Clephas's Intro into Untranslated VNs by Genre

[Clephas]

I previously did a simple 'starter list' of relatively easy to read VNs.  However, they were all over the place, and the likelihood of anyone finding a VN that was spot-on in that list was unlikely.  As such, I decided to make a list of five recommendations from each genre for someone who is just starting to play untranslated VNs but isn't up to reading the hardest language out there.  Keep in mind that chuunige and plotge in general have - at the very least - slightly inflated difficulty levels as a result of the writers' tendencies and the fact that narrative/literary Japanese is fundamentally different to those accustomed to dialogue-only mediums like anime or manga.  I'm excluding gameplay hybrids because the sheer amount of crap you have to read without a text hooker in those means beginners won't be able to handle them for the most part without some kind of interface patch or guide.

Chuunige

Bloody Rondo (note that I don't recommend this because it is awesome - it isn't - but because it is heavy on slice-of-life for a chuunige and relatively dialogue-heavy)

Sora no Tsukurikata

Unjou no Fairy Tale

Ryuukishi Bloody Saga (if you want to, you can play the dark rapegame prequel... but I don't recommend it for the faint of heart)

Draculius

Nakige (note that I'm not including anything Purple Soft and Saga Planets because their games are heavy on wordplay that even an experienced reader will sometimes miss out on)

Haru to Yuki

Koi Suru Doll to Omoi no Kiseki

Moshimo Ashita ga Harenaraba

Soshite Hatsukoi ga Imouto ni Naru (for true beginners, I recommend this or Haru to Yuki for lower difficulty levels from this part of the list)

Sci-fi Plotge

Komorebi no Nostalgica

Re:Birth Colony Lost Azurite

Fake Azure Arcology

Fantasy Plotge (some action but not action-focused or chuuni)

Ou no Mimi ni wa Todokanai

Curio Dealer

Hyakka Ryouran Elixir (yep, these are all AXL games... simply because no one else does this anymore)

Tiny Dungeon series (this is harem, so if you don't like harem, you probably won't like this)

Moege/Charage (Yuzu Soft aren't included because their reading difficulty is often too high for beginners)

Haruru Minamo ni (Straight fantasy ero charage with just enough plot to keep it from being mundane/boring)

Love Revenge (If you want to know what my idea of a 'decent charage' is based off of, play this)

Natsuiro Recipe (for those who want their heart healed in a rural Japanese setting)

Kanojo to Ore no Lovely Day

Miscellaneous Plotge

Yomegami: My Sweet Goddess!

Satsukoi

Tsuisou no Augment

Utsuge

Inochi no Spare ('soft' utsuge)

Konata yori Kanata made (a 'soft' utsuge probably the only true kamige on this list)

Houkago no Futekikakusha ('hard' utsuge)

Kanojo wa Tenshi de Imouto de  (yes, despite appearances, this is a soft utsuge)

 

[Chronopolis]

Komorebi no Nostalgica -- This game is actually on the hard side I would say. There's lots of setting and discussion about technology, including fictional terms. A lot of detail and random trivia, since the author is an intellectual. Only things that might make this easier is that there is no complex significant plot, and the drama is not complicated either.

For those unfamiliar Clephas, maybe you could explain the classification between hard and soft utsuge?

Edited March 24, 2019 by Chronopolis

[Clephas]

30 minutes ago, Chronopolis said:

Komorebi no Nostalgica -- This game is actually on the hard side I would say. There's lots of setting and discussion about technology, including fictional terms. A lot of detail and random trivia, since the author is an intellectual. Only things that might make this easier is that there is no complex significant plot, and the drama is not complicated either.

For those unfamiliar Clephas, maybe you could explain the classification between hard and soft utsuge?

I know what you are talking about... but one thing that needs clarification is that most of the sci-fi terms are ones that have clear and flat translations to English, which means that it is just a matter of extending your vocab.  In terms of grammar and linguistic choices, it isn't all that hard.  I'd give it about a 6.5 on the 1-10 rating scale, with 2-4 being dialogue-only materials (anime, manga, etc), 4-5.5 or so being most charage, and 6-8 being most plotge.  8-10 is generally something you only see on stuff by Light, Nitroplus, and the makers of Ever17.

Edit: To further clarify, most general science and science fiction terms have clear translations to ALL major languages because the scientific community makes an effort to eliminate ambiguity in such matters.  As such, it is mostly a matter of sci-fi and science knowledge to grasp it.  Some of the stuff involved with Cinema's design is really cool and cutting-edge in concept, but even then, the concepts are well-known and established, even if it is only within a science-fiction or theoretical sense.  The only real problem is whether you have an interest in science-fiction or not, lol.

[Chronopolis]

45 minutes ago, Clephas said:

As such, it is mostly a matter of sci-fi and science knowledge to grasp it.  Some of the stuff involved with Cinema's design is really cool and cutting-edge in concept, but even then, the concepts are well-known and established, even if it is only within a science-fiction or theoretical sense.  The only real problem is whether you have an interest in science-fiction or not, lol.

Ah, that's an interesting point. Even a sci-fi setting can be accessible, if the concepts are familiar. When I first read it, the technology related 熟語 and verbs bogged me down for a while. It doesn't get any harder, though.

Edited March 24, 2019 by Chronopolis

[Clephas]

55 minutes ago, Chronopolis said:

Ah, that's an interesting point. Even a sci-fi setting can be accessible, if the concepts are familiar. When I first read it, the technology related 熟語 and verbs bogged me down for a while. It doesn't get any harder, though.

To a greater or lesser extent, that's true of any sci-fi setting... the problem with chuunige that tends to make them go up into the ranges above 8 is because of the ambiguity built into the Japanese language being used to its fullest extent to paint a picture the uninitiated can't even follow.  I love chuunige, but I've never been under any illusions that most people will be able to read them in Japanese and actually understand what the writer is trying to get across.

[sanahtlig]

11 hours ago, Clephas said:

I'm excluding gameplay hybrids because the sheer amount of crap you have to read without a text hooker in those means beginners won't be able to handle them for the most part without some kind of interface patch or guide.

But these are exactly the types of games that beginners tend to start with!  If reading the text is cumbersome, you'll want a game that mixes text and gameplay.  Ideally, it'll be a game with either hookable interface text, a tutorial that explains basic concepts in the ADV window, or has a Japanese guide that can be parsed for gameplay info.  Most games fulfill at least one of these conditions.  Once you learn to recognize a few recurring terms like ATK, DEF, AGI, subsequent games become easier to pick up.

Edited March 24, 2019 by sanahtlig

[Zakamutt]

My personal starter nakige rec will always be Shinimasu, lol. It being short enough (2265 lines, 50k characters, or 0.1 mb) to actually finish besides being fairly good really helps if you're anything like me. The one difficulty is some image only lines, but there aren't particularly many. Oh and you get to race me before I make it kusoge wwww

[Clephas]

4 hours ago, sanahtlig said:

But these are exactly the types of games that beginners tend to start with!  If reading the text is cumbersome, you'll want a game that mixes text and gameplay.  Ideally, it'll be a game with either hookable interface text, a tutorial that explains basic concepts in the ADV window, or has a Japanese guide that can be parsed for gameplay info.  Most games fulfill at least one of these conditions.  Once you learn to recognize a few recurring terms like ATK, DEF, AGI, subsequent games become easier to pick up.

Sanah... even you have to admit that most of the gameplay hybrids worth playing have higher difficulty levels (7-8) even without the interface text.  The fact that you are still way behind on the VB games despite your love for them says everything, lol.

[sanahtlig]

2 hours ago, Clephas said:

Sanah... even you have to admit that most of the gameplay hybrids worth playing have higher difficulty levels (7-8) even without the interface text.  The fact that you are still way behind on the VB games despite your love for them says everything, lol.

Not really.  I don't marathon the VB series because too much of anything (particularly games with similar gameplay systems) gets tiresome.  Language complexity has nothing to do with it; that was a factor with Amatsukaze, but not any game since.

As a general rule, games worth playing tend to have above-average language difficulty.  I don't see why that would apply to gameplay hybrids only.

[Stormwolf]

What is soft utsuge and hard utsuge? Death of heroine and protagonist is pathetic and alone for the rest of his life is utsuge, that's all i know.

[nekofuwafuwa]

I see some titles recommended here that I didn't see being mentioned for beginners before, that's interesting.

Thank you for making the list, as I am about to start playing again (or at least try not dropping) untranslated games. It's always helpful to have more lists~

Tried reading before with Nanatsuiro★Drops (very easy and voiced MC in some parts, but it's not the most interesting story in the world so I ended dropping it halfway.)

And I am planning now to try again with Hoshizora no Memoria, since I am more interested in the characters and mystery of this game.

Plus, I agree with @sanahtlig, having gameplay really helps you to 'refresh' after walls and walls of text. Finding one that has easy tutorials is another thing, tho. I'm shooting in the blind here, but perhaps would be Rance Kai 01 easy to read and have a relatively simple gameplay? Please correct me if I am wrong, l want to know this too ;_;

(I tried playing Baldr Sky with this in mind, but I am honestly not sure if the VN can be considered an 'easy read'? Opinions?)

...And I also don't know the difference between hard utsuge and soft utsuge, I can only suppose that one will make you weep and enter in despair really hard and the other would be more gentle with you heart, haha. 

 

Edit: I am blind and didn't see that you had already recommended some moeges/charages.

Edited March 25, 2019 by nekofuwafuwa

[sanahtlig]

Honestly I'd prioritize games that interest you over language factors.  Rather than games you should start with, it's probably easier to list games you *shouldn't* start with, as most are pretty accessible.  Beware of puzzle games (which often have riddles that are supposed to be challenging to native speakers) and games with very elaborate systems that are only explained in the game manual (many of Softhouse Chara's titles).  Ninetail's Venus Blood strategy games are pretty inaccessible, but the problem there is that complexity has been layered on over successive iterations of the series.  The earlier games have simpler systems and serve as a good entry point into the series. 

Edited March 25, 2019 by sanahtlig

[Chronopolis]

On 24/03/2019 at 4:39 PM, Stormwolf said:

What is soft utsuge and hard utsuge? Death of heroine and protagonist is pathetic and alone for the rest of his life is utsuge, that's all i know.

Soft utsuge is a vn which is full of sad feelings: loss, grieving, or regret. There is comfort, but unlike in a nakige, the negative events and resulting strife are a primary part of the story.

Hard utsuge is when the circumstances throughout the VN (not just the ending) are crushing and it seems like there is no hope.

At least thats how I distingush them.

Edited March 26, 2019 by Chronopolis