Corrupted

Sorry for the post necromancy. I thought the original poster, if they're still around five years later, might be happy to hear that someone else found their list useful. 
"50 VNs to read before you die"

Well, guess what - I am literally dying and trying to read these 50 VNs before I do in the yearish time I have left. I just sort of stumbled upon this bucket list goal and I've already read a good 15 in a couple months (I have infinite free time atm and literally play all day).
No regrets from this course of action so far! It's an excellent usage of time given my circumstances and it makes me feel like I'm living multiple lives without having to leave home. So many ups and downs, so much catharsis. So much of it connects to the relationships and experiences I've had so far in life. I only wish I had discovered VNs earlier, but I do think I have just enough time to read all the good (translated) ones. 
I've picked up a few random games not on this list as my interests broaden (went through a Yandere phase for example) and I'm sure there's at least one or two games not on this list I would really love, but in the end I think it's most useful just to have any decent list and goal and go at it instead of wasting too much time researching and waffling. In that manner, this list was perfect for my needs. 
Waffling...waffle...wafu...wafter. That's right. If I'm going to have any regrets, I think it'll be only that games like Kud Wafter and Summer Pockets are almost certainly not gonna be translated in the time I have. Can't get enough Key.
 

...Why is noone mentioning School Days? Isn't that the usual automatic suggestion, the poster child of English-translated Yandere? The gore is minimal, as well. Perhaps it's because not everyone likes that game. I personally love it, despite being frustrated at the design.

I spent a while in a Yandere phase. The only good Yanderes game I found and managed to actually personally play were in School Days and Cross Channel, neither of which have extremely explicit gore. School Days is easier to get into and the Yandere(s) are main characters; Cross Channel might have the most awesome and wonderful Yandere but she only plays a relatively small part of a game that's focused on much different things.

Don't play the game literally titled "Yandere". It is the worst VN I have ever made the mistake to play; It's so bad it'll make you like Yanderes less.
 

It's probably not very common as you say, but I definitely enjoy when I can tie in something from a VN to a real life experience. I feel like it helps me enjoy both the VN and the real life memories more when I can tie them together like that.

I should have given the full Muv Luv disclaimer/explanation.

When you download Muv Luv, you get a game with two games inside it. Muy Luv Extra and Muv Luv Unlimited. They're both 7/10's you have to play through to get to the 10/10 that is Muv Luv Alternative (which is the sequel, a separate game). They may not seem like it at first but you HAVE to play Extra and Unlimited because they set up Muv Luv Alternative.

You only have to play 2 routes in Extra and 1 route in Unlimited and can safely ignore the rest (side routes). You may start off thinking "I'll just play the whole game why not" but after you play 2 or 3 routes you'll start to see why they're kinda repetitive and maybe not worth your time. The routes you have to play at a minimum:

Extra: Sumika, Meiya
Unlimited: Meiya
Alternative: There are no routes, just enjoy
Also, some of the after content of MLA is phenomenal. Specifically "The Day After" series...potentially better than the actual game itself. 

I should have given the full Muv Luv disclaimer/explanation.

When you download Muv Luv, you get a game with two games inside it. Muy Luv Extra and Muv Luv Unlimited. They're both 7/10's you have to play through to get to the 10/10 that is Muv Luv Alternative (which is the sequel, a separate game). They may not seem like it at first but you HAVE to play Extra and Unlimited because they set up Muv Luv Alternative.

You only have to play 2 routes in Extra and 1 route in Unlimited and can safely ignore the rest (side routes). You may start off thinking "I'll just play the whole game why not" but after you play 2 or 3 routes you'll start to see why they're kinda repetitive and maybe not worth your time. The routes you have to play at a minimum:

Extra: Sumika, Meiya
Unlimited: Meiya
Alternative: There are no routes, just enjoy
Also, some of the after content of MLA is phenomenal. Specifically "The Day After" series...potentially better than the actual game itself. 

Muv Luv Alternate is a long and amazing sci fi VN that focuses on dystopian alien war horror instead of dating/hentai. You have to go through the mediocre prequel Muv Luv Extra first, though, which does have mediocre h scenes (just hold left control). Of the 40 or so VNs I've read MLA is probably still my #1. The music is just too good. If you like Steins Gate give it a try, there's a similar sci fi thriller appeal, only more mechas and war instead of time travel.

Just curious, not really looking for a recommendation, but it didn't feel right to post an outright question like this in the normal VN discussion forum.

Are there any VNs with preestablished couples, or couples that don't involve the MC and form over the course of the game?


All that comes to mind for preestablished couples is Saya No Uta (not really a dating sim though) and for establishing over the course of the game is School Days (this game breaks convention in tons of ways already).

It's actually possible to play both Sekai and Kotonoha routes non-NTR style (not sure if you can fully avoid rape though) and I quite enjoyed doing so, I don't think the romance was bad really (I've got Setsuna's Wish [non-cheating, non-pregnancy version] and Christmas Eve endings). TBH, after watching the anime I've got my fill of macabre and was wondering whether you can actually even get a decent ending with a shithead like Makoto as the protagonist. Steering him away from destroying other people's lives was something of a puzzle (you really can't make two moves without him sticking his dick in something he shouldn't) and I found it pretty satisfying. I'm pretty weird though.

1. Should I play School Days or Shiny Days first?
--They're separate timelines/alternate scenarios with many of the same characters. You could definitely play shiny days first if you really wanted (Cause you really just want the lolis/moms). But you'd enjoy it a lot more having played School Days first, probably. I would suggest playing School Days first.
 
2. Is there any NTR/Protag getting cheated on? If there is, in how many routes does this happen?
--The game has many endings, but the routes are very interchangeable/reused. It's quite a complicated flowchart. The odds of you running into NTR are extremely high - if not because they make a large percentage of the routes, than definitely because the way the game is structured, you will run into those scenes over and over near the beginning/middle-ish of many, perhaps most of your playthroughs. 
--It's technically NTR because a love interest is having consensual sex with/raped by another male character. But in every situation it's when the MC doesn't want/care about that heroine, so it might not fit your definition of "being cheated on".
 
3. I know there is a part where Taisuke ends up raping Kotonoha. Is them actually having sex shown? Is this something that happens in bad ends only?
--There are multiple scenes of Sawanaga Taisuke raping Kotonoha in multiple situations. It's brutal and explicitly shown. Even hurts MY feelings a little.
 
4. I tend to avoid H-scenes that include a guy other than the MC. Does Taisuke (or any other guy that isn't the protag) end up having sex (or implied) with any other heroines? I also remember seeing a scene where Kotonoha and Taisuke are having sex and Makoto and some other girl are watching. In how many routes does this happen?
--Like I said in answer #2, while it only may make up a small percentage of total routes, the way the game is designed you may run into this scenario very often. And again, yes, it's explicitly shown in several scenes with several heroines, and implicitly implied many other times.
 
5. Overall, did you enjoy School Days? In your opinion, should I read this VN?
--I enjoyed the hell out of it. You shouldn't read it, it's terrible. A hellishly buggy game of hateable characters with atrociously tedious branch navigation. 
--I still enjoyed the hell out of it because there isn't a VN with this kind of gritty teenage drama horror. It's hella unique. Murder, jealousy, pregnancy, lust, poor, poor decisions.  A lot of it I found gruesomely realistic. It's a case study for why teenagers should be chaperoned at all times. It's the cheating simulator and it's a special hell.
 

1. Should I play School Days or Shiny Days first?
--They're separate timelines/alternate scenarios with many of the same characters. You could definitely play shiny days first if you really wanted (Cause you really just want the lolis/moms). But you'd enjoy it a lot more having played School Days first, probably. I would suggest playing School Days first.
 
2. Is there any NTR/Protag getting cheated on? If there is, in how many routes does this happen?
--The game has many endings, but the routes are very interchangeable/reused. It's quite a complicated flowchart. The odds of you running into NTR are extremely high - if not because they make a large percentage of the routes, than definitely because the way the game is structured, you will run into those scenes over and over near the beginning/middle-ish of many, perhaps most of your playthroughs. 
--It's technically NTR because a love interest is having consensual sex with/raped by another male character. But in every situation it's when the MC doesn't want/care about that heroine, so it might not fit your definition of "being cheated on".
 
3. I know there is a part where Taisuke ends up raping Kotonoha. Is them actually having sex shown? Is this something that happens in bad ends only?
--There are multiple scenes of Sawanaga Taisuke raping Kotonoha in multiple situations. It's brutal and explicitly shown. Even hurts MY feelings a little.
 
4. I tend to avoid H-scenes that include a guy other than the MC. Does Taisuke (or any other guy that isn't the protag) end up having sex (or implied) with any other heroines? I also remember seeing a scene where Kotonoha and Taisuke are having sex and Makoto and some other girl are watching. In how many routes does this happen?
--Like I said in answer #2, while it only may make up a small percentage of total routes, the way the game is designed you may run into this scenario very often. And again, yes, it's explicitly shown in several scenes with several heroines, and implicitly implied many other times.
 
5. Overall, did you enjoy School Days? In your opinion, should I read this VN?
--I enjoyed the hell out of it. You shouldn't read it, it's terrible. A hellishly buggy game of hateable characters with atrociously tedious branch navigation. 
--I still enjoyed the hell out of it because there isn't a VN with this kind of gritty teenage drama horror. It's hella unique. Murder, jealousy, pregnancy, lust, poor, poor decisions.  A lot of it I found gruesomely realistic. It's a case study for why teenagers should be chaperoned at all times. It's the cheating simulator and it's a special hell.
 

I have grand plans to reread Konosora, this time with the re translation and in preparation for Flight Diaries. HYPE.

As with some others, I don't read the whole thing in full, but do read the common route and my favorite route. The two biggest examples of this would be Katawa Shoujo and Princess Evangile. For KS, I've taken to rereading the common route + the Hanako route (my favorite) every year. It's the route that got me hooked on the medium and even now I still find it fun and relaxing to read. As for PE I haven't yet reread it, but I greatly enjoyed it and plan on rereading the common route and Rise's route, before jumping into W Happiness for the first time. 
I'm also strongly considering rereading the Konomi and Tama-nee routes from To Heart 2 (I really REALLY liked those routes and heroines -
) and also the Chisato route from Koichoco (I'm a fan of her as well).

I have played nekopara 8 times already. This isn't counting the time I open it to virtually pet my favorite Nekos.

I've read Umineko twice, and I must say that the second time was the best. Umineko was literally my first VN, and I did not care enough by the time to go deep into the story and its many twists and hidden meanings. Besides, there is too much that you can miss in When They Cry (the series) if you don't know yet what is happening in the background. I intend to reread it again, but I need more years to do so.
Other VNs that I might reread someday are Forest, which I did not pay too much attention to when reading, Little Busters (I've just finished it, so only in the next five years or so), Never7, as it was the only game in the series that I did not expect the supernatural/sci fi elements, so didn't bother with them before, and maybe Katahane, as I enjoyed it a lot and I recall it having another version to be released.

Since I've only started playing VNs from about 1.5 years ago and I still have so much new stuff to read, I haven't. But I do plan to reread some VNs in the future, especially those that rely more on the atmosphere than the actual plot, so knowing what will succeed is not actually that important.
 

Not in full - but I read Kotori's route in Konosora twice. First time I dropped the VN after it, 'cause Ageha's route was unreadable, and then when retranslation patch was released I read whole VN again.
 

I've read VNs twice. Generally speaking, however, when rereading I reread only the bits I want to.
The Fruit of Grisaia, Majikoi, Little Busters!, Highway Blossoms... I've reread those, and there are others I'd be more than willing to. The Second Reproduction, for instance.

I think you're supposed to understand everything after refrain. Those other three paths are just for fun. Saya is pretty dang funny though, you're missing out if you skip her :>

And....now I've finished Symphonic Rain. A master of procrastination, I am. 

That game is as excellent as it is impossible to describe without spoilers... 

I think we're on the right track here, just might need a slightly more refined nomenclature. 

G-Sendou is like crawling up a tree, then getting off on a branch when you've gone high enough.

Fruit of Grisaia is like crawling up a tree then plucking the first fruit that catches your eye.

The nekopara world is so fucked up and I'm so fucked up after playing it that I just lay around and think about it. The way the other humans just casually respond "Oh you've got some cat people, are they the kind you fuck or...?"

They all just accept it...ah...

The abyss you're about to descend into goes far deeper than you might think

#outofcontextvns

>Implying catgirls were not made to be fuck dolls in the first place