Zakamutt

Added. I have to say, Cinders and moacube in general tout something as a feature that I mostly consider a detriment: lots of choices. It makes walkthroughs hard to follow, tends to make content shallow, and often makes walkthroughs necessary which takes me out of the story (unless there is a transparent flowchart system or the like, which I do enjoy). This is or at least was an EVN trend for things that didn't go full kinetic instead, though I think that it's maybe lessened a bit these days.
In contrast Corpse Factory actually has the "few choices" tag on vndb, so good on them for that. I've actually heard good stuff about Corpse Factory from several sources, so it's on my radar.

Added. I have to say, Cinders and moacube in general tout something as a feature that I mostly consider a detriment: lots of choices. It makes walkthroughs hard to follow, tends to make content shallow, and often makes walkthroughs necessary which takes me out of the story (unless there is a transparent flowchart system or the like, which I do enjoy). This is or at least was an EVN trend for things that didn't go full kinetic instead, though I think that it's maybe lessened a bit these days.
In contrast Corpse Factory actually has the "few choices" tag on vndb, so good on them for that. I've actually heard good stuff about Corpse Factory from several sources, so it's on my radar.

Yeah, actually I read this VN thanks to @Plk_Lesiak's recommendation

Added. We actually have a fuwa team review of this, so I stuck a link to it in there as well.

I totally get it. Lessons in Love at least has a really regular release schedule with one or two updates each month. It does probably work better though if you've started reading it when there wasn't nearly as much content. Then it feels more like an ongoing tv series where each episode has its own A and B plot while the overarching story moves forward really slowly until it culminates in the series finale. The next one introduces new threads and characters and so on. Once you've caught up you only need two spend one or two evenings each month to keep up to date.

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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)

Hey, I helped edit that thing after you posted the original for a reason!
I notice that the only version of The Dandelion Girl that looks to be available these days is a remake, which was apparently rewritten a bit (by one of the original creators). I've linked to that one since the OG is no longer available at any link on vndb, but it's possible it's not the one you read (it's not actually the one I read back in the day). Also get rekt @HatchWashere I guess you're technically in now 😆

The game hasn't aged as well as some of our other stuff, but it still warms my heart knowing it was some people's first VN.

Glad you revived this sort of thing. Anything to connect the gap between the EVN and JVN crowd I think is a good thing. I don't have too much to add, but here are some I quite like that I haven't seen mentioned here yet:
Juniper's Knot: 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 flare 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.
Digital: A Love Story : "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.
The Dandelion Girl: 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. 
I guess I'm just preserving the classics with this post, but I'm sure if @Plk_Lesiak sees this, he will have some more up to date VNs to mention. 
Btw, glad to see that mine got a mentioned. Even if it's just to be polite. 

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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
 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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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.)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)

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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
 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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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.)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)

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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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!)

It's been exactly a month since the first post announcing the project, although you may have noticed I've been updating the translation counts weekly. And so I'm here to give the first major update: Hayami's arc is now fully translated! Her total arc has over 20,000 lines and is the longest by far in the entire game, so getting over that hurdle is very gratifying and makes the rest of the project seem slightly less daunting. But only slightly, since with just under 46,000 lines left to translate, that's almost exactly the entire length of my previous fan translation project, Imaimo. Not that the two are really comparable in any way beyond that coincidental statistic. The fact is that Imaimo was generally easier to translate.
That's not to say H2O has a difficult writing style, because it really doesn't. Most of it is very straightforward, but it does tend to be very wordy. That might have something to do with how this is a NVL game and not an ADV game, so the lines can be longer without having to worry about a text box. Or maybe the writers of H2O were just generally more verbose than what I encountered in Imaimo. Either way, I've noticed that it generally takes longer to translate H2O on the whole, but I'm still going at a pretty decent pace. There's also the fact that starting the translation of any decently sized project feels slower at the start because there's so much more left to translate, but that picks up over time, especially after getting over the 50% milestone, which at least for this project is still a little bit ways away.
Now for a few other things that I feel require clarification about the nature of the game. As it says in the first post, this version of H2O combines the content from the original game and the sequel that came later, Root after and another. But Root isn't just a fan disc. It essentially doubled the size of the available content from the original game. In fact, the two are virtually the same size in terms of their line counts: H2O content covers 36,901 lines, and the new content from Root covers 36,646 lines. I'm not sure if this was intentional or not, but it's an interesting coincidence either way. Additionally, if you remove the roughly 7,000 lines from the common route from the original game, that means Root actually has more content in the character routes than in the original game.
The game's overall structure is also interesting in how it's laid out. There are 13 possible endings, which covers 5 normal routes (Hayami, Hinata, Otoha, Yui, Hamaji/Yukiji) and 8 after story routes (3 for Hayami, 2 for Hinata, and one each for Otoha, Yui and Hamaji/Yukiji (this last one is also Maki's route)). In the original game, you had to first play through Hayami's arc to get to Hinata, and then getting done with Hinata let you access Otoha's route. That's not exactly the case anymore in this version, although Otoha's route is still only unlocked after going through Hayami's, Hinata's, and Yui's normal routes. But you can do those in any order, or even do Hamaji's route first. As for the after stories, they're obviously only unlocked if you go through the normal routes first, in addition to 3 of the 8 after stories only being unlocked when you finish other after stories. That, in addition to the somewhat confusing choice progression, means that a full walkthrough will be provided for this game once the patch is released.
But back to the translation. Completing Hayami's arc brings the total content translated up to 37.5%. Not bad for about 3 months of work considering how long this game is. By comparison, the Imaimo translation took me just under 3 months to complete from start to finish. So yeah, I have my work cut out for me. But I've enjoyed it immensely thus far. This is a really solid story with plenty of feels, comedy and...oh yeah, H scenes. There are 26 H scenes, 9 of which are in Hayami's arc. By line count, the 24 scenario files that contain the H scenes (because 2 files contain 2 H scenes) take up 14,479 lines, 19.7% of all content. That's not to say that every line in those 24 files is part of an H scene, but the vast majority of it is. As for the other girls, 6 H scenes are in Hinata's arc, 4 are in both Otoha's and Maki's arcs, and there are 3 in Yui's arc.
Next up, I'll be translating Hinata's arc, the second longest after Hayami's, but considerably shorter at just over 14,000 lines. So for now, I'll get back to work.

I will post my 100+ page essay when I finally finish it, it's hard because I have to go over everything and be thorough, but my simple answer is she's sho kyute!

Hello everyone!
I am Pallas Raven. Small time visual novel and game indiedev with a love for betraying the player's expectations. I also run a blog where I post weekly about everything visual novel related such as reviews, news and analysis of the medium.
My first experience with vns was with the release of the mirror moon translation of Fate Stay Night in 2008 (boy does that make me feel old...) and I have been addicted to them ever since. It also helps that they have a low spec requirement since I always find myself well behind the curve when it comes to tech.
Hope we can get along!

Itch.io Page | Official Site | Donation Drive 10/6-10/13 Information
Hello Fuwanovel! This is papaya from milk+ visual. While Soundless has been mentioned a few times on this site, there was never a thread for it, so that is now being remedied.
We have recently released the 5th anniversary definitive edition, Final Verse. This release contains things like an additional afterstory, a larger resolution, an opening cutscene, a violent imagery toggle, accessibility features, and more! We are also running a Hurricane Fiona & Typhoon Noru donation drive with thank-you gifts at milestones, so please check out the blog post about it and help us out!
Soundless is a denpa yuri visual novel and milk+ visual's very first title, first released back in 2017. It is kinetic and surrounds a teenage girl who is the "cursed" pariah of an isolated cult, Mercy. One day, the Holy Maiden Auma approaches her and tells her that she, too, possesses cursed vision.
And it only goes downhill from there.
Soundless shouldn't be played by anyone who is sensitive to extreme bullying, abuse, and violence. The violent imagery toggle only hides images and doesn't cut out the violent scenes.
Full Summary
—Despite all the singing around her, her world was soundless.
A small village cut off from the rest of the world, Phada, spends its days slowly, idling away time by speaking with one another, eating with one another, and dedicating all their attention to studying scripture. With a population of only 145, the governing body of the town is the Group, the name of the miniscule clergy that inhabits the church at the top of the hill. They worship a protective God comprised of two halves: the "Barrier" defensive energy and the "Expulsive" offensive energy.
In a town where all you can do is socialize, young Mercy is denied this. Since birth, she has seen the unseen, and was taken in by the Group after losing her parents. Upon turning 10 her vision seemingly became corrupt, causing panic among the villagers. It was decided by the Head Priest and the Holy Woman that the only way to deal with this curse is to aggressively apply the "antibiotics."
In other words, isolate Mercy until she stops seeing things.
Now an empty shell of who she once was, 15 year old Mercy attends school and is constantly bullied by her classmates, some truly afraid of her, but most seeing her as an easy target. The sudden death of the 25th Holy Woman startles the village, causing many to believe Mercy's curse is spreading and for her abuse to become more aggressive. Then, one day, the Head Priest reveals God has given them two young Holy Women rather than one.
When classes end the next day, one calls out to Mercy.
"I can see it, too."
Screenshots


 

There are a few of us in these parts I'm sure~

Damb, northern ireland? Not sure if I've ever seen someone from that end online. It's a bit too early in the day for something to make me smile to have happened yet I think, but welcome w
EDIT: I play jvns in mostly japanese and evns in english, can't answer the poll tbh

Damb, northern ireland? Not sure if I've ever seen someone from that end online. It's a bit too early in the day for something to make me smile to have happened yet I think, but welcome w
EDIT: I play jvns in mostly japanese and evns in english, can't answer the poll tbh

meow.

nyo!
 

Hi everyone! I'm AuntWitch. I came up with that name as a reference to me being an Aunt, who likes witchy stuff. Anyway, I'm 24 years old and I got into visual novels when I was a young kid exploring Newgrounds like an oblivious fool and found weird games that parodied popular visual novels/anime, except with a bucket full of dark humor to them. Probably inappropriate for me to have read, but it started my love for visual novels. Sadly, at the time there wasn't much to read! Ended up taking a break from VNs until I found out about Dangan Ronpa while it was being fan-translated on a forum. Katawa Shoujo was the first VN I played through by myself, but I believe Dangan Ronpa is what got me motivated to play them properly.
Anyway, with that said......it was a slippery slope. I don't know what happened, but now I have a metric ton of visual novels in my steam catalog. My favorite is probably the Nekopara franchise for how easy it is to read when you're down in the dumps, but I also love Fata Morgana and the Grisaia series. Still need to finish Eden of Grisaia and then start the Phantom Trigger series.   I like both bishoujo games and otome games, though I have a preference for bishoujo games.
It's nice to meet you all!

Hey, guys! I'm Nayru, the creator/lead of SoulSet and Blankspace,
and I'm here to share with you a new project I'm working on together with KleeBentz and Xolf!



>> Kickstarter link << (Successfully funded on November 25th, 2021)

The Elevator Game with Catgirls is a horror visual novel with point-and-click elements,
inspired by the Korean urban legend, Elevator to Another World.



Many chances to make terrible mistakes The elevator game is all about following the rules and treading forward in a strictly specified manner. Are you sure you'll be able to get everything right on your first try?
Short sessions with multiple endings A playthrough may take you a single sitting, but it's all about exploring different options. Can you solve all the mysteries? What lengths will you have to go to to find some clues?
An eerie atmospheric setting Immerse yourself in the narrative with the help of a unique, sketchy art-style, carefully chosen music, and sound design.


There are situations in this game some might find disturbing or triggering. Player discretion is advised.
The game will be available for Windows and Linux.


The Elevator Game is a ritual that is said to give the player access to another world by following a strict set of rules.

Motivated by a bet made with her classmate, Asahi's girlfriend Kirin decides to give the game a try, and drags her along for company. As Asahi waits outside of the building that Kirin chose to perform the ritual in, she starts to experience some confusing and unexplainable things...

Kirin fails to return that day, or the day after. Feeling somehow guilty as though Kirin's disappearance might be her fault, Asahi determines to try and find her missing girlfriend... by playing the elevator game herself.

Where will your choices take her?
























Credits:
Nayru - Story & Script / Coding / GUI Design
KleeBentz - Art / Character Design / 3D Modeling
Xolf - Co-writing / Coding Assistance
Music/Sounds from Audio Alchemist

OddTillTheEnd will join us as the composer for an original soundtrack, thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign!

Planned release date: Q2 2022

Thank you for your time, meow! ^^

oh hey ty long time no see and same lol, altho I dont think im gonna be super active again or anything

I would say most people think it's more disruptive than you ("having to explain the joke" is literally a standard bad thing), and that's the reason you have a divergent viewpoint.
As for guessing what is or isn't important to the author, it is sometimes difficult, but honestly not very often. Most sane translators read the whole work before starting work on it, and most authors are not deliberately obscurantist. I'll willingly take the 0.5% chance of being wrong about a minor detail being relevant to the writer over having to write explanations every time (which is not to say that many approaches do not exist that can be less obtrusive than glosses and still work).