AnimeSuki Forums

Tiriuss · 2013-03-30, 19:25

Lately I've been craving a great story from a Visual Novel and haven't really got any ideas on which one I should start with. I'm not too picky about the genre or anything like that, and was just wondering if you guys could throw some ideas my way?

Unfortunately I have very little to no fluency with Japanese, so it must be translated in English for me, or originally made in English would be good too! I'll list the Visual Novels I've already played and really enjoyed below.

-G Senjou No Maou
-Maji de Watashi ni Koishinasai
-Muv luv / Muv luv Alternative
-Ever 17
-Clannad
-Little Busters
-Hoshizora no Memoria (Wish upon a Shooting Star)
-Kanon
-Deardrops
-Kira Kira
-Katawa Shoujo
-Tears to Tiara
-Cross Channel
-Yume Miru Kusuri
-Fate Stay Night
-Rewrite
-Sharin no Kuni

And I believe that's all

I appreciate the help guys and any suggestions you can make would be appreciated!

Seitsuki · 2013-03-30, 19:51

I note you haven't listed any of the TM works, namely Fate and Tsukihime. Those are absolutely amazing, as are their related non-VN derived works such as F/Z. Highly recommended.

Saya no Uta and Yume Miru Kusuri have somewhat more.. unique premises, but are still very much worth a look. You may want to research them a bit though to make sure you're comfortable with the stuff they portray.

In fact there are plenty of anime adapted stuff that were originally VNs such as Steins;Gate, Chaos;Head, etcetc. Even if you've seen them you'll always hear plenty of complaints about how much was left out, so there's still plenty to experience.

Lastly there's also 07th Expansions stuff like Higurashi and Umineko, and while I haven't read them personally they are very well received.

DanielMors · 2013-03-30, 20:12

Seconding Fate/stay night, Tsukihime, Saya no Uta and Umineko no Naku Koro ni.

I'd also recommend the following VNs:
- Rewrite, by the same company as Clannad, Little Busters! and Kanon, although not by the same writer, a story that mixes the typical Key school life setting with fantasy themes
- Higanbana no Saku Yoru ni and Rose Guns Days, from the makers of Umineko and Higurashi; Higanbana is a collection of very dark stories about themes such as bullying and suicide, RGD tells an action story set in an alternative Japan of the 50s
- Kikokugai - The Cyber Slayer, from the makers of Saya no Uta, so Seitsuki's advice counts here as well; a dark story about betrayal and revenge in a cyberpunk setting

GDiddy · 2013-03-30, 20:22

Are any of these available on iOS and in English?

DanielMors · 2013-03-30, 20:31

English: Yes, all of them (with a translation patch). iOS: I have no idea.

Tiriuss · 2013-03-31, 05:38

Thanks I appreciate the suggestions guys,

I'll check those out, and anymore are extremely welcomed! I tend to go through them pretty fast.

Tiriuss · 2013-03-31, 05:40

Thinking about it now I've already played Yume Miru... whoops I'll add that to the list.

chocolatemilkgod · 2013-03-31, 06:50

Here's a few ideas:
-(I realize this has already been suggested, but I'll suggest it again) Higurashi. Best played as a horror game in the dark with headphones on full. Great story line.

- Symphonic Rain Haven't read this yet, but is highly rated so I thought I'd suggest it anyway.

- Planetarian a rather short key visual novel - and this is actually available legitimately on IoS in English so support key!.

- Sharin no Kuni, Himawari no Shoujo Despite the really long title, a pretty awesome visual novel. Compelling story with nice characters.

For other ideas, check out vndb and sort by ranking:
http://vndb.org/v/all?q=;fil=tagspoil-2;o=d;s=rating

Anything on the first or second pages will probably be pretty good. Hope this helps!

magnum12 · 2013-04-01, 12:09

Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni: Has an english translation patch, and a manga adaptation (which is really good). I got into it via the anime first and had a good time. There's two ways to go about it: either as a pure horror experience, or as a mystery/horror hybrid experience (what I did). Enjoyment via the later path requires you to really pay attention as ANYTHING could be a clue that's easy to miss.

sona-nyl · 2013-04-04, 11:20

Your list has a large void shaped like Liar-Soft's Steampunk series.

Tiriuss · 2013-04-04, 13:48

Sounds great guys I'm looking forward to all of them! I'm pretty much finished on Fate Stay Night and I'm going to be grabbing another one soon.

Cold~as~Ice · 2013-04-04, 13:58

there's this one game that I expect to be finished being translated/edited by the end of this year. the art is great and the characters are memorable you'll love it.
http://tlwiki.org/?title=Grisaia_no_Kajitsu

RRW · 2013-04-04, 14:51

Phenomeno A free VN by Nitroplus and drawn By Yoshitabe Abe (Lain)

Tiriuss · 2013-04-07, 03:59

Just finished Fate Stay Night, what a great read. Thanks for the suggestions all.

chaos_alfa · 2013-04-07, 09:35

I recommend first seeing if there are legal English version of these visual novels and if there are buying them instead of pirating them. This is because there currently some companies like Mangagamer and JAST USA trying to create a western visual novel market and pirating is hurting them a lot, because they are still relative small.

A few examples are:
- Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni from Mangagamer.

- Saya no Uta from JAST USA. Saya no Uta hasn't been released yet in English, but it will be in a couple of weeks.

- Planetarian which you can get from iTunes if you got an iOS device.

DanielMors · 2013-04-07, 10:58

^ He/she has already played Katawa Shoujo, otherwise I'd have already recommended it

Since you enjoyed Fate/stay night, I absolutely recommend watching Fate/Zero, the prequel that tells the tale of Emiya Kiritsugu and Kotomine Kirei (among others) during the Fourth Grail War.

chaos_alfa · 2013-04-07, 12:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielMors

^ He/she has already played Katawa Shoujo, otherwise I'd have already recommended it

It seems I missed it.

Quote:

Since you enjoyed Fate/stay night, I absolutely recommend watching Fate/Zero, the prequel that tells the tale of Emiya Kiritsugu and Kotomine Kirei (among others) during the Fourth Grail War.

I second this. You even read the Fate/Stay Night before watching Fate/Zero. With this order you will be able to get the most enjoyment out of it.

2013-03-30, 19:25	Link #1
Tiriuss Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2013	Visual Novel Suggestions Lately I've been craving a great story from a Visual Novel and haven't really got any ideas on which one I should start with. I'm not too picky about the genre or anything like that, and was just wondering if you guys could throw some ideas my way? Unfortunately I have very little to no fluency with Japanese, so it must be translated in English for me, or originally made in English would be good too! I'll list the Visual Novels I've already played and really enjoyed below. -G Senjou No Maou -Maji de Watashi ni Koishinasai -Muv luv / Muv luv Alternative -Ever 17 -Clannad -Little Busters -Hoshizora no Memoria (Wish upon a Shooting Star) -Kanon -Deardrops -Kira Kira -Katawa Shoujo -Tears to Tiara -Cross Channel -Yume Miru Kusuri -Fate Stay Night -Rewrite -Sharin no Kuni And I believe that's all I appreciate the help guys and any suggestions you can make would be appreciated! Last edited by Tiriuss; 2013-05-01 at 20:08.

2013-03-30, 19:51	Link #2
Seitsuki Onee! Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Auckland, NZ	I note you haven't listed any of the TM works, namely Fate and Tsukihime. Those are absolutely amazing, as are their related non-VN derived works such as F/Z. Highly recommended. Saya no Uta and Yume Miru Kusuri have somewhat more.. unique premises, but are still very much worth a look. You may want to research them a bit though to make sure you're comfortable with the stuff they portray. In fact there are plenty of anime adapted stuff that were originally VNs such as Steins;Gate, Chaos;Head, etcetc. Even if you've seen them you'll always hear plenty of complaints about how much was left out, so there's still plenty to experience. Lastly there's also 07th Expansions stuff like Higurashi and Umineko, and while I haven't read them personally they are very well received. __________________ thanks to Patchy ♥

2013-03-30, 20:22	Link #4
GDiddy Sisterhood of the Desu Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: in a van by the river	Are any of these available on iOS and in English? __________________

2013-04-04, 11:20	Link #10
sona-nyl Actually an Alligator Join Date: Nov 2008 Age: 28	Your list has a large void shaped like Liar-Soft's Steampunk series. __________________

2013-04-04, 13:58	Link #12
Cold~as~Ice this is how its done Join Date: Mar 2012	there's this one game that I expect to be finished being translated/edited by the end of this year. the art is great and the characters are memorable you'll love it. http://tlwiki.org/?title=Grisaia_no_Kajitsu __________________

2013-03-30, 20:12	Link #3
DanielMors Second Stake of Sloth Join Date: Jun 2010	Seconding Fate/stay night, Tsukihime, Saya no Uta and Umineko no Naku Koro ni. I'd also recommend the following VNs: - Rewrite, by the same company as Clannad, Little Busters! and Kanon, although not by the same writer, a story that mixes the typical Key school life setting with fantasy themes - Higanbana no Saku Yoru ni and Rose Guns Days, from the makers of Umineko and Higurashi; Higanbana is a collection of very dark stories about themes such as bullying and suicide, RGD tells an action story set in an alternative Japan of the 50s - Kikokugai - The Cyber Slayer, from the makers of Saya no Uta, so Seitsuki's advice counts here as well; a dark story about betrayal and revenge in a cyberpunk setting

2013-03-30, 20:31	Link #5
DanielMors Second Stake of Sloth Join Date: Jun 2010	English: Yes, all of them (with a translation patch). iOS: I have no idea.

2013-03-31, 05:38	Link #6
Tiriuss Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2013	Thanks I appreciate the suggestions guys, I'll check those out, and anymore are extremely welcomed! I tend to go through them pretty fast.

2013-03-31, 05:40	Link #7
Tiriuss Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2013	Thinking about it now I've already played Yume Miru... whoops I'll add that to the list.

2013-03-31, 06:50	Link #8
chocolatemilkgod The "Insane" Biochemist Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Merry old England	Here's a few ideas: -(I realize this has already been suggested, but I'll suggest it again) Higurashi. Best played as a horror game in the dark with headphones on full. Great story line. - Symphonic Rain Haven't read this yet, but is highly rated so I thought I'd suggest it anyway. - Planetarian a rather short key visual novel - and this is actually available legitimately on IoS in English so support key!. - Sharin no Kuni, Himawari no Shoujo Despite the really long title, a pretty awesome visual novel. Compelling story with nice characters. For other ideas, check out vndb and sort by ranking: http://vndb.org/v/all?q=;fil=tagspoil-2;o=d;s=rating Anything on the first or second pages will probably be pretty good. Hope this helps!

2013-04-01, 12:09	Link #9
magnum12 Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: United States	Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni: Has an english translation patch, and a manga adaptation (which is really good). I got into it via the anime first and had a good time. There's two ways to go about it: either as a pure horror experience, or as a mystery/horror hybrid experience (what I did). Enjoyment via the later path requires you to really pay attention as ANYTHING could be a clue that's easy to miss.

2013-04-04, 13:48	Link #11
Tiriuss Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2013	Sounds great guys I'm looking forward to all of them! I'm pretty much finished on Fate Stay Night and I'm going to be grabbing another one soon.

2013-04-07, 03:59	Link #14
Tiriuss Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2013	Just finished Fate Stay Night, what a great read. Thanks for the suggestions all.

2013-04-07, 09:35	Link #15
chaos_alfa Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Netherlands	I recommend first seeing if there are legal English version of these visual novels and if there are buying them instead of pirating them. This is because there currently some companies like Mangagamer and JAST USA trying to create a western visual novel market and pirating is hurting them a lot, because they are still relative small. A few examples are: - Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni from Mangagamer. - Saya no Uta from JAST USA. Saya no Uta hasn't been released yet in English, but it will be in a couple of weeks. - Planetarian which you can get from iTunes if you got an iOS device. Last edited by chaos_alfa; 2013-04-07 at 12:17.

2013-04-07, 10:58	Link #16
DanielMors Second Stake of Sloth Join Date: Jun 2010	^ He/she has already played Katawa Shoujo, otherwise I'd have already recommended it Since you enjoyed Fate/stay night, I absolutely recommend watching Fate/Zero, the prequel that tells the tale of Emiya Kiritsugu and Kotomine Kirei (among others) during the Fourth Grail War.