Zakamutt

Almost done with testing. After 75,000 years 🤣

Frankly shocked that this place is still going.
 
(and yes, this is my first post in 3.5 years)

It's possible I will be awake for this due to my constant state of sleep schedule disarray — if not, I hope our friends in more amenable timezones enjoy!

As it turns out, I actually know quite a lot of horror/despair/oppressive titles... I rec everything on this list, including ones that may look less appealing on a surface level
Soundless  https://milkplus.itch.io/soundless
Lynne https://ebihime.itch.io/lynne
Girlfriend Simulator (meme title but nice vn) https://ebihime.itch.io/girlfriend-simulator
Arguably Subarashiki Hibi, though it has some much slower parts to it... then again so does s;g. Various patching probably required if you go legit for this one; even if you don't some patches give you more content from newer releases, check the vndb page releases section really.
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (especially episode 1, various fantweaks available - cba to even link this one due to it being split on vndb and stuff)
Saya no Uta
Historia (if possible don't read the description for part 2, though you should download that one as it has both ch1 and ch2)
Digital Seclusion
 
 
 

None of them because what you do is MTL

As it turns out, I actually know quite a lot of horror/despair/oppressive titles... I rec everything on this list, including ones that may look less appealing on a surface level
Soundless  https://milkplus.itch.io/soundless
Lynne https://ebihime.itch.io/lynne
Girlfriend Simulator (meme title but nice vn) https://ebihime.itch.io/girlfriend-simulator
Arguably Subarashiki Hibi, though it has some much slower parts to it... then again so does s;g. Various patching probably required if you go legit for this one; even if you don't some patches give you more content from newer releases, check the vndb page releases section really.
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (especially episode 1, various fantweaks available - cba to even link this one due to it being split on vndb and stuff)
Saya no Uta
Historia (if possible don't read the description for part 2, though you should download that one as it has both ch1 and ch2)
Digital Seclusion
 
 
 

None of them because what you do is MTL

None of them because what you do is MTL

None of them because what you do is MTL

None of them because what you do is MTL

We are not asking for opinions about translation. There has been more than sufficient feedback on that.
We are only assessing the interest to determine priorities.
Grudges and accusations are not needed either.
One of the reason we are planning V2 release is to improve the translation accuracy.
We do not need any other assistance.
Generally, there would be no need to respond beyond that? Please do not turn this into a debate.
After all, we cannot please everyone but the silent majority is valuable.
 

None of them because what you do is MTL

None of them because what you do is MTL

None of them because what you do is MTL

Team Asahina has released a complete fantranslation for the Vita otome game Brothers Conflict Precious Baby!
In order to play this patch you will need a jailbreaked Vita.
Brother Conflict was originally released on the PSP in two parts (Passion Pink and Brilliant Blue) each having different love interests.
In 2016 Otomate then released the PS Vita port Precious Baby which combined both games into one.
 
 

Hey there. I'm making a tutorial for ONScripter-EN aimed towards people with only a very little amount of programming experience.
It's currently a collection of text files, and while I'm going to turn it into a website, for now the content is done (although sections may be revised later).
It can be viewed in its current state here.

A minor update has been made to the general guidelines. A new point has been added:
9. Don't promote or link to fan translations that either cost money or require you to make money for the patch creator to get. This includes things like patreon-only patch releases and using ad-infested link shorteners for downloads.
This was occcasioned by a certain site deciding to MTL VNs on a mass scale then using ad link shorteners to access them (or you could donate :>).
It was somewhat difficult for me to place where this was actually supposed to go, but the forums where translations may be discussed are diverse and such topics could pop up both in tl projects, fan tl discussion, and visual novel talk depending on exactly how they'd look, so there's really no other realistic solution than a global guideline.

Content warning: This title is extremely dark and features incredibly intense scenes of sexual abuse and torture and I'm going to talk about it. Like, it's bad enough that the reason I'm making a post here instead of a video is because I think  Youtube would legitimately give me a strike. If that's something that seriously bothers you, consider giving this post a pass.
 
Also, minor spoilers ahead, but nothing that should harm your experience if you decide to check it out for yourself.
 
So recently I decided to read Blackheart Hotel, which is an indie OELVN that has a bit of an extreme reputation. See, I love my fluffy moege as much as the next guy, but I'm also fascinated by stories that explore dark topics. And Blackheart Hotel DEFINITELY gets dark. As a piece of writing, I'd say it's decent. Maybe a bit above average. Nothing super special. But the thing that intrigued me is that it features one of the most genuinely evil and scary protagonists I've seen. And it's not like most "villain protagonists" where they're cartoonish, lovable, or so over-the-top that they belong in a children's show. Jacky of Blackheart Hotel is an intense but grounded type of evil. The kind of evil that could and most certainly does exist in reality. What freaks me out about Jacky is that people like him are real. He's one sick twisted motherfucker and I can't stop thinking about it.
 
So what makes him so evil? His story is that he was brought up in a mob family and was essentially groomed into doing their dirty work from a young age. As a result, he was raping, torturing, and murdering as a young teen. Later on in life, he was half-removed from that negative influence (the details aren't necessary here and I'd rather avoid unneeded spoilers), but the damage had been done. He still had evil impulses and taking advantage of people came second-nature to him. [Note: Last chance to dip out before I talk about fucked up shit] Now, many of the more extreme H scenes are avoidable through dialogue, but it really doesn't change the story and I suspect it only exists as a glorified skip button. Also, avoiding all the "evil" actions makes some of the dialogue towards the end not make sense, so I'm going to assume the bad stuff is canon. So what are some of these actions? I've got pretty thick skin, so if even I consider them fucked up, they're pretty bad. Well, when his mob past catches up with him, he kind of falls back into his old ways and he goes WAY further than he used to. He begins to take pleasure in inflicting suffering. He takes women captive and abuses them for hours on end. He forces a man to watch as he beats and rapes his wife (and then optionally murders one or both of them). He rapes a mother and daughter, forcing them to be intimate with one another and shoots the mother in the head at the end. He rapes a woman over her sister's corpse. REALLY fucked up shit.
 
But it's not just shock value for its own sake. Yes, the shock value IS a factor, but it's not the entirety. In my eyes, Jacky serves as an interesting look at a character who is absolutely NOT sympathetic, but over the course of the story, we come to understand him and why he is the way he is. Of course, his mind was fucked at a young age by all the terrible shit he was forced to do (we actually see glimpses of him before all that, and he actually had a moral compass at the time). But also, the attempts to get him out of that life were done by people who really had no clue how to actually help him. But we do actually see that he had potential at one point to be a good person. In his youth, he showed mercy to what was supposed to be his first victim. As an adult, he's fiercely loyal and protective of those few people he cares about. And though his morality is fucked, when he has a moral code, he sticks to it without question, such as when he protected a mob-connected woman from an attacker. But everyone around him is either an enabler or a manipulator. His female coworkers are simply incapable of standing up to him. His love interest Paige becomes an active participant in his escapades due to her own history of sexual abuse. His other love interest Candyce is so infatuated with him that she tries to adapt to his lifestyle rather than trying to set him straight. And of course, all the mob people want to encourage his behavior so they can use him for their own ends. Jacky is the kind of guy who could have been fairly normal, but he was constantly surrounded by the worst influences and practically zero positive ones. Hell, even his own mother... wasn't exactly the best at helping him.
 
What I'm getting at is despite the extreme lengths this character goes to, he's not just a "make this guy as evil as possible," one-dimensional character. Jacky is a fascinating look at pure, genuine evil and it's something I never really see in pretty much ANY type of media. Even if you look at something like Nabokov's Lolita, you see an evil man trying to convince himself that he's good. Jacky is pure evil, broken, and revels in the suffering of others. And he's self-aware. He states on multiple occasions that he's not a good person and if Hell exists, he's going there. I'm not actually sure where I'm going with all this, but I am still dumbstruck by how this is one of the most interesting takes on evil I've ever seen and it's wrapped up in a story that's honestly not even all that good. I just had to get these thoughts out of my head. While I can't say that this story is my favorite or anything, I'm very glad I took the time to read it. It made me think and it gave me the brain worms. Honestly, I think that this is going to color how I look at evil characters in fiction for a long time to come.
 
I know this was a very self-indulgent post, but I'd love to hear your thoughts. On BH if you've read it, or on evil as a story tool. And as far as Blackheart Hotel goes, I'd say check it out if you can handle the extreme content. Just keep in mind that while you can avoid the worst stuff, it doesn't make a whole lot of in-universe sense (seriously, avoiding these scenes only leads to slight dialogue variations. I did a readthrough avoiding anything "evil" and one where I purposely sought them out. No changes). But if that will fuck you up, and I don't blame you if it does, there's no real harm in skipping it. You're not missing out on peak fiction here.

I haven't read many EVNs, but of the ones I have read there are two that I can confidently say I have primarily positive feelings towards (well, three actually, but Juniper's Knot is already on the list so I'm not counting that one).

Cooking Companions is one of those horror VNs that has a bright and happy exterior.  In general I find that style interesting but usually poorly executed; for this one though, I feel the execution is solid.  The story feels pretty nonsensical early on, but by the end it perfectly walks the line of explaining enough for the story to make sense without explaining so much that it loses all sense of mystery.

https://vndb.org/v28079

And of course my favorite EVN is Sucker for Love: First Date.  In this novel Eldritch horrors are anime girls, you can date them and help them end reality.  Despite it's dumb premise, this novel is both humorous and genuinely scary; it transitions between comedy and horror seamlessly and it absolutely nails both genres.

https://vndb.org/v30662

farewell, beautiful floaty world
 

and it's just released O: I'm definitely buying it

Back in the day, we had a list of English-language-first visual novels. Unfortunately its OP, nohman, has left us. Fortunately, a lot of good EVNs have been released since then! As Fuwanovel's resident Japanese-knowing, JVN-enjoying EVN reader, I figure I'm in a unique position to moderate this thread.
The previous list focused on "notable" EVNs, but to be honest, these days there are arguably so many notable EVNs that the list would get unwieldy. Besides, the reason to read anything is if it's good — or at least interesting — right? I want to see what you like.
Anyone can contribute with suggestions. If you think it's good or interesting, tell me why, link the game, and I'll add it to the list. To get us started, I'll seed the list with some of my own favorites . Don't be discouraged if what you like is nothing like what I do, though — that's a sign that we need your help!
The Fuwanovel List of Cool EVNs
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Actual Sunlight by Will o'Neill

Notable tags: Depression, Utsuge, Suicide
Zakamutt: This is a dark VN, and it came to me at a dark time in my life. It's one of the most uncompromising depictions of depression I have seen, and the writing is as funny as it is cutting. Not for everyone, but for me: one of my two 10/10 VNs.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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An Octave Higher by Kidalang

Notable tags: Fantasy, Magic/ESP Combat, Fictional World
Zakamutt: This is an honest-to-god fantasy VN made by the Indonesian studio Kidalang. It reminds me a lot of Terry Pratchett: you have a big medieval-ish city, magic and technology combined, and some interesting social commentary. The creators' Indonesian roots show through here, as Indonesia lived through an attempted communist coup, then an anti-communist purge, in 1965 — the story centers around people of different classes dealing with the rise of industry and capitalism, with such fun things as magic used in factory production, and even factory-provided mana potions... This is not an uncritical communist paean by any means — read it and you'll see.
Where to get: Steam
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Blankspace by NoBreadStudio

Notable tags: Escape Game, Mystery, Romance
Zakamutt: Where 999 flavors its mystery with science-fiction technobabble, Blankspace flavors it with messy human drama. You wake up tied to a pipe, and the only one that can help you is Beryl, a teal-haired beauty who was trapped along with you. As you unravel the mystery to escape, you can also pick how you interact with her, perhaps even fall in love — there's a text-only (no CGs) sex scene patch, and I highly advise you get it, as it's written more like erotica than a normal VN h-scene. Quite interesting. The character writing is some of the best I've seen in a VN, with interactions being both natural and entertaining, but also moving the plot forward. The point-and-click elements aren't bad either, and serve the plot as much as less interactive segments.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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Cinders by MoaCube

Notable tags: Lots of Choices, Proactive Protagonist, Fairy Tale
Templarseeker: It is a reimagining of Cinderella with unique art style.

Bonus: Fuwanovel review.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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Corpse Factory by RIVER CROW STUDIO

Notable tags: Thriller, Horror, Modern Day Tokyo
Templarseeker: By the title alone you might think its a rip off of Corpse Party, nevertheless give the VN/Game a try and you'll witness a interesting, gloomy, dark, and semi realistic depiction of modern society. A psychological horror VN at its very core.
In addition this VN/Game has decent English voice acting in it on some of the important dialogues!
Where to get: Steam, GOG
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Digital: A Love Story by Christine Love

Notable tags: Operating System Simulation, Interactive Adventure Game
Zalor: "It's not what you say, it's how you say it that matters", is the first thing that comes to mind with this VN. The story itself is quite simple, but the presentation is so excellent that it makes up for where the story might slack. Especially as somebody who is quite fascinated with old computers, I loved how the whole story is told through BBS messages. BBS standing for Bulletin Board System, and was essentially the internet before the internet. Its presentation mimics said environment very convincingly as well.
Where to get: Creator's Website (FREE!)
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Digital Seclusion by Zalor

Notable tags: Otaku Protagonist
Zakamutt: Digital Seclusion is a story of a person who might be a bit like you — though I hope none of you are as extreme. He's a shut-in collector of old Japanese visual novels, which he posts about on his blog. It's also an (opinionated) history of the medium, introducing many old, and for some, nostalgic, visual novels. One day, a girl that looks just like a heroine from one of his games steps out of the screen. But is she real, and if so, should he trust her — or is she nothing but bad news?
Digital Seclusion was written by one of our forum members, Zalor, and we also have a Fuwanovel review of this VN if you're interested.
Where to get: Itch.io (FREE!)
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Doki Doki Literature Club! by Dan Salvato

Notable tags: Poetry, Student Club
Alpacaman: I know this one is kind of controversial in the community. It's still one of the titles that introduced many people in the west to visual novels. Yes, it's gimmicky, but what it sets out to do it does very well and doesn't overstay its welcome. Many people in the community saw the game as an attack on VNs as a whole, but I think it's more about player agency and the relationship between games and the ones playing them.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io (FREE!)
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Heart of the Woods by Studio Élan

Notable tags: Fictional Modern Day European Town, Girl x Girl Romance Only, Contemporary Fantasy
Silvz: Heart of the Woods is amazing! I loved the characters, the art style and the story in general. Iirc there was a voice patch released after I read it, so it may be even better now. It's also good to have some LGBTQIA+ representation in the list!
(Also recommended by: Templarseeker, Plk_Lesiak)
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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Juniper's Knot by Dischan

Notable tags: Multiple Protagonists
Zalor: A short, well written story that nearly a decade later still leaves quite a good impression. Focused on the interactions between a lost boy and a demon confined within a magic circle, it has some folklore-ish vibes to it. However, the bouncing between the two perspectives of the boy and the demon girl adds a modern flair to a story that otherwise does feel like it could be within a Grimm Fairy Tales book. This is all not to mention the beautiful art. For more info here's a review.
Where to get: Steam, Dischan (FREE!)
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Katawa Shoujo by Four Leaf Studios

Notable tags: Nakige, Romance, Disabled Heroine
Zakamutt: Back in the day, there'd be no point in putting this on the list. Literally everyone knew about it, and it was many people's first VN. Today, I think this story is worth recommending anew. The central conceit is the protagonist, Hisao, transferring to an academy for the disabled after suffering a heart attack. But the depth in this VN lies in not the disabled girls he meets there, but in what lies beneath. Pretty much every character has hidden depths to them, and the story arc usually ends up much like a Key tearjerker (without the supernatural hijinx). It's not just nostalgia, mom, I swear. Katawa Shoujo is genuinely a good VN.
Where to get: OG, Moddable Fan HD rerelease with accessibility options (both FREE!)
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Lessons in Love by Selebus

Notable tags: Dating Simulation, Student-Teacher Romance, Lots of Choices
Alpacaman: A work in progress that at this point is even longer than Umineko and according to its creator is the longest VN in existence, period (each update is about 30-60k words long and there's been about 50). Which shouldn't keep you from reading it. At least to me this one is more about vibes than plot and works very well despite its length.
Where to get: Subscribestar, Itch.io (FREE but one of those things where the patreon is further ahead)
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Lynne by ebi-hime

Notable tags: Modern Day British Isles, Utsuge, Psychological Horror
Zakamutt: Ebi-hime is a well-regarded VN writer among those in the know, and for a reason: she consistently delivers well-written interesting stories. Lynne is one of her free offerings, and takes place in a lower-class British milieu, with all the stress and envy that often implies. Both the soundtrack and graphics match the griminess of the setting, with ebi-hime opting to work with the electronic music producer sleepy agents for the sound. Lynn, the protagonist, is haunted by nightmares as the national exams she simply cannot afford to fuck up approach. Almost everything around her seems practically designed to stress her out more. In school there is a girl that she feels has everything that she does not, Lynne. Will Lynn pass her exams, or will she break from the stress she is under? And what will happen to Lynne? Find out in this VN.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io (both FREE!)
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Meeting in the Flesh by inkEthic

Notable tags: Monster Hero, Body Horror
Alpacaman: An inversion of Saya no Uta's themes, showing you can find beauty anywhere.
Where to get: Itch.io (FREE!)
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Pale Cachexia by Argent Games

Notable tags: Dark Fantasy, (Gothic) Horror, Illness
Zakamutt: Our protagonist, Esther, is afflicted with the Pale, a disease that causes its victims to waste away at terrifying speed if they do not take medicine every day. Even with the medicine, sufferers are often doomed to a life of slow degeneration and disability, with everything from their mood to too much exercise affecting the condition. Esther has made a desperate bid for a cure, the last step of a journey in search of a cure the cottage of a dead scholar of the Pale in the forest — and the young girl who lives there. They build up a fragile relationship as Esther researches his notes, trying to find something — anything — to help her condition. But those same notes might hold horrors she never knew...
I liked this one so much it made me write like a pretentious twat on vndb. So I'm just going to reproduce that here. I'm not sorry.
A languid walk, rarely a run, into the terror and beauty of the darkness. The will to be independent yet the need to depend. The intense portrayal of guilt and avoidance in this is sublime — or maybe just too deeply #relatable for me to give it, with its beautiful immersive atmosphere and, for once, solid writing anything else but an "excellent" rating.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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Sensei Overnight by Pers0nas

Notable tags: All-girls School, Teacher Protagonist, Memory Alteration
Danmaku: it is a "psychological horror mystery grooming dating sim" obviously inspired by Lessons in Love but focuses more on its underlying mysteries and how all of its characters relate to it and without as much of the grind and wiki-searching. Like its contemporary, it has a strong visual flair and strong comedic and story/character writing with a heavy focus on psychoanalysing its characters. It has rather low sexual content, when it does have h-scenes, it will be rather weird and/or focuses on realism. It really creates its own highly unique identity later on, the earlier parts can be a slow burn. Very importantly, the choices you make will matter.
Where to get: Itch.io (FREE... but you can subscribe on patreon/subscribestar for early access updates)
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SHINRAI - Broken Beyond Despair by Gosatsu Visual Novels

Notable tags: Detective Work, Murder Mystery, Interactive Adventure Game
Danmaku: a murder mystery visual novel with refreshing story pacing due to its straightforward honkaku structure. The character writing is amazing and the tricks used in the murder(s) are unique enough to give it its own identity.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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 Solstice by MoaCube

Notable tags: Multiple Protagonists, Mystery, Lots of Choices
Templarseeker: Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi thriller of a VN
Where to get: Steam, GOG
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Soundless by milk+ visual

Notable tags: Bullying, Denpa, Cult, Mystery
Zakamutt: Mercy sees things. It’s too bad that what she sees are warped distortions, filthy beetles, tentacles, horrifying flesh-beasts and all that, but at least it isn’t permanently on so she’s not quite Fuminori yet. Too bad it’s getting worse, though.
Mercy lives in a small, secluded village; the village is strongly religious, ruled by the local church, and all the kids around see her as a convenient punching bag. But hey, it’s probably her fault anyway, she was cursed by sinning at the tender age of ten. She was seeing nice things before that.
Mercy is the protagonist of Soundless, a game taking inspiration from the classic in the "denpa" subgenre of visual novels, which tends to concern itself with madness, unreliable narrators, and horror.
Every person I've gotten to play Soundless has liked it, without exception. Any denpa fan that hasn't tried it is making a mistake. And I played it back when the well-received rerelease with an extra chapter wasn't even out yet. If you try nothing else, try this one: it's free!
Where to get: Itch.io (FREE!)
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Sweetest Monster by ebi-hime

Notable tags: Relationship Problems, Modern Day British Isles, Dark Fantasy
Silvz: a very short VN with great art and a plot twist that rivals the best mystery novels out there, at least in my humble opinion :3
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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The Dandelion Girl by /jp/ project / Outis Media

Notable tags: Literary Adaptation, Time Travel, Romance
Zalor: Another entry in that short and sweet department. Although often overshadowed by it's more successful sibling (the other 4chan visual novel, Katawa Shoujo), I think its charm shines through. And that's really the appeal I find with this VN. It's nothing amazing, but has a soulful charm to it.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io (FREE! — this is a remake by one of the original's creators. Links to the OG are dead.)
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The Language Of Love by ebi-hime

Notable tags: Heroine with Children, Adult Heroine, Only a Single Heroine
adamstan: I think The Language of Love by ebi-hime should be added to the list. Short, but very heartwarming and wholesome love story - I loved it. It's also one of the few EVNs that manage to pull off the japanese setting without being all cringey
Bonus: Fuwanovel Review
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io, Denpa, MangaGamer
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The Sekimeiya: Spun Glass by Trinitite Team

Notable tags: Confinement, Mystery, Hard Science Fiction
Danmaku: a highly elaborate ontological mystery visual novel. The music can be jarring and ear-grating at times and the characters can be pretty bland. One thing I can highly compliment this visual novel is the underlying mystery itself. It is highly engaging and may seem perplexing and complicated but the puzzle pieces connect together pretty nicely. You will answer about 50 questions at the end to solve it, you will be ranked with other players to see how you did. The individual mysteries are segmented enough that if you didn't get some of it you still will be able to solve the rest.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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VA11 Hall-A by Sukeban Games

Notable tags: Bartender Protagonist, Cyberpunk, Dialogue Based
Alpacaman: It's cyberpunk bartender action, what more could you possibly want? It nails the aesthetic with great visuals and BGM, has great characters, some actual depth to its themes without ever getting anywhere close to being pretentious. Also it has some of the best comedy in any VN I've read so far.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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YOU LEFT ME by Angela He

Notable tags: Interactive Adventure Game, Surreal, Depression
Kawasumi: just because of how absolutely stunning visually it is.
Zakamutt: I would definitely recommend trying other Angela He VNs like Missed Messages out as well. She has a pretty unique style.
Where to get: Itch.io (FREE!)

I have to add a strong recommendation to follow this with its sequel, Sweetest Monster Refrain.
Sadly Steam have refused to allow it on Steam, but it's available on itch.io.
https://vndb.org/v36965
https://ebihime.itch.io/sweetest-monster-refrain

Apologies for the minorly late reply, my studies (and my sloth) kept me busy (and not so busy).
First of all, you do have to tell me why to get something on the list: I want something I can link to and quote. If you just mention something in passing saying it's worth a mention, that's fair but not enough to get on the big bad list at the top. @Templarseeker
Also, I wish Shining Song Starnova and its abominable faux-bad-translation writing style didn't exist. This doesn't mean I won't add it with a reason as to why you like it given, I just personally absolutely hate it unless they did a 180 from the style of the demo, which I don't think they did.
Second, regarding LLTQ I don't think I want most things not on vndb on the list, especially those that are more of a emergent gameplay style. This is, of course, my personal opinion, but what the heck, I did make the thread. That said, I'd consider To The Moon and the like.
Third, while I'm not going to be overly strict I will probably deprioritize repeat authors somewhat (especially if suggested by the same person). Ebi-hime is good, but we can't have her taking up half the list. Even though I am somewhat tempted. Maybe five or so representative ones. Ahem.
Anyway, Sweetest Monster and Heart of the Woods have enough text to put them on the list I guess. I actually started reading HotW a little while ago and it's not too bad, though I was expecting even higher production values I think. There were some weird bugs in the version I got from itch.io where an option did the opposite of what it said it did, the beginning text overflowing the textbox due to being too big, etc. The voices are kind of interesting because they chose really low voices for like every character. It was a bit weird at first, to be honest. I haven't quite felt like reading it again for a bit, but maybe I will soon again. @Silvz
Since you're gearing up for a more poggers post, I'll wait for it before adding your suggestions @Plk_Lesiak.

Back in the day, we had a list of English-language-first visual novels. Unfortunately its OP, nohman, has left us. Fortunately, a lot of good EVNs have been released since then! As Fuwanovel's resident Japanese-knowing, JVN-enjoying EVN reader, I figure I'm in a unique position to moderate this thread.
The previous list focused on "notable" EVNs, but to be honest, these days there are arguably so many notable EVNs that the list would get unwieldy. Besides, the reason to read anything is if it's good — or at least interesting — right? I want to see what you like.
Anyone can contribute with suggestions. If you think it's good or interesting, tell me why, link the game, and I'll add it to the list. To get us started, I'll seed the list with some of my own favorites . Don't be discouraged if what you like is nothing like what I do, though — that's a sign that we need your help!
The Fuwanovel List of Cool EVNs
_______________________________________________________________________________
Actual Sunlight by Will o'Neill

Notable tags: Depression, Utsuge, Suicide
Zakamutt: This is a dark VN, and it came to me at a dark time in my life. It's one of the most uncompromising depictions of depression I have seen, and the writing is as funny as it is cutting. Not for everyone, but for me: one of my two 10/10 VNs.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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An Octave Higher by Kidalang

Notable tags: Fantasy, Magic/ESP Combat, Fictional World
Zakamutt: This is an honest-to-god fantasy VN made by the Indonesian studio Kidalang. It reminds me a lot of Terry Pratchett: you have a big medieval-ish city, magic and technology combined, and some interesting social commentary. The creators' Indonesian roots show through here, as Indonesia lived through an attempted communist coup, then an anti-communist purge, in 1965 — the story centers around people of different classes dealing with the rise of industry and capitalism, with such fun things as magic used in factory production, and even factory-provided mana potions... This is not an uncritical communist paean by any means — read it and you'll see.
Where to get: Steam
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Blankspace by NoBreadStudio

Notable tags: Escape Game, Mystery, Romance
Zakamutt: Where 999 flavors its mystery with science-fiction technobabble, Blankspace flavors it with messy human drama. You wake up tied to a pipe, and the only one that can help you is Beryl, a teal-haired beauty who was trapped along with you. As you unravel the mystery to escape, you can also pick how you interact with her, perhaps even fall in love — there's a text-only (no CGs) sex scene patch, and I highly advise you get it, as it's written more like erotica than a normal VN h-scene. Quite interesting. The character writing is some of the best I've seen in a VN, with interactions being both natural and entertaining, but also moving the plot forward. The point-and-click elements aren't bad either, and serve the plot as much as less interactive segments.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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Cinders by MoaCube

Notable tags: Lots of Choices, Proactive Protagonist, Fairy Tale
Templarseeker: It is a reimagining of Cinderella with unique art style.

Bonus: Fuwanovel review.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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Corpse Factory by RIVER CROW STUDIO

Notable tags: Thriller, Horror, Modern Day Tokyo
Templarseeker: By the title alone you might think its a rip off of Corpse Party, nevertheless give the VN/Game a try and you'll witness a interesting, gloomy, dark, and semi realistic depiction of modern society. A psychological horror VN at its very core.
In addition this VN/Game has decent English voice acting in it on some of the important dialogues!
Where to get: Steam, GOG
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Digital: A Love Story by Christine Love

Notable tags: Operating System Simulation, Interactive Adventure Game
Zalor: "It's not what you say, it's how you say it that matters", is the first thing that comes to mind with this VN. The story itself is quite simple, but the presentation is so excellent that it makes up for where the story might slack. Especially as somebody who is quite fascinated with old computers, I loved how the whole story is told through BBS messages. BBS standing for Bulletin Board System, and was essentially the internet before the internet. Its presentation mimics said environment very convincingly as well.
Where to get: Creator's Website (FREE!)
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Digital Seclusion by Zalor

Notable tags: Otaku Protagonist
Zakamutt: Digital Seclusion is a story of a person who might be a bit like you — though I hope none of you are as extreme. He's a shut-in collector of old Japanese visual novels, which he posts about on his blog. It's also an (opinionated) history of the medium, introducing many old, and for some, nostalgic, visual novels. One day, a girl that looks just like a heroine from one of his games steps out of the screen. But is she real, and if so, should he trust her — or is she nothing but bad news?
Digital Seclusion was written by one of our forum members, Zalor, and we also have a Fuwanovel review of this VN if you're interested.
Where to get: Itch.io (FREE!)
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Doki Doki Literature Club! by Dan Salvato

Notable tags: Poetry, Student Club
Alpacaman: I know this one is kind of controversial in the community. It's still one of the titles that introduced many people in the west to visual novels. Yes, it's gimmicky, but what it sets out to do it does very well and doesn't overstay its welcome. Many people in the community saw the game as an attack on VNs as a whole, but I think it's more about player agency and the relationship between games and the ones playing them.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io (FREE!)
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Heart of the Woods by Studio Élan

Notable tags: Fictional Modern Day European Town, Girl x Girl Romance Only, Contemporary Fantasy
Silvz: Heart of the Woods is amazing! I loved the characters, the art style and the story in general. Iirc there was a voice patch released after I read it, so it may be even better now. It's also good to have some LGBTQIA+ representation in the list!
(Also recommended by: Templarseeker, Plk_Lesiak)
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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Juniper's Knot by Dischan

Notable tags: Multiple Protagonists
Zalor: A short, well written story that nearly a decade later still leaves quite a good impression. Focused on the interactions between a lost boy and a demon confined within a magic circle, it has some folklore-ish vibes to it. However, the bouncing between the two perspectives of the boy and the demon girl adds a modern flair to a story that otherwise does feel like it could be within a Grimm Fairy Tales book. This is all not to mention the beautiful art. For more info here's a review.
Where to get: Steam, Dischan (FREE!)
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Katawa Shoujo by Four Leaf Studios

Notable tags: Nakige, Romance, Disabled Heroine
Zakamutt: Back in the day, there'd be no point in putting this on the list. Literally everyone knew about it, and it was many people's first VN. Today, I think this story is worth recommending anew. The central conceit is the protagonist, Hisao, transferring to an academy for the disabled after suffering a heart attack. But the depth in this VN lies in not the disabled girls he meets there, but in what lies beneath. Pretty much every character has hidden depths to them, and the story arc usually ends up much like a Key tearjerker (without the supernatural hijinx). It's not just nostalgia, mom, I swear. Katawa Shoujo is genuinely a good VN.
Where to get: OG, Moddable Fan HD rerelease with accessibility options (both FREE!)
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Lessons in Love by Selebus

Notable tags: Dating Simulation, Student-Teacher Romance, Lots of Choices
Alpacaman: A work in progress that at this point is even longer than Umineko and according to its creator is the longest VN in existence, period (each update is about 30-60k words long and there's been about 50). Which shouldn't keep you from reading it. At least to me this one is more about vibes than plot and works very well despite its length.
Where to get: Subscribestar, Itch.io (FREE but one of those things where the patreon is further ahead)
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Lynne by ebi-hime

Notable tags: Modern Day British Isles, Utsuge, Psychological Horror
Zakamutt: Ebi-hime is a well-regarded VN writer among those in the know, and for a reason: she consistently delivers well-written interesting stories. Lynne is one of her free offerings, and takes place in a lower-class British milieu, with all the stress and envy that often implies. Both the soundtrack and graphics match the griminess of the setting, with ebi-hime opting to work with the electronic music producer sleepy agents for the sound. Lynn, the protagonist, is haunted by nightmares as the national exams she simply cannot afford to fuck up approach. Almost everything around her seems practically designed to stress her out more. In school there is a girl that she feels has everything that she does not, Lynne. Will Lynn pass her exams, or will she break from the stress she is under? And what will happen to Lynne? Find out in this VN.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io (both FREE!)
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Meeting in the Flesh by inkEthic

Notable tags: Monster Hero, Body Horror
Alpacaman: An inversion of Saya no Uta's themes, showing you can find beauty anywhere.
Where to get: Itch.io (FREE!)
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Pale Cachexia by Argent Games

Notable tags: Dark Fantasy, (Gothic) Horror, Illness
Zakamutt: Our protagonist, Esther, is afflicted with the Pale, a disease that causes its victims to waste away at terrifying speed if they do not take medicine every day. Even with the medicine, sufferers are often doomed to a life of slow degeneration and disability, with everything from their mood to too much exercise affecting the condition. Esther has made a desperate bid for a cure, the last step of a journey in search of a cure the cottage of a dead scholar of the Pale in the forest — and the young girl who lives there. They build up a fragile relationship as Esther researches his notes, trying to find something — anything — to help her condition. But those same notes might hold horrors she never knew...
I liked this one so much it made me write like a pretentious twat on vndb. So I'm just going to reproduce that here. I'm not sorry.
A languid walk, rarely a run, into the terror and beauty of the darkness. The will to be independent yet the need to depend. The intense portrayal of guilt and avoidance in this is sublime — or maybe just too deeply #relatable for me to give it, with its beautiful immersive atmosphere and, for once, solid writing anything else but an "excellent" rating.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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Sensei Overnight by Pers0nas

Notable tags: All-girls School, Teacher Protagonist, Memory Alteration
Danmaku: it is a "psychological horror mystery grooming dating sim" obviously inspired by Lessons in Love but focuses more on its underlying mysteries and how all of its characters relate to it and without as much of the grind and wiki-searching. Like its contemporary, it has a strong visual flair and strong comedic and story/character writing with a heavy focus on psychoanalysing its characters. It has rather low sexual content, when it does have h-scenes, it will be rather weird and/or focuses on realism. It really creates its own highly unique identity later on, the earlier parts can be a slow burn. Very importantly, the choices you make will matter.
Where to get: Itch.io (FREE... but you can subscribe on patreon/subscribestar for early access updates)
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SHINRAI - Broken Beyond Despair by Gosatsu Visual Novels

Notable tags: Detective Work, Murder Mystery, Interactive Adventure Game
Danmaku: a murder mystery visual novel with refreshing story pacing due to its straightforward honkaku structure. The character writing is amazing and the tricks used in the murder(s) are unique enough to give it its own identity.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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 Solstice by MoaCube

Notable tags: Multiple Protagonists, Mystery, Lots of Choices
Templarseeker: Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi thriller of a VN
Where to get: Steam, GOG
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Soundless by milk+ visual

Notable tags: Bullying, Denpa, Cult, Mystery
Zakamutt: Mercy sees things. It’s too bad that what she sees are warped distortions, filthy beetles, tentacles, horrifying flesh-beasts and all that, but at least it isn’t permanently on so she’s not quite Fuminori yet. Too bad it’s getting worse, though.
Mercy lives in a small, secluded village; the village is strongly religious, ruled by the local church, and all the kids around see her as a convenient punching bag. But hey, it’s probably her fault anyway, she was cursed by sinning at the tender age of ten. She was seeing nice things before that.
Mercy is the protagonist of Soundless, a game taking inspiration from the classic in the "denpa" subgenre of visual novels, which tends to concern itself with madness, unreliable narrators, and horror.
Every person I've gotten to play Soundless has liked it, without exception. Any denpa fan that hasn't tried it is making a mistake. And I played it back when the well-received rerelease with an extra chapter wasn't even out yet. If you try nothing else, try this one: it's free!
Where to get: Itch.io (FREE!)
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Sweetest Monster by ebi-hime

Notable tags: Relationship Problems, Modern Day British Isles, Dark Fantasy
Silvz: a very short VN with great art and a plot twist that rivals the best mystery novels out there, at least in my humble opinion :3
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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The Dandelion Girl by /jp/ project / Outis Media

Notable tags: Literary Adaptation, Time Travel, Romance
Zalor: Another entry in that short and sweet department. Although often overshadowed by it's more successful sibling (the other 4chan visual novel, Katawa Shoujo), I think its charm shines through. And that's really the appeal I find with this VN. It's nothing amazing, but has a soulful charm to it.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io (FREE! — this is a remake by one of the original's creators. Links to the OG are dead.)
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The Language Of Love by ebi-hime

Notable tags: Heroine with Children, Adult Heroine, Only a Single Heroine
adamstan: I think The Language of Love by ebi-hime should be added to the list. Short, but very heartwarming and wholesome love story - I loved it. It's also one of the few EVNs that manage to pull off the japanese setting without being all cringey
Bonus: Fuwanovel Review
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io, Denpa, MangaGamer
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The Sekimeiya: Spun Glass by Trinitite Team

Notable tags: Confinement, Mystery, Hard Science Fiction
Danmaku: a highly elaborate ontological mystery visual novel. The music can be jarring and ear-grating at times and the characters can be pretty bland. One thing I can highly compliment this visual novel is the underlying mystery itself. It is highly engaging and may seem perplexing and complicated but the puzzle pieces connect together pretty nicely. You will answer about 50 questions at the end to solve it, you will be ranked with other players to see how you did. The individual mysteries are segmented enough that if you didn't get some of it you still will be able to solve the rest.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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VA11 Hall-A by Sukeban Games

Notable tags: Bartender Protagonist, Cyberpunk, Dialogue Based
Alpacaman: It's cyberpunk bartender action, what more could you possibly want? It nails the aesthetic with great visuals and BGM, has great characters, some actual depth to its themes without ever getting anywhere close to being pretentious. Also it has some of the best comedy in any VN I've read so far.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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YOU LEFT ME by Angela He

Notable tags: Interactive Adventure Game, Surreal, Depression
Kawasumi: just because of how absolutely stunning visually it is.
Zakamutt: I would definitely recommend trying other Angela He VNs like Missed Messages out as well. She has a pretty unique style.
Where to get: Itch.io (FREE!)