Overview

Visual Novels are an off-shoot of Japanese adventure games, in which the games are more narrative-focused and much of the player agency is removed for the sake of greater immersion. Typically, if the player has any input, it's in choosing branching paths via a multiple choice selection process that might lead to a premature game over depending on the thematic genre (especially horror). The visual novel format originated around the mid- to late-'90s with Chunsoft games like Otogirisou ("St. John's Wort") and Kamaitachi no Yoru ("Night of the Sickle Weasel", usually localized as Banshee's Last Cry), both in the horror genre. Chunsoft's name for them at the time was "Sound Novel", due to the heavy use of sound effects to provide a similar effect as a radio play.

Visual Novels are distinct from Japanese adventure games, such as those in the Ace Attorney and Danganronpa series, as well as from dating sims, such as Konami's Tokimeki Memorial or the Social Link system in later Persona games, which are more focused on raising stats and managing schedules. Many Visual Novels have gone on to receive anime adaptations, such as the Science Adventure series and the When They Cry series. Predominantly a Japanese genre, it has since begun to see some rising interest overseas with multiple western developed games parodying or subverting the format.

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Visual Novel (Genre)

Overview