Scarlet and Blank
PROS
-Great writing
-Nice soundtrack
-The melancholic vibe
-Art style
-It’s FREE
CONS
-A bit too short (characters don’t really get fleshed out).
-A few bugs.
I really enjoyed this short visual novel.
8/10
– Real player with 2.3 hrs in game
Read More: Best Drama Visual Novel Games.
I enjoyed this beautifully tragic tale, the narration and music set the atmosphere nicely for the read
– Real player with 1.2 hrs in game
Big Dipper
Big Dipper is a short, romantic kinetic visual novel full of fairy-tale ambiance. It’s a sweet story about two people drawn together by fate, by quite magical circumstances. I must admit sometimes, especially at first, I thought that the plot was a tad unrealistic and unbelievable, but you know what, you should just let yourself relax and dive into that fantastic atmosphere. I even recollected those childish years when dad used to read me fairy-tales before I fell asleep. And sometimes I wondered how those things could even happen and the answer was always–‘It’s a fairy-tale. Everything is possible there’. Thank you so much for making me remember that wonderful feeling!
– Real player with 7.7 hrs in game
Read More: Best Drama Visual Novel Games.
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Big Dipper is a short romantic visual novel, the artwork is pretty and the characters look nice. It has a little bit of mystery and it’s a cute fantasy fairytale story. It could have been a great story if the developers would have taken their time to write more about it and give the story the room to breath that it deserves.
– Real player with 6.5 hrs in game
All Ashes and Illusions
“Women are snakes and liars, all of them: the more beautiful, the more conniving. Don’t let your guard down, or they will ruin you.”
Yuel was only six years old when he witnessed his mother being put to death, for the heinous crime of daring to have an affair. For other women, such a folly mightn’t have been so lethal, but for Yuel’s ill-fated mother – the wife and queen of Indra’s tyrannical king, Khalil – it spelt her doom.
As he witnesses his mother’s corpse decomposing beneath the intense sunlight, Yuel’s father offers him some sage words of wisdom: namely, not to trust women. They are, in Khalil’s words, wicked and deceitful, and becoming too attached can end in nothing save disaster.
Outwardly, Yuel must swallow his sorrow, for fear of earning his father’s ire. Kings are not, after all, supposed to cry; even future kings such as him. In private, however, Yuel turns to his nursemaid, the kindly Safiya, for succour. Safiya is Yuel’s only ally in the palace: his father cold and distant; the servants deferential, brow-beaten, and kept silent through fear. Without Safiya, Yuel would be all alone…
Yet she, too, abandons him, when Yuel grows old enough to no longer need a nursemaid to tend to him.
Bereft and embittered, Yuel has nothing to look forward to, until – after a prolonged illness – his father eventually dies, and Yuel inherits the throne and the crown in his stead.
No longer a young boy – Safiya’s ‘little prince’ – but a grown man, Yuel plots to win Safiya over once more. Unable to forget about her, and unable to trust any other woman, Yuel cannot conceive of a life without her. She did promise to stay with him, after all - and, single-minded to a fault, Yuel is determined to see this promise fulfilled at any cost.
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About 90,000 words of text (approx 4-6 hours of reading)
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A kinetic story with no choices/branches
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Detailed background and character art
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A custom soundtrack
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A highly dysfunctional relationship
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Free patch that adds uncensored r18 content
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Complete and utter agony ❤︎
Read More: Best Drama Visual Novel Games.
Kill The Monster Z
Playthrough here: https://youtu.be/BmZQlos5ycE
This game is only okay if you have masochistic tendencies and you like to see unique takes on video games. I don’t think it’s good and it seems pretty bare bones, but I like the idea and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it before.
– Real player with 0.2 hrs in game
Sink
A game about faith, life and soul…
《Sink》 it is a horizontal scroll RPG. In this cruel and realistic world, what attracts us. In the low period of life, do you believe in the power of religious belief, or choose to continue on your own will. There are all kinds of people in this world, what do they think about life, ideals, and society? We have formed this human society together, and when the end is coming, we choose to hand in hand to meet the end, or to fight hard .
Game features:
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pixel wind screen
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unreliable teammates in RPG
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inexplicable plot
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non existent exciting adventure stories
Do you have the confidence to get out of the predicament of life
Death will delete the SaveFile
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Demonic Blade
I thought it will be a regular story, but it was so much better than expected. The gameplay is negligible -from what i’ve seen, the decisions doesn’t affect the ending in this one-, and it limits to tell the story and branch just some dialogue by the choices you make. Not a revolutionary storytelling, but the characters were memorable for the duration of the game, and for the price, it was a good shot for me.
Recommended for anyone who is curious about it, and who wants a small and self-contained story. Not a game changer, but a good one, at least for any sensible soul.
– Real player with 2.1 hrs in game
Great game. Very exciting!
– Real player with 1.4 hrs in game
Snowdome
Note: I received a Steam key to help with alpha testing although I had no involvement with the development.
Snowdome is a kinetic visual novel developed by Lunatic Works and published by Lunatic Works and Kikai Digital. You take on the role of Tan Yan, a young adult who works as a convenience store clerk in the city. He lives his life day-to-day, feeling unappreciated and that life will never change. He moved away from the country, as he didn’t want to become a farmer like his parents before him. One day, when Tan Yan decides to take a walk on the beach (because his TV is broken, so he can’t watch his favorite show), he encounters a teenage girl. She makes him an intriguing offer. Help me save the world. This piques Tan Yan’s interest and thus, his adventure begins. As this is a kinetic novel, I’ll stop my story synopsis here to avoid spoilers. ^^
– Real player with 9.4 hrs in game
This was my first kinetic novel, no choices to make, just read and think about some of the subjects that are thrown up in the story. The reader can make their own mind about how deep or how seriously they want to take this. I found it easy to get involved with the characters, to understand the frustrations of trying to earn a living in a city where everyone lives the same boring life-style and where young people and their parents do not understand one another. The protagonist, a reluctant hero, goes for a walk and meets a young girl one summer’s night when his tv breaks down, and thats when it all starts as he has to grow up and make life decisions that have consequences not just for himself, but other people. I can’t say more without giving away the plot.
– Real player with 8.1 hrs in game
捉迷藏 Hide and Seek
Introduction
This is a plot-oriented 2D scrolling horror game, the protagonist will follow the plot development through the red and white worlds to solve the mystery and find the exit. What we want to present is not just a simple gore, but a sad story. We hope that you can follow the protagonist to the end of the story and understand the truth of all this.
Game features
・Fridge-horror plot
・2D hand-drawn style
・Diversified puzzles
・Immersive music effects
Spare Parts: Episode 1
Spare Parts is such a delight!! really, there’s so much to love: the background and sprite art are so appealing, the soundtrack is absolutely jammin', and the writing is so solid and hilarious and heartfelt and…! it’s just nice. it’s nice!! this is a story that i really felt seen by and i’m glad it’s out here in the world. go buy and enjoy this vn about funny gay robots, you won’t regret it!
– Real player with 14.3 hrs in game
Extremely well written, well illustrated and well orchestrated. the story gets you super invested with the super well written characters in a story that keeps you engaged and emotionally attached. I normally don’t play visual novels but after my friend (sheepy, another reviewer below) got the game for me i have to say I was having a great experience the whole way through. I will definitely be heading straight to the 2nd installment and look forward to more beautiful music, art and character/ story development.
– Real player with 5.5 hrs in game
Unforgettable You
A delightful free game with 20 chapters to play. The story of a man meeting the love of his life done in a beautiful silhouette style reminiscent of Amphora.
A warning for those people who are not very dexterous. There are platform elements in this game, some requiring precision and others speed. Hence my lengthy time!!
Each chapter has a different environment and they are just gorgeous. Some are darker than others. There are 3 hearts to find in each chapter and they are very easy to find. Some are more difficult to get to than others.
– Real player with 3.0 hrs in game
What a beautiful game! The visuals and soundtrack is stunning (I need the soundtrack in my life haha!) each one completely fitting the mood of each level!
I suck at platformers so it took me a little longer then it would maybe take others, but it’s definitely worth a play!
The story really represents the ups and downs and the different emotions experienced through a relationship with someone, since the very first moment they met them.
– Real player with 1.5 hrs in game