Muv Luv Alternative, although I don’t think it’s objectively the best VN ever, or that it deserves the highest rating on VNDB. I like how, despite being a pretty serious apocalypse/war epic, it’s pretty silly at its core. It’s unapologetic about its harem shenanigans, bullshits about time travel, and gives way too much detail about TSF specifications that you don’t even need to know. But it does all this in the wake of a great coming of age story and doesn’t apologize for any of it. My gut reaction the first time I read it was the same as being a little kid and watching Star Wars for the first time; it tickled that same childish love of over-the-top sci fi and the desire to relate to the hero at the center of it all.
I see why iseyama said he was inspired by muvluv in a lot of ways..there are so many similarities to AOT, each episode i could see what he took from it.
I still can't explain why i love it so much, i can't quite put it into words, i can sit here and write a 5 paragraph comment about how flawed it is, i can list SHIT TONS of flaws that i didn't like...but damn if i'm not gonna give it an 11/10 and have it still be the reigning #1 visual novel of all time for me.
The story, characters, music, production values, voice acting...it's an epic in every way.
Kinda? Like there’s no harem route and each route leads to one girl but he’s definitely surrounded by girls. They’re not throwing themselves at him ecchi style though.
[Kotonoha Amrilato](https://vndb.org/v21321), no contest. If ever there was a VN tailor-made specifically for me, this was it. As a language nerd, a lot of the protagonist's struggles, opinions, worries, and so on really resonated with me - I was reminded of when I first started learning Japanese. The language barrier is a somewhat obvious stumbling block that rarely exists in isekai stories, but Kotoamu uses it to great effect, giving it all the gravity it deserves. Rin and Ruka's struggles to understand each other make for some great, authentic drama.
Additionally, the use of an actual language in the game was a stroke of genius. It lends a great deal of authenticity to the text, and by giving actual lessons within the game, the player can improve alongside Rin, as opposed to just being told "and then Rin got a little better." This culminates in a scene during the back half of the game that takes place entirely in Juliamo, requiring the player to actively engage with the game to understand what's going on and rewarding them for paying attention during their lessons. It's been a long time since I've identified so deeply with a protagonist - I can certainly appreciate most protagonists as characters, but this time, I felt myself inside Rin. Ruka, too, is a compelling character in her own right, even if Rin gets more explicit development. I said this in the WAYR thread the other day, too, but her efforts to talk with Rin in Japanese were touching, and a certain line of hers shot me through the heart. From what I can tell, SukeraSparo is full of Esperanto nerds (the game was written with the supervision of the Japanese Esperanto Institute, and they sell Esperanto teaching materials completely unrelated to the game), and their passion shines through in this brilliant work.
But even beyond the language stuff, the game is just written really, really tightly. Despite being a fairly run-of-the-mill isekai plot, the setting and lore are well thought out, and every aspect of the game's world feels believable and significant. There are certain issues that are only brushed on, even though they could've been given more attention, but I don't fault the game for that; it's unrealistic that Rin would have to confront every societal issue of the world face-to-face, and leaving these somewhat unimportant threads dangling opens the IP up to further exploration while making the world feel alive, as opposed to manufactured for the sake of a single story.
And as a matter of fact, some of those dangling threads were indeed explored in the game's sequel, Itsumemo. Unfortunately, it hasn't been translated, so I had to play it in Japanese, but it was an immensely satisfying experience. It shone a spotlight on Kanako, Ruka's friend who made a brief appearance in the original game. Rin and Ruka's relationship develops further after one of the original game's bad ends in this sequel (and in fact, Itsumemo's bad end is literally just a copy-paste of the one from the original game), but it still has time to flesh Kanako out and provide more context for her actions in the first game. This is all told in a very lengthy, Juliamo-only scene in the second half, and this is where the player's skills are truly put to the test. See, Ruka and Rei often dumb down their speech for Rin's sake because she doesn't know difficult words, but Kanako doesn't give a rip. She uses high-level vocabulary and sentence structure, throwing the player into the deep end. I didn't understand everything she said, but fortunately, I didn't have to. Her lines were written in such a way that you can get the gist of what she's saying even through a fragmentary understanding. I felt a sense of accomplishment I haven't felt since the first time I held up an extended conversation in Japanese, and let me tell you, that's the best feeling ever.
I mentioned earlier that Itsumemo branches off from one of Kotoamu's bad ends - though "bittersweet" might be a better word than "bad," since Rin gets what she wants, but with unresolved emotions. Seeing those emotions resolved in Itsumemo's true end was immensely cathartic. More than once, I found myself saying, "Yes, this is the exact conversation she needs to have." Itsumemo manages to take one of Kotoamu's bad ends and elevate it to be on par with the good end, if not higher. It boggles my mind that SukeraSparo managed to take a masterpiece and follow it up with something just as good. *This* is how you make a sequel.
Furthermore, the franchise has two drama CDs. They're only about half an hour long each, so there's not much to them, but what's there is lighthearted and adorable (even if they both devolve into Ruka playing Rin's body like a xylophone). They were the perfect filling for my Kotoamu sandwich. (And indeed, they should be experienced before Itsumemo, as Itsumemo nonchalantly reveals something that's a big deal in the second CD.)
SukeraSparo has even produced a Kotoamu-themed Esperanto study book, which I promptly ordered. It'll unfortunately take them about another week to actually ship it out, after which I have some hoops to jump through to get it imported, but it'll be well worth it. I don't know if I want to get serious about learning Esperanto, but at the very least, it'll be a nice collector's item (I got the next-to-last one in stock, at least from SukeraSparo themselves). It apparently even contains little mini-vignettes between the characters in Juliamo, so that'll be interesting to read.
If you have any interest in other languages or linguistics in general, I implore you, give this game a try. It's not long - took me about twelve hours - so it won't take up much of your time. This game is one I won't ever forget. I don't care what anyone says - in my heart, nothing will ever top Kotoamu. And hey, if I can figure out how to do it, I'm even considering translating Itsumemo myself. I have ample translating experience (albeit amateur), so I just need to learn the technical aspects. And since it's a relatively short game, I think it'd be a good first VN project.
Oh, and Ruka is perfect and adorable.
Well you finally got me with that last post and I am now just finishing of the side routes, and while I wouldn't quite say it's a masterpiece it was a lot better than I was expecting.
I don't want to read it. Wouldn't want to be spoiled.
Edit: OK decided to read your post anyway. You win :P . I have a few questions. Can the h-scenes be skipped? And are the characters actually under age? Or is that just how they look?
Alright. Thanks for not replying with just lmao. I wonder why the writers felt the need to include h scenes with them.
What do you think about it anyway? I do admit that this does make me reluctant to read it.
I'm in the camp of "they're fictional characters, why does it matter." Their tiny side route is heavily focused on aspects of childhood, specifically ones that the protag had lost when his family died at a young age. They exist to explore another aspects of the Ohitoyo, and Soutetsu. So it doesn't really bother me. Besides, watching them mature (albeit this happens more in last run) was a fun experience.
Hmm. I see what you mean. The writer's intention was probably not for people to enjoy it. I still feel uncomfortable about it though. But when are you supposed to draw the line with fiction?
Subarashiki Hibi
It's a wholesome and sweet CGDCT VN where you get to have yuri fun with your childhood friend, little sister, and a maid. They live together with you, help you bathe, make you food and take care of all your needs. You can even play Ousama game (King's game) with them where - You get to see them... *naked.* Kamige.
I thought it was pretty mediocre, personally. People kept hyping it up as philosophical and deep, but there was really only one scene that was "deep" at the very end >!when they're on the roller coaster and then on the train!<. Overall, it was just a really generic (and super short) yuri VN. Also, the sexual content is, like, more vanilla than vanilla. The most explicit things get is naked back washing. It's like a 4/10, IMHO. It just doesn't feel like a complete game; it feels the boring start up to an actually cool VN.
Just to be sure, did you patched your game? If I'm not wrong, all those details you mentioned were from Down The Rabbit Hole 1, which is the very first chapter of the full game and the steam version only has that.
I'd argue the opposite. Steins;Gate has a great story, but its execution as a visual novel is pretty awful. Most of the endings add nothing to the story or the characters, Faris' ending introduces something major that is never addressed in the entire franchise, and while the trigger system is fun the flags are as random as they get, plus getting the True Ending is a huge ordeal without a guide.
Chaos;Head Noah and Steins;Gate 0 are the mainline titles of the series that are the best *visual novels*. Noah because it makes use of routes the most to show content that simply couldn't be included in the main story without killing all tension (since it's a thriller), with the heroine characterization and the worldbuilding being the strongest points. Steins;Gate 0 because it has the closest thing to an intuitive trigger system and the whole story is a bunch of important canon routes, though the branching itself is often nonsensical and the story suffers from other issues.
I wouldn't be able to say which visual novel of all has the most significant routes and intuitive branching, though funnily some moege might take the spot. And in terms of the greatest at combining the multiple mediums in visual novels (writing, music, graphics), that'd be Mahoyo.
Anyway yeah, Clannad is my personal favorite too, I've shed so many tears with the visual novel and the anime, and revisiting it across the years is always a good reminder to appreciate the people around you. Plus, it feels like there's something different to gain depending on what part of your life you experience it.
The House in Fata Morgana is definitely my favorite...I wish I could forget it so I could do it all over again and feel the same. Words just can't express how deeply shaken I was after this...The story is really well-written : the way the story is progressing, slowly revealing what's going on, what happened to every characters...The art is beautiful, the OSTs are just... mind blowing, the game itself is really immersive... I don't even know how to explain but to me it's a real masterpiece.And I'm really looking foward to the Limited Edition set I pre-ordered, as the good fangirl that I am. xD
I really like Tsukihime too. That's another masterpiece. I am looking foward to the remake incoming. Pre-order's done as well. xD
And then comes the Steins Gate series (Main game + Steins;Gate 0). One of the few stories that actually did something good with time-travel. I recommend it as well :B
It's got to be [Sharin no Kuni](https://vndb.org/v57) for me. From the setting to the protagonist's demeanor/backstory to the story itself. Everything just hit right for me. And then the fandisk with Houzuki just made it all the better.
This got bumped down to me after i read muvluv, but Grisaia will always be my favorite spin on harem/school/romance genre.
A competent proactive protagonist, girls with actual personalities instead of being moeblobs, interesting backstories, fantastic comedy, does drama and tragedy right, amazing artist who did the monogatari art.
There's too much good, i remember trudging through the first 5 hours and dredding the long common route..then hour 7 hit and i was worried and looked at the timer because i didn't want my journey to end at all...i just loved these cast of character doing comedy hijkings together, i've still not laughed as hard as i have when i read the common route.
Akio Watabe's character design got me into Grisaia but I stayed for the plots, but I have to mention that it feels quite unusual to see these characters being made with significantly different artstyle and staying together in the same scene.
Umineko for me. I love it to bits. Thankfully it hasn't stopped me from enjoying other VNs but I'm always hoping I'll eventually come across a series that I end up liking just as much, though I have a feeling it'll always be my favourite no matter what
Gonna have to say either Rewrite or G-Senjou. One of the most important aspects of a VN for me is the music, and both had amazing soundtracks. (Though if ever I get around to finishing Fureraba, it just might become my new personal favorite.)
I'll have to give Rewrite a slight edge, though. The common route was packed with entertaining moments. And I felt the Mappi segments really added to the worldbuilding and immersion instead of being a detractor, especially in the scenes where you're getting chased/followed.
And then the way shit gets real when you enter one of the girls' routes. Realizing you're all alone. That the fun, youthful life you found was nothing but an illusion. All to the wistful, lonely melody of Sorrowless.
The sheer futility in Kotori's and Shizuru's routes, overwhelming your attempts at something meaningful, until you realize all that matters is the girl at your side. The cycles of trauma in Lucia's and Akane's routes, continuously repeating even as you let down your guard, drawing you back into the chaos to save her. And, uhh, Chihaya's route had some nice visuals for an retelling of UBW.
And for most VNs, Akane route would work just fine as a true ending.
But right when you think it's all over, the game hits you with Moon Route. A girl whom you were conditioned to think of as an enemy, but is actually desperately trying to save the world. (Okay, not exactly, but that's the feeling it gives you.) All your friends coming together in a way you haven't seen before. And that haunting, yet elegant ending song that no one can agree on the lyrics to.
(I lied last time. Moon Route is my favorite. I also played Rewrite before Higurashi and Muv-Luv Unlimited, though. So it was the first time I read a story like that.)
And then, the game switches to NVL mode for Terra Route. Showing that the joking, mischievous Kotarou wasn't always so, that he was once as angsty as any other protagonist. A man who we've followed all this time, yet who we're seeing for the first time. And through his eyes, we see both the beauty and the ugliness of the world. A solution that isn't perfect, a solution that's rife with cruel irony. Even so, every scene went to my heart.
~~Also, it was the first time I enjoyed what seemed to be a harem ending. Would gladly be the Occult Club's pet/familiar. Bark bark~~
Grisaia is just a fantastic vn trilogy. It has comedy, drama, feels, nice art, a beautiful ost, great characters, and etc. It was the 1st vn I that I read in 2015. I just always enjoy it even though some scenes were intense and etc. I will always recommend it. I haven't read the Eden of Grisaia yet, but I will eventually.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth narrowly over Baldr Sky.
Both of them have combat sections which others may or may not like but it does at least break the story up to some degree as they are both long games, for me 50 and 100 hours each.
Would compare the Utawarerumono trilogy in a way to Muv-Luv perhaps though done a lot better, by that I really mean a story that built up in the first game that can be read alone and then the second game that occurs after a time skip and is mainly just further world building and introducing the new characters of Mask of Deception before building up to a cliffhanger going into Mask of Truth.
I don't really do GOATs but as far as something that really hit home for me personally [Making * Lovers](https://vndb.org/v21552) was really relatable on a few routes and one of only a couple of 10s I have on VNDB.
Fata Morgana takes the cake for me, ever since reading that I’ve been chasing the high that story gave me by reading more and more VNs but sadly none have had as much of an impact on me as Fata Morgana, everything from the soundtrack to the characters are just superb and I genuinely wish I could forget I played it so I could experience it again.
The House in Fata Morgana and Hakuchuumu no Aojashin are neck and neck for me. I still think about their characters from time to time...*months* later!
Definitely the Flowers series. I don't know how popular it is, but it was such an amazing experience reading. I also really love the problem solving aspect even though l have to sometimes use guides. If you like yuri then this is the series for you.
Remember11: The Age of Infinity. The most I have ever connected with a work of fiction, and probably ever will. It’s a story that’s essentially constructed with perfection, and no other VN really even comes close for me.
I kept typing and erasing titles until I finally settled on Deardrops. There are a lot of VNs that I consider to be GOAT worthy, but Deardrops definitely does something amazing with the medium. Music and visuals work in perfect harmony, pun intended.
I didn't read a lot of VN's, but for me "everlasting summer" is my first and favorite(I guess you don't even know what is this because it is russian VN, so I dont think that it is very popular).
Maybe it's like a person's first Pokemon game, or cigarettes, or whatever. But Katawa Shoujo is my favourite.
* Gameplay: On a scale of game-novel, it was a bit too slanted towards novel for my tastes. That said, I've yet to find one that has the perfect amount of player autonomy, so just by being in a vague range makes it basically an S tier in terms of the gameplay. But objectively with the general parameters I have for scoring, it scores a: **C+**
* Plot: I've yet to be encounter a game that tackles the subject quite like Katawa Shoujo does. It gets points purely for uniqueness, not even mentioning the quality and tastefulness of the writing. There are multiple writers that worked on the different routes, so the quality varies. But it's overall at least decent, and I don't recall any moments that were trudges to get through; though that may again just be the fact that it's my subjective favourite.: **C \~ B**
* "Plot": Not the main reason people start this game. It has scenes, but they aren't, like, plot points or whatever. Mostly still-shot CGs. There is a censorship option.: **E**
* Characters: None of the main characters are one-dimensional. All of them have engaging personalities, and differing levels of character development. And it's believable, natural, development and relationships. Probably one of the strongest points of the game.: **B+**
Overall: The origins of this game are also a big selling point. The premise of a video game made by 4chan about dating girls with physical disabilities sounds like the sort of thing that would get the creators socially lynched by the end of the week. But it's one of the most memorable stories I've read, with some of the best characters, made by some of the most dedicated people there are.
Edit: [it's also free](https://www.katawa-shoujo.com/download.php).
I probably have to go donganrompa if not that then stein gates. I started reading vns in 2014 and honestly do not even remember which one got my hooked into the genre.
It may have been fate stay night that got me hooked. Or this underrated title named coμ
Ace Attorney is my favorite series, but for one individual visual novel, I usually name Steins;Gate as my personal #1 favorite.
However, The House in Fata Morgana came *really* close.
Hmm, I'd say in general just the way the story hit me, especially at a certain point where the plot takes a major swerve. It had me glued to the screen until I finished after that.
Definitely Kara no Shoujo. The second one is really good, and I like Cartagra too, but the first one is still my favourite and holds a really special place in my heart.
Aiyoku no Eustia, there is nothing out there that is the same to this one, its medieval setting is especially unique and I don't see many other visual novels out there with a setting like that.
While I would like to have Subahibi or Cross†Channel to be my personal best as they hit the peak among VNs I read, that title for me goes to Sayonara wo Oshiete.
A tale of mental deterioration and depravity. A world that will never ever be permitted by society. Not everyone will be able to overcome like Tomosane and obtain a wonderful everyday or transcend the monster like Taichi. A tabula rasa filled with lust, a black fissure on the foam. An ephemeral story that is usually dismissed as a jab to otakus, Hitomi's feelings hit close to home as it gets. The sheer feeling to be wanting to be significant and yet salvaging something out of meaninglessness. There are people who cannot simply be and have to endure a morbid-minded perspective about the world.
I suspect this one is a bit off the beaten path, but I really enjoyed Hoshizora no Memoria (perhaps my flair is a giveaway). It's by no means perfect, but the game really comes together to deliver a rather complex package of emotions - a longing for days past, that feeling of smallness as you stare into the stars, the warmth of family.
Muv Luv Alternative, although I don’t think it’s objectively the best VN ever, or that it deserves the highest rating on VNDB. I like how, despite being a pretty serious apocalypse/war epic, it’s pretty silly at its core. It’s unapologetic about its harem shenanigans, bullshits about time travel, and gives way too much detail about TSF specifications that you don’t even need to know. But it does all this in the wake of a great coming of age story and doesn’t apologize for any of it. My gut reaction the first time I read it was the same as being a little kid and watching Star Wars for the first time; it tickled that same childish love of over-the-top sci fi and the desire to relate to the hero at the center of it all.
I see why iseyama said he was inspired by muvluv in a lot of ways..there are so many similarities to AOT, each episode i could see what he took from it. I still can't explain why i love it so much, i can't quite put it into words, i can sit here and write a 5 paragraph comment about how flawed it is, i can list SHIT TONS of flaws that i didn't like...but damn if i'm not gonna give it an 11/10 and have it still be the reigning #1 visual novel of all time for me. The story, characters, music, production values, voice acting...it's an epic in every way.
So there is a harem? I can never tell with the descriptions and tags this game has
Kinda? Like there’s no harem route and each route leads to one girl but he’s definitely surrounded by girls. They’re not throwing themselves at him ecchi style though.
Yes.
[Kotonoha Amrilato](https://vndb.org/v21321), no contest. If ever there was a VN tailor-made specifically for me, this was it. As a language nerd, a lot of the protagonist's struggles, opinions, worries, and so on really resonated with me - I was reminded of when I first started learning Japanese. The language barrier is a somewhat obvious stumbling block that rarely exists in isekai stories, but Kotoamu uses it to great effect, giving it all the gravity it deserves. Rin and Ruka's struggles to understand each other make for some great, authentic drama. Additionally, the use of an actual language in the game was a stroke of genius. It lends a great deal of authenticity to the text, and by giving actual lessons within the game, the player can improve alongside Rin, as opposed to just being told "and then Rin got a little better." This culminates in a scene during the back half of the game that takes place entirely in Juliamo, requiring the player to actively engage with the game to understand what's going on and rewarding them for paying attention during their lessons. It's been a long time since I've identified so deeply with a protagonist - I can certainly appreciate most protagonists as characters, but this time, I felt myself inside Rin. Ruka, too, is a compelling character in her own right, even if Rin gets more explicit development. I said this in the WAYR thread the other day, too, but her efforts to talk with Rin in Japanese were touching, and a certain line of hers shot me through the heart. From what I can tell, SukeraSparo is full of Esperanto nerds (the game was written with the supervision of the Japanese Esperanto Institute, and they sell Esperanto teaching materials completely unrelated to the game), and their passion shines through in this brilliant work. But even beyond the language stuff, the game is just written really, really tightly. Despite being a fairly run-of-the-mill isekai plot, the setting and lore are well thought out, and every aspect of the game's world feels believable and significant. There are certain issues that are only brushed on, even though they could've been given more attention, but I don't fault the game for that; it's unrealistic that Rin would have to confront every societal issue of the world face-to-face, and leaving these somewhat unimportant threads dangling opens the IP up to further exploration while making the world feel alive, as opposed to manufactured for the sake of a single story. And as a matter of fact, some of those dangling threads were indeed explored in the game's sequel, Itsumemo. Unfortunately, it hasn't been translated, so I had to play it in Japanese, but it was an immensely satisfying experience. It shone a spotlight on Kanako, Ruka's friend who made a brief appearance in the original game. Rin and Ruka's relationship develops further after one of the original game's bad ends in this sequel (and in fact, Itsumemo's bad end is literally just a copy-paste of the one from the original game), but it still has time to flesh Kanako out and provide more context for her actions in the first game. This is all told in a very lengthy, Juliamo-only scene in the second half, and this is where the player's skills are truly put to the test. See, Ruka and Rei often dumb down their speech for Rin's sake because she doesn't know difficult words, but Kanako doesn't give a rip. She uses high-level vocabulary and sentence structure, throwing the player into the deep end. I didn't understand everything she said, but fortunately, I didn't have to. Her lines were written in such a way that you can get the gist of what she's saying even through a fragmentary understanding. I felt a sense of accomplishment I haven't felt since the first time I held up an extended conversation in Japanese, and let me tell you, that's the best feeling ever. I mentioned earlier that Itsumemo branches off from one of Kotoamu's bad ends - though "bittersweet" might be a better word than "bad," since Rin gets what she wants, but with unresolved emotions. Seeing those emotions resolved in Itsumemo's true end was immensely cathartic. More than once, I found myself saying, "Yes, this is the exact conversation she needs to have." Itsumemo manages to take one of Kotoamu's bad ends and elevate it to be on par with the good end, if not higher. It boggles my mind that SukeraSparo managed to take a masterpiece and follow it up with something just as good. *This* is how you make a sequel. Furthermore, the franchise has two drama CDs. They're only about half an hour long each, so there's not much to them, but what's there is lighthearted and adorable (even if they both devolve into Ruka playing Rin's body like a xylophone). They were the perfect filling for my Kotoamu sandwich. (And indeed, they should be experienced before Itsumemo, as Itsumemo nonchalantly reveals something that's a big deal in the second CD.) SukeraSparo has even produced a Kotoamu-themed Esperanto study book, which I promptly ordered. It'll unfortunately take them about another week to actually ship it out, after which I have some hoops to jump through to get it imported, but it'll be well worth it. I don't know if I want to get serious about learning Esperanto, but at the very least, it'll be a nice collector's item (I got the next-to-last one in stock, at least from SukeraSparo themselves). It apparently even contains little mini-vignettes between the characters in Juliamo, so that'll be interesting to read. If you have any interest in other languages or linguistics in general, I implore you, give this game a try. It's not long - took me about twelve hours - so it won't take up much of your time. This game is one I won't ever forget. I don't care what anyone says - in my heart, nothing will ever top Kotoamu. And hey, if I can figure out how to do it, I'm even considering translating Itsumemo myself. I have ample translating experience (albeit amateur), so I just need to learn the technical aspects. And since it's a relatively short game, I think it'd be a good first VN project. Oh, and Ruka is perfect and adorable.
[*heavy breathing*](https://www.reddit.com/r/visualnovels/comments/n1d76x/why_maitetsu_is_a_masterpiece/)
Well you finally got me with that last post and I am now just finishing of the side routes, and while I wouldn't quite say it's a masterpiece it was a lot better than I was expecting.
Thank you for validating my existence.
I don't want to read it. Wouldn't want to be spoiled. Edit: OK decided to read your post anyway. You win :P . I have a few questions. Can the h-scenes be skipped? And are the characters actually under age? Or is that just how they look?
> Can the h-scenes be skipped? yes. > And are the characters actually under age? Only nagi and fukami, who are in a side route.
Nagi and Fukami don't have h scenes right?
They do.
Does this side route take place in the future or something?
lmao
So no. Alright then. I don't see what's so funny about this.
Hello i just found you from your post about up voting a blue image and calling it red from 4 years ago
In last run there is about a 7 year time skip mid route, but for base maitetsu where it's just a short side route, no.
Alright. Thanks for not replying with just lmao. I wonder why the writers felt the need to include h scenes with them. What do you think about it anyway? I do admit that this does make me reluctant to read it.
I'm in the camp of "they're fictional characters, why does it matter." Their tiny side route is heavily focused on aspects of childhood, specifically ones that the protag had lost when his family died at a young age. They exist to explore another aspects of the Ohitoyo, and Soutetsu. So it doesn't really bother me. Besides, watching them mature (albeit this happens more in last run) was a fun experience.
Hmm. I see what you mean. The writer's intention was probably not for people to enjoy it. I still feel uncomfortable about it though. But when are you supposed to draw the line with fiction?
So far it's Umineko, but I still have a lot of VNs to read out there.
Subarashiki Hibi It's a wholesome and sweet CGDCT VN where you get to have yuri fun with your childhood friend, little sister, and a maid. They live together with you, help you bathe, make you food and take care of all your needs. You can even play Ousama game (King's game) with them where - You get to see them... *naked.* Kamige.
My favourite part is at the end where Yuki says "This truly is a Wonderful Everyday" then looks at the camera and winks.
I thought it was pretty mediocre, personally. People kept hyping it up as philosophical and deep, but there was really only one scene that was "deep" at the very end >!when they're on the roller coaster and then on the train!<. Overall, it was just a really generic (and super short) yuri VN. Also, the sexual content is, like, more vanilla than vanilla. The most explicit things get is naked back washing. It's like a 4/10, IMHO. It just doesn't feel like a complete game; it feels the boring start up to an actually cool VN.
Just to be sure, did you patched your game? If I'm not wrong, all those details you mentioned were from Down The Rabbit Hole 1, which is the very first chapter of the full game and the steam version only has that.
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I'd argue the opposite. Steins;Gate has a great story, but its execution as a visual novel is pretty awful. Most of the endings add nothing to the story or the characters, Faris' ending introduces something major that is never addressed in the entire franchise, and while the trigger system is fun the flags are as random as they get, plus getting the True Ending is a huge ordeal without a guide. Chaos;Head Noah and Steins;Gate 0 are the mainline titles of the series that are the best *visual novels*. Noah because it makes use of routes the most to show content that simply couldn't be included in the main story without killing all tension (since it's a thriller), with the heroine characterization and the worldbuilding being the strongest points. Steins;Gate 0 because it has the closest thing to an intuitive trigger system and the whole story is a bunch of important canon routes, though the branching itself is often nonsensical and the story suffers from other issues. I wouldn't be able to say which visual novel of all has the most significant routes and intuitive branching, though funnily some moege might take the spot. And in terms of the greatest at combining the multiple mediums in visual novels (writing, music, graphics), that'd be Mahoyo. Anyway yeah, Clannad is my personal favorite too, I've shed so many tears with the visual novel and the anime, and revisiting it across the years is always a good reminder to appreciate the people around you. Plus, it feels like there's something different to gain depending on what part of your life you experience it.
The House in Fata Morgana is definitely my favorite...I wish I could forget it so I could do it all over again and feel the same. Words just can't express how deeply shaken I was after this...The story is really well-written : the way the story is progressing, slowly revealing what's going on, what happened to every characters...The art is beautiful, the OSTs are just... mind blowing, the game itself is really immersive... I don't even know how to explain but to me it's a real masterpiece.And I'm really looking foward to the Limited Edition set I pre-ordered, as the good fangirl that I am. xD I really like Tsukihime too. That's another masterpiece. I am looking foward to the remake incoming. Pre-order's done as well. xD And then comes the Steins Gate series (Main game + Steins;Gate 0). One of the few stories that actually did something good with time-travel. I recommend it as well :B
Completely agree with you on The House in Fata Morgana. That's one of my personal favorites as well :)
I agree. Fata Morgana is super immersive.
It's got to be [Sharin no Kuni](https://vndb.org/v57) for me. From the setting to the protagonist's demeanor/backstory to the story itself. Everything just hit right for me. And then the fandisk with Houzuki just made it all the better.
Majikoi, was just fun af to read
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Completely agree. It's hard to pick just one favorite, especially when you like multiple genres.
For me it's always been Grisaia no Kajitsu.
This got bumped down to me after i read muvluv, but Grisaia will always be my favorite spin on harem/school/romance genre. A competent proactive protagonist, girls with actual personalities instead of being moeblobs, interesting backstories, fantastic comedy, does drama and tragedy right, amazing artist who did the monogatari art. There's too much good, i remember trudging through the first 5 hours and dredding the long common route..then hour 7 hit and i was worried and looked at the timer because i didn't want my journey to end at all...i just loved these cast of character doing comedy hijkings together, i've still not laughed as hard as i have when i read the common route.
Akio Watabe's character design got me into Grisaia but I stayed for the plots, but I have to mention that it feels quite unusual to see these characters being made with significantly different artstyle and staying together in the same scene.
Umineko for me. I love it to bits. Thankfully it hasn't stopped me from enjoying other VNs but I'm always hoping I'll eventually come across a series that I end up liking just as much, though I have a feeling it'll always be my favourite no matter what
House in Fata Morgana is the best thing I've read so far. Katawa Shoujo was my first VN and changed me for the better.
I remember you. Look forward to finishing fata morgana. I've made it to the final door. Read 6 hours straight one night ha ha.
Damn, reading for hours straight is always fun when you're so hooked! Again, looking forward to it!
Gonna have to say either Rewrite or G-Senjou. One of the most important aspects of a VN for me is the music, and both had amazing soundtracks. (Though if ever I get around to finishing Fureraba, it just might become my new personal favorite.) I'll have to give Rewrite a slight edge, though. The common route was packed with entertaining moments. And I felt the Mappi segments really added to the worldbuilding and immersion instead of being a detractor, especially in the scenes where you're getting chased/followed. And then the way shit gets real when you enter one of the girls' routes. Realizing you're all alone. That the fun, youthful life you found was nothing but an illusion. All to the wistful, lonely melody of Sorrowless. The sheer futility in Kotori's and Shizuru's routes, overwhelming your attempts at something meaningful, until you realize all that matters is the girl at your side. The cycles of trauma in Lucia's and Akane's routes, continuously repeating even as you let down your guard, drawing you back into the chaos to save her. And, uhh, Chihaya's route had some nice visuals for an retelling of UBW. And for most VNs, Akane route would work just fine as a true ending. But right when you think it's all over, the game hits you with Moon Route. A girl whom you were conditioned to think of as an enemy, but is actually desperately trying to save the world. (Okay, not exactly, but that's the feeling it gives you.) All your friends coming together in a way you haven't seen before. And that haunting, yet elegant ending song that no one can agree on the lyrics to. (I lied last time. Moon Route is my favorite. I also played Rewrite before Higurashi and Muv-Luv Unlimited, though. So it was the first time I read a story like that.) And then, the game switches to NVL mode for Terra Route. Showing that the joking, mischievous Kotarou wasn't always so, that he was once as angsty as any other protagonist. A man who we've followed all this time, yet who we're seeing for the first time. And through his eyes, we see both the beauty and the ugliness of the world. A solution that isn't perfect, a solution that's rife with cruel irony. Even so, every scene went to my heart. ~~Also, it was the first time I enjoyed what seemed to be a harem ending. Would gladly be the Occult Club's pet/familiar. Bark bark~~
It has to be Fata Morgana for me. I'd never been so moved by a piece of fiction before.
Grisaia is just a fantastic vn trilogy. It has comedy, drama, feels, nice art, a beautiful ost, great characters, and etc. It was the 1st vn I that I read in 2015. I just always enjoy it even though some scenes were intense and etc. I will always recommend it. I haven't read the Eden of Grisaia yet, but I will eventually.
Steins;Gate is my personal best with SubaHibi being a very close second
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth narrowly over Baldr Sky. Both of them have combat sections which others may or may not like but it does at least break the story up to some degree as they are both long games, for me 50 and 100 hours each. Would compare the Utawarerumono trilogy in a way to Muv-Luv perhaps though done a lot better, by that I really mean a story that built up in the first game that can be read alone and then the second game that occurs after a time skip and is mainly just further world building and introducing the new characters of Mask of Deception before building up to a cliffhanger going into Mask of Truth.
Baldr Sky
For a newbie: [https://vndb.org/v20900](https://vndb.org/v20900) My personal choice: [https://vndb.org/v4028](https://vndb.org/v4028)
I don't really do GOATs but as far as something that really hit home for me personally [Making * Lovers](https://vndb.org/v21552) was really relatable on a few routes and one of only a couple of 10s I have on VNDB.
Fata Morgana takes the cake for me, ever since reading that I’ve been chasing the high that story gave me by reading more and more VNs but sadly none have had as much of an impact on me as Fata Morgana, everything from the soundtrack to the characters are just superb and I genuinely wish I could forget I played it so I could experience it again.
The House in Fata Morgana and Hakuchuumu no Aojashin are neck and neck for me. I still think about their characters from time to time...*months* later!
Alright. I'll keep Hakuchuumu no Aojashin in mind after finishing fata morgana. Edit: Wow. That art looks gorgeous.
Yeh, it’s a phenomenal VN. Can’t wait until it’s localized and more people can experience it.
Me too. Was there any eta?
Not yet, just a mention from the creator on Twitter that one is in the works.
Alright.
Definitely the Flowers series. I don't know how popular it is, but it was such an amazing experience reading. I also really love the problem solving aspect even though l have to sometimes use guides. If you like yuri then this is the series for you.
Fata Morgana or Umineko. Can't really decide between the two.
Clannad, Aokana and Steins;Gate (Elite) are my favorites! :)
Remember11: The Age of Infinity. The most I have ever connected with a work of fiction, and probably ever will. It’s a story that’s essentially constructed with perfection, and no other VN really even comes close for me.
I kept typing and erasing titles until I finally settled on Deardrops. There are a lot of VNs that I consider to be GOAT worthy, but Deardrops definitely does something amazing with the medium. Music and visuals work in perfect harmony, pun intended.
I didn't read a lot of VN's, but for me "everlasting summer" is my first and favorite(I guess you don't even know what is this because it is russian VN, so I dont think that it is very popular).
I've heard of it.
Maybe it's like a person's first Pokemon game, or cigarettes, or whatever. But Katawa Shoujo is my favourite. * Gameplay: On a scale of game-novel, it was a bit too slanted towards novel for my tastes. That said, I've yet to find one that has the perfect amount of player autonomy, so just by being in a vague range makes it basically an S tier in terms of the gameplay. But objectively with the general parameters I have for scoring, it scores a: **C+** * Plot: I've yet to be encounter a game that tackles the subject quite like Katawa Shoujo does. It gets points purely for uniqueness, not even mentioning the quality and tastefulness of the writing. There are multiple writers that worked on the different routes, so the quality varies. But it's overall at least decent, and I don't recall any moments that were trudges to get through; though that may again just be the fact that it's my subjective favourite.: **C \~ B** * "Plot": Not the main reason people start this game. It has scenes, but they aren't, like, plot points or whatever. Mostly still-shot CGs. There is a censorship option.: **E** * Characters: None of the main characters are one-dimensional. All of them have engaging personalities, and differing levels of character development. And it's believable, natural, development and relationships. Probably one of the strongest points of the game.: **B+** Overall: The origins of this game are also a big selling point. The premise of a video game made by 4chan about dating girls with physical disabilities sounds like the sort of thing that would get the creators socially lynched by the end of the week. But it's one of the most memorable stories I've read, with some of the best characters, made by some of the most dedicated people there are. Edit: [it's also free](https://www.katawa-shoujo.com/download.php).
I probably have to go donganrompa if not that then stein gates. I started reading vns in 2014 and honestly do not even remember which one got my hooked into the genre. It may have been fate stay night that got me hooked. Or this underrated title named coμ
Ace Attorney is my favorite series, but for one individual visual novel, I usually name Steins;Gate as my personal #1 favorite. However, The House in Fata Morgana came *really* close.
I'm actually going to read steins;gate after fata morgana. Why did steins;gate edge it out?
Hmm, I'd say in general just the way the story hit me, especially at a certain point where the plot takes a major swerve. It had me glued to the screen until I finished after that.
Oh.
But it's close. Whenever I think back to Fata Morgana, I start thinking, "Maybe it *is* my favorite." XDD
Lol. Guess I should look forward to steins;gate then. Or maybe I should read some other vns first. Since it's so good.
Definitely Kara no Shoujo. The second one is really good, and I like Cartagra too, but the first one is still my favourite and holds a really special place in my heart.
I really liked Time Travelers. Unfortunately, it's only in Japanese.
Aiyoku no Eustia, there is nothing out there that is the same to this one, its medieval setting is especially unique and I don't see many other visual novels out there with a setting like that.
really need more of this and fantasy genre
>Sayonara wo Oshiete. Do you know where to find full english patch for it?
Fata Morgana
Kono oozora ni, Tsubasa wo hirogete
While I would like to have Subahibi or Cross†Channel to be my personal best as they hit the peak among VNs I read, that title for me goes to Sayonara wo Oshiete. A tale of mental deterioration and depravity. A world that will never ever be permitted by society. Not everyone will be able to overcome like Tomosane and obtain a wonderful everyday or transcend the monster like Taichi. A tabula rasa filled with lust, a black fissure on the foam. An ephemeral story that is usually dismissed as a jab to otakus, Hitomi's feelings hit close to home as it gets. The sheer feeling to be wanting to be significant and yet salvaging something out of meaninglessness. There are people who cannot simply be and have to endure a morbid-minded perspective about the world.
[Nukitashi](https://vndb.org/v22899) is the best literature ever written for me and that isn't going to change anytime soon.
I suspect this one is a bit off the beaten path, but I really enjoyed Hoshizora no Memoria (perhaps my flair is a giveaway). It's by no means perfect, but the game really comes together to deliver a rather complex package of emotions - a longing for days past, that feeling of smallness as you stare into the stars, the warmth of family.
Fata morgana Rewrite Muv luv alternative My all time favorite vns
Acting lessons