The 21st century is an era of digitalization. Computer gaming and software development advancements made it possible for programmers to create visual novels and text-based animated images. In response to its quick spread, many articles have been written about why novels are in such high demand. If you would like to excel your skills in publishing your thoughts, you can learn how to cite sources in MLA format in essay and make your writing more credible.
In the meantime, check out this list of the best visual novels to play in 2023 that we put together for you.
428: Shibuya Scramble
While most such games are composed of real-life images accompanied by body texts with occasional video clips to emphasize significant points, 428: Shibuya Scramble goes deep into the novel part of the game.
The main driving force of the narrative is its parallel storytelling. The game has five protagonists, and we can experience different events through each of their perspectives. Every main character has their own story to convey, but they ultimately intersect and play a crucial role in unveiling the truth behind a bizarre turn of events, starting with a kidnapping case.
Steins;Gate Elite
Time traveling might seem nonexistent, but every one of us, at some point, wishes it to be true. In Steins; Gate Elite, a group of young ‘lab members’ discover a way to alter the past via a simple email using a modified microwave. Their experiments seemed to have a promising start, but they spiraled out of control as the characters ended up entangled in a conspiracy. Anime-style graphics make this gripping time-travel story even more captivating.
Umineko When They Cry
Umineko is a fascinating story mixing equal parts love story and gore fest that, without doubt, pleases fans and attracts even more gamers who love dark, deep, and intricate mysteries. The novel concentrates on a group of eighteen people on a remote island for two days, where mysterious murders occur. Readers are faced with the challenge of distinguishing who the murders were or whether they were committed by a supernatural source, holding this place in a cruel legacy, and investigating the method and motive behind each killing.
Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!
This game might not be the first choice of weak-hearted gamers, but it is one of the must-plays for horror and psychological thrillers lovers. Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! is narrated from the standpoint of a high school boy who reluctantly enters the school’s literature club on the claim of his childhood friend. He is allowed to romantically pursue three of its four female fellows.
The title of the novel is quite rare, celebrating the prospect of video gaming as a unique and imaginative medium while delivering a critical message beneath, pointing at the cliches about the people who indulge in them.
The House in Fata Morgana
An amnesiac spirit revives in a supernatural estate. To regain its memories, the soul has to explore the mansion’s history with a Maid, whose appearance stays unchanged as the story develops. It is a fantastic and slow-burn story about deep emotions and sensations, going in-depth with love, failure, pain, forgiveness, and healing. It requires patience and full attention, which might take self-control but be sure for everything to be paid off as the story ends.
Zero Escape
Individually, each game in this novel series observes a group of nine humans kidnapped by masked individuals proclaimed as ‘Zero.’ The victims are locked inside a building and made to play a death game. As the story goes by, the players are shut inside chambers until they solve puzzles and are let out. The game is like a puzzle itself, keeping viewers guessing until the very end.
Clannad
When playing Calland, we can follow the life of Tomoya Okazaki from adolescence to adulthood. As an average high school student, he meets many people in his last year at school, including five girls whose personal troubles he helps resolve. His life is further detailed after graduating from high school.
The heartwarming and emotional side of the narrative encourages players to build up hopes while leaving them flabbergasted by how reality burns those expectations down.
Fate/Stay
Fate/stay is a novel filled with romanticism and many sentiments, but there is very little classic boy/girl romanticism. The story revolves around Shirou Emiya, a hardworking teenager who unwillingly and unknowingly enters a to-the-death contest, so-called the Fifth Holy Grail War. In the tournament, combatants fight with witchcraft, while heroes throughout the narrative have their wishes granted by the eponymous Holy Grail.
This epic visual novel has reproduced an exclusive franchise of anime, comics, and games. It features exhilarating battles, diverse themes, and multiple story routes.
Muv-Luv
Shirogane Takeru is the protagonist of The Muv-Luv Trilogy. He pursues a tranquil lifestyle at high school, surrounded by a harem of classmates. One day, he is transported to an alternate universe pushed to a limit, where humanity has been battling a decades-long war against aliens.
Due to its main focus on characters and storytelling, the novel appeals to players’ interests and has a strong emotional influence on them.
Ever 17: The Out Of Infinity
The story of Ever17 follows six characters trapped in the underwater theme park ‘LeMU,’ which seems to be left behind due to water leakage. Takeshi Kuranari and a boy with amnesia called ‘the Kid,’ with the rest of the other four people, have to find a way to escape since high water pressure will implode after 119 hours.
The players are in charge of reading the game’s story and making choices that affect the plot direction, leading to one of several possible endings.
In the novel, you will encounter unexpected plot twists and hidden clues, making the whole experience engaging and memorable.
Conclusion
Visual novels, as a diverse form of entertainment, offer players a rich and thrilling process of watching, playing, reading, and interacting with the characters. A perfect mixture of music, art, and literature is definitely worth giving a try.
