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[I collect VHS tapes]

Never understood this genre but picked up a random one on my switch and I'm having way more fun than I expected. I don't think I realized that these games can have branching outcomes.

Looking for recommendations of games that can be found on the switch/switch 2 as I think I'll likely play this genre primarily in handheld

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

People have some pretty divisive opinions on Steins;Gate Elite vs the original version of Steins;Gate, but... I love Steins;Gate Elite, and it's on the Switch. Especially if you're newer to the genre, I think that one's a good pick as it's one of the more visually arresting games and the story is excellent.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

People have some pretty divisive opinions on Steins;Gate Elite vs the original version of Steins;Gate, but... I love Steins;Gate Elite, and it's on the Switch. Especially if you're newer to the genre, I think that one's a good pick as it's one of the more visually arresting games and the story is excellent.

Is that a good starting point? I have no experience with the anime/games

 

[HRK69]

I only played ~5 hours but everything I've 'played' was pretty cool

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

I only played ~5 hours but everything I've 'played' was pretty cool

why did you drop it?

Or is it something you're still playing?

 

[HRK69]

why did you drop it?

Or is it something you're still playing?

FOMO baby

I really struggle to finish games. The moment something fresh and exciting comes along, I'm chasing that thrill all over again

At this point, my Steam library is less of a backlog and more of a digital graveyard. So many great games... so little follow-through

I still have it installed but looking for that right moment to continue. I truly want to finish this one

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Is that a good starting point? I have no experience with the anime/games

Yeah, Steins;Gate Elite is all you need, and it's a self-contained story. There's a follow-up game called Steins;Gate 0 that's cool, but you could also safely skip it. You don't need to watch the anime, and Elite is really a replacement for that - Steins;Gate Elite basically takes footage from the anime and rebuilds the original Steins;Gate game using that animation instead of still images. Some people liked that, some people didn't. I thought the animation really brought the game to life, personally.

 

[KimDongHwan]

I am no expert, since I have only played a few, but highly recommend The House in Fata Morgana: https://opencritic.com/game/2847/the-house-in-fata-morgana

Really cool story, dark.

 

[Hudo]

VNDB will get mad at this, but they can go fuck themselves.

 

[Zacfoldor]

Hundred Line and 13 Sentinels are amazing games but are they visual novels?

One more honorable mention:

 

[Werewolf Jones]

I only played ~5 hours but everything I've 'played' was pretty cool

It takes over 300 hours to 100% btw.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

FOMO baby

I really struggle to finish games. The moment something fresh and exciting comes along, I'm chasing that thrill all over again

At this point, my Steam library is less of a backlog and more of a digital graveyard. So many great games... so little follow-through

ok I can relate to that

Yeah, Steins;Gate Elite is all you need, and it's a self-contained story. There's a follow-up game called Steins;Gate 0 that's cool, but you could also safely skip it. You don't need to watch the anime, and Elite is really a replacement for that - Steins;Gate Elite basically takes footage from the anime and rebuilds the original Steins;Gate game using that animation instead of still images. Some people liked that, some people didn't. I thought the animation really brought the game to life, personally.

perect timing. All the steins gate games are 80% off right now on Nintendo eshop

 

[AmuroChan]

Do not read anything about this game. Just go in blind.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Hotel Dusk, loved that one. Interesting story, nice puzzles, great art and the fact that you had to hold the NDS like a book was pretty cool.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

ok I can relate to that

perect timing. All the stems gate games are 80% off right now on Nintendo eshop

That's why I'm here.

 

[Arsic]

VNDB will get mad at this, but they can go fuck themselves.

This is as close to a visual novel that I've come to play and 100%. I adore this game.

I think others always recommend Ace Attorney games which you can usually get 3 in a collection for $20?

 

[Hudo]

This is as close to a visual novel that I've come to play and 100%. I adore this game.

I think others always recommend Ace Attorney games which you can usually get 3 in a collection for $20?

Yeah, there are 2 collections on Steam, at least:

It's probably the same on PlayStation and Switch.

 

[Arsic]

ok I can relate to that

perect timing. All the stems gate games are 80% off right now on Nintendo eshop

Aside from my post above signal boosting 13 sentinels, and dropping Phoenix wright:

Silver Case. Made by Suda51. Dark and unique visual novel. Switch has both game 1&2 in a bundle.

 

[Onironauta]

Zero Escape trilogy (the nonary collection)

The third game is not as good but still worth it

I think the original DS version of the first game is better than the port to other consoles

 

[RAIDEN1]

Metal Gear One and 2 had visual novels, not sure if they are still available, I wish they did more of them, especially for part 3 and 4

 

[adamsapple]

Do not read anything about this game. Just go in blind.

This.

Go in blind.

Enjoy.

 

[ReyBrujo]

I only played ~5 hours but everything I've 'played' was pretty cool

Oh, snap, bought it with other games, didn't even know it was a novel lol

The closest I have been to a visual novel was Kowloon High School Chronicle with has dungeon crawling inside with visual novel aspects (making people join your expeditions and getting girls to like you). I got the Ace Attorney ones, Emio and Another Code still sealed waiting for an opportunity.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Do not read anything about this game. Just go in blind.

What a trip this game is lmao. Plus it's free OP! Make sure to check it out.

 

[Spukc]

Do not read anything about this game. Just go in blind.

Game is fucking wank.

The phoenix wright game on the ds. was pretty dope tho.

 

[IAmRei]

last time I enjoyed try to play VN is very old game on PSX, Rival School 2 simulation mode. Though it's not truly VN, but it was my first.
since then, I'm struggling with playing VN properly. My last is famicom detective in snes. I haven't finish it as well.
Might comeback later on... maybe

anyway this is what i'm talking about.
predating persona as You will play as student who struggle to be a good fighter and good student.

very cool Idea and spice up fighting game.

 

[Rran]

Assuming by VN you're also including text-heavy "adventure" games (sometimes people can be sticklers for the definition)...

-Danganronpa 1, 2, and V3. Not perfect but psychotic anime insanity with unnerving moments and fun mysteries and twists. The endings of each game are pretty rough but the individual cases are enjoyable.

-Zero Escape trilogy, although the third game is pretty wonky. 999 (the first game) and Virtue's Last Reward (the second) are intense and memorable.

-In general, I think the strongest ones are the Ace Attorney/Phoenix Wright series. They've got a fun tone with great characters and even some strong emotion and crazy twists. Start with the original trilogy (PW:AA, Justice for All, Trials & Tribulations) which often gets bundled on sale. If you want more, move onto the sequel trilogy and Great Ace Attorney Chronicles. The AA Investigations game bundle is worth keeping an eye out for as well, but the first Investigations game is weak despite the second being great.

Once you've played a lot of these you may enjoy seeing their roots with Nintendo's Famicom Detective Club. These games are unusual for Nintendo in that they're mature, text-heavy, and understated, and even have some horror elements. This is most evident in Emio: The Smiling Man but the first two games have creepy bits as well. These are slower-paced but good for the patient gamer.

-Doki Doki Literature Club is a shorter one but it's also memorable in its own right. It takes a little patience to get to its neater ideas. I wasn't quite as smitten with it as some but I'd still recommend it.

 

[Roberts]

I don't know if Citizen Sleeper 1 and 2 fit the criteria, but both are absolutely fantastic narrative experiences. I probably liked the first one a bit more but both are great.

 

[protonion]

The best pure visual novels are:

House in Fata Morgana. One of the best stories in any medium. Godly soundtrack.

Raging Loop. Looks cheap, but the plot is incredible. I lost sleep playing this.

428 Shibuya Scramble. Not on Switch I think. Ps4 and Steam. Everyone has to play this also.

 

[Robb]

I'm not too familiar with the genre, I've always considered the Zero Escape trilogy and Ace Attorney more as puzzle games. But if they count those are both fantastic.

I'd also throw in Professor Layton, which is supposedly getting a new entry this year (The New World of Steam).

 

[Danjin44]

 

[Celcius]

Blazblue (4 games)

The earlier games had some fighting in the story mode but by the last game they just took out all fighting from story mode.
It's really good.

 

[Aldric]

It's one of my favorite games of all time. The sequel is great too but you can't beat the first game.

 

[mafon2]

Won't be original. As a man who finds VNs extremely borring, I love the Ace Attorney series, but mostly for their detective gameplay.

 

[Poppinfresh]

You can't go wrong with Type-Moon stuff.

Witch on the Holy Night
Tsukihime
Fate/Stay Night

They have sort of a shared universe with characters appearing in different games, but I don't think there's any particular order to read them in.

 

[Chuck Berry]

VNDB will get mad at this, but they can go fuck themselves.

This was going to be my answer

Amazing game

 

[Rran]

Yeah, Steins;Gate Elite is all you need, and it's a self-contained story. There's a follow-up game called Steins;Gate 0 that's cool, but you could also safely skip it. You don't need to watch the anime, and Elite is really a replacement for that - Steins;Gate Elite basically takes footage from the anime and rebuilds the original Steins;Gate game using that animation instead of still images. Some people liked that, some people didn't. I thought the animation really brought the game to life, personally.

I haven't played any of these. Do they have some gameplay involved or are they purely VNs (text w/images)? What about Stein's;Gate: My Darling's Embrace?

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

I haven't played any of these. Do they have some gameplay involved or are they purely VNs (text w/images)? What about Stein's;Gate: My Darling's Embrace?

Purely visual novels. The way that branching paths work is a little bit weird in that there'll be segments where you take out your cell phone and respond to various characters (or ignore them), and that'll determine which route you end up on. Which is kind of interesting, but also a little annoying in that it's not always clear what you need to do, but... it works itself out.

My Darling's Embrace is a spin-off sorta thing that's kind of a throwaway and tonally a totally different thing from Steins Gate and Steins Gate 0. Not really relevant to anything.

 

[Chuck Berry]

It's one of my favorite games of all time. The sequel is great too but you can't beat the first game.

How can you play this nowadays? PC?

 

[John Bilbo]

VNDB will get mad at this, but they can go fuck themselves.

The best visual novel I've played but I'm new to the genre.

The strategy element in 13 Sentinels is sweet too.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

How can you play this nowadays? PC?

It has a collection on PS4/PS5 called The Nonary Games.

Only the first two games are good.

I did wanna try some of Urobuchi's more niche VNs prior to his Madoka fame but never got around to it apart from Saya no Uta which is a mandatory VN experience.

 

[GHound]

Raging Loop for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Official Site

Buy Raging Loop and shop other great Nintendo products online at the official My Nintendo Store.

www.nintendo.com

The Silver Case 2425 for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Official Site

Buy The Silver Case 2425 and shop other great Nintendo products online at the official My Nintendo Store.

www.nintendo.com

CHAOS;HEAD NOAH / CHAOS;CHILD DOUBLE PACK for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Official Site

Buy CHAOS;HEAD NOAH / CHAOS;CHILD DOUBLE PACK and shop other great Nintendo products online at the official My Nintendo Store.

www.nintendo.com

 

[Werewolf Jones]

Raging Loop for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Official Site

Buy Raging Loop and shop other great Nintendo products online at the official My Nintendo Store.

www.nintendo.com

The Silver Case 2425 for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Official Site

Buy The Silver Case 2425 and shop other great Nintendo products online at the official My Nintendo Store.

www.nintendo.com

CHAOS;HEAD NOAH / CHAOS;CHILD DOUBLE PACK for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Official Site

Buy CHAOS;HEAD NOAH / CHAOS;CHILD DOUBLE PACK and shop other great Nintendo products online at the official My Nintendo Store.

www.nintendo.com

Apparently Raging Loop is a mess but I'll still play it on Switch eventually.

I think The Hundred Line is great but some routes are kinda mediocre.

 

[Sakura]

Umineko

 

[Chuck Berry]

It has a collection on PS4/PS5 called The Nonary Games.

Only the first two games are good.

I did wanna try some of Urobuchi's more niche VNs prior to his Madoka fame but never got around to it apart from Saya no Uta which is a mandatory VN experience.

Oh nice! Ive heard SO much about 999 over the past decade and it sounds super cool. Will definitely check it out. Thank you!

Edit: On sale on PSN for $5.99! BOUGHT

 

[Onironauta]

Oh nice! Ive heard SO much about 999 over the past decade and it sounds super cool. Will definitely check it out. Thank you!

Edit: On sale on PSN for $5.99! BOUGHT

It's also on PC if you prefer that

 

[TintoConCasera]

A must-play from Kojima. I recommend the Sega CD version, specially if emulated on a Wii or PC for the shooting sections.

 

[hououinkyouma00]

Steins;gate and The House in Fata Morgana are IMO the two best. As much as I love Steins;gate I think Fata Morgana surpasses it. It's probably one of the best stories ever told in games.

All of the science adventure series are worth playing IMO (Chaos;head, Chaos;child, Steins;gate, Steins;gate 0, Anonymouse;code).

Clannad
Air
Higurashi
Planetarian (also has a sequel or prequel but I haven't played it)
Muv Luv/Muv Luv Alternative
Devil on G String
Saya no Uta

If you want a little more "gameplay"…
Danganronpa 1/2/3
Raging Loop
Ace Attorney
Gnosia

There is also a lot of JRPGs that are what I'd consider half visual novels as well.

People have some pretty divisive opinions on Steins;Gate Elite vs the original version of Steins;Gate, but... I love Steins;Gate Elite, and it's on the Switch. Especially if you're newer to the genre, I think that one's a good pick as it's one of the more visually arresting games and the story is excellent.

Is that a good starting point? I have no experience with the anime/games

I personally think Steins;gate is far superior to Elite but Elite is by no means bad.

I only played ~5 hours but everything I've 'played' was pretty cool

I don't consider this to be a visual novel personally.

Visual novels generally have little to no gameplay. Still a great game though.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

thanks everyone. I just picked up a bunch of these as they were on sale in the eshop

I didn't realize doki doki had a free version until I paid for it. Oh well I'm sure the plus version has something extra and it was on sale

999 I've been eyeing a DS copy before I made this thread. I was already kind of aware of it because the visual novel that I made the OP about is AI: The Somnium Files, which is by the same people

Funny enough AI: The Somnium Files was actually not recommended by anyone in this thread. I grabbed it for like $2 a few weeks ago and I think it's decent. I can get pretty weird and I love weird shit.

 

[Grildon Tundy]

I haven't played many, but Steins;Gate and the Zero Escape series were really good!

 

[LavitzSlambert]

All the SciAdv ones are on sale very cheap right now, I haven't played Steins;Gate but I watched the anime and it was incredible. If you enjoy the first one Steins;Gate 0 would be a must. It makes the original so much better in ways I can't describe until you've played it. I just bought the games on sale and am planning to play them, along with Chaos;Head noAH and Chaos;Child since I hear great things.

Also love 13 Sentinels, way better than I had hoped, as a game it might be the best I've played in the genre.

I've played 999 and it's excellent, it has the perfect vibe as a lead in around Halloween. It's not scary, but very spooky and unsettling. Play it on DS if you can, not a huge deal but if given the option. I haven't played Virtue's Last Reward but it's on my to-do list.

Doki Doki Literature Club + was one I was really hesitant to play at first, because obvious appearances. Glad I did though, I ended up really enjoying it, not what you are expecting (don't read any more about it) and it has a killer OST.

Now I'm interested in House of Fata Morgana based on all of these glowing recommendations. Is it really that good, guys?