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Dergonu's top 10 dark VNs to read before you die (Updated)


Dergonu

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I'm a big fan of dark themed games, and feel like there aren't enough lists around on Fuwanovel with "dark VN" recommendations, so I figured I'd make one myself. Know that this is just my opinion, and since I haven't played all the dark VNs out there, there is a good chance I missed some good ones. Some of the choices on the list are very well known, while others might be completely new to you. I hope this mix of different titles makes this list helpful for both people who are completely new to dark VNs, and those who have already played many.

 

1. Chrono Box

Status: Untranslated

Difficulty: Hard

This is a denpa mystery game with superb writing and plot. If there is any dark themed game I'd recommend you play right now, it's this one. Since the element of surprise is a huge factor in enjoying this game, I don't want to get much into the story. For this particular game, I urge you not to look up any CGs or any summaries before reading. Just start reading, and let the VN do its magic. My favorite part of this game was honestly just the insane twists and turns it throws at you throughout the story, and the fantastic ending that just wraps the game up perfectly. As far as dark themed games goes, this is truly one of the best ones out there.


If you are interested in knowing "how dark" the game gets, I'll put some info on that below. No real spoilers, but for those who wants to read it blind, don't open this. (I do personally recommend you read it blind, but I figure some people might be a little interested in the type of content in the VN before reading.)

Spoiler

Unlike spot #2, 3 and 4, Chrono Box is not very guro heavy, and is more emotionally taxing than anything else. That being said, it does have a few very dark scenes, including a few guro scenes, but they are all relevant to the story, and all serve a purpose. These scenes can be hard to get through, but it's all there for a reason and it's only a handful of scenes, so even if you aren't a fan of guro, you can still enjoy this game.

 

2. Maggot Baits

Status: Translation in progress

Japanese difficulty: Hard

Maggot Baits feels like a bizarre mix of a dark chuunige and a guro nukige. But hell, it works. With a pretty solid story, good writing and enjoyable action scenes, Maggot Baits definitely deserves a spot high up on this list. But, it certainly is not a game for everyone. Despair is a keyword in this game. There aren't really any good guys in the story. It takes place in a city abandoned by laws and government, where crime and chaos rules. Torture and guro is so common in this game, I think it's pretty much impossible to enjoy the game if you are completely turned off by those things. Even though the story is good, like I said, it's impossible to escape from the guro element, which is present in like, 90% of the H-scenes, (and many of the action scenes,) so this one is probably a bit too extreme for some. But yeah, if dark stuff is your cup of tea, this is pretty much made for you. (And a TL is in the works, so English only fans of dark games, rejoice!)

 

3. Shiniyuku Kimi, Yakata ni Mebuku Zouo

Status: Untranslated

Difficulty: Easy/ Intermediate

(The writing is quite simple, but certain narration uses very big words.)

Similar to Maggot Baits, Nikuniku is a game that is difficult to enjoy if you hate guro. The game's story is really good, and the music and writing combines well to create a very immersive atmosphere. But, at the end of the day, guro scenes are so common in this game, you can't read it without going through tons of them. (And skipping them will mean you lose out on some pretty important exhanges between characters, that becomes important to the game's true end.) Nikuniku is a horror/ mystery, which clearly draws some inspiration from vampire lore and stories. It's an interesting read with a satisfying true ending. A very solid dark themed game.

 

4. Nemurenu Hitsuji to Kodoku na Ookami -A Tale of Love, and Cutthroat-

Status: Untranslated

Difficulty: Hard

With the same writer as Maggot Baits, "Yourou" is a brilliantly written story about the dark underbelly of Tokyo. The main character is a mysterious serial killer/ hitman, who works for the biggest yakuza boss in Tokyo. He is ailed by a strange case of insomnia, that can only be cured by taking a life. After killing someone, he can finally get a good night sleep.
One day, his life changes drastically, when he meets the cute, and crazy young girl, Azami. Azami and the main character, who is only known by aliases, or "me", form a strange relationship, and the two soon grow completely reliant on one another. The existence of a strange "rumour" quickly turns their lives upside down, as several different big players in the yakuza and other shady organizations around Tokyo clash in a sea of blood and death.


This game is all about despair and darkness, just like Maggot Baits. But, unlike Maggot Baits, this is set completely in the real world, which makes some of the gruesome things that goes down in this story even more impactful.
The game is primarily story driven, with a range of dark H-scenes thrown in the mix to really underline the darkness of the game's story. It's rather short, and the battle scenes are brillliantly written. Truly deserving of a high rank on this list.

 

5. Tokage no Shippo Kiri

Status: Untranslated

Difficulty: Easy/ Intermediate

(Pretty simple writing, a few big words here and there due to the nature of the story.)

Tokage no shippo Kiri is a tragic love story story about a pair of teenagers who are standing on the edge of insanity, forced to face their own mortality. It's a very "psychological" story, which really gets in your head. It's difficult to sum up what this is about in just a few sentences, so I'll link my review of the game instead, where I talk more in detail about the game's story etc. (Without spoiling it, of course.)

 

6. Euphoria

Status: Translated

A pretty obvious pick. Euphoria is a pretty solid dark game. It has an interesting story, and a nice variation of dark H-scenes, without getting too extreme like some of the games above. This is a pretty good gateway into the world of dark VNs, and since it's TLed, it's a good starting point.

 

7. Natsu no Kusari

Status: Untranslated

Difficulty: Intermediate

In terms of realistic dark games, this is your go to pick. Though, this might also be one of the things that drives some people away from the game. This is a very realistic rape story, that can truly mess with your head, so it's going to be a complete hit or miss, depending on your stance on the themes in the VN. I have heard some people praise this as one of the best VNs they have ever read, and others say they hated it. It's not a very long game, so in the end, you should give it a try for yourself to see if you'll enjoy it or not.

Quote

It's the beginning of summer. I moved up a class but nothing changed. This year is the same as last and the next, nothing will ever change. A dreary every day life. If only I knew why I'm so depressed. My relentlessly boring life won't reveal the cause or name of this feeling. Therefore, I will change this bleak world by myself.

I will now carry out what I've always imagined. My plan is perfect. Now I just have to choose a girl to entrap in my scheme. Anyone will do, as long as she's not boring. For example, the girl walking in front of me with the long black hair. I don't desire a brightly shining summer. What I crave are days filled with a girl's screams and despair.

 

8. Mugen Renkan ~Chijoku ni Mamireshi Fushiki no Rinbu~

Status: Untranslated

Difficulty: Easy

If you are looking for a VN with a nice mix between an emotional story and twisted H-scenes, look no further than Mugen Renkan.

Quote

Mugen Renkan is the story of an immortal slave girl who escapes the clutches of her horribly abusive captors and embarks upon a journey through the ages. Our heroine's quest for freedom takes her to medieval Europe, the Wild West, Meiji Japan, and beyond. In each age, she must elude the servants of the Immortal King or be dragged back into eternal slavery. Will she be able to find the strength to win her freedom? What future awaits this girl who cannot die?

 

9. XX of the dead

Status: Untranslated

Difficulty: Easy

XX of the Dead is one of the coolest, most unique, and bizzare VNs I have ever played. Your choices have a huge impact on the story, as you essentially choose who lives and dies in a very large cast of characters with each choice you make. After a zombie virus breaks out, the main character and a group of other survivors are trapped in a school, where they have to fight to survive. But, these are no ordinary zombies. Instead of craving human flesh, they seek pleasure. They mutate in unique ways, growing tentacles and such, which they use to... well, rape humans to death, lol. As silly as this sounds, the story is actually really cool, and the suspense is kept up through most of the game, as the characters try their best to hang on in this messed up world of... tentacle zombies. It has a nice variation of endings, depending on what choices you make through the story. Overall, a super weird, but really entertaining, dark VN.

 

10. Beat Blades Haruka & Beat Valkyrie Ixseal

Beat Blades Haruka, Status: Translated

Beat Valkyrie Ixseal, status: Untranslated, Difficulty: Intermediate

While the writing is fairly simple, the need to understand the game's gameplay interface does bump it up from easy to intermediate.

 

Beat Blades Haruka:

Although this game's, story isn't that impressive, in terms of dark games currently TLed it is definitely among the better. It has a huge roster of different dark H-scenes.
Honestly, that's about it for this one. I felt like mentioning it because it's honestly a pretty good nukige, but if you're looking for a good story and interesting characters, look elswhere. (I will admit, a few of the bad endings are actually pretty cool, but they are way too short for my taste.) It also has gameplay, which is a hit or miss depending on your stance on gameplay in VNs. I tend to dlislike gameplay in VNs, but I will admit, I did like it in this one. (During my first playthrough, at least.)

Beat Valkyrie Ixseal:

Ixseal is similar to Beat Blades Haruka, just... better. Its story is much more interesting, the protagonist is a massive step up from the useless protagonist in BBH, and the gameplay has been refined.
I have written a review of the game, so if you're interested in some details about the game, check that out here.

 

Honourable mentions:

 

Sukui no Serenade

Status: Untranslated

Difficulty: Intermediate

Bug System's first game, and another interesting, dark themed VN by them. Although the story isn't as solid as Nikuniku's, it does have some interesting horror/ mystery elements. This is definitely closer to the nukige tag than Nikuniku, and it's also shorter, but still a game worth picking up if you like VNs with horror/ mystery elements. (With lots of dark H mixed in.)

Kami sama no game

Status: Untranslated

Difficulty: Intermediate

This VN is pretty similar to Euphoria. It's about a group of people trapped in a mysterious underground facility, where they have to complete obscene challenges to surivive. Well, kind of. This game has a pretty different set of rules, setting it aside from Euphoria in structure. (Ohh, those stupid rules made my head spin, lol.) I'm not even going to try to explain the rules now, as it would just be confusing, but just know that it's a similar death game to Euphoria, but with some interesting twists because of the difference in the structure of the game. In terms of dark scenes, it's quite the solid pick.

Ryakudatsusha no Inen

Status: Untranslated

Difficulty: Easy/ Intermediate

Although this game has some pretty big flaws, it is a pretty solid dark nukige. The biggest problem is though, at times it doesn't feel like it's meant to be a nukige at all. It was like the writers couldn't decide on whether it should be a pure nukige, or just a dark, story-driven game. The result was... this. It has some seriously good dark H-scenes, giving off strong nukige vibes, but then it also has hints of a good revenge story, that wants you to get invested in some of the characters. (Even though the nukige elements tell you the opposite.) If this game actually commited to just one of its two "genres", it would have been on the list, instead of this section. Another issue is that this is meant to be the prequel to a story-driven game, so that is another reason why it's a bit hard to brush it off as just a nukige. Still, if you can look past that chaotic mix of genres, it's a pretty solid read with some cool characters.

Kutsujoku

Status: Untranslated

Difficulty: Easy

One of the most recent games on this list. Well, didn't make it on the list, but in the thread, at least. It's a story about a guy who suddenly obtains the power to control people's bodies with his mind. He then uses this ability to rape hot girls. That's it, lol. Despite essentially just being hentai.jpg, the solid art and nice H-scenes made me put it in this section, simply because it's a pretty high quality rape nukige. It also has more meat to it than most similar games, so if you're going to go with something like this, I'd recommend checking this game out.

 

Majo to Tsurugi to Sen no Tsuki

Status: Untranslated

Difficulty: Intermediate

A solid nukige, with a cool story and pretty good writing. It's about a group of magical girls, who fight against evil beings spawned by black magic, evilised, threatening to destroy the world. The action scenes in the game are nothing super special, but can be pretty enjoyable at times, especially towards the end. The biggest strength of this game is the genuinely interesting origin of the evilised, and the story of the main character and her inner conflicts. She is an artificial being, created by the soul of another human, and she is meant to just be turned off again once the evilised are defeated. But, since she has a soul of her own, she grows more and more reluctant to the idea of just disappearing once the fight is over.
The art is also pretty nice, and the game offers a big variety of dark H-scenes. You can also choose to avoid most of the dark scenes for the story by playing just the true ending first, then going back for the bad ends after, if you want.

Rettou Kan ~Yuuryoushu no Mii mo Kokoro mo Kowasu Rettoushu~

Status: Untranslated

Difficulty: Easy

(With the exception of a decent amount of slang, and some annoying katakana words.)

In terms of pure "darkness" in the form of H, this game is your #1 pick. While many of the previous games have had good stories, this is just a pure nukige, without any light at the end of the tunnel. The only focus of this story is the main character and his group of thugs, as they rape and torture an angel and a demon. That's it, the end. It has some of the better dark scenes I have read in a VN like this, so if you're just out for some straight up guro porn, look no further. (While we're at it, I'll also mention Dustmania Grotesque, which also qualifies for this particular role, but isn't as good as Rettou Kan. That being said, Dustmania is TLed, so for the English only crowd, you can check out that for a pure guro nukige.)

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4 minutes ago, Dergonu said:

Haven't played it. Didn't want to put games I haven't played at all on the list, as it would just be an assumption based on ratings / reviews, and not my personal experience.

I'm surprised... it is one of the few really really dark games I've played through completely.  I would have thought you would have devoured it single-mindedly by now.

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1 minute ago, Clephas said:

I'm surprised... it is one of the few really really dark games I've played through completely.  I would have thought you would have devoured it single-mindedly by now.

Huh, I don't think I have ever heard of it, actually.

I'll put it up high on my reading list for sure. If I do like it, I'll be sure to update the thread.

2 minutes ago, mitchhamilton said:

dies while reading one of these

 

oh, the paradox! :pyaa: 

Well, at least you read one of the games before you died, so my job here is done. (/ω\)

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3 minutes ago, Dergonu said:

Huh, I don't think I have ever heard of it, actually.

I'll put it up high on my reading list for sure. If I do like it, I'll be sure to update the thread.

 

It starts out with a slave girl in a world full of monsters.  She fell into that world as a black-haired, black-eyed Japanese girl, but her experiences there turned her hair white...  And when she meets the King, she steals his immortality by accident, which causes her to go through hell before setting out on a journey across the centuries.

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22 minutes ago, Infernoplex said:

Not a single Black Cyc VN on the list? I disapprove of this list! :D

And where's my Bible Black here? The absolute meme darkge nukige :)

While Black Cyc certainly has a big collection of dark VNs, I haven't played too many of them myself yet. (I do have my eyes on Gore Screaming Show and Extravaganza,) so they aren't on the list as of now. I will update the thread if I feel those games do deserve a spot over some of the current picks, though. A game from Cyclet is on the list, which is from the same parent brand as Black Cyc, so that's something.

As for Bible Black, well Same thing, really. (Though I don't think I'll ever play that one tbh. Doesn't really look that interesting.)

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3 hours ago, Clephas said:

It starts out with a slave girl in a world full of monsters.  She fell into that world as a black-haired, black-eyed Japanese girl, but her experiences there turned her hair white...  And when she meets the King, she steals his immortality by accident, which causes her to go through hell before setting out on a journey across the centuries.

Is this a nukige

 

 

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19 hours ago, Dergonu said:

6. Euphoria

(...) It has an interesting story, and a nice variation of dark H-scenes, without getting too extreme like some of the games above. 

 

Having played through Euphoria, and being a mere novice when it comes to darker VNs, the fact that its H-scenes are not "too extreme" like the other games on the list chills me to my very core.

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1 hour ago, Zander said:

Having played through Euphoria, and being a mere novice when it comes to darker VNs, the fact that its H-scenes are not "too extreme" like the other games on the list chills me to my very core.

Compared to #2, 3 and 4, Euphoria is pretty tame. :P 

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On 1/3/2018 at 8:07 AM, 1P1A said:

Cool, I'll add ChronoBox to my list. The rest of the novels appear to be more dark nukige, as opposed to having a dark story.

not really, a good chunk of them are, but a lot of them actually has a really good story underneath.

also, gore screaming show is heavily recommended from my side, best vn ive read so far

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7 hours ago, Kawasumi said:

not really, a good chunk of them are, but a lot of them actually has a really good story underneath.

also, gore screaming show is heavily recommended from my side, best vn ive read so far

Yeah, that's the problem. The good story is underneath a bunch of very specific fetish junk which makes up the majority of the story.

Also, how's Gore Screaming Show's pacing? I'm hesitant to jump into another long Black Cyc title after Extravaganza (though still only ~60% through the text (15/32 endings)) since the pacing reminds me of The Walking Dead television series, i.e. nothing interesting happens in between major events.

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13 minutes ago, 1P1A said:

Yeah, that's the problem. The good story is underneath a bunch of very specific fetish junk which makes up the majority of the story.

Also, how's Gore Screaming Show's pacing? I'm hesitant to jump into another long Black Cyc title after Extravaganza (though still only ~60% through the text (15/32 endings)) since the pacing reminds me of The Walking Dead television series, i.e. nothing interesting happens in between major events.

This is a common misconception with these kinds of dark games. "They are all nukige." Of course, seeing as you call it "fetish junk", you probably won't enjoy many of these games, which is fine. The "dark games" I picked are mostly rather H heavy games with very dark elements, not just " a little dark". That being said most of these are story driven games, aided by H, not dominated by it. (Euphoria, Maggot Baits, Natsu no Kusari, Nikuniku etc.) Yes, you do have to read a lot of H, but that doesn't make them nukige. The pure nukiges on the list would be Kutsujoku, beat blades haruka, rettou kan, Majo to tsurugi. The rest are story driven games with heavy H elements. Now, if you don't enjoy those elements, then it's understandable that you might not enjoy the story, since you can't have one without the other. (Case in point, Maggot Baits. Honestly a very good story, but the guro H is unavoidable.)

Chrono Box has less of said "fetish junk", so you might find that one more enjoyable. At the end of the day though, this might not be a list well suited for you.

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9 minutes ago, Dergonu said:

This is a common misconception with these kinds of dark games. "They are all nukige." Of course, seeing as you call it "fetish junk", you probably won't enjoy many of these games, which is fine. The "dark games" I picked are mostly rather H heavy games with very dark elements, not just " a little dark". That being said most of these are story driven games, aided by H, not dominated by it. (Euphoria, Maggot Baits, Natsu no Kusari, Nikuniku etc.) Yes, you do have to read a lot of H, but that doesn't make them nukige. The pure nukiges on the list would be Kutsujoku, beat blades haruka, rettou kan, Majo to tsurugi. The rest are story driven games with heavy H elements. Now, if you don't enjoy those elements, then it's understandable that you might not enjoy the story, since you can't have one without the other. (Case in point, Maggot Baits. Honestly a very good story, but the guro H is unavoidable.)

Chrono Box has less of said "fetish junk", so you might find that one more enjoyable. At the end of the day though, this might not be a list well suited for you.

I didn't mean "fetish junk" in a derogatory way, I could have replaced 'junk' with 'stuff' and it would have held the same meaning (to me). Apologies for my poor word choice.

I just had a difference sense of 'dark' when coming into this thread, I expected things from Nitro+, Black Cyc, etc.

Wouldn't Tokage also be under nukige category, too? AFAIK Cyclet is Black Cyc's dark nukige division. I might need you to clear that up with me aswell.

I'm not trying to bash your list, despite my blunt personality, and I appreciate you clearing things up.

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Just now, 1P1A said:

I didn't mean "fetish junk" in a derogatory way, I could have replaced 'junk' with 'stuff' and it would have held the same meaning (to me). Apologies for my poor word choice.

I just had a difference sense of 'dark' when coming into this thread, I expected things from Nitro+, Black Cyc, etc.

Wouldn't Tokage also be under nukige category, too? AFAIK Cyclet is Black Cyc's dark nukige division. I might need you to clear that up with me aswell.

I'm not trying to bash your list, despite my blunt personality, and I appreciate you clearing things up.

Yeah, I understand, don't worry about it.

Tokage is made by Cyclet, a company from the same parent brand as Black Cyc. They do indeed usually make nukige, but I personally think the most important element in Tokage is the story, though it is a bit on the edge. It does have more H than it needs, so you can make a case for it being a nukige, but the story elements are very interesting, and it's pretty well written. Overall, it's the most story driven game in Cyclet's library, and a pretty good one in my opinion, which is why it's rather quite high on the list. But, it is definitely more on the nukige side of things compared to some of the other games on the list.

I am personally more of a fan of these types of games, though I do love Black Cyc type dark games as well. I haven't played as many of them, though, so I didn't feel "qualified" enough to make a list of those types of games. I would love to make a new list with... with the lack of a better word, more "vanilla" dark themed games down the line. As of now though, this is what I know the best.

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