reading games/visual novels i've played
Definition of a reading game: a game that involves a lot of reading, but isn't a visual novel.
NEED A RECOMMENDATION? click the note i put on the title.
Some games I've played before aren't on here (ie Danganronpa, Dandelion) because I want to replay them before re-rating them.
TOP 5: Utawarerumono Mask of Truth, Remember11, The House In Fata Morgana, Umineko When They Cry, AI The Somnium Files
NEED A RECOMMENDATION? click the note i put on the title.
Some games I've played before aren't on here (ie Danganronpa, Dandelion) because I want to replay them before re-rating them.
TOP 5: Utawarerumono Mask of Truth, Remember11, The House In Fata Morgana, Umineko When They Cry, AI The Somnium Files
124 Games
DON'T RECOMMEND❌I mean aside from the fact this is a really unengaging mystery I don't think you can play it anymore anyways because the eshop is closed.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌Interesting concept that needed to be written MUCH better.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ A semi-mystery game. You'll need to play it multiple times to get everything/see the full picture, but it's not too long.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌You will like this game if you are 5-9 years old. If you aren't you will not like this game. If you are, what are you doing on this website
DON'T RECOMMEND❌bro just go on a booru site and look up images of catboys. this game has the same amount of depth.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌Anyone who had a hand in the creation of this game needs to be banned from public parks and schools
PLAY THIS! ✔️this game is straight up bad, just downright dogshit, but it's at least VERY entertaining to watch unfold, which I cannot say for Ever17.
Play Never7 Eternal Edition if you're trying this out!
Play Never7 Eternal Edition if you're trying this out!
DON'T RECOMMEND❌ Really great visuals but the story is very barebones. To prove how barebones it is one of the girls on the cover literally only shows up in one bad ending for 5 minutes but they had to stick her on the cover to make it seem like the game is bigger than it actually is.
12Riven is a very strange game, that's all I can say.
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️AT THE TIME OF WRITING, THERE IS NO WAY TO EXPERIENCE THE FULL GAME IN ENGLISH. An English patch is in the works, join the Discord for updates here: https://discord.gg/xBe7Kmq2FX
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️AT THE TIME OF WRITING, THERE IS NO WAY TO EXPERIENCE THE FULL GAME IN ENGLISH. An English patch is in the works, join the Discord for updates here: https://discord.gg/xBe7Kmq2FX
DON'T RECOMMEND❌Flat out this is not a good game and is just a tier above something like Shrek Carnival Games on Wii gameplay wise. It is, however, very short, so you could bang this out in a weekend if you're really that curious about it. The voice acting for both languages is extremely grating so have fun with that.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌I could see this game being pretty good if it had Higurashi levels of pacing (see: really slow but it builds your trust and care for its characters), but it really is pretty mid and only gets interesting toward the end— the ending felt hollow for me seeing how I didn't care much for its characters but they had to pretend i did.
This game is also really fucking gross for no reason. Like really gross sfx and art and voice lines do not eat while playing this.
This game is also really fucking gross for no reason. Like really gross sfx and art and voice lines do not eat while playing this.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ ZTD is not a fantastic game, and it isn't great to look at, and honestly I really don't care for the plot, I don't uhhhhh care for most of this game but it's extremely funny. VERY very funny.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌The art is the only saving grace for LOOPERS. The story is quite short and very, very, very predictable, which is a shame because I think if the concept was stretched out (with typical Ryukishi pacing), it might be a classic.
The voice acting is extremely grating also.
The voice acting is extremely grating also.
PLAY THIS! ✔️An early DS game with a lot of soul. It doesn't have a groundbreaking plot or anything but is generally a fun time. Emi Evans is credited as playing the cello in this iirc. Also tons of old Funimation voices doing the dub, take me back man.
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️ Contains guys having sex w each other. The premise is interesting but I really feel like this was missing something deeper to bring everything together. Still a good time.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌ this game was not only boring but featured the most insufferable protagonist i wished he died alone
PLAY THIS! ✔️I want to fuck old men.
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️ If you don't like men having sex with other men this is not for you. NO, THANK YOU!!! has a plot that is surprisingly gripping and really entertaining? I really like parade's plots. The R18 scenes are nicely drawn too (though a lot of dubcon, not my thing).
Not sure if the Steam release is censored, so just buy from Mangagamer directly if you're trying this.
Not sure if the Steam release is censored, so just buy from Mangagamer directly if you're trying this.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ An otome CLASSIC. The character design is lowkey corny by today's standards but I do not even care. Love this game to death.
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️ I think if you're interested in galge this is the game for you, but I personally found this to be a very grating experience.
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️ Necrobarista has beautiful visuals but a really underwhelming story where it feels like none of the stakes matter until they try to clumsily tie it all together at the end.
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️I don't know why but I feel like this game was talking down on me
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️I think the overall plot is very lost and not sure what it even wants to be. Please see my full review on Backloggd for more detail on this. I guess give this a try if you wanna see some old Kurahana Chinatsu art. Also the music is pretty fun.
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️It's your standard dating game (protag gender is up to you, I think they're canon nonbinary), nothing groundbreaking. I guess play this if you REALLY like cats.
PLAY THIS! ✔️I'm ignoring the really huge age differences between the MC and the men in this game. This is a cute Otome game, though kind of loses steam toward the end. I really like it.
PLAY THIS! ✔️It's fun. I liked it. I like boobs. What can I say.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌ L game
DON'T RECOMMEND❌I ended up dropping this game because it's so frustrating. Please see my full Backloggd review for further thoughts.
I don't think Digimon Survive qualifies as a visual novel in the slightest but most people unfamiliar with the genre think it is one, so I'll put this game in here to account for them.
I don't think Digimon Survive qualifies as a visual novel in the slightest but most people unfamiliar with the genre think it is one, so I'll put this game in here to account for them.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ They did surgery on a grape
PLAY THIS! ✔️ Higanbana is one of the Ryukishi greats that unfortunately gets overlooked quite often because it isn't easily accessible. I would highly recommend seeking it out and playing it. I think he shines in the short story format. (This is part one of the story.)
PLAY THIS! ✔️ I think some of the charm is lost if you haven't played Fatamoru, so definitely play that first. But this spoke to something deep in my soul. The English translation is occasionally wonky which is a shame given how good Fatamoru's English translations are.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ Buried Stars is so good!! 100%ing it is a challenge (especially because fast forwarding is so SLOW) but very worth if you have the time.
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️I like AAI1 enough but it's just an alright game. If you skipped this to get straight to the kino (AAI2) I wouldn't blame you.
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️ I liked it for its non-linear storytelling/how you have to put the pieces together, but that might not be all for you.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌This game is so bad it almost gives you some kind of hope, like if they can put out this uninspired terribly written slop maybe you can make it somewhere someday.
I never want to think about this game again, I went from being so frustrated with it that I was writing down everything I didn't like to make a huge post to by the end just giving up and being too exhausted to even say anything other than "Not good".
I never want to think about this game again, I went from being so frustrated with it that I was writing down everything I didn't like to make a huge post to by the end just giving up and being too exhausted to even say anything other than "Not good".
PLAY THIS! ✔️It's funny I like it
PLAY THIS! ✔️ It's not groundbreaking but it's 4 hours long, so like. Y'know.
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️This one's fun but not really groundbreaking. The fandom is almost entirely comprised of fujoshi though so you unlock that as a perk if you finish it.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌played all of this while i had covid it not good.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌i ufcking hate this dog shit game.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌I think the version on the DS is better....
PLAY THIS! ✔️(This is part of Higurashi, ranked chapters separately based on my thoughts on them.) Good chapter. Also the chapter 07thmod puts all its mods over for other games lol.
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️to be frank DMMD is really not that great story-wise but it has a ton of unique design/ways it plays with the concept of the game. Hard to explain. Also contains gay sex.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ A good free to play otome game. The art style isn't exactly my type but it's quite a good game.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ This is a really funny great game and to be honest the plot is a bit plot-hole-y but I don't even care. It's just a vehicle for jokes. It's a good game.
PLAY THIS! ✔️Utawarerumono'ers rise up. A good visual novel and a good SRPG (the gameplay won't wow you with its simpleness, but I like it nonetheless). Check out the entire Utawarerumono series!!
(At this point, just play Prelude to the Fallen, it includes voice acting and is actually accessible to play.)
(At this point, just play Prelude to the Fallen, it includes voice acting and is actually accessible to play.)
PLAY THIS! ✔️Most of the guys are great and I love this style. Story is a bit nonsensical but we all need a bit of whimsy in our lives anyways. I miss when Cheritz made standalone titles/games without microtransactions.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ The secondary route is honestly very unneeded for how solid the main girl route is.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌naurrrrr
PLAY THIS! ✔️ Cute story with fun (but not really challenging) gameplay.
PLAY THIS! ✔️I see people calling this game bad and the twist is stupid but you guys are actually insane. This is a really solid game and the twist is no crazier than some of the other shit Layton goes through. Layton causing Phoenix and Miles to divorce is my favorite part of the game that definitely happens.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ The artstyle upgrade is so funny. This one has a much better expanded story than the first.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ Another Code R is a cozy time and I prefer this to its remake.
PLAY THIS! ✔️Utawarerumono'ers rise up. A good visual novel and a good SRPG (the gameplay won't wow you with its simpleness, but I like it nonetheless). Check out the entire Utawarerumono series!!
PLAY THIS! ✔️ Higanbana is one of the Ryukishi greats that unfortunately gets overlooked quite often because it isn't easily accessible. I would highly recommend seeking it out and playing it. I think he shines in the short story format. (This is part two of the story.)
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️(This is part one of TAISHO x ALICE.) This famously had a very botched English release before it was fixed. I think the stories it tries to tell are good but they kept doing that Marvel movie thing where they undercut serious moments with comedy that wasn't very funny. I have yet to explore the rest of this series. I would say give this a shot if you're running out of Otome games to read.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ I think this collection of the two Another Code games is good, but also loses a lot of the soul by getting rid of a lot of the gimmicks (closing the DS to solve a puzzle, connecting a nun-chuk to solve a puzzle, etc).
I would honestly recommend playing both of the original games (on original hardware if you can) and then this, they are fairly short.
I would honestly recommend playing both of the original games (on original hardware if you can) and then this, they are fairly short.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ I really liked it, felt like a proper followup to Unwound Future. Layton's life sucks highkey.
PLAY THIS! ✔️Otome game genius. Has just the right amount of extremely dark things happening in it to make it a classic.
PLAY THIS! ✔️Ohhhhh the long rambling here can be annoying but just trust the vision okay. It was an overall good time.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌bad
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️ I have to be honest this is a very nothing game after Unwound Future, to the point where it's almost like, painful. But if you play the EU version you get the little town sidegame and that's honestly cute enough to give this game a try.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ I/O Revision II if it was good
DON'T RECOMMEND❌this game sucks ass!!!!!!!!!!! holy shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PLAY THIS! ✔️ Bro it's the ace attorney trilogy it's good.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌ THIS GAME FUCKING BLOWSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Almost everything with the new characters is good but everything with the returning characters is downright horrible and is enough to tank this game into being unredeemable. I have zero confidence in AITSF as a series going forward thanks to AINI.
Please let the next game have a maximum of three returning characters or we are so fucked. Explained my thoughts on this game in depth here: https://lonesgamethoughts.blogspot.com/2022/11/reflecting-on-aini-5-months-later.html?m=1
Please let the next game have a maximum of three returning characters or we are so fucked. Explained my thoughts on this game in depth here: https://lonesgamethoughts.blogspot.com/2022/11/reflecting-on-aini-5-months-later.html?m=1
PLAY THIS! ✔️REALLY good Otome game. The plot is so convoluted it's awesome and the art style is to die for. Play Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly before you play this one to understand a lot of the references it makes.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ Yuuya strikes again with another masterfully drawn vn. The story is downright fantastic and the guys are all top tier. Worldbuilding is also out of the park. If Aksys released an update to proofread this game properly it would have been a 1000/10.
PLAY THIS! ✔️(This is part of Higurashi, ranked chapters separately based on my thoughts on them.) Stick with it, I think the timeline resetting is confusing to a lot of people but just stick with it.
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️You should really only play this if you already played DMMD. If you have, this is a great companion to DMMD and in some ways I prefer it to DMMD because it has all unique writing (instead of having the repeating story bits like DMMD did)
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️ Contains men fuckin other men. You have been warned. Sweet Pool feels gross and disgusting and I really, really love that about it. Just read the game description and determine if you wanna play something like that.
My extended thoughts on it are here: https://lonesgamethoughts.blogspot.com/2022/03/sweet-pool-review-saya-no-uta-but-for.html
My extended thoughts on it are here: https://lonesgamethoughts.blogspot.com/2022/03/sweet-pool-review-saya-no-uta-but-for.html
PLAY THIS! ✔️ Layton call me.
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️ I personally had the story fall kinda flat for me/I wasn't that moved by it, however if you love yuri this will be up your alley regardless.
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️ It's a fine game, but in retrospect having AA5 and AA6 be both 1) bad and 2) rewrite apollo's character again and again, it almost makes this game feel really fucking pointless.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ Actually pretty enthralling spooky mystery game. I was surprised by how much I liked this.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌If you're someone who's played Uchikoshi's modern works (999 and after), you may be tempted to try this game out. It is honestly very boring for 80% of its runtime and I don't recommend it unless you want to see how Uchikoshi grew as a writer rather than be enthralled by a great story.
Play Ever17 Himmel Edition if you're trying this!
Play Ever17 Himmel Edition if you're trying this!
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️ If you like really, REALLY out there and nearly impossible to follow plots, you may like I/O. You'll probably never play anything else like this.
I think about going back to this game for a replay once every few months before stopping myself. Someday I will actually replay it and I may become super enlightened.
I think about going back to this game for a replay once every few months before stopping myself. Someday I will actually replay it and I may become super enlightened.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ If you don't get stuck in a gameplay loop like I did this is a pretty good experience. I wish there was more content but this is an indie game and they did all they could. It's pretty fun.
DON'T RECOMMEND❌There was legitimately too much rape in this game for me to want to continue through it, but also Nasu creating a world with VAMPIRES and still having it be boring as fuck is like an entirely separate crime from the bountiful sexual assault
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️honestly i don't even know if i can recommend this when this series is doomed to not be completed. really good game but then you will be haunted for the rest of your life because ryukishi is avoiding making the rest of it. fuck my life.
PLAY THIS! ✔️(This is part of Higurashi, ranked chapters separately based on my thoughts on them.) Where it all starts... I think this is free on Steam still, so just try it out. (Use 07thmod.)
PLAY THIS! ✔️It's funny I like it (again)
PLAY THIS! ✔️ Layton call me.
PLAY THIS! ✔️Fun short horror game. It drops the ball in the later half/feels like it's speeding toward the finish line which is a shame, but was overall cute.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ (This is part of Fate Stay Night.) This is an inoffensive route and pretty good overall.
PLAY THIS! ✔️Short but nice yuri vn.
PLAY THIS! ✔️(This is part of Higurashi, ranked chapters separately based on my thoughts on them.) This is a perfect conclusion and its non-linear storytelling with the kakera really scratched something in my brain.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ The best of the Trauma Center series. Full of soul.
PLAY THIS! ✔️A big booby game with a really fun plot!!! I liked it, okay!!!! Magical girls and superheroes... It's good!!!
if i paid for this shit on the 3ds in 2015 or whenever it came out i would have been so pissed. this is absolutely not a standalone title and as someone who played it as a standalone title years later before the official english release i really did not like it. but in the two-pack of tgaa it's alright!
so, TLDR, PLAY THIS! ✔️ (only in the two pack)
so, TLDR, PLAY THIS! ✔️ (only in the two pack)
PLAY THIS! ✔️ The weakest of the Utawarerumono trilogy in my opinion, but that's only because the other two are so insanely good. This is still a good time, and really picks up once you go to the ruins with Kuon (if you know you know). Check out the entire Utawarerumono series!!
PLAY THIS! ✔️ I'm not sure what genre AITSF really falls into (maybe more point and click adventure). By no means is this game perfect, but it is perfect to me. I love it so much.
PLAY THIS!✔️ One of Uchikoshi's best. Buy the Nonary Games collection so you can get 999 as well.
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️An interesting idea for a game that I feel like falls apart the more you play it/get to the ending reveals. Genuinely I fail to see what everyone liked about it, it might be the nostalgia talking.
Play the sequel Last Window, it is 5000% better than this.
Play the sequel Last Window, it is 5000% better than this.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ Bro it's the ace attorney trilogy it's good.
PLAY THIS! ✔️An Otome game bursting with personality and charm. This is probably one of the greatest on the Switch, and of course it's illustrated by Yuuya, my goat!!! Suffers from Aksys's issues with not proofreading their English TLs but definitely give this a shot it's probably my favorite Otome game ever?
MAYBE PLAY THIS ⚠️ SeaBed is a bit vague with its storytelling which can be frustrating (on top of the pacing being extremely slow). I love it both in spite of and because of these quirks but your mileage may vary.
PLAY THIS! ✔️Some of the dialogue makes it really clear they had no women writers but the gameplay element is super fun and the general story is great.
PLAY THIS! ✔️(This is part of Higurashi, ranked chapters separately based on my thoughts on them.) This is the best chapter of Higurashi. I don't think it could stand on its own but it is the best.
PLAY THIS! ✔️ 428 rules! If you 100% it like me you will go utterly insane, but it's worth it.
