Who likes visual novels? I do! Anyone Else?!

What is a Visual Novel?

Well you can look at this Wikipedia Article for a comprehensive idea but I'll take a punt at describing below. A visual novel is basically a super low interactive game, you mostly (say 80%+) move the plot forward through pressing the main button on your controller of choice. In general the games a played from a first person perspective (but sometimes you can see your character) and you walk around locations talking to various people. You get some choice in the order of who you talk to but essentially you'll end up getting all the information you need to progress. In several games these non interactive bits are punctuated by interactive more game like elements (puzzles, legal arguments). 


Perhaps the earliest ones most people here will remember will be the Phoenix Wright ones on Nintendo DS. The game's are now available on IOS and 3DS.



Essentially the story of a defense lawyer you got to crime scenes and learn information from people and picking up evidence then use this information to pick out contradictions in witness statements. 



The first one I properly got into was Virtue's Last Reward - a 3DS/Vita sequel to the DS game Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors





In VLR the game tasks a number of people to escape a locked down facility. They need to work together to solve the puzzle of the facility and get out. 

Between discussions the story has puzzle box rooms (escape the room type puzzles) where the aim is to escape the facility while gathering information to move the story forward. 

The most recent one I've enjoyed could be considered a cross between Phoenix Wright and VLR. The game is [url=Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc]Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc[/url] on VITA and it's sequel Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair



Dangan Ronpa starts off with a class of school kids who actually end up locked in the school forever! Oh No. What Follows is a series of murders and class trials to figure out 'whodunnit'.

One special mention I would also like to give is Christine Love's Digital: A love story (a free download!). Not strictly speaking a visual novel, it's mostly text, but text that mirrors the bulletin board- old internet style. You play a person surfing around bulletin boards in the early nineties but stumble onto a mystery. The sequel: Analogue: A hate story takes the more traditional visual novel form.

Anyway a space here to talk about your finds (I've focussed on console ones here but the form is certainly healthy in the PC space) and fun experiences.

Naturally as the basis of these games are plots please be careful about spoilers!