visual novel

I know games sometimes like to cover civil unrest, protest and it’s consequences but they largely don’t concern themselves too much with ethical quandaries behind the curtain. There’s always a greater good and the good guys usually win out. Vengeful Heart has a fairly obvious cause to fight for but […]

Vengeful Heart – PS5 Review

April 4, 2022 in PS5 / Reviews tagged cyberpunk / dystopia / eco-terrorists / insurgency / l / narratively-driven / salmon snake / vengeful heart / visual novel by Mike

A while back I reviewed Strawberry Vinegar and it was arguably the moment where I really, really started to sound alarm bells about the visual novel genre. It was probably one of my first introductions to the fiction that is, ostensibly for weirdos, by weirdos. I knew Ebi-Hime had written […]

Blackberry Honey – PS5 Review

March 1, 2022 in PS5 / Reviews tagged blackberry honey / ebi-hime / love story / narratively-driven / victorian housemaids / visual novel by Mike

Occasionally, adventure games catch my drift and The Song Out of Space seems right up my alley. Coming from Pixel Noire, the tale of extra-terrestrial interference, murders and Cold War tensions do tick a lot of my boxes. Unfortunately, it all seems rushed and doesn’t linger on the intrigue to […]

The Song Out of Space – PS5 Review

February 21, 2022 in PS5 / Reviews tagged aliens / cold war / fbi / narratively-driven / pixel noire / point and click adventure / the song out of space / visual novel by Mike

It’s another day in the visual novel dungeon for me and this might be the first time a direct sequel has landed in my queue. Kansei: The Second Turn HD is the middle chapter of Sakevisual’s Green Tea Line narrative. Following on from Jisei: The First Case HD, our nameless […]

Kansei: The Second Turn HD – PS5 Review

February 9, 2022 in PS5 / Reviews tagged green tea line / kansei the second turn hd / Murder mystery / narratively-driven / police procedural / sakevisual / visual novel by Mike

I do sometimes quiver in fear whenever a visual novel comes my way. Thankfully, Eternal Radiance is perhaps more JRPG than visual novel with a focus seemingly split between the two. Visualnoveler successfully kickstarted a PC release in 2020 and they’ve billed it as an action RPG first and foremost. […]

Eternal Radiance – PS4 Review

January 25, 2022 in PS4 / Reviews tagged action / combat / eternal radiance / jrpg / knights / quests / skill tree / visual novel / visualnoveler by Mike

If nothing else, visual novels are a way for me to get out of my comfort zone and see into other people’s lives. It’s a genre very much not for me but, over the years, it’s given me plenty to think about. A Year of Springs, developed by npckc is […]

A Year of Springs – PS5 Review

December 19, 2021 in PS5 / Reviews tagged a year of springs / baths / friendship / Lgbtq / love / narratively-driven / npckc / relationship / spa / visual novel by Mike

It’s the season for spooky tales and what better way to close out October than with a visual novel with some heavy supernatural leanings? Hermitage: Strange Case Files is a detective story that puts a heavy emphasis on the bizarre goings on. I feel the genre needs no excuses to […]

Hermitage: Strange Case Files – PS4 Review

October 30, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged arrowiz / hermitage strange case files / japan / lovecraft / monsters / mystery / narratively-driven / supernatural / visual novel by Mike

I’ve been aware of Corpse Party for many years now. It’s a pretty famous series in Japanese horror visual novels but I’ve never played it. I’m not a fan of visual novels in general but I have played games like Danganronpa and Virtue’s Last Reward in my own time. Is […]

Corpse Party (2021) – PS4 Review

October 28, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 16-bit / 2d / adventure / corpse party / gory / horror / japanese / school / visual novel by Gareth

One of the things I dread in this job is having very little to talk about. Shorter games do find their way to me but, for the most part, they’re manage to inspire discussion. Even visual novels, a genre loaded with brief experiences usually manages to provide enough ammo for […]

Takorita Meets Fries – PS5 Review

October 5, 2021 in PS5 / Reviews tagged adventure / branching narrative / chips for dinner / food / mermaid / mermen / merpeople / roseverte / takorita meets fries / visual novel by Mike

Another day, another visual novel. Not really a genre I gel with, I keep trying to find ones I’ll enjoy. I find them to really lack interactivity and the stories they tell aren’t especially deep or enthralling. Hopefully Cross the Moon will change that. Written by Patrick Rainville, it’s a […]

Cross the Moon – PS4 Review

June 30, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged conspiracy / cross the moon / Murder mystery / occult / patrick rainville / vampires / visual novel by Mike

Call it a hunch but I think I prefer visual novels that adapt a source that is somewhat well-known. Having reviewed Cinders in the past, I enjoyed that take on the Cinderella story. It also felt like a breath of fresh air from a genre more pre-occupied with telling the […]

A Little Lily Princess – PS4 Review

June 3, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged a little lily princess / boarding school / dating simulator / hanako games / narratively-driven / victorian / visual novel by Mike

I don’t know what I expect from visual novels any more. I keep wondering if I’m ever going to be given one that’s got more intrigue and a story that will actually grip me. I came into this genre well aware of the stereotypes and Angels with Scaly Wings hammers […]

Angels with Scaly Wings – PS4 Review

May 9, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged angels with scaly wings / crime / dating simulator / dragons / narratively-driven / radical phi / romance / sci fi / visual novel by Mike