the replacing humans with birds
idea is a constant well of amusement.
Spooktober 7th Annual Visual Novel Jam
Tokidoki Tactical Squad
This
one was already highlighted in a monthly releases round-up, but it is
such a memorable gem it is worth bring to your attention again. Its
strong retro art style and 4:3 main visual window immediately give
away the era of games it is pulling from. Rather than merely
languishing in that nostalgia as its main selling point, it instead
use this style as the foundation it can twist for its horror and to
provide a sense of unease to what seem to be familiar events on the
surface. While subversion is hardly new in visual novels, this is
such a well put together title it earns the twists and turns it
pulls on the player.
Fern Flower
In
a ruined world sits a religious cult who have been struck by a deadly
disease and they choose a squad to go a retrieve the mysterious fern
flower believed to hold the cure. As this group pass through the
depths of the forest to retrieve the plant, they will come face to
face with the dangerous left overs of devastating apocalypse which
will hamper their bodies and minds. All of this is dressed in a murky
coat of dirty greens and blood reds to sell the dire state of the
world and the dangers facing this group as they push through the
mire.
Otome Jam 2025
Miss Bellevue Never Heard The Whistle
Aspiring
to be more than a society column journalist, Piper Lam is unhappy
with her current position and dreams of exposing the secrets of shady
power brokers. She get a chance to fulfil her wish when there is a
murder on the transnational train she is travelling on and she must scramble
to solve the case with the help of a fellow passenger. This draws
heavily from classic murder mysteries not only in its narrative set
up but also in the period setting with its elaborate train carriages
making for the perfect backdrop for the drama.
TOXIC YURI VN JAM
LONER_DOG://SnuffPuppy Carnage Society
Juggling
a merger of pseudo operating system and standard NVL presentation,
this is the strange tale about an equally unique selection of
individuals and their attempt to deal with their lives. It is a
visual novel completely willing to step into the dark elements of
human existence in an unflinching manner so this is definitely not a
title for everyone. Yet there is a beauty to this meshing of drugs,
violence and sex which makes a surprisingly alive experience where
the eternal meshing of flesh and soul are laid unceremoniously bare.
Syzygy
When
a ritual deep in the mountains goes wrong three woman find themselves
bound together as a result and they are must unravel the magic which
they messed up. Its horned characters and snowy environments are the
perfect background for the worldbuilding and general magical and
mystic tone enveloping the title. The three woman each have a
distinct identity and bounce off each other in organic ways providing
the space for the narratives stakes and twists to be impactful. This
rich world and its inhabitants shape the overall direction of this
story in unexpected ways.
Things To Look Out For Next Year
Temirana: The Lucky Princess and the Tragic Knights
Otomes
where the protagonist is a princess with special powers are not new to
the space but there is something to be said for those which commit
completely into the setting and drama of this premise. Temirana looks
to be one such title as it follows a ‘cursed’ princess and
her knights and understands the balancing act of making its suitors
attractive while having them be an equal to the heroine. Their method
of achieving this is to give each of the knights a fatal flaw from
poverty to loneliness to frailty which offers a space for the heroine
to slot into their lives. Is this going to revolutionise the genre?
Not even slightly, but it will no doubt be a sincere encapsulation of
what makes it so appealing.
Fate/Extra Record
Being
a weird mix of remake and reimagining of the original Fate/Extra
makes this game a hard one to place. It has completely revamped the
gameplay from the original’s somewhat messy rock, paper, scissors style into a more
standardised iteration of its card mechanics alongside the massive
jump from PSP graphics to a layer of modern polish. As for what
narrative changes it will make, this is a lot less clear and the only noticeable thing is the leveraging of 3D space for cinematic cutscenes in a way
the original could not. Regardless of how good this actual ends up
being on release, there is still many people who will only experience
Fate/Extra through this title and on that merit alone it will have
value.
The Goddess Of Tears～Restoration～
This
is a ground up remake of a game by the same name, and the original was not released outside of Japan, which is seeking entirely reinvent itself.
It takes its fantasy otome identity and marries it to the structure
and mechanics of a raising simulator with aim of add another layer
to the gradual romantic build-up. The visuals are new and seek to
better capture of magical nature of its setting and the personalities
of its suitors in appealing sharpness. This is also contains erotic
scenes as part of its core identity which is an uncommon element in
localised otome which tend to steer clear of so it is nice to see
more titles tread these waters. Such a meshing of ideas looks to be
an interesting iteration of the romantic fantasy.
Machine Child
Raising
simulators have been undergoing somewhat of a resurgence in recent
years and Machine Child is one of the games attempting to carve out a
place for itself in this niche. What makes it stand out most among
the other options is twofold, its illustrator being the ever
memorable Ooyari Ashito who brings a level of charm to whatever they
work on and the relaxing and cosy atmosphere it is orientated towards.
This is light title at its core and wants the player to sink into the
role of parent for their selected daughter and really get invested in
a low stakes environment. It is fundamentally aiming for a balance of shaping each daughter’s future and the joy of their growth in a
way not too aggressively pushing either extreme.
DRACU-RIOT!
Is
2026 the year DRACU-RIOT! will finally release? Who knows, this is
one visual novel seemingly stuck in eternal localisation purgatory,
first as a fan translation then being passed to an official publisher
where various issues have caused it to remain illusive. Yet the new
year always brings new hope and the release of this now classic
Yuzusoft title can only get more likely as time passes. It will be
interesting to see how well it stands up to their modern output and
how their style has evolved over time. And vampires, everyone loves
vampires.
2024 – A Year In Visual Novels
With
another year about to leave forever let us turn and look back at
all that has been achieved in the visual novel space. This has been a
year of strong titles from all corners of the world and showcasing
the wide variety of people who find themselves drawn to the medium.
Each new release offered something completely distinct and the range of
genres and themes was greater than ever before as more people came to
appreciate the strengths of visual novels. It has been a relatively
drama free year with the medium seeing a period of continuity with
last year and those trends have gained momentum. Let’s
take a swim through the sea of memories and see what highlights we
can find from this past year.
Selection Of The Best Visual Novel Releases
Fate/stay night REMASTERED Steam / Tsukihime Nintendo Eshop
For
Type Moon fans this has been a particularly good year with the
English language releases of both Fate/stay night and the Tsukihime
remake. These are two influential and popular titles have long relied
on fan translations to carry their influence outside of Japan, but
now everyone can come to appreciate the qualities that made them so
special. They certainly hold the position of the Japanese visual
novels with the widest appeal released this year which has been
helped by the Fate franchise pushing into other mediums and exposing
new audiences to this distinctive universe. Having such a strong
urban fantasy world means these games have stood the test of time and
offer a memorable experience even to new players. If you have not
played either of these visual novels then you owe it yourself to buy
them.
Homicipher Steam
Mixing
otome with horror and a good dose of linguistic puzzles is a
surprisingly strong formula. Leaning into a spooky atmosphere which
is somewhat tongue and cheek lends a strangely whimsical feeling to
the violent deaths the player is likely to experience as they try and
work out the mysterious language. Needing
to pay such close attention to the words and context of the events on
screen without relying on a complex narrative makes Homicipher stand
out among this years releases. It is a visual novel which manages to marry
an intensity into each moment as the player picks away at the wall of
information they must overcome to interact properly with the handsome
monsters. There are few games in the medium capable of holding this
balance of corny and thrilling quite like Homicipher and it is worth
playing just for that unique blend alone.
Tsui No Sora Remake Patch Download
Tsui
No Sora has had an odd history of releases. After its original
release it received a full reimagining in the form of Wonderful
Everyday which took its core ideas and expanded upon them in a longer
format. Then for the tenth anniversary of the release of Wonderful
Everyday, Tsui No Sora received a direct remake which added more
content to the original while being distinct from Wonderful Everyday.
It is this remake which received a fan translation patch this year to
finally make this piece of Tsui No Sora accessible in English. The
remake offers the perfect opportunity for those interested in the denpa genre to play a shorter title with a lot of what makes the
genre so great on full display.
Hookah Haze Steam / Taven Talk Steam
The
legacy of VA-11 Hall-A continues to live on through the drink and
smoke serving games which came out this year. Stepping into the
realms of hookah and a fantasy tavern, these titles followed in the
footsteps of others like Coffee Talk in aiming for a cosy vibe where
the stakes are low and the personal conversations are lent a light
feeling. These elements have become the hallmarks of the genre and as
these titles branch out from being about just beverages into general
service industry fantasies, they are likely to become even more
important. Each tale told through a character’s preferences of
drink offers a unique chance to explore themes and ideas of our
everyday lives through increasingly different settings.
Kanon Steam
Slowly
but surely Key’s entire back-catalogue is being released officially
in English. Kanon is the latest title in this line and received a
much needed lick of paint and full voice acting in order to breath
new life into this 1999 classic. It is an interesting snapshot of
Key’s earlier design principles and shows how much they have
changed over the twenty years since its release. Yet there in an
undeniable continuity between Kanon and Key’s present works through
narrative quirks and recurring themes which make Kanon a must play
for fans of the studio. For everyone else this tale of love and
tears is a charming experience to relax and immerse yourself into.
Let’s hope the rest of Key’s titles are given the same treatment
in future.
Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II Steam
As
a direct sequel to the first Spirit Hunter game, Death Mark, rather
than the second title in the series, NG, Death Mark II had to balance
the legacies of both while leaning decidedly more on the side of the
first. Coupled this messy lineage with a sizeable shift in the
gameplay and the results could have been disastrous, but instead the
title landed firmly on its feet to be one of the strongest horror
games of the year. With its inventive monsters and tense scenarios,
it continues the series’ tradition of keeping the player on their
toes through not adhering to an overly rigid framework for the
smaller stories which form the majority of its playtime. If you are a
someone who has played the previous titles or are just a fan of
horror in general then you should give Death Mark II a shot as it
will make a shiver go down your spine.
Interesting Visual Novels From Game Jams
NaNoRenO 2024
Monochrome Pixels
Dealing
with burnout and workplace harassment through the eyes of a Senior
Game Developer, Monochrome Pixels is a perfect example of how game
jams can explore ideas and emotions a more commercial or long form
title would struggle to cover. Our protagonist Diana provides a
perfect window into these themes as she struggles against her
terrible boss and contrasts wonderfully with the optimistic and
ignorant Enya. The two make for an engaging dynamic duo as the player
navigates Diana’s life with all its stresses.
you're just imagining it
Framing
itself as a chronic illness simulator, this visual novel tackles what
it a complex and emotive topic with a touch that never lets it become
too depressing. It follows a journey to find a diagnosis for whatever
condition is causing you to live in constant pain all the while
trying to push through the challenges of everyday life. For what is a
very simple game it offers a chance to empathise with others in a way
only this medium could achieve.
Blood City Limits
Setting
your visual novel up with a striking art style can do a lot to
support the story’s core identity and drawing people to play it in
the first place. Blood City Limits sets itself apart with its
disorganised lines and contrasting blocky colours which helps sell
the broken state of this apocalyptic world. As the characters explore
this decayed world the visuals form a key part of their story.
Yuri Game Jam 2024
The end of an obsession
It
would not be an end of year round up without a least one Ebi-hime
title and this time it is a twisted yuri tale. It focuses around a
yandere centric relationship with a good few twists and turns as our
protagonist has to navigate around problematic witch. Over the course
of this short game it has fun with the ideas surrounding the yandere
and this leads to a strong title that is concise in its
implementation.
Oto-hime
Twisted
love seems to have been a running theme for this years Yuri Game Jam
as Oto-hime firmly presents itself as a horror game. Utilising the
folktale of the titular oto-hime through its own lens, it creates a
yuri visual novel set in the depths of the ocean. It gives the player
just enough agency over events so the game can invest them in the
outcomes they have brought upon the protagonist as they stumble
through the alien place they find themselves trapped in.
Otome Jam 2024
Under The Thorns
A
mystery centric title where a newly hired maid Clara must uncover the
truth about her new employer and discover what he is really like
behind all the rumours about him. It captures the fantasy and romance
of the Victorian style nobility and time period without having to go
into too much detail. Mood is the most important feature for Under
The Thorns and it manages to maintain it consistently over its entire
play time.
Love Limit
If
you have had enough of all those serious visual novels and
their complex themes then the over the top comedy of Love Limit has
you covered. Mixing the act of romance with saving the world from an
alien invasion is a perfect recipe for silly antics and the game
fully embraces this absurdity to hilarious results. It also manages
to be genuinely touching at times to help give the jokes some much
needed substance behind them.
Things To Look Out For Next Year
The Shell Part III: Paradiso
After
the shocking end of the second game, the wait for the third game has
been painful with the original English release of the second title being
in 2015. At long last the finale of this dark mystery tale will be
available for fans around the world. The distinctive and broody
1950’s murder mystery series follows the private investigator
Tokisaka Reiji as he grapples with a variety of grisly murder cases
he finds himself personally wrapped up in. The Shell works hard to create a
thick atmosphere that envelops the player from the moment they start
until the dramatic climax in an all-consuming way. If this third
instalment can continue the high bar set for the series then this
will be the best mystery game of the year.
Angelic☆Chaos RE-BOOT!
It
is another Yuzusoft game. This statement will either make you jump
for joy or roll your eyes since at this point the studio has been
around long enough for people to have made up their mind on their visual novels.
Angelic Chaos takes a more openly supernatural approach to the slice
of life/ romance genre the studio is known for with angels and demons
being key players in the narrative. It even has the reincarnation
trope since the protagonist was the demon lord in his previous life so
it is lining up a lot of commonly used concepts in a neat row. However, if there is
one thing Yuzusoft is good at it is taking familiar ideas and
creating an extremely solid game which is specifically catered to
their audience. If you are in that audience then Angelic Chaos will
no doubt be one of the best visual novels of 2025.
Corpse Party II – Darkness Distortion
‘Wait
isn’t there already a Corpse Party 2?’ I hear you cry and, yes,
there is indeed one under the title of Dead Patient. Unfortunately,
Dead Patient seems to be a dead project and from its ashes a second
Corpse Party II has been born. Darkness Distortion is also set in a
hospital but rather than a modern currently in use one like in Dead
Patient, it is instead a long abandoned location where everything has
decayed from its former glory. When three friends trespass on the
hospital they find themselves at the mercy of Ayame’s curse and the
countless horrors within its walls. So far from what little we have
seen of the game it appears to be a remix of the original Corpse
Party in a new settings with a new cast. It looks to be a return to the
developer’s roots after the distinct changes of Blood Drive and
Dead Patient so it will be interesting to see how they handle this
familiar formula.
Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog
This
is a game wearing its influences clear to see through its mecha
designs and 90’s anime aesthetic. It is setting itself up as a sort
of old style Gundam narrative with a more personal spin on the
overarching plot where the crew of Gun-Dog are the central focus. There
is a demo available on Steam that covers the game’s opening scenes
and gives a taste of the overall construction of the gameplay
experience. From this demo it is much easier to recommend its mixture
of adventure game mechanics and stylish storytelling to those who
crave the unique feel of 90’s anime. Even those who might not fit
into the target demographic should still give it a shot just to
understand how visual design can do a lot of heavy lifting for a
game.
2023 – A Year In Visual Novels
As
we see out another packed year, it is time to look back and appreciate
the bountiful and brilliant games we have been blessed with. 2023 was
a good year for the video game industry with big title after big
title and visual novels were no slouch in this department. Our
communities continue to support and critique the medium we all engage
with and love in new and exciting ways. The variety of genres, ideas
and characters present in the releases this year makes me proud to be
a part of it as we can engage with them in ways no other type of game
can. Let’s take a drive down memory lane and pick out the
highlights of this year while considering what 2024 might bring for
us.
Notable Events
Shiravune’s Rise To Prominence
This
year marks the explosion onto the visual novel scene of Shiravune
with a flurry of quality titles and an expansion onto new and
accessible store fronts. Shiravune is not a new entrant to the market
and has been releasing titles over the past few years but they have
had only a small selection of notable visual novels to attract
attention. They also tended to use the site Johren for most of their
releases which was not a popular pick for consumers and this limited their
sales and exposure. All this would change in 2023 as Shiravune would
output titles that turned heads with everything from a new release of
Kara no Shoujo, now called The Shell Part I: Inferno, to the classic
White Album to the remaster of One. On top of this they would expand
the stores from which their games would be available to include JAST,
MangaGamer and Kagura Games, greatly increasing their exposure and
allow the consumer to choose the avenue of their purchase. Another
publisher seeing success in the visual novel space is a good sign for
our medium and we can hope for excellent future
localisations from a more competative release schedule.
Tencent Acquire Visual Arts
July
saw Tencent gaining full control of Visual Arts, the parent company of
the beloved visual novel developer Key. This occurred due to the
representative director Baba Takahiro choosing to retire from the
company and becoming an advisor, in doing so he also transferred all
his shares to Tencent giving them control over the running of
business. Such a series of events is not entirely unsurprising given
Baba is now in his 60’s and managing Visual Arts must have become
increasingly problematic. As for what this change in ruler means for
Visual Arts, that is far more unclear. At the time of writing there
have been no public or noticeable alterations to the company’s
activities, but who knows what the future may hold. We can only hope
that the its continued profitability shields it from harm.
Interesting Visual Novels From Game Jams
If
you want to find the innovative and new from a medium then Game Jams
are where you should look first. This more experimental side of
visual novels continues to surprise in 2023 and be the beating heart
of the English speaking scene. Keeping people aware of development in
the medium is important and as such this section will cover some of
the most interesting title from Jams held this year.
NaNoRenO 2023
Reaper’s GoodBye
The
framing of the narrative as five patrons, each telling their tales at
a food stand as they wait for the midnight train, is well utilised to
engage their lives in a web of interconnected emotions. Coupled with
a cleaver use of comic style speech bubbles and the result is fresh
and evocative title.
Potions for Tomorrow
While
the idea of a potion shop is hardly an original one for games at this
point, the way Potions for Tomorrow lets its characters sell their
own short stories helps elevate the title and forms an adorable
atmosphere. The light potion making sections do just enough to keep
the player entertained without demanding too much from them.
A phone found in tall grass
Presenting
an apocalypse through the lens of a person’s twitter feed is a take
on the genre which has gone strangely unexplored. So much of people’s
lives is showcased on their social media that it makes sense to
explore the end of the world from this angle.
SuNoFes 2023
Hollow Victory
If
having to visit your ex in jail was not bad enough, what about if he
had tried to take over the world as well? This short visual novel
takes its limited resources as a challenge to produce the keenest and
sharpest personality on screen for the maximum amusement.
Pilla’s Paradise
A
sci-fi take on the narrative about the life of a streamer is a
surprisingly novel concept especially when paired with an energetic
and accident prone protagonist. Add in a soul searching quest which takes her out of
her comfort zone and the results should speak from themselves.
Yuri Game Jam 2023
Star Crossed
Contrasting
and complementing ideals are fertile ground for conflict and doubly so when
mixed with the chaotic element that is love. The two heroines, Clara
and Laila, are strong foils from one another and make for a powerful
ride as they pair clash against the realities of the world they
inhabit.
Adieu Those In Love
Red
is an emotive colour and it is used here to its utmost to sell the
characters feelings in an all-consuming manner. You cannot help but
inhabit their mental space as the visual novel prevents you from
looking away from the characters on screen.
Selection Of The Best Visual Novel Releases
Deciding
what visual novels to highlight from such a packed year was a task
which proved more difficult than I had first imagined. There are just
so many excellent games to pick from all showcasing a variety of
amazing genres. However, in the end there were a set of clear winners
that you should definitely have played this year.
Sona-Nyl of the Violet Shadows Refrain (Steam)
Probably
my favourite visual novel released this year as I have always been a
sucker for Liar-soft’s strong narratives, visuals and ability to
engage with the literary elements of the medium. Once again we return
to their steampunk world, this time to the deserted streets of New
York after all its residences simply disappeared one day. Following
the two perspectives of a pair of girls, Elysia and Lily, as they
each tackle their strange situations from vastly different angles and
both above and bellow the city. Liar-soft’s ability in Sona-Nyl to
play with all the cards the medium’s presentation has to offer in
order to sell the content and emotion of each and every moment is why
they are one of the greatest developers in this design space.
WHITE ALBUM: Memories like Falling Snow (Steam)
Dealing
with the success of your significant other can be difficult,
especially when the world seems to be pushing the two of you away
from each other. Exploring how someone copes or fails to cope with
this adversity is the core of WHITE ALBUM and leads to all the
emotion and entertainment it relies upon to keep the player engaged.
While the tedium of the common route’s dating sim elements leaves a
lot to be desired, the core heroine routes each bring something
distinct to the table both in terms of the heroine’s own arc and
the protagonist’s weakness as both work in tandem to keep tensions
high. WHITE ALBUM does not quite live up to its amazing sequel, but it
still stand head and shoulders above any of its peers.
Azrael on the Boundary of Life and Death (Patch Dowload)
When
I first downloaded Azrael I did not think much of it. The clearly low
budget title only had a small selection of character portraits and
CGs and altered photos for backgrounds which did not exactly set my
heart on fire. You would think that I would have stopped judging a
book by its cover at this point, but Azreal once again remained me
that it is strong ideas and emotions which make a good visual novel
and not the surrounding fluff. Taking a person’s life and showing
the best and worse versions of it and then asking if both are equally
worth living is surprising impactful and thought-provoking. It is
easy to say that all life is valuable in the abstract, but it is much
harder to do when confronted with the reality of their suffering. Even
in all the darker subjects Azrael tackles, there is a strong sense of
hope permeating throughout and helped along by a short playtime,
culminating in a satisfying pay off.
Witch on the Holy Night (Steam)
Seeing a Type-Moon visual novel available officially in English is surreal
experience after all these years of being denied their release.
Starting with Witch on the Holy Night was a smart choice given its
relatively self-contained nature, combined with its relatively low
stakes conflict compared to other more recent titles, and you have a
perfect entry point for the expanded world of Type-Moon to get its
claws into a player. Even for veterans it offers a new angle on the life of
mages and brings in a few fan favourite characters to show them off
in more details as the core of the narrative rather than side
elements not properly touched upon.
ANONYMOUS;CODE (Steam)
It
has been good to see that the Science Adventures series has not lost
its pedigree for outputting excellent visual novels with the release
of ANONYMOUS;CODE. Bring the series sci-fi talent to the world of
hacking fiction in order to take it into the futuristic 2030s, a
place near enough to be familiar but far enough away to be a little
alien. Keeping the character focus that was key to the success of
their previous titles allows ANONYMOUS;CODE to keep the player
invested in their struggles and prevent the larger conflicts from
losing their meaning among all the in-universe concepts. Add in a
good helping of eye popping visuals and the result is a
roller-coaster of a good time.
H2O√ after and another Complete story Edition (Steam)
Having
a blind protagonist in what is an inherently visual medium is a
unique type of challenge for a developer to undertake. The solution
H2O came up with is to present the images the player sees as what the
protagonist, Hirose Takuma, imagines the world to look like. This
makes him an interesting take on the unreliable narrator since it is
not that he is mentally unsound or has any malice, but instead he
simply lacks an important avenue of information and in turn so does
the player. Though this lens H2O asks what meaning and value can be
found in how people live their lives from the small actions to grand
feelings of love. No stone is left unturned in this tale about those
seeking reason and purpose to their continued existence.
Things To Look Out For Next Year
Tsukihime- A piece of blue glass moon-
Now
the appetiser, Witch On The Holy Night, is out of the way we can sit
in anticipation of the main course, the Tsukihime remake. Covering
the first half of the original game’s narrative, it expands on that
foundation and in particular Ciel’s route which had previously
lacked any meaningful identity of its own. If you want my extended
thoughts on the remake you can look to my review.
The short version is this reimagining does wonders for bringing the
title into the modern era for new and old fans with shiny visuals and
excellent new characters. It is not without issues such as the way
some sections exist to be paid off in the currently non-existent
second half of the remake. However, the quality of this package makes
it easy to overlook these problems and just enjoy this urban fantasy
ride.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy
Look
for a good visual novel to start the year with, then look no further
than the Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy releasing on January
24th. While not as widely loved as the original Ace
Attorney games, the Apollo Justice Trilogy continues the series’
humour and courtroom drama which made it so popular in the first
place. Given this single remaster offers three complete titles for a
reasonable price and in an accessible form rather than being tied to
the DS, now is the perfect opportunity for new players to find out
what they have been missing or to complete their collection as this
makes a nice pair with the previous trilogy. A promising way to begin
the year and remind people of the potential this medium has for all
kinds of games.
Angelic☆Chaos RE-BOOT!
Another
year and another Yuzusoft title to look forward to. This time they
have chosen to go with a reincarnation isekai style narrative where
our protagonist was the demon lord in his previous life. Soon enough
he finds himself surrounded by all manner of supernatural creatures
and chief among them is the angel who was responsible from bringing
his quiet life to end. Mixing in a good amount of magical hijinks
alongside the normal kind looks to be a refreshing change from the
straight forward slice of life elements that usually populates most
of the playtime. Beyond this new element the high bar of quality is
maintained and it marks Yuzusoft as the continued premier developer
of this genre.
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