Schrödinger's Call tells a simple yet profound story with breathtaking beauty, thoughtful meditation on its themes, and a full heart; it’s well worth experiencing for yourself.
Kugayama Shiori’s Death Diary mixes a striking ghostly aesthetic and black comedy with a solid mystery culminating in a satisfying emotional payoff. If you don’t mind or enjoy exploring its maze of choices and branching, it’s a quality read.
NICE TO MEET YOU, AGAIN (Nandome ka no Hajimemashite) tells a focused and thoughtful story punctuated by interesting themes and an emotionally satisfying conclusion. The intermittent focus on sexual content at the expense of the story could be distracting, but I still found NICE TO MEET YOU, AGAIN a worthwhile read.
In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Sandfall Interactive made something amazing. You can feel how much love and care went into every aspect of the game, and the result is an RPG that’s exciting to play and tells one of the most powerful stories in gaming, backed by incredible music and visuals. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a generational masterpiece and my new all-time favorite RPG.
Harmonic Reflections is a refreshingly grounded drama with thoughtful characters and an appropriately contemplative atmosphere. It could have been more impactful with a stronger protagonist and more developed climax, but it’s worth the read if you’re in the market for a short, focused visual novel.
While Perennial Dusk -Kinsenka- has an interesting setting and memorable story, they’re too deeply buried under terrible writing for me to be able to recommend it.
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector’s science fiction narrative stands out for its focus on the downtrodden and message of empathy, delivered through some of the best writing you’ll find in the game medium. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in narrative games or thoughtful science fiction.
While Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth is one of the franchise’s weaker entries, it’s still good fun, and Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Gambit improves on everything its predecessor got wrong. Bundle them together in a convenient package finished with polish and extras, and Ace Attorney Investigations Collection is an easy recommendation.
With an array of solid mysteries capped by some standout moments, Staffer Case is a strong entry in the murder mystery visual novel genre. I hope to see Notrick’s journey continue in future games.
I think The Lament of a Lifeless Star has some interesting ideas about what it might mean to live past the end of the world. Unfortunately, the execution is uneven and most of The Lament of a Lifeless Star’s runtime is squandered on tropes and trivialities. The final act is better, but it’s too little too late to redeem the overall experience.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is a worthy successor to a beloved original that proudly and successfully carries the Ace Attorney torch. Plus, this new release is a great package, jammed full of content, extras, and quality of life features that make it the best way to experience the Apollo Justice trilogy. While I think Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy could have been even better with a stronger commitment to developing its characters and ideas, it’s still great fun and something I can’t imagine an Ace Attorney fan or fan of mystery games in general wouldn’t enjoy.
Katana ZERO offers sharp, satisfying action and a creative and immersive approach to storytelling all served up with style and flair. Though its short length and inconclusive ending may be turn-offs for some, I found Katana ZERO to be one of the most memorable experiences in my past few years of gaming. I highly recommend it.
GINKA can be a bit sloppy and frustratingly tropey at times, but it hits where it counts with a heartfelt story about the lengths people will go to reach the ones they love.
SYNESTHESIA offers a compelling story with interesting ideas and well-written characters, and I’d recommend it to fans of science fiction and mystery. I can’t help but think it could have been better with more attention to detail, but I still enjoyed my time with SYNESTHESIA.
ANONYMOUS;CODE lacks the depth and maturity of earlier Science Adventure games but makes up for it with thrilling action and top-notch presentation. While it may not hit the highest of highs, I expect this is one most visual novel fans will enjoy.
VIDEOVERSE may seem like a product for a niche audience, and admittedly it probably hits different if you experienced the early internet, but its ideas and themes are relevant today. If you’re at all interested in stories about online communities and relationships, VIDEOVERSE is well worth your time.
Aside from its impressive hand-drawn animation, Curse of the Sea Rats is at its best a mediocre game that does little to stand out from the innumerable alternatives. At its worst, it’s tedious, grating, and unfun. Maybe if you love traditional animation and rats you’ll find something to enjoy here, but I’d wait for a discount before considering Curse of the Sea Rats.
The Future Radio and the Artificial Pigeons has an interesting concept and compelling themes. Unfortunately, it fumbles the execution, too often rushing to hit the next plot point rather than taking the time to build investment in its ideas and characters, and as result, undermines the emotional and thematic impact it aspires to.
While it doesn’t quite reach the heights of its predecessor, Chaos;Child is a strong visual novel in its own right–one that builds on and evolves what came before in interesting ways. It’s a shame this release is so lacking in polish, but Chaos;Child’s poignant thematic heart still shines through.
Chaos;Head is bold, powerful, and one of the most thematically interesting visual novels you can read. Despite its substantial flaws, Chaos;Head NOAH is the only way to officially experience Chaos;Head in English, and I highly recommend it.