Best Visual Novel Releases – July 2025
As
the weather alternates wildly between intense heat and lashing
thunderstorms, there is no better time to distract yourself by looking at what visual novels
have come out in the past month. There have been a good number of
notable releases from a wide variety of well known developers with
long overdue fandiscs, adorable yuri and crime otome being among
their offerings. Let’s dive in and see what you should be playing
from the most recent releases.
Official Releases
Rewrite Harvest festa!
Releasing
four years after the English version of the original Rewrite, this
fandisc aims to give the player another chance to experience its
characters and world. It consists of two distinct parts, the extra
stories for each of the heroines and the Rewrite Quest dungeon
crawler. The heroines’ stories are not all after-stories as would
generally be expected with some of the merely being extensions of the
common route focused purely on one character and overall there is a
lack of emphasis on the events of the original Rewrite. Their aim is
clear to have the player experience the joys of see this cast again
rather than wrapping up loose ends. As for Rewrite Quest, it is not a
particularly complex dungeon crawler and instead is interested in
creating a feeling of adventuring with these lovable characters.
While it is unlikely to engage the hardcore player, there is enough
here to make for a good addition to the well rounded fandisc which
knows its audience.
Arcana Famiglia
Nintendo Eshop VNDB Genre
– Action, Gang/Mafia, Otome Play Time – 20 hours
Mafia
and crime are always good bedfellows with otome and Arcana Famiglia
is no exception to this rule. Our heroine spent most of her life in a
remote location with her mother until she turned sixteen when she was invited to go live with her father. Taking up this offer she steps
out of her quiet life and into her new role as a member of the Arcana
Famiglia which will come to shape her in way she could not have imagined.
It is entertaining to have a main heroine who holds a position of
power and acts in a way fitting of her authority while still managing
to display a degree of innocence befitting her youth. The suitors are
also a well rounded bunch with a good spread of personalities all of
which make sense within the setting and subject matter and combine
with or rub up against the heroine to form entertaining dynamics.
Overall, this is a fun otome which leverages its mafia elements
effectively and is a must for fans of the genre.
All the Words She Wrote
Looking
for something cute, sweet and short then All The Words She Wrote
might well be what you need. This
yuri visual novel follows Takaoka Mayo as she meanders through her
life without any direction until she gets a chance to meet the author
of her favourite light novel series The Forest Of The Elves. However,
this does not quite go as she envisioned as the author, Komikado
Hijiri, turns out to be a
woman only a few years older than her with a sharp tongue and
abrasive personality. As
the two spend more time together, they grow closer Mayo has to deal
with her budding feelings and find her own purpose in life. There
is nothing ground breaking here and whatever plot you imagined from
that outline is most likely correct since it never shakes the boat.
It is a warm blanket of
positive and comfortable romance which knows what its audience wants
and plays exactly into those expectations.
Futamata Ren'ai: Two Times the Trouble
As
an ASa Project title, Futamata Ren'ai adheres closely to the style of
intensive comedy the studio is know for and if you have played any of
their other games, such as Renai Karichaimashita, then you already
have a good idea of what to expect. This knowledge is especially
important here since comedy is so subjective and an existing example
to point to gives a handy barometer so you can decide if it is for
you. Futamata Ren'ai follows the accidental two timing antics of Koga Nao who
has found himself in a relationship with two of the heroines due to
his inability to clear up misunderstandings. It is this juggling of
these girls while having other characters
getting in the way that is the source of all the drama and humour of
the title and it does a good job of balancing comedy with character
arc which feel earned despite the light tone. The back and forth
banter alongside the strong emotional moments remain as engaging as
in previous games and for fans it will deliver the same experience
through a new and exciting lens.
No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES
How
do you continue a series after an ending as universe defining as AI:
Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative’s? The answer No Sleep For
Kaname Date seems to have arrived at is to pretend it never happened
and go back in time to when things were simpler. Hence why all the
cast members have returned to being their younger selves from the
first game. Whether this
is a good thing will likely depend on which of the two original games
you enjoyed more, but either extreme is still going to find the same
cast of loveable character as always engaging in another mind bending
adventure. This time Iris finds herself kidnapped and forced to play
a dangerous escape game, meanwhile a mysterious coffin like device is
discovered with the words ‘psyche me’ written on it. The only
person capable of solving these seemingly unrelated happening is once
again the duo of Kaname Date and Aiba. Can they unravel these strange
occurrences and uncover how it all links together? It is hard to
recommend this to some who has not played the previous games since it
just assumes you know who all these characters are and does nothing
to help catch a new player up even more so than nirvanA Initiative.
BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2
It
appears this is the month of Crime otome with yet another one coming out
in the form of BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2. Unlike Arcana Famiglia, this
game puts a lot of emphasis of the action and drama in the style of
an over the top crime thriller. Building off the first title’s
excellent romances, it plays off the various suitors in interesting ways which continue their respective narratives while
adding in enough new spice to make their relationship feel like it is
evolving. There is also a fair number of unlockable side stories and
these cover characters or events that did not fit into the main story
but here can work to give the world of BUSTAFELLOWS a nice bit of
additional texture. An extremely solid sequel for fans of the
original or high quality otome.
Protagonists: Self-Insert Vs. Predefined – An Anatomy Of Visual Novels
Putty Or Rock?
A
game is often defined by its protagonist and the way they act is a key
indicator for how the player will engage with the story. The degree
of space the player has to slot themselves into the protagonist and
the distinctiveness of the protagonist’s own personality change the
kind of narratives the developer can utilise. Focusing on a
Self-Insert protagonist reduces the friction between them and the
player in exchange for not being able to give them meaningful arcs or
characterisation. On the flip-side are the Predefined protagonists
where a memorable and distinctive character is gained in exchange for the risk
of the player not empathising with them. Sitting between them is the
Co-Authored protagonist with its mixture of defined and nebulous
elements and its nature as an attempt to balance the two extremes. No
matter which one a developer chooses, it will decide fundamental elements
from the other character around the protagonist to how story and
gameplay should flow. Let’s put ourselves into another’s shoes
and find out how the style of protagonist influences the choices
visual novels make in their design.
Stepping Into Their Shoes
The
Self-Insert is an interesting type of character since they are not a
completely empty vessel in the way a silent protagonist would be and
instead have a personality independent of the player. Such
protagonists generally follow a common outline with a few unique
splashes of colour in order to communicate quickly what kind of
character they are within the narrative. These characteristics are
all broadly heroic in nature with some other ‘Nice Guy’ positive and
desirable traits and little in the way of negative elements to their
identity. Beyond this core they lack features which would put up a
barrier between them and the player with the exception of the any
required pre-established relationships. This lack of friction gives
the player the room to project onto the protagonist and place
themselves into their shoes without leaving their own. There is an
inherent degree of wish fulfilment here, even if the rest of the title is
not, since the Self-Insert is often unrealistically virtuous so by
stepping into their role the player can pretend to have the same
qualities and put aside their own weaknesses to partake in the
fiction. What visual novels gain through this blurring of lines is a
direct personal connection to the player. Rather than using the
characters’ struggles as a medium to communicate emotions to the
player, the game can make those struggles the player’s own through
their Self-Insert role within the narrative. This helps solidify the
player’s investment in the cast as they get to experience the
conflicts from an emotionally close distance. How a game plays off
this emotional connection can vary wildly from a straight
presentation of the protagonist journey to a subversive one where the
game uses its closeness to the player to break the fourth wall and
bring them into the story. Regardless of what approach is taken they
all share a common desire to pull the player into the visual novel
with as few boundaries as possible.
 |
| Not having eyes in CGs is a common convention for a Self-Insert |
One genre which loves the
Self-Insert protagonist is Romance. Take for example Princess
Evangile, which has its protagonist enter a previously all-girls
school in order to change its view on gender integration. He is a
wall of good traits such hard working, kind and optimistic and even
his negative traits like being naive and oblivious to romantic advances are
not particularly damning. What should immediately stand out here is
how none of his traits results in a distinctive personality and what
traits he does have are typical of a Self-Insert. As such the player
will realise what is going on and quickly slip into the protagonist’s
shoes. In this way the heroines are not only falling in love with the
protagonist, they are indirectly engaging the player who gets to
experience this romance vicariously. Obviously the player is aware of
the fictional nature of this connection, but it speaks to its power
that many continue to feel a deep emotional attachment to a specific
heroine well after the game has ended. Of course this is not limited
to male centred romances as Otome is more than happy to use the
Self-Insert. Amnesia’s nameable protagonist has many of the same
traits as the one from Princess Evangile, such as being kind and honest
with the same weakness of being a bit naive, but they are adopted
through a distinctly feminine angle. Their overall purpose remains
the same, it has just been adjusted for a different audience with
suitors instead of heroines. It
is possibly even more deliberate and stronger here since the player
gets to choose the protagonist’s name so can input their own name
in order to further the connection between the two and this makes it
very clear what role the game expects the player to have within
it.
Carving Their Own Journey
For
many visual novels, the vague nature of a Self-Insert is not a
feasible option and instead they rely on the Predefined protagonist
to provide the necessary shape and identity for the work. These are
main characters with strong and immediately recognisable
personalities, motives and direction independent of the player. Each
one is a mix of positive and negative traits which make up the
strengths and weaknesses the game will play on in order to create its
narrative. Such a character is not guaranteed to be liked by the
player and in many ways that is often the point, this style of
protagonist is an exploration of another person’s mind and how they
deal with the trials before them. It gives the visual novel the
freedom to explore a variety of themes and ideas which might make the
player uncomfortable if they were brought too close to home, but from
the safe distance of another person’s life they can be explored
without leaving a bad taste in the player’s mouth. However, it
becomes harder to invest the player in the character since they have
no direct connection with them so a lot more work is put into making
the cast sympathetic before their darker traits come to the
forefront. Of course the title could lean into this natural
dissonance to make an unlikeable protagonist who is compelling due to
their shocking actions being so alien to the player that they can only watch on in horror and fascination. Overall, there is a good reason that this
style of main character is so widespread throughout different mediums
and times, if the creator wants to express something specific then
they need the protagonist to match the job.
 |
| Being allowed to make good and bad choices is the luxury of the Predefined protagonist |
Since there are so many
games and genres which utilise this style of protagonist and there
are no specific ones which can possibly highlight all its features, in contrast to the
Self-Insert, let’s pick one out of a hat. Shikkoku no Sharnoth
~What a beautiful tomorrow~ puts an extremely heavy emphasis on its
protagonist being their own entity to the point of having extensive
internal monologues at regular intervals. Mary Clarissa Christie is
never presented to be in any way a stand in for the player and
pursues her own goals in ways the player may not approve of while
making her own mistakes. There is an awareness of the possible gap
between Mary and the player which manifests through the way the
monologues paint her sympathetic qualities above all else and her
relative vulnerability compared to the powerful forces she confronts.
However, Sharnoth is careful to never thread to far into appealing to
the player since it values the mistakes she is allowed to make as a
Predefined character and the way they can be used to drive the story
into interesting places where she can be pushed to her limits. Being
likeable is not a requirement for an interesting protagonist in this
style as can be seen with Nishijou Takumi in Chaos Head. In general
he is not a good person as his paranoid and perpetually pessimistic
personality lead him to be distrustful and unkind to people who are
just being nice to him and trusting of those who are clearly
suspicious. What keeps a player progressing is the curiosity about
how exactly all his negative traits will come back to bite him and
the possibility he can overcome them before they overcome him. Chaos
Head is aware of this aspect of its appeal and plays into it by
leaning on Takumi’s unreliable narrator status to give the player
new shocking moments which play into his negative traits and keep
them guessing.
Co-Authoring Destiny
Finding
a middle ground between Self-Insert and Predefined protagonists is
not something many visual novels attempt to do and it instead
originates from western RPG’s with characters like Mass Effect’s Commander
Shepard and The Witcher’s Geralt of Rivia. They offer these titles
the means to honour the player authored characters from WPRG’s
Dungeons And Dragons legacy while also gaining the narrative benefits of a
Predefined protagonist. Their principally western origin means the
few visual novels which try their hand at this style often come from
outside of Japan. A Co-Authored protagonist is one primarily defined
by the developer but the character has empty space in their
personalities where the player can use the choices they are given to paint these
areas however they desire. This gives the developer the means to create recognisable
character arcs and consistent characterisation for their protagonist
rather than having to constantly worry about the risk of separating
player and protagonist. On the player’s side they get to immerse
themselves in the role of the protagonist by taking ownership of
protagonist’s action through their choices and so develop an
attachment to them. At this point the question arises that if this is
such a great middle ground why is it not used in every game? Put
simply, it is because it inherits the problems of both extremes.
There is a good chance the player does not resonate with the
protagonist due to their stronger core identity even with the degree
of participation they have in forming it. Even with the freedom the
developer gets they are still constrained within the boundaries of
conventional good, even if they can push into anti-hero territory, if
they want the protagonist to be desirable to co-author in the first
place.
 |
| As a captain and as a person Shields is co-owned by player and developer |
As this is such an uncommon style of protagonist for visual
novels, there are not many examples of it in practice, but an
interesting one can be found in the Sunrider series. Kayto Shields
falls into the Commander Shepard mould, being a member of the
miliary given the ability to act independently due to circumstances
around them. In general Shields adheres to what is expected of a
Co-Authored protagonist, a clear aim and personal connection to the
broader plot in a way which makes its overall progression believably
out of the player’s hands. At the same time offering the player a
series of choices about how he should act both as a space captain and
as an individual to those around him and makes them feel like they
have weight even if in reality they are mostly set dressing. What is
interesting about Shields is how he morphs from a Co-Authored
character into a Predefined one in the later games. This begins
towards the end of Liberation Day and by the start of Sunrider 4 he
has completely shed any real player influence and his transformation
shows how difficult it is to maintain the delicate balance needed for
a Co-Authored protagonist. It is clear that at some point the
developers wanted to tell a more directed and personal story where
they have control over exactly what the player will experience.
Achieving this within a Co-Authoring relationship with the player is
difficult and struggles to deal with this contradiction can be seen
all over Liberation Day’s later parts as its forced romance flies
in the face of player choice while being necessary for the
narrative’s drama. In Sunrider 4 the developers just concede to the
reality that they have failed to find a way to maintain the balance and commit
to making Shields a Predefined character in order to maintain their
vision for the series.
Conclusion
More
than any other medium visual novels rely on their protagonists to
carry their narratives and so the choice of what style to use has a
major impact on them. The Self-Insert is used when the game wants to
bring the player into the head space of the protagonist and invest
them in the characters around them generally with the aim of
providing emotional moments which directly effect the player. Trying
to find balance in the middle of extremes, the Co-Authored protagonist offers a way of having a certain amount of preset characteristics
while also giving the player some ability to shape them at the cost
of having to constantly maintain this delicate balance. Not every
game wants to be subject to the player’s whims since they have
specific ideas and themes they want to present through their
characters and so they choose the Predefined protagonist in order to
maintain control over the narrative. Overall, there is a wide field
of what a protagonist can be even within these groups and a developer
should always select the option which best fits the game they are
creating.
Utsuge – Genre Deep Dive
Let The Tears Flow
How
a person deals with the inevitable tragedies of life reveals a lot
about them. All things will pass and there is a certain catharsis in
having characters face this reality. Such is the driving force behind
the Utsuge or ‘depressing game’. This is a genre which makes it
clear from the moment it starts that there is no hope of a happy
resolution and continues to hammer it home until the credits.
Confronting the inevitable is a core part of the theming and power of
its narrative with death being a common element in many of these
games. Being the one who will be left behind once this tragedy has
passed makes for a compelling struggle for the genre’s characters
as they try to find meaning within their suffering. The emotions
experienced in the face of this suffering are not explored by many
stories due to their depressing nature and yet they present an interesting
side to our humanity. Let’s cry a river and find out why Utsuge is
such an engaging genre.
Facing The Inevitable
Not
every problem has a solution and not every story has a hero who will
save the day. Sometimes the worst will come to pass and there is
nothing we can do about it. A game about such events might seem like
it would only be depressing but there is a lot of nuance in how a
narrative and characters can deal with the inevitable ending awaiting
them. This is the kind of genre which makes it very clear how things
are going to end from the moment they start. There is no attempt to
cushion the blow so it can get that initial pain out of the way and
allow the long march towards the finale to be done under the spectre of
certainty. It is not just the player who knows how things will end,
the characters often have a good idea about it as well and their
reactions to this information form the majority of the conflicts in these games. By looking at how the characters react to their
circumstances, the player is forced to consider if they would react
the same in this situation and what being human means in the face of
disaster. The efforts to come to terms with the sadness they know
awaits can lead the characters to do extreme things in order to run
away from the inevitable and yet they cannot run from this knowledge
so as the time approaches they have no choice but to look it in the
eyes. A tragedy is by its nature unfair to its victims and it is also
what makes it so compelling to watch.
 |
| Sorry I'm too busy crying |
Narcissu is a particularly
famous example of this exploration of the inevitable. From the moment
it starts the terminal illnesses of its two main characters are made
unavoidably clear and so too is what sort of ending the player can
expect. This is game primarily interested in how its cast
deal with their imminent demise and their choice is to reject the
options offered to them by society and run away together. A
desire to wrestles some control over their lives in the face of
something which has completely taken that away drives much of the
emotional core behind their words and actions. This is not a fast
paced experience with lots of dramatic moments but rather a slow
plodding introspection as the unavoidable creeps up over the horizon.
It asks the player to consider what meaning and value their rejection
has and through it the player's own mortality. While this does result
in an experience characterised by tears rather than smiles, it does
create a powerful impression despite the short length of the title
and leaves the player to ponder it long after the credits roll.
Beyond Tragedy
Another
side to Utsuge is the characters who are deeply affected by the
disaster but must continue onwards after it has passed. They are
often left scared and it is their struggle to deal with this pain
where it gains its narrative power. Exploring the aftermath of
tragedy is not unique to this genre as many a narrative has a tragic
backstory in it, but what makes tragedy a memorable feature here is way the
characters do not simply overcome it like in other genres. Instead
the damage of those events never truly goes away with the cast
having to adapt to their scars rather than wiping them away. This
results in a similarly introspective tone to the facing of the
inevitable style of Utsuge but shifted towards the past where the
tragedy took place. It has a bit more room to be dramatic since it
does not quite have the same known outcome and so gains the ability
to hold the player in suspense about if the characters are going to
overcome the adversity within them. As such they are not quite
as constantly bleak as is often expected of the genre with it
treading a fine middle point between hope and despair where it
appears as if it could fall into either extreme at a moments notice.
 |
| Trauma can create all kinds of different responses |
An interesting example of this genre trait is Psychedelica of the
Black Butterfly where its cast are at once the victims of the
inevitable tragedy and the ones who have to move passed it. The game
achieves this balance by giving the cast varying degrees of memory
loss so their victim status is obscured from them and the player. It
is the slow unveiling of the extent of their scars which forms the primary
emotional conflict as the group try to unravel the mystery of space
they are trapped within. These breadcrumbs of pain force a reflection
on their initial personalities and show how they each deal with the
realities of what has happened to them. Such is the course of the
eventual discovery of the casts’ various traumas that bought them
to this pace and must be faced for them to leave. It is a kind of
external representation of their introspective journey so as to add a
dramatic threat to proceedings. While all the characters broadly
receive happy endings, their struggles are tinged with a
bittersweetness where what has been lost will never truly be
replaced.
Another Side To Humanity
Perhaps
the largest factor differentiating Utsuge from something which merely
uses its heightened emotions for dramatic effect, like nakige, is the
way it leverages them as a method of exploring what it means to be
human. It is inevitable that we will all experience some kind of
disaster or loss in our lives since nothing is immune to the march
of time. Processing the emotions these situations produce can be
difficult and so there is a certain catharsis to having fictional
characters deal with similar experiences. Struggling with this
predetermined outcome provides its own inbuilt drama and it can slowly
stew in a way which gets into your head. Not all emotion is
positive and the darker thoughts inside our heads are often avoided
by other genres because they are seen as undesirable and yet they are
undoubtable part of being human. Despite the depressing tone that results in focusing on them, Utsuge presents these feelings and asks
what they tell us about the human experience and what value exploring
them has in understanding oneself. While the ending for its
characters may not be happy it still has a respect for their
struggles and as such acknowledges the player’s own in a way where
it becomes an exercise in self-reflection.
 |
| I'm sure everything will be completely fine... |
There are many Utsuge
which could demonstrate this tendency, but let’s look at Bokuten –
Why I Became an Angel since it provides a clear example of this
practice as a core pillar of its experience. This is due to the way
it flows from character to character exploring their struggles and
finding the meaning which drives them to continue onwards even in the
face of disaster. It is also reflected in the protagonist’s journey
to discover the true meaning of happiness as they deal with their
depression where his interactions with the angels and other
characters informs his ultimate understanding of the value of their
struggles. While the results of these actions is mixed in their
success, the game is more interesting in recognising the process
rather than the outcome and points to this as the place meaning
resides even if the ending is not always happy.
Conclusion
Many
genres want to get the player to cry but few can do it with the impact
and resonance offered by Utsuge. It forces its cast to face an
inevitable ending and makes it clear to the player exact how tragic it is going to be in order to build a sense of doom. Much of the
genre’s thematic and tonal impact comes from how the characters
deal with this looming disaster and the value of their struggles
despite their often futile nature. Then there are those who are left
behind after the tragedy has passed and their struggles to deal with
the trauma of what happened which aims to resonate with the player’s
own experiences of loss and suffering. Overall, there is no genre
quite as capable of being depressing yet thoughtful as Utsuge and for
those seeking to address the tragedies of life this is a perfect fit.
Sunrider: Liberation Day Review – Freedom Is Within Reach
Genre - Sci-fi, Action, Mecha Play Time - 14 hours Developer - Love In Space Steam VNDB
Welcome Aboard Captain
Of
all the games in the Sunrider series this was by far the most
controversial on release and saw a major revision to its ending as a
result. It is now a well regarded entry yet the scars of this change
are evident in many subtle ways. Throughout the story there is an
effort to up the stakes and provide a more dramatic experience than
Mask of Arcadius by taking a broader picture view of the war.
The crew of the Sunrider return in all their amusing glory as their
conflicts and relationships continue to grow in the face of
adversity. Mechanically this continues to utilise the turn based
tactics systems of Mask of Arcadius which remain enjoyable even if
you can feel them reaching their limits. All of this is presented in
a complete package of visuals and audio that perfectly capture
the fantasy of being a starship captain. Then there is the issue of the ending and the lack of player agency, these hang over the later parts
of the game even in its transformed state. However, are they enough
to undermine the sci-fi adventure this title is built on? Let’s
engage the warp drives and find out.
Fighting On New Fronts – Narrative And Themes
Picking
up seconds after the plot twist ending of Mask of Arcadius puts the
player right back into the action and sets up the tone for what is to
come. As the war between the Alliance and Pact enters its next stage, the scale of conflict threatens to swallow the Neutral Rim. It is
a narrative with a lot of forward momentum where everything seems to
be pushing towards an inevitable climax as if guided by unseen hands. Contrasting this threat is the promise of an end to the war which is a
constant presence throughout the game as the characters dream of what
they will do after the liberation of Cera. These thoughts act as
a means of distracting the player and lulling them into thinking they know
how this will all end. Despite being revealed to the world the
Prototypes still hold the reins of power over the galaxy and their
madness and machinations make for a great complement to the big space
battles. They combine well with the rising personal conflicts between
the crew with Asaga growing increasingly suspicious that her best
friend Chigara might be one of the Prototypes. Creating these rifts
and slowly pacing out character moments helps the title not lose
sight of the people fighting this war and the cost for them both
physically and mentally. The consequences of the player’s actions
in the first game contribute a lot to this feeling of personal
involvement with some like Ava’s appearance being constant
remainders of the scars left behind by this conflict.
 |
| The plot develops both inside and outside the Sunrider |
The later half, and in particular the original
ending, is where Liberation Day makes a few choices which rubbed some
players the wrong way. Chief among these issues is the presence of
a forced romance despite the previous game giving the freedom to
interact with cast however the player wanted. Obviously if you liked
the character in question then there would be no issue, but many
people did not and felt betrayed by such a substantial change to the
direction of the series. Narratively this forced romance exists for
the purposes of creating a conflict between the cast and setting up
the big plot twist. In the context of Kayto Shields’ personality
and character arc this choice makes sense, the issue is that up until
this point the line between the player and Shields has been
deliberately blurred to allow for a self insert angle. As such this
adds a friction between the two which was not present before. The original ending
was a plot twist which was sudden and over quickly while leaving the
fate of the cast up in the air in an inconclusive fashion. On its own
this may not have been a problem since this is the very nature of
cliff hanger, but when combined with the forced romance it compounded
the loss of agency and pushed it over the boiling point. The
resulting backlash led to considerable changes as the
developers tried to put out the fire. These include an expansion to
the original ending so it is no longer such a cliff hanger and an
entirely new and separate what if chapter focused on the heroines. However, they do not change the fundamental structure
and railroading and are instead attempts to soften the blow. Whether
you are okay with what Libration Day is at its core and the
concessions it made will determine how much enjoyment you will get
out of it.
Motley Crew – Characters
The
old cast returns with their suite of strong personalities from both
the Sunrider crew and the various other factions. They form the majority of the
characters and make for an experience which feels like the direct
continuation it is and as such their arcs develop here in much the
same way as before. Each crew member is afforded the time to move
their arcs forward in a meaningful way and it adds to the sense that
the Sunrider is a small community. Of them, two in
particular are given the majority of the screen time, Asaga and
Chigara, since their conflict drives much of the crew’s internal
struggles. As Asaga descends into a pit of hostility and paranoia
about Chigara’s allegiances, her actions become similarly
problematic until it all boils over into an open clash. Watching this
descent slowly and inevitably creeping up, much to Shield’s
ignorance, is the most compelling through line present in the
narrative. It is the fall of a character the player has come to like
which gives it a power the abstract and grand war could never have
and makes for a perfect complement as they build up alongside one
another. There are a few new characters in the form of the Prototypes
with distinct personalities who are added in order provide substance
to their motives and identity. While they have relevance to the plot,
their relatively small amount of screen time leads to them feeling
hollow and they seem to exist to explain their plans to the player rather
than being entities with any depth beyond simple antagonists.
 |
| Look at them scheming |
War In The Final Frontier – Visual, Audio and Technical
Visually
there has been a much need upgrade to both 2D and 3D art assets from
those of Mask Of Arcadius. Everything is more vivid in the game’s
depiction of this larger than life sci-fi universe and it makes sure
to push this new coat of paint into the player’s face as much as
possible. There are no dramatic redesigns so it all comes across as
what these characters and places were originally meant to look like
and that vision has just been allowed to make itself known. As you
might expect it also continues to reinforce the space captain fantasy
through its bright and spacious interiors and grand space battles.
The soundtrack contribute to this feeling with music which ranges
from emotional to empowering wrapped up in the common sense of a
space adventure where great deeds will be accomplished. This upgrade
and increased focus on the idea of the space captain as a heroic
figure were needed since Mask of Arcadius was on the weaker side in
terms of its visuals and they
needed the more complete package of Liberation Day to properly
mature.
 |
| While larger than before, this system has reached its limit |
As
for the tactical turn based mechanics, there has been little in the
way of changes made outside of the streamlining of unit abilities so they make more sense within the system. A few new enemy types have been
added to the mix to ensure the player has something new
to consider in their calculations. Beyond this change, it remains a
well formulated means of presenting the space battles and the
characters’ part within it. Every unit has a defined role on the
battlefield and they mesh together to create a series of engaging
tactical choices. The enemy
units inspire a similar response as they work to counter the player’s
decisions and demand certain targets be prioritised in a back and forth
exchange of fire and abilities. However, Liberation Day marks the
extreme of what this system is capable of doing as the game struggles
to add complexity and difficulty as the playtime rolls on. The later
sections are characterised by unit spam or inflated health pools in
an attempt to challenge the player. Instead it just feels drawn out
and cheap compared to the earlier stages and results in the mechanics
ending on a weak note.
Conclusion
Liberation
Day is an interesting transitionary phase in the series where
elements of the old rub up against the change in direction. It
successfully raises the stakes and transitions the war to its next
phase in a manner which builds off the established world in entertaining
ways. The characters remain the same driving forces for the narrative
as before and are given the space they need to continue their growth.
Improved visuals and audio design further the space captain fantasy
with a vivid depiction of this sci-fi setting. While the mechanics
mostly adhere to this trend of improvement, it is clear that they
have reached their limit in terms of complexity and difficulty. Then
there is the railroading of the narrative and the forced romance
which feel contrary to the emphasis placed on player choice by Mask
of Arcadius. Overall, this is still a strong entry in the franchise
even with the problems it has implementing its new ideas.
Verdict –
Another strong entry in the Sunrider series which continues its
grand narrative and loveable cast while giving it a new coat of
paint. Even if it does stumble in implementing its new ideas.
Pros -
+
Ups the stakes and builds off the established narrative in
interesting ways.
+
The cast remains entertaining and deeply human as they continue their
character growth.
+
Improved visuals help sell the space captain fantasy in a new light.
Cons -
-
A forced romance and reduced player choice can make for a sense of
whiplash after Mask of Arcadius.
-
While the gameplay still remains fun to engage with, it has clearly
reached its limit and resorts to inflated heath and numbers to
compensate.
Best Visual Novel Releases – June 2025
As
the sun beats down on us with its merciless rays, lets find solace in
the shade of the many excellent visual novels which came out over the
past month. Releases have been plentiful with some particularly
noteworthy titles coming out from all corners of the industry with
everything from the option to romance any object to high octane
fantasy battles. Let’s dive in and see what you should be playing
from the recent releases.
Official Releases
The Pillagers of Raillore
Manga Gamer(18+) VNDB Genre
– Action, Fantasy Play Time – 20 hours
From
the developer of Sorcery Jokers, this game leans into their
proficiency for spectacular battles and places them in a traditional
fantasy setting where they can shine. In many ways Railore sticks
close to what worked in Sorcery Jokers with duel protagonists, one
heroic and one anti-hero, but each one having their own twists on
these character types. The story follows these contrasting characters
as the sudden appearance of people who possess a new and strange
power called ‘Errors’ turns the balance of their world
upside-down. As the Regulatory Corps move to deal with the 'Errors' a
chain of events will be put into motion which will draw everyone into
a whirlpool of deceit and life or death battles. Ultimately if you
enjoyed Sorcery Jokers or are looking for some fast paced action then
you cannot go wrong with Railore.
ToHeart (Remake)
This
is such a fundamental remake of the original title that it is difficult to
talk about. The original ToHeart is an influential title within the
genre and it was a strong in its own right with a seamless blending
of slice of life and romance with elements of the sci-fi and supernatural.
However, it has not aged gracefully when it comes to its visuals so
any remake would inevitably have to address this and it is how the
remake went about it which is interesting. Instead of just replacing
the old sprites with new ones in the same style the developers chose
to completely reinvent the visual presentation with 3D models and
animations. Needless to say this change has been somewhat
controversial since many people consider the 3D models to look
ugly. Add to this the fact the remake boasts about revised script and
this starts to feel as if it is its own game rather than one which
carries on the legacy of the original. Ultimately you will have to
make your own decision about if you like the changes or not since
they are mostly a matter of taste so should the
trailer and screenshots appeal to you then it could be worth your
time.
Summer Pockets REFLECTION BLUE
REFLECTION BLUE is the expanded re-release of the original Summer Pockets similar to
those given to Little Busters and Rewrite. It contains a selection of
new routes for existing characters and one for an entirely new
character alongside a suite of additional slice of life scenes for a
sizeable addition to the base experience. The core of the game
remains mostly unchanged with it adhering to the same narrative
progression and plot beats the player has already experienced before.
So the question becomes are these new heroine routes enough to
justify buying the whole title again? While the new heroine is
entertaining, the reason someone is likely to want to pick this game
up is if they really liked one of three expanded heroines, Katou Umi,
Nomura Miki or Mizuori Shizuku, and want to spend more time with
them. Otherwise there is not enough here to sell it to someone who
already has the original.
Date Everything!
When
describing Date Everything the phrase ‘wacky comedy’ does not
truly express just how off the wall this game can be. The premise of
being able to date anthropomorphized household objects already has an
inherent hilarity to it before a single word as been spoken. Then
there are the designs of the various characters which are a joy to witness and each
new one always surprises and this helps keep things fresh. Its
expansive voice cast is quite impressive as each object has their own
voice actor and this gives them a textured feeling to sell them as
individuals that stand out in the wide roster. If you are looking for
something substantial or with thematic meaning and depth you are
better off looking elsewhere, but those who want to be amused by a
cast of fun characters are in for a good time.
A Tithe in Blood
Studio
Élan have always produced the best compelling yuri dramas and A
Tithe In Blood is no exception. It follows the story of a young girl
named Honoka Asakawa as her dabbling in blood magic results in her discovering the sealed off world of Sapporo. Here she meets the
cheerful Lady Yasue and the two become close but the consequences of
Honoka’s actions catch up with her in catastrophic fashion. The
pair’s budding romance is the main pull as Studio Elan know how to
layer on the delicate and unspoken emotion as they get to know each
other while becoming more comfortable in that intimacy. For those
seeking a bittersweet love story this will definitely exceed
expectations and leave you satisfied.
KANADE
It
seems Frontwing has a developed an interest in smaller releases,
between this game and last months Perennial Dusk -Kinsenka- they have
been on a roll with short and strong titles. The one follows a young man
named Yuuto and his interactions with the titular Kanade in a city
overrun by plants. Kanade believes she has to fall in love in order
to save the world but has no idea what it means to be in love and
this exploration of this emotion forms the driving force for the
game’s story. This is a pure love style narrative and it remains
completely focused on this one element due to its short playtime.
Having good production values helps this title stand out for the
crowd of other such stories to make it a nice palate cleanser between
larger releases.
Shooters And Shmups – Uncovering The Hybrid
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 their connection with visual novels they follow a series of relationships in order to allow this pairing to function at its 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.
Accessorising 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 that 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 choice 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 titles 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 trend 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 form 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 sides as contrasting elements are the
titles which push both into the role of perpetuating 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 the game 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 either side.
 |
| 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 each 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.
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