- What are Visual Novels? -
Visual Novels (VNs) are a media type directly spawned from anime and manga. They are defined as a book in which sprites are used to show emotion with pictures in the background showing the setting. All VNs have music and effect sounds and most have voices. Text is generally given to the reader in small sections and require you to click choices to further the story. Some VNs have branching stories that can become extremely complex depending on the novel (A good example of a cluster-fuck story is Fate/Stay Night). Eroge is a type of VN that are for adult audiences and usually portray sexual themes.
- Recommended websites for learning more and downloaded VNs -
https://nyaa.pantsu.cat/ - The first place one should look for torrents and various weeb shit. Nyaa.pantsu.cat is the safe for work version and https://sukebei.pantsu.cat/ is the r-18 version. Do know that the site may 404 every blue moon.
nyaa.si - A fork of the original nyaa.se including *most* of the same content, but not all. Has a sukebei version as well for adult torrents (sukebei.nyaa.si)
VNDB.org - A large database of released and in the making VNs and Eroge.
mofumoe.org - Everything from the old fuwanovel for free.
visualnovelaer.fuwanovel.org - A development blog-esque website that shows currently being translated visual novels.
Erogedownload.com - A website that provides easy downloads for Eroge (NSFW VNs). However, it can contain SFW VNs. Using Jdownloader2 makes it less painful to use.
http://visual-novels-general.wikia.com/wiki/Visual_Novels_General_Wiki - Old 4chan Visual Novel Wiki
http://vnjs.thatplayer.com/ - A website where you can find some VNs that have been converted to HTML5
http://tss.asenheim.org/ - This website allows you to play oldschool (PC88/98) VNs online. It allows you to store saves on there as well. Can also be accessed on mobile devices.
http://www.otakulair.com/ - A blog that covers news of VNs in both Japan and the west. Whether it be kickstarters or VN releases. Also includes walkthrough for certain VNs.
https://nicoblog.org/genre/visual-novel/?post_types=pc-games,psx-iso,ps2-iso,ps3-iso,psp,psvita,snes-rom,gcn-iso,wii-iso,gba-roms,nds-roms,3ds-rom
Here you can download VNs directly and not from torrents like Nyaa. And like Erogedownload, Jdownloader2 makes it easier to download.
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- Terms for newbies taken from some faggot named Rockmandash -
Kinetic Novel - Kinetic novels are visual novels without choices, so all you do is read.
Sound Novel - Sound novels is a trademark from Chunsoft. The term is the original word referring to novel type games. However "Visual Novels" became prevalent due to other companies using it in order to avoid the company's trademark.
This term later was known because of Higurashi, which used it because the sound was more important than the actual visuals, so they called it a sound novel. 07th Expansion's sound novels are essentially kinetic novels with a focus on sound to create an atmosphere.
Dating Sim - Technically, this term refers to simulation games focused on dating. However, this term is frequently used by English speakers to describe any romance-driven game, regardless of game mechanics used.
Eroge - An eroge (エロゲー or エロゲ erogē); is a portmanteau of the words erotic game. This is a blanket term for any game that includes NSFW content.
Nakige - A game that produces emotional catharisis (touching your heart, making you cry, etc), with a good ending.
Utsuge - Games that are made with the intent of making you depressed. More extreme than Nakiges
Moege - A VN where the focus is on moe (look it up if you don’t know it).
Charage - Sub-genre of Moege where the focus is on character development.
Nukige - A sub-genre of Visual Novels which focus on the erotic content.
- Some other terms -
Routes - The name that refers to a story line in visual novels. Non-linear branching story lines are a common trend in visual novels, and these branching story lines are routes.
Good-end/Bad-end - The ending of a route in a Visual Novel. Depending on what happens, it can be called either good or bad. (E.G. You get your head cut off = bad-end. You live together happily with a heroine = good-end)
Harem - A trope characterized by a protagonist surrounded by three or more members of the opposing sex who are usually love interests. Harem usually refers to a male protagonist with female love interests, while stuff with females with male love interests are referred to as reverse harems. This subgenre is extremely popular in the Visual Novel world because of how easily it is to incorporate branching stories to it.
Bishōjo (Bishoujo) game - This term designates any game involving a male lead dating pretty anime girls. The word "bishōjo" literally means "pretty young girl". "Girl game" and "gal game" are also used to describe this sub-genre. Not really used here in the west.
Otome game - This term designates any romantic game involving a female lead… so the exact opposite. Translated literally, Otome game means "maiden game". They are also referred to as a "reverse harem".
Boy's Love game - This term designates any game involving a male lead dating pretty anime boys in a homosexual relationship. "BL game" and "Yaoi" are terms also used to describe these games. This sub-genre is primarily geared toward a female audience.
- Fonts -
Most of the downloads here will include to install if required. If for some reason there isn't and it does require a certain font to work, then you can download every font you could possibly need here.
https://nyaa.pantsu.cat/view/120614
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- Baby's First VNs -
Title: Saya no Uta
Description: https://vndb.org/v97
Length: Short (2 - 10 hours)
Tags: Horror, suspense, gore, tragedy, lovecraft themes
Download link: https://sukebei.pantsu.cat/view/2393721
Title: Katawa Shoujo
Description: https://vndb.org/v945
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Slice of Life, Romance, Nakige
Download link: http://www.katawa-shoujo.com/download.php
Title: Narcissu
Description: https://vndb.org/v10
Length: Short (2 - 10 hours)
Tags: Utsuge, Terminal Illness, Depression
Download link: https://mega.nz/#!3ckCASSJ!t3tA4R1s5s0dVqcBQo-VvbbGCSBhC5YtQZOkE_nz8tc
Title: Planetarian - Dream of Little Star - (Planetarian ~Chiisana Hoshi no Yume~)
Description: https://vndb.org/v34
Length: Short (2 - 10 hours)
Tags: Drama, Sci-fi, Nakige
Download link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1UmB9wjNj-SUEdIY1BfYW1lTGc/view
- VN Recommendations For Beginners-
Title: Fate/Stay Night
Description: https://vndb.org/v11
Length: Very long (> 50 hours)
Tags: Action, Urban Fantasy, Historical Figures
Download link:
Title: Little Busters!
Description: https://vndb.org/v5
Length: Very long (> 50 hours)
Tags: Nakige, Slice of Life, Comedy, Romance, High School
Download link:
Title: Do Love Me Seriously! (Maji de Watashi ni Koishinasai)
Description: https://vndb.org/v1143
Length: Very long (> 50 hours)
Tags: Slice of Life, Comedy, Romance, High School
Download link:
Title: When The Seagulls Cry (Umineko no Naku Koro ni)
Description: https://vndb.org/v24
Length: Very long (> 50 hours)
Tags: Mystery, Battle of Wits, Detective Work, Kinetic Novel
Download link: https://nyaa.pantsu.cat/view/876869
Title: Yume Miru Kusuri
Description: https://vndb.org/v44
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Slice of Life, Drama, Romance, High School, Nakige, Depression
Download link: https://mega.nz/#!LAkWlRYA!k4SaDhrywBgw_LgXoQoBXhwHu6jDK_KAdWJVrY7r0dY
Title: Bunny Black (1 & 2)
Description: https://vndb.org/v3947
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: Dungeon Crawler, SRPG, Fantasy, Rags to Riches
Download link: https://mega.nz/#F!HYkRRbhQ!vn-J4hfGZzjUN9g-RHeXHA
Title: Higurashi, When They Cry (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni)
Description: https://vndb.org/v67
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: Thriller, Murder Mystery, Kinetic Novel, Episodic, Horror
Download link: https://nicoblog.org/?s=higurashi+When+They+Cry
Title: Air
Description: https://vndb.org/v36
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Nakige, Romance
Download link:
Title: Clannad
Description: https://vndb.org/v4
Length: Very long (> 50 hours)
Tags: Nakige, Drama, Slice of Life, High School , Comedy
Download link: https://mega.nz/#!vY01TaKA!mOM8L-exmlds8J_wH4NSLZedOJB7MYPJ-qJEoL5im0Q
Title: Kanon
Description: https://vndb.org/v33
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Nakige, Romance
Download link:
Title: ef - a fairy tale of the two.
Description: https://vndb.org/v88
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: Nakige, drama, romance
Download link:
Title: Utawarerumono
Description: https://vndb.org/v3
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: SRPG, Fantasy, War, Mystery
Download link:
Title: Ever17 -The Out of Infinity-
Description: https://vndb.org/v17
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: Trapped, Suspense, Mystery
Download link: https://mega.nz/#F!fQc3HLLB!DpB_ijI_POi-Nj_pa0rTIg
The new Himmel translation patch (1.03) can be found here- https://mega.nz/#!WvxxxSaa!i30B32EmMDJpBhjsHm8_2-I2zC00mTtlS730waGjVjI (http://www.mediafire.com/file/mw379ufq1ugmgk3/E17_Himmel_Edition_v1.3.zip)
Tools: This file fixes some text in the VN. https://www.mediafire.com/file/bj30eajuhb9b963/script2.rar
Title: Noble ☆ Works
Description: https://vndb.org/v4806
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: Romance, Comedy, High School
Download link:
Title: G-senjou no Maou
Description: https://vndb.org/v211
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Crime, Battle of Wits, Thriller, Detective Work, Suspense
Download link:
Title: Policenauts [Sega Saturn]
Description: https://vndb.org/v2528
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Crime, Police, Shooter, Hard Sci-Fi, Detective Work
Download link: https://mega.nz/#F!CYcgSBDI!rQw586tPmF-RF-lceHDe0Q
Tools: Sega Saturn Emulator. https://yabause.org/download/
Title: Chaos;Head
Description: https://vndb.org/v382
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Delusion, Paranoia, Conspiracy, Drama, Sci-fi
Download link:
Title: Steins;Gate
Description: https://vndb.org/v2002
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: Time Travel, Paranoia, Suspense, Drama, Thriller, Conspiracy
Download link:
Title: Sakura Wars 5: So Long, My Love (Sakura Taisen V ~Saraba Itoshiki Hito Yo~)
Description: https://vndb.org/v3892
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: TRPG, Musical Themes, Steampunk, Dating Simulator
Download link:
Title: Corpse Party Blood Covered [PSP]
Description: https://vndb.org/v2632
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Horror, Mystery, Trapped, Supernatural, Gore
Download link:
Tools: PSP Emulator. http://ppsspp.org/downloads.html
Title: Edelweiss
Description: https://vndb.org/v903
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Comedy, Romance, Drama, High School
Download link:
Title: Ace Attorney Phoenix Wright 1-3 (Gyakuten Saiban) [DS]
Description: https://vndb.org/v5652
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Battle of Wits, Mystery, Detective Work, Crime
Download link: https://mega.nz/#F!fU9EWaZa!qp4KUE0QyXBQKoRISDRbLQ
Tools: DS Emulator
Title: Hoshizora no Memoria -Wish upon a Shooting Star-
Description: https://vndb.org/v1474
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: Romance, Slice of Life, Nakige, Fantasy, High School
Download link:
Title: Monster Girl Quest Trilogy (Monmusu Quest! Zenshou ~Makereba Youjo ni Okasareru~)
Description: https://vndb.org/v5657
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: RPG, Fantasu, Nukige, Comedy, Monster Girls
Download link:
Title: Tsukihime
Description: https://vndb.org/v7
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: Urban Fantasy, Superpowers, Vampire
Download link:
Title: YU-NO - A girl who chants love at the bound of this world (Kono Yo no Hate de Koi o Utau Shoujo YU-NO)
Description: https://vndb.org/v1377
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: Mystery, Adventure, Drama, Sci-fi, Time Travel
Download link:
Title: Dra+Koi
Description: https://vndb.org/v436
Length: Short (2 - 10 hours)
Tags: Comedy, Romance, Fantasy
Download link:
Title: Kara no Shoujo
Description: https://vndb.org/v810
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Utsuge, Gore, Thriller, Mystery, Detective Work, Past Tokyo
Download link:
Title: If My Heart Had Wings (Restored version)
Description: http://vndb.org/v9093
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: Comedy Drama Romance School-Life
Download link: https://www.mofumoe.org/content/if-my-heart-had-wings-restoration-patch-restores-sex-scenes
Title: Love Plus (DS)
Description: https://vndb.org/v2099
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Dating Simulator, School Life, Romance
Download link:
Title: Cross†Channel
Description: https://vndb.org/v66
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: High School, Comedy, Mystery, philosophy
Download link:
Tools: GHC Translation. https://georgehenryshaft.wordpress.com/2013/10/25/on-cross-channel-new-english-translation-released/
Title: Gahktun of the Golden Lightning (Ourai no Gahkthun ~What a Shining Braves~)
Description: https://vndb.org/v11033
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Steampunk, Super Powers
Download link:
Title: Ar Nosurge ~Umareizuru Hoshi e Inoru Uta~
Description: https://vndb.org/v15062
Length: Very Long (>50 hours)
Tags: Musical themes, RPG, Drama, Action, Romance, War
Download link:
Notes: Highly recommended that you read Ciel Nosurge first. There's a english translated playthrough on Youtube.
Title: Bernd und das Rätsel um Unteralterbach
Description: https://vndb.org/v13871
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Comedy, Parody, Detective Work
Download link:
- Other Recommendations -
Title: Ar tonelico 2: The Girls' Metafalica that Echoes to the World (Restoration patched version)
Description: https://vndb.org/v2133
Length: Very long (> 50 hours)
Tags: RPG, Fantasy, Musical Themes
Download link:
Title: Eiyuu*Senki
Description: https://vndb.org/v6458
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: TRPG, War, Comedy, Historical Figures
Download link: https://mega.nz/#!9v5HnZzS!VMjjIO_px3p6RTbavIqi_ytkABKZsAga_oJOF65CnKE
Title: Wonderful Everyday Down the Rabbit-Hole (Subarashiki Hibi ~Furenzoku Sonzai~)
Description: https://vndb.org/v3144
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: Mystery, Denpa
Download link:
Title: Zanmataisei Demonbane
Description: https://vndb.org/v231
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: Science Fantasy, Mecha, Action
Download link:
Title: Koihime † Musou ~Doki ☆ Otome Darake no Sangokushi Engi~
Description: https://vndb.org/v369
Length: Very long (> 50 hours)
Tags: War, Romance, Historical Figures
Download link:
Title: True Love ~Jun'ai Monogatari~
Description: https://vndb.org/v241
Length: Short (2 - 10 hours)
Tags: Dating Simulator, High School
Download link:
Title: Tears to Tiara II: Haou no Matsuei [PS3]
Description: https://vndb.org/v7719
Length: Very long (> 50 hours)
Tags: TRPG, War, Fantasy, Politics
Download link: https://nicoblog.org/ps3-iso/tears-to-tiara-ii-heir-of-the-overlord-usa-ps3-iso/
Title: Galaxy Angel Collection
Description: https://vndb.org/v860
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Spaceship, Sci-fi RTS, War
Download link:
Title: Le Fruit De La Grisaia (Grisaia no Kajitsu)
Description: Very long (> 50 hours)
Length: https://vndb.org/v5154
Tags: Drama, High School, Comedy, Slice of Life
Download link: https://mega.nz/#!JmRGHaIC!GPcKUBH3eck8pjZhSihupqu03ZqG6EzsFx9XltlsNeI
Title: Brave Soul
Description: https://vndb.org/v117
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: RPG, Comedy, Action, Fantasy
Download link:
Title: Daibanchou -Big Bang Age-
Description: https://vndb.org/v299
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: TRPG, War, Superpowers
Download link:
Title: Wanko to Kurasou
Description: https://vndb.org/v812
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life, Kemonomimi
Download link:
Title: Root Double -Before Crime * After Days-
Description: https://vndb.org/v5000
Length: Very long (> 50 hours)
Tags: Trapped, Suspense, Sci-fi, Mystery,
Download link:
Title: To Heart 2
Description: https://vndb.org/v20
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: High School, Slice of Life, Comedy, Romance
Download link:
Title: Kamidori Alchemy Meister
Description: Very long (> 50 hours)
Length: https://vndb.org/v5652
Tags: TRPG, Fantasy, Monster Girls, Shop Simulator
Download link:
Title: Dangan Ronpa (Dangan Ronpa Kibou no Gakuen to Zetsubou no Koukousei) [PSP]
Description: https://vndb.org/v7014
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Mystery, Trapped, Detective Work, Battle of Wits
Download link:
Tools: PSP emulator. http://ppsspp.org/downloads.html
Title: Rewrite
Description: https://vndb.org/v751
Length: Very long (> 50 hours)
Tags: Drama, School Life, Comedy
Download link: https://nicoblog.org/pc-games/rewrite-english-patched-pc/
Title: Forest
Description: https://vndb.org/v599
Length: Medium (10 - 30 hours)
Tags: Fantasy, Romance, Comedy, Modern Day Tokyo
Download link:
Title: Himawari
Description: https://vndb.org/v210
Length: Long (30 - 50 hours)
Tags: Sci-fi, Slice of Life, Mystery, Space
Download link:
Title:
Description:
Length:
Tags:
Download link:
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- Misc -
"Where can I buy visual novels from?"
Usually VNs only come to the west digitally, especially on the PC platform. For the most part, you will have to purchase the JP game from sites like DLsite and Melonbooks (or their home site you can find on the VNDB) to really support the developers. Publishers who put games on Steam usually censor the games to be all ages as they cannot sell pornographic games. Avoid purchasing from Sekai Project and Steam if possible. Some VNs are safe for work from the start and you can get them physical on the Vita. Amazon.co.jp can also sell VNs however you will need to use a forwarding/Proxy service like Biginjap to import adult games.
"What's Sekai Project and why shouldn't I support them if they're translating VNs I like?
They are scummy publishers who mismanage money (which is why they constantly need kickstarters for VNs despite selling plenty through the year) and buy the licenses for IPs that are being fan translated (because they know people are looking forward to it) just to sit on them for ages on end. They are trying to run a monopoloy on the VN scene and are responsible for slowly killing off the fan translation scene. When they finally do get around to translating certain VNs, they do it at a slower pace than many fan translators and at a lower quality. If that wasn't bad enough, they are well known to not make all their promises when they do a kickstarter. If they don't add an 18+ version on Denpasoft, then expect none in general. Overall, supporting Sekai Project is bad for everyone.
"I have no problems reading Japanese and would like to import a VN. How would I go about doing that?"
Biginjapan.com and Whiterabbitexpress.com handle forwarding and proxy services. Send them the page of the product you want to purchase and they can ship it to you for a price.
"My game is having some problems. Where can I find a solution?"
See if there's a solution of the game on either Nicoblog or Fuwanovel's comments section. They've most likely had the same problem and found a way to solve it.