Susan's Place Logo

News:

Based on internal web log processing I show 3,417,511 Users made 5,324,115 Visits Accounting for 199,729,420 pageviews and 8.954.49 TB of data transfer for 2017, all on a little over $2,000 per month.

Help support this website by Donating or Subscribing! (Updated)

Main Menu

Visual Novels?

Started by Tristyn, October 18, 2015, 02:10:26 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Tristyn

Anyone ever hear of eroge or dating sims commonly known as "visual novels(VN)?"

I didn't know about them until I was around 16 about ten years ago. I remember taking great interest in a few characters I saw in a Mugen hack that appeared to have originated from the same franchise. Upon further investigation, I discovered not only the fighting game they originated from(Melty Blood) but also that they were conceived from something known as a visual novel(VN).

VNs aren't really videogames in a traditional sense. They're basically interactive books or video books to be more exact. The cool thing about them is that it gives the reader an even greater sense of inclusion than a traditional book would because not only does the narration on most of these present itself in a first-person perspective(the main character's thoughts are displayed, narration uses words like "I," "myself," "me"), but the player can choose the fate of the direction the story takes which leads to many different conclusions, events, mishaps, successes, and meeting new characters/girls/heroines. So awesome.

If you aren't into reading, these probably would not appeal to you as much. Oddly enough there are some VNs that have rpg elements from the battling to the NPCs. Like anime and manga, there are all kinds of VNs but the best, most popular ones are often the traditional VNs that do not involve much gaming. Don't get me wrong though, I love to play a great game or two, but every now and then I like to unwind in the evening with a great book or two also. VNs are very interactive and even have the option to include the voicing of characters(but only in Japanese), sound effects, and music which really has the power to pull the reader into the VN, so to speak. These elements help bring all aspects of the VN to life.

The only problem with these though is that they are definitely intended, for the most part, to entertain a mature audience, particularly a male one. I suppose in the VN market, they will sell better this way when elements of hentai, eroticism, and/or eroge run rampant in their work. I mean, these VNs are awesome pieces of art and are extremely worthy of recognition. Most of the really good ones aren't like totally saturated with this type of stuff, but dude there are some out there I had ran into that harbored situations of such a sexual nature that I had to stop reading it. Call me immature, wimpy, kiddy, or whatever, but honestly when things are that 'perverted' I become too uncomfortable to even bear it. The cool thing is that you can still enjoy the story and everything without those adult scenes with special patches that can be installed from whatever group translated the VN from their original Japanese text. In short, VNs are worth looking into depending on who wrote them like anyother type of book or artwork. These are probably my top 5 VNs of all time so far;
1) Fate-Stay Night
2) Tsukihime
3) Air
4) Kanon
5) Wind: A Breath Of Heart

So what are some of your favorite VNs?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_novel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fate/stay_night
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsukihime
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_(visual_novel)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind:_A_Breath_of_Heart

~Nixy~
  •  

Belial

Your topic reminded me of some vn I played before. I played some het/yuri/yaoi. I downloaded some new BL (yaoi) vn on my Android phone recently. Enjoy it again. :)
X% of male inside.
  •  

King Malachite

I have purchased Code Realize and Norn9 Var Commons for my PS Vita, but I have yet to play them.  I've been too addicted to playing Persona 4 Golden and Persona 4: Dancing All Night, lol.  I am hoping to get around to playing them soon though.  I think I will start with Norn9 Var Commons.
Feel the need to ask me something or just want to check out my blog?  Then click below:

http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,135882.0.html


"Sometimes you have to go through outer hell to get to inner heaven."

"Anomalies can make the best revolutionaries."
  •  

King Malachite

Just an update:  I played Norn9 Var Commons, and I LOVED that game!  It was so addicting, and I totally recommend it. 
Feel the need to ask me something or just want to check out my blog?  Then click below:

http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,135882.0.html


"Sometimes you have to go through outer hell to get to inner heaven."

"Anomalies can make the best revolutionaries."
  •  

Mermaid

I've played a few... Some of them I'm probably too ashamed to list lol...

The genre seems to be getting more popular, I remember back then it pretty much only existed in Asia with a small cult-following in the West... could only play these games because of the fan translations and patches that people put out. Now the format seems to be catching on in this side of the world, there's companies like Hanako Games that strictly develop this sort of thing...
  •  

WallabyWallop

I'm playing Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney right now and it's basically a point-and-click visual novel. The series is only more 'mature' in the sense that it deals with murder cases and isn't afraid to skimp on the details despite it's decidedly goofy tone.

If you're like me and missed the chance to play it, I downloaded the first three games in a collection on my 3DS for $20 bucks. I'm almost done with the first game and would highly recommend them.
  •  

BeybladeMaster

I have not played many visual novels but Muv-Luv Alternative is my favourite, with rewrite being second.
  •  

King Malachite

I just got finished playing Code Realize: Guardian of Rebirth, and it was pretty good.
Feel the need to ask me something or just want to check out my blog?  Then click below:

http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,135882.0.html


"Sometimes you have to go through outer hell to get to inner heaven."

"Anomalies can make the best revolutionaries."
  •  

Amanda_Combs

The Persona games are my second favorite game series.  And the visual novel aspects are by far my favorite part.  I only wish there was a sort of passive option to skip battles and just play through the story as a visual novel. That would be my perfect game.
Higher, faster, further, more
  •  

Tristyn

Quote from: Mermaid on January 27, 2016, 12:58:45 PM
I've played a few... Some of them I'm probably too ashamed to list lol...

Yeah, I feel ya. ;)



-Phoenix
  •