What are you looking for in a visual novel?

Rrrrright. I cannot sleep (it's nearly 4 AM around here), and asking this question seems like a good idea. I know some of us around here play these types of games (as do I ), and since a a good friend and I have recently started a super sekrit project of a similar nature, I am very interested in your thoughts. So, to repeat the title of the topic: What are you looking for in a visual novel?

Good story and characters, you can't have a decent game, book or movie without that. Something that makes you feel like what is going on actually matters.

It may sound a bit basic but that's absolutely essential. It's almost 4 here too.

Thank you for the reply - and actually, it is not basic at all. It helped me remember the most important thing about this: a VN is, in it's essence, a story, and should be written as such.

Ah, right, we're in the same timezone! Were you, too, suffering from insomnia, and wandering haggard and woebegone through the forlorn Internets of the night?

The answer is probably more prosaic than you would expect. We had just changed back to Summer Time so I was having a hard time coping with all that nonsense.

Everything is a story, that's the beauty of it. I mean even simple games is first and foremost about a story (although not necessarily a good one). It may only be an excuse to indulge in some button mashing but that's the part that makes something stand out.

It's even more important when it comes to visual novels especially with branching narratives. Only good stories can keep up with interesting and worthy choices.

I'd just want to point out the obvious and that's the simple fact that illusion of choice is what matters in the end. As long as you're into the story you simply don't mind. Many games do actually end up with a big choice that doesn't have any impact on the actual game, it's all about the epilogue and tidying things up (which is always satisfactory in the end).

That is a valuable and interesting perspective. I myself am of a somewhat different opinion, and - well, it's quite embarassing, really - it never occurred to me that there could be another stance on that matter. My approach is more traditional: every choice noted and taken into account, shaping the experience in ways that would not be possible if another path was taken. An ever-changing 'Choose Your Own Adventure' book, if you will, constantly reminding the player that every choice was important. As one might expect, the first act has an Elder Flowchart of Hell already... It was good to read a different view, now I have much to think about.

Carabas wrote:

The answer is probably more prosaic than you would expect.

Ah, I find that is often the case with my expectations .

My experience in the matter mostly comes from pen and paper RPGs in which (as a game master) you have to remain in control while at the same time making sure the players feel like they are the ones in charge of their characters. It's a fine line because it is all too easy to ruin the fun by stepping in too much. It's all about maintaining a subtle balance while making sure the players are having fun.

It's not a visual novel but you should keep an eye on Life is Strange, you may enjoy it quite a bit because of the interesting take on choices and consequences.

I've found a VN that may be of interest to you: Cupid, it's free to play and thematically rather dark (in a good way). There are several endings (I got the fourth) but after one run I can't really tell where the story did take a turn (which is good since there is nothing worse than one choice obviously dictating which direction is taken). The only thing that irked me was the pseudo French backdrop but that doesn't matter that much when it comes to the story itself.

I have a few visual novel games and some I find better than others. I enjoy Long Live the Queen because choices have such an impact on the game which unfolds. Plus, some of the ways in which you can die are downright funny.

Loren - The Amazon Princess combines a certain style of strategic combat with great storytelling and the interaction between your character and the others is interesting. It has the feel of a visual novel game.

I love Amnesia - Memories as you need to make careful choices if you wish to stay alive. This is a much more serious visual novel game than Long Live the Queen. You need to recover your memories and the path to doing so is treacherous.

The aspects I've enjoyed in the above games are what I look for in visual novels. I include Loren - The Amazon Princess as it ticks many of the visual novel boxes yet manages to engage the player in a slightly different way due to the inclusion of combat. But, choices definitely count and story telling is to the fore. One major component for me, is enjoyment. Those which incorporate complex choices and alternative approaches to achieving an ending win out for me. In this regard, Long Live the Queen is tops. It's the one I replay the most.

One I haven't explored fully yet is Clannad and one I really want to play is Corpse Party, but for now I'm off to take a look at Cupid.

I've finished Loren the Amazon Princess a few days ago and to me it feels a lot like a Dragon Age game without all the running around. Bottom line it's pretty cool and I will probably replay it some day.

I haven't thought about Long Live the Queen as a VN. That's an interesting perspective. I should give it another go, my character always dies most horribly every time I play.

I played Cupid some time ago, and I have mixed feelings about it.

Spoilerish musings:

I do not remember the exact number of the ending I got, but it was the one

Avast! Thar be spoilers ahead!:

Sue77 wrote:

Plus, some of the ways in which you can die are downright funny.

So are some of the things that can save you! Like

Look down, look down/There are spoilers below: