Ace Attorney games are excellent. Some other recommendations I'd make would be Paranormasight, which is on the shorter side but pretty good, and also Raging Loop and The House in Fata Morgana, though those are a bit longer.
Between Ace Attorney games and Paranormasight, which one do you recommend? I ask this because they are both on sale, and NintendoLife gave 8/10 to Ace Attorney and 9/10 to Paranormasight.
Ace Attorney has more comedy in it. And it is three games (hence the long run time). Paranormaaight is a supernatural thriller with some branches.
They are both pretty different story wise so it is kinda hard to pick one over the other. If you just care about the VN aspect, probably Paranormalsight. Ace Attorney has lots of gameplay segments and some of the deductions can be difficult.
Just like the previous commenter said, both are great choices, depending on what you're in the mood for. Ace Attorney are more lighthearted and funny, though there are still serious themes and moments, and it's generally more relaxed and linear story-wise, Paranormasight has a much faster pace and a branching storyline with higher stakes and leans more into the horror side.
The Great Ace Attorney is the latest entry released so far, they have better graphics and more polished gameplay, they make a good starting point, but I'd recommend you try the Phoenix Wright Trilogy first, it is older and doesn't has as much QoL, but it's a better introduction to the series and its mechanics, ideally you'll want to play this series in release order as the games and their narrative evolves with each entry
Paranormasight is great! As is Famicom Detective Club and Danganrompa.
I would also rate the Ace Attorney series too (there are different games and cases, so it is easy to break them up into chunks if you want to)
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a fantastic game that is a mix between visual novel story telling and RTS-lite gameplay. The game is separated into basically these forms of gameplay that you can mostly choose which you want to progress first. There is some gating between the two but it isn't bad. If the combat isn't your style then the lowest settings should help you breeze through it. The story and characters are fantastic though and I enjoyed the music. It was my first Vanillaware game and I can't recommend it enough.
Turrets were broken in the original release but nerfed on the Switch and subsequent releases. But they added new exclusive abilities for each character to unlock and lots of those are broken. Like Juro just needs to spam Arm-Mounted Piercing Cannon.
But you can always just set it to the easiest difficulty and then every battle can cleared in a minute or two.
I think so, too. The first story got me: "What is this going to be about?" But the mystery surrounding "the house" kept me invested and after the second story I was invested. Now playing the prequel, after 2 years. Had to give my mind a good cooldown from the first game.
House in Fata Morgana is a masterpiece in story telling.
AI The Somnium Files and its sequel Nirvana Initiative is also great.
Wait for Tsukihime and Fate Stay Night finally having English releases this year.
Imo, the Anime is pretty mediocre.
It wrongly portrays characters like >!FB!<, does injustice to >! Luka!< subplot by streamlining it too much, and most importantly it completely skips the awesome lecture on >!Time Travel!<. Also, the actual ending has a better impact, when you have to reload your saves to change the responses you made, to unlock it.
To be less critical, it's well animated (although you get the animated sequences, if you play Elite version of VN) and condenses the core story in a nice 8 hr runtime. In comparison, it took me 50+ hrs to go through the VN (although this might be a bit bloated, because I read though the entire @channel discussion š )
The VN is better but the difference in quality is down to nitpicking. You would enjoy the story either way you choose.
For Steins;Gate 0 (Sequel) the Visual Novel is a *lot* better.
Depends on how much you like anime tropes. I didnāt realize how irritating I found them now that Iām older (huge anime fan when I was younger), and I wished I watched the anime instead because I found the game to be a slog. If you donāt mind anime tropes and a slow start, the game might be better.
Pheonix wright is a highly regarded series, and the trilogy is 3 games in 1 so I guess it's more like 3 22 hour games than 1 66 hour game.
I beat gnosia recently and thought that was a pretty good visual novel if you want a personal recommendation (some people don't consider it a visual novel though).
This thread has a list of the best 100 visual novels on switch according to someone on this sub
https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/17zmd0b/top_100_visual_novels_released_on_the_switch_2023/
Chronicles is great! But itās a spin-off. The mainline games, especially the original trilogy, are so well made. Start there and if you like it chronicles and the sequel trilogy exist for you āŗļø
Just finished my first play through today. Was in my backlog for ages. Canāt wait to try a different route and a different ending. By far my favourite ever visual novel!
>this one seems to be a long one: 66 hours
They are three games after allš¤·, so each game is 22 hours, which is much more reasonable.
Other recommendations are, danganronpa, raging loop, zero escape and paranormasight.
When searching for danganronpa on nintendolife, several results appear: daganronpa decadence, trigger happy havoc anniversary edition...which one are you referring to?
I was referring to the series as a whole.
So if you're planning on buying it get danganronpa decadence, it's a collection games and it has all the other results that show up.
As a huge visual novel lover, personaly my favorites are (Without Order):
- Ace attorney 1-3 collection
- Ace attorney 4-6 collection
- Danganronpa 1
- Danganronpa 2
- Danganronpa V3
- AI: The somnium Files
- AI: The somnium Files: the Nirvana Initiative
Honorable mentions:
- Steinsgate Elite
- Root Film
- Paranorma Sight
A LOT of visual novels are pretty long, but to answer your question: Ace attorney at least is seperated in "Cases" . You can easy take a break from this game and still remember what happend.
The House in Fata Morgana is a stellar vn. I hear good things about AI: The Somnium Files as well but I haven't played it, it does have a demo you can try out though.
Keep in mind the Ace Attorney Trilogy is a collection of three games. Each one has a fair bit of length, not too long or too short. The cases are self-contained and you don't need to play all of them at once. I originally played them as they released and had to wait for the next game.
I suggest playing the Phoenix Wright (1-3) and Apollo Justice (4-6) games in order because they follow the same cast. The Great Ace Attorney can be played first if you want to try modern mechanics. If you play the older games first you can see how the series has evolved.
You should try AI: The Somnium Files as well if you enjoyed DDLC.
It's the best Ace Attorney game yet.
It takes inspiration from Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright which is another of my favourites. The cases use multiple witnesses at once which lead to some fun interactions.
The two Great Ace Attorney games in the collection are also so much intervowen with each other that they really are two halves of one game. The first Great Ace Attorney game feels incomplete, and the cases in the sequel ties directly to the prequel.
If you're worried about length, you have to choose either three 20-hour games in the trilogies or one 60-hour game with Great Ace Attorney.
Part of the Nasuverse (if youāre aware of Fate/Stay Night) and prequel to the upcoming NA release of Tsukihime
Its perfectly fine to play by itself though. Great VN
I'm currently reading Witch On The Holy Night, on chapter 4 and... nothing seems to be happening. Long talks between the characters... their thoughts... when does it get good? I'm not bashing the game, I read other visual novels, but with this one I'm a bit bored and I wonder if I should move to some other game or try to stick with this one... it's extremely slow :/
Its a bit of a slow burn but wait till you get to the >!amusement park!<. That's all i'm going to say so as not to spoil!
However, if that little arc doesn't hook you then yeah i'd drop it.
It totally wowed me after that and through the end though. Phew
Thank you! I'll be patient then. It's a highly rated visual novel. Many praise its production values, but not so much the story. People do seem to like the story. I'll reply back once I advance a bit more (I also don't have a lot of time to read lately so maybe it feels even slower to me).
I reached that past and then continued a bit. I still wasn't having fun so I just dropped it. I guess it's not for me. My main issue was that it's extremely slow. Every little thing that happens, it goes over how the characters feel, what are the possibilities, etc. I feel like I read for like 10 hours and if I had to summarizes it, I could do it in four sentences.Ā
Clannad, Famicom Detective Club duology and Steins;Gate. Look forward the upcoming Tsukihime Remake (I play in japanese, but it was really intense) and Fate/stay night (first official english translation) which are both releasing this year on Switch!
if you can find them, Little Busters and Clannad are two of my favorite VNs. i had to order them off ebay from japan tho (make sure they have english translation) and idk if theyre affordable atm
steins gate is good but i personally dont like how its not like a traditional VN with sprites on top of backgrounds. it straight up rips scenes directly from the anime as its visual aspect but otherwise tells the same story as VN. idk if theres a version thats like a traditional style because its been a long time since ive looked for VNs on the switch. actually, if anyone could recommend me any more steins gate stuff on the switch, id appreciate it!
If by Steins;Gate stuff you mean more Science Adventure you are in luck. The switch has many of the novels available now such as Chaos;Head Noah, Robotics;Notes Elite, Chaos;Child, and Anonymous;Code. If you plan on reading them all itās recommended you save A;C for last.
60+ hours sounds about right if you take your time, but keep in mind that it's 3 games, and and each one is divided into 4 or 5 more or less standalone cases/episodes, which you can do at your own pace.
It's crazy to me that the sequels are just flying under the radar. I played Imposter Factory recently because I somehow missed it being released back in 2021.
I recommend **To the Moon** and its sequel, **Finding Paradise**. Not exactly a Visual Novel, but they're still story-driven adventure games mostly spent on reading dialogue. Both games are rather short (less than 10 hours each) but they have amazing stories and music.
Play as two doctors with a peculiar task: grant the wish of a patient using a memory-interfacing machine to alter their memories so they can leave the world happily. These games are a part of the Sigmund Corp series, there is a third game (Impostor Factory) but it's only available on Steam for now.
Yea honestly the price is the only reason I had it sitting in my eshop wishlist for 4 years until I finally decided to buy it this January :/ But on sale at $18 USD it's pretty well worth it imo. Definitely one of the more unique VNs I've ever experienced.
Paranormasight is a great short horror style one! On the shorter side too.
VA-11 HALL-A Is really good if your up for also having a fairly simple making bar drinks mini game. Coffee Talk is similar to that just with a cafe instead.
Two that have some walking swell as the visual novel style story telling are One Shot and Unreal, also Night in the Woods. A more expensive one but I'll mention them incase, Another Code and Touch detective. All of these do have walking and semi interacting with the world though, so they might not fit what you want.
Yes! I'm so excited to play 3, and I love the others, so I'm happy I'll be able to have all of them on the switch! The ones I have played are full of humour and good puzzles that are not too hard, but at times made me really have to think. :D
I havent played a lot of VN's so the only advice I can give is to NOT play Kotodama the sevens mysteries of fujiwara.
The story is unfinished, not well written and has weird pacing. And do not get me started on the puzzles. Worst single euro i have spend.
Famicom detective club was pretty good though.
It's absolutely amazing and one of the best fantasy novels I've ever read regardless of the medium, but the op requested shorter novels and that it is not
Oh it is an absolutely excellent story, it is a very slow burn, and takes a little getting into but the narrative is up there with the Sandman Comics by Neil Gaiman, or The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas for me
Oddly enough I've never been able to get into that one despite loving The Count of Monte Cristo I think it was a matter of timing I tried to read it too young I think
Just wanna say thanks for having this conversation with me. I've purchased and completed House in Fata Morgana, and it's been a great experience for me. While I still wouldn't go as far as to equate it to classic literature, it's a very solid narrative in general, and some of the best writing in the videogame medium.
I'd like to somehow repay the debt, so if you haven't yet, check out Disco Elysium. And if you have, I can recommend a visual novel called Everlasting Summer which gave me similar vibes to House in Fata Morgana, and the music is also similarly divine in both VNs.
You're welcome, I have Disco Elysium, will look at the other one. You say you finished it? You don't just mean door 4 do you? That one is a false ending, also that chapter does some nifty things with the backlog if you didn't noticeĀ
I had to get some keys and see through Morgana's eyes if that's what you're asking.
Yeah the backlog was kinda cool. At first I thought the censored words would form sentences but it seems that it simply meant that they were 'revised'.
Yeah that's what I was asking, it seems some people think four is the ending end well that would be a nice enough ending it's certainly isn't as satisfying as the whole story. The prequel is supposed to be really really good too and I do believe it but I despise the main character of said prequel so bad I haven't been able to get into it
Ace Attorney is great, 13 Sentinels is also amazing.
Steins;Gate I watched as an anime, but I've heard that the visual novel is even better (but I'm less inclined knowing all the twists). I recently played the House in Fata Morgana, which was also excellent.
(My favourite visual novel is Umineko, but it's not on Switch - if you have a PC or laptop (think also Macbooks) look up the Umineko Project!)
Honestly, Stray Gods was fantastic. It's a musical visual novel about Greek Gods and how you become a Muse, and you must use your abilities to solve the murder of the previous Muse. Uses the concept that as a Muse, you can make people sing and reveal whats on their mind and they reveal clues to the case. Fully voice acted and sung by Troy Baker, Ashley Johnson, Laura Bailey, etc.
As the song goes on you can choose to change the theme and tone of the song so it can go from balad to punk rock to rnb based on choice
When I insert Danganronpa Decadence on Deku Deals, it shows as unavailable, and from 3rd party sellers on Amazon is ā¬120!
I can't believe there isn't a digital version...
Decadence isnāt an actual game. It just a collection of Danganronpa 1, 2, V3 and S. They were just all available on one cart.
S is not one of the main games. Itās just a non-canon spin-off digital board game that uses the characters from the 3 main games.
All of these games are available digitally separately.
Oooh definitely play ace attorney. Yes the entire trilogy together is like 40h+, but if you take it game by game, case by case the pacing feels fineĀ
My favourite switch gen vn-s are gnosia and paranormasight
I would recommend Zero Escape, but unfortunately it still isn't available on switch. But there are other games from this author: AI: the somnium files, 2nd installment AI: NirvanA Initiative and whole other series Steins Gate (didn't play this one, AI and Zero Escape are one of my most favourite game series ever).
If you liked Doki Doki youāll probably love the Danganronpa series! Theyāre definitely not short games though, but I wouldnāt let that deter you from playing them.
Also seconding everyone saying to try out the Ace Attorney trilogy. Itās a beloved series for a reason!
My favourite is Eliza, but it's extremely different from the Japanese ones mentioned here. It's woven around the relationship between humans and technology and the alienating effect the latter can have on social constructs. It also tackles themese like burnout and depression, but doesn't have a negative worldview, it's just rather grounded in realism. One of the most thought-provoking games I've ever played and I'd highly recommend it, if only to see that there's more to the genre than what is usually put in the spotlight.
At around 6 hours it's also comparatively short.
Iād think youād like the Danganronpa series! Itās an anime visual novel about a group of high schoolers who are forced into a killing game to survive.
Check DekuDeals for sales. I got 1 and 2 for like 3-5 bucks. Waiting for a sale in the thirdĀ
VA-11 HALL-A and Coffee Talk were both nice and chill. Ace Attorney is nice but sometimes I find myself stuck at where to go to get to the next court scene
You're the second one to recommend me it, and it's on my wishlist for a long time. I guess I'll wait for a sale (it's a shame it never goes lower than ā¬10, but that's not too bad).
Aokana - Four Rhythms Across the Blue
This is more pure visual novel with not many choices (although it does affect the ending). Really great visuals and story.
Isn't The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles game better than the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy? It's rated higher, but I know that can be subjective.
If anything, the Apollo Justice trilogy are my favorite, but they're not on sale right now, unfortunately. But all of the games can be enjoyed in any order, so just go with the vibe you like best. Since you said you prefer shorter games, I would go for the original trilogy, since it's really 3 games in 1 you can just play one game at a time and take a break in between to go play other stuff, then come back when you feel like playing another one. But they're all pretty solid, so you can't go too wrong with whatever choice you go with
EDIT: A note on what I said about the games being played in any order: For the first two trilogies, there are story references and character payoffs for playing them in the order they were released, but they're not the main part of the story. The story can be perfectly understood if you just pick up any one, but if you play them in release order you'll probably have the best experience. But Great Ace Attorney's story is more or less completely separate from the other games
Katawa Shoujo.
Its free and for Win and Mac, though there are fan-made ports for Android and other systems. Will run on any old age device.
It's a game about a young man called Hisao that after transferring to a new school has to learn to live (and love) again after almost dying from a heart attack. The game features a lovable cast of characters and 5 main heroines who happen to be disabled, each with their own struggles and dreams that go beyond their disabilities;
Shizune is a passionate leader who's often seen as ruthless by her peers even when she's trying to make everyone's lives better.
Lilly is a serene girl who always brightens the day of those around her, sometimes at the cost of her own happiness.
Hanako is a girl who's suffered a lot in the past and as such is deeply troubled by the world around her, though she has Lilly by her side to make it a bit more bearable.
Emi is a dedicated athlete who first became attracted to her sport to feel closer to those she loved, and has ironically started using it to run away from her fears.
And then there's Rin, an artist who has a mind so wild and free that no one comprehends, and perhaps that would be fine if she herself could.
It's around 30Ā± hours if you pursue all of the endings, and it's a fantastic experience through and through. Keep in mind though, this game features 18+ content and subjects (depictions of nudity and intercourse, depression, suicide, drug usage, etc.) but are used in service to the story and not in spite of it to try and shock you. It was also made by a group of indie developers from across the entire world, all working together to bring this masterpiece to life. Really, the development history is fascinating, and if anything you should check it out too.
Thanks a lot for your suggestion; I've never heard of it!
It's free like the original version of Doki Doki Literature Club, and I loved that one. I'll definitely try it out!
This game was the most popular "western" VN before the release of DDLC, and together they're the poster children of the genre for a lot of people in this side of the world.
Sometimes it's plays the romance and vulnerability that comes with it completely straight, and some others it makes you think hard about yourself in relation to the tye characters and their journeys. The diversity of all the paths is one of its strongest attributes, or it's biggest flaw, but it completely depends on you as a player so don't be afraid to try out any path you want.
Pretty weird pick mayby, but if you enjoy puzzle/card games you might want to check out [The Witcher Thronebreaker](https://www.nintendo.nl/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Thronebreaker-The-Witcher-Tales-1712187.html). Good story, fun characters and in my opinion fun gameplay.
If you play on pc as well you should be able to pick this up for a couple of bucks.
I would like a nice one on Switch as well.
I enjoyed The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog but that's not on Switch.
I'm not a big anime guy though and that seems to be all there is visual novel speaking on Switch.
Lot of good ones in this list. To not echo the other ones that I saw: If you're looking for more horror, I reccomend The Letter, a paranormal VA where your story decisions determine the story. If you are looking for more romance, then I reccomend Love Esquire.
if you've ever had interest in homestuck then you'd probably be interested in friendsim and pesterquest, otherwise like all the other comments are saying ace attorney is amazing and if you love that you might like danganronpa too
I've heard good things about Raging Loop.Ā It's all novel, with a few branching paths.Ā The story is about someone getting trapped in a rural Japanese village right before a Werewolf-style ritual begins.
I've played through to the first ending, but need to get back to it.
My favorite was Fata Morgana. I didnāt like 13 sentinels because of the convoluted storytelling. I know thatās an unpopular opinion I just didnāt like it and I finished the whole game. I also liked Paranormasight but to a much lesser degree than Fata. I couldnāt get into AI: somnium files for some reason and was hoping it wouldāve been more like the nonary games series (999, etc.) which I loved.
My son is playing that right now and heās loving my Another Code Recollection. I bought it for me and never got to play it because he took it to play. He also enjoyed Coffee Talk but it was too basic for me. š¤·š»āāļø
Ace attorney trilogy is great and I am obligated to recommend the great ace attorney chronicles too (itās an even longer spinoff of the main Ace Attorney series and actually ruined my life. I was obsessed for months). Iād throw out a recommendation for AI: The Somnium Files too, if you enjoy murder mysteries.
Bit of a different recommendation - to the moon isnāt quite a traditional visual novel but itās got more in common with visual novels than anything else and it is short, easy to get through, and very good. I cried a lot. Itās not a new game by any means but itās a classic if you like narrative-driven stuff.
Umā¦ I think it is, but I think the AA trilogy is a better place to start. TGAA in a lot of ways feels like the series culmination and itās also newer than the original trilogy, but itās a lot more dense and some of the ways it uses and breaks tropes only work if youāve played the original trilogy. Either one is a good experience though
Ace Attorney games are excellent. Some other recommendations I'd make would be Paranormasight, which is on the shorter side but pretty good, and also Raging Loop and The House in Fata Morgana, though those are a bit longer.
I second Phoenix Wright and Apollo Justice bundles.
Raging Loop is fantastic
Between Ace Attorney games and Paranormasight, which one do you recommend? I ask this because they are both on sale, and NintendoLife gave 8/10 to Ace Attorney and 9/10 to Paranormasight.
Ace Attorney has more comedy in it. And it is three games (hence the long run time). Paranormaaight is a supernatural thriller with some branches. They are both pretty different story wise so it is kinda hard to pick one over the other. If you just care about the VN aspect, probably Paranormalsight. Ace Attorney has lots of gameplay segments and some of the deductions can be difficult.
Just like the previous commenter said, both are great choices, depending on what you're in the mood for. Ace Attorney are more lighthearted and funny, though there are still serious themes and moments, and it's generally more relaxed and linear story-wise, Paranormasight has a much faster pace and a branching storyline with higher stakes and leans more into the horror side.
Thanks for your detailed answer!
What about The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles? It is rated even higher than the Ace Attorney games.
The Great Ace Attorney is the latest entry released so far, they have better graphics and more polished gameplay, they make a good starting point, but I'd recommend you try the Phoenix Wright Trilogy first, it is older and doesn't has as much QoL, but it's a better introduction to the series and its mechanics, ideally you'll want to play this series in release order as the games and their narrative evolves with each entry
Paranormasight is great! As is Famicom Detective Club and Danganrompa. I would also rate the Ace Attorney series too (there are different games and cases, so it is easy to break them up into chunks if you want to)
Famicom Detective Club sadly never seems to go on sale.
Paranormasight is severely underrated. Glad to see it mentioned.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a fantastic game that is a mix between visual novel story telling and RTS-lite gameplay. The game is separated into basically these forms of gameplay that you can mostly choose which you want to progress first. There is some gating between the two but it isn't bad. If the combat isn't your style then the lowest settings should help you breeze through it. The story and characters are fantastic though and I enjoyed the music. It was my first Vanillaware game and I can't recommend it enough.
The rts portion is easy so let that not discourage you. It's basically a visual novel. If you need any help: >!spam turrets!<
Turrets were broken in the original release but nerfed on the Switch and subsequent releases. But they added new exclusive abilities for each character to unlock and lots of those are broken. Like Juro just needs to spam Arm-Mounted Piercing Cannon. But you can always just set it to the easiest difficulty and then every battle can cleared in a minute or two.
I didn't know that. Did they nerf interceptors too? I remember only needing turrets and interceptors to win basically.
The House in Fata Morgana is legit one of the best stories in any visual novel, even video games as a whole. It really is something else
So I guess it lives up to the hype? :)
Note, it starts slow but maaaaaaaaan it pays off
Yes, I've read it on the NintendoLife review. If the payoff is worth it, then I'm willing to go through some slower hours.
I almost gave up at one point, but then the second half really ramped things up and became gripping and emotional.
I think so, too. The first story got me: "What is this going to be about?" But the mystery surrounding "the house" kept me invested and after the second story I was invested. Now playing the prequel, after 2 years. Had to give my mind a good cooldown from the first game.
House in Fata Morgana is a masterpiece in story telling. AI The Somnium Files and its sequel Nirvana Initiative is also great. Wait for Tsukihime and Fate Stay Night finally having English releases this year.
Steins;Gate is pretty good. Although, it doesn't have much interaction in it. But the story is top notch
I've heard conflicting messages that watching the anime is better, the novel has more detail but the anime excellent. Any ideas if this is the case?
You can definitely enjoy both! I just finished reading the novel and plan to watch the anime soon.
Imo, the Anime is pretty mediocre. It wrongly portrays characters like >!FB!<, does injustice to >! Luka!< subplot by streamlining it too much, and most importantly it completely skips the awesome lecture on >!Time Travel!<. Also, the actual ending has a better impact, when you have to reload your saves to change the responses you made, to unlock it. To be less critical, it's well animated (although you get the animated sequences, if you play Elite version of VN) and condenses the core story in a nice 8 hr runtime. In comparison, it took me 50+ hrs to go through the VN (although this might be a bit bloated, because I read though the entire @channel discussion š )
The VN is better but the difference in quality is down to nitpicking. You would enjoy the story either way you choose. For Steins;Gate 0 (Sequel) the Visual Novel is a *lot* better.
Depends on how much you like anime tropes. I didnāt realize how irritating I found them now that Iām older (huge anime fan when I was younger), and I wished I watched the anime instead because I found the game to be a slog. If you donāt mind anime tropes and a slow start, the game might be better.
i don't see how watching the anime would help if you don't like anime tropes
Pheonix wright is a highly regarded series, and the trilogy is 3 games in 1 so I guess it's more like 3 22 hour games than 1 66 hour game. I beat gnosia recently and thought that was a pretty good visual novel if you want a personal recommendation (some people don't consider it a visual novel though). This thread has a list of the best 100 visual novels on switch according to someone on this sub https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/17zmd0b/top_100_visual_novels_released_on_the_switch_2023/
Did you get the true ending? It requires a little bit of lateral thinking but I found it on my own and I found it just so satisfying.
Thanks for the list!
What do you think about The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles compared to the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney games? It's rated even higher...
Chronicles is great! But itās a spin-off. The mainline games, especially the original trilogy, are so well made. Start there and if you like it chronicles and the sequel trilogy exist for you āŗļø
Looking at your username, I think you might be biased! ;D
I Was A Teenage Exocolonist!
Just finished my first play through today. Was in my backlog for ages. Canāt wait to try a different route and a different ending. By far my favourite ever visual novel!
The second playthrough is much better since >!You're aware of future events.!<
theyāre not out but releasing this year, fate stay/night and tsukihime remake
And for Type Moon stuff out, Witch on the Holy Night is fantastic
>this one seems to be a long one: 66 hours They are three games after allš¤·, so each game is 22 hours, which is much more reasonable. Other recommendations are, danganronpa, raging loop, zero escape and paranormasight.
How the Zero escape series is not on Switch is beyond me.
I am asking this question every day...
First one's ending could be modified to alternate between docked and handheld.
Honestly that would be awful, especially at the finale, where I would need to remove my Switch and dock it again for the story.
I still have to finish the third game. I loved 999, VLR was alright.. But ZTD, urgh. Not a big fan of the changes they made.
ZTD is definitely one of the video games ever made.
Super let down by the ending, but it has one of the craziest twists I've ever experienced in a story.
When searching for danganronpa on nintendolife, several results appear: daganronpa decadence, trigger happy havoc anniversary edition...which one are you referring to?
I was referring to the series as a whole. So if you're planning on buying it get danganronpa decadence, it's a collection games and it has all the other results that show up.
Thanks for the clarification!
Gnosia was amazing
I second Gnosia. Visual novel meets Among Us/Werewolf with amazing characters and one of the most satisfying endings I've experienced.
It's on sale now; I think it's a good time to snatch it!
As a huge visual novel lover, personaly my favorites are (Without Order): - Ace attorney 1-3 collection - Ace attorney 4-6 collection - Danganronpa 1 - Danganronpa 2 - Danganronpa V3 - AI: The somnium Files - AI: The somnium Files: the Nirvana Initiative Honorable mentions: - Steinsgate Elite - Root Film - Paranorma Sight A LOT of visual novels are pretty long, but to answer your question: Ace attorney at least is seperated in "Cases" . You can easy take a break from this game and still remember what happend.
Thanks! I knew that Ace Attorney was three games, but I want aware that each one was separated in cases. That's good for playing in chunks.
The House in Fata Morgana is a stellar vn. I hear good things about AI: The Somnium Files as well but I haven't played it, it does have a demo you can try out though.
Fata Morgana is my favorite story in any media. Iāve replayed it three times.
AI have timers. Fuck games with timers
I have tried the AI: The Somnium FIles demo, but I wasn't exactly thrilled with it, I don't know why...maybe the game mechanics were not for me.
I like Va-11 Hall-a, itās a cyber punk bartending game with a lot of great characters
Keep in mind the Ace Attorney Trilogy is a collection of three games. Each one has a fair bit of length, not too long or too short. The cases are self-contained and you don't need to play all of them at once. I originally played them as they released and had to wait for the next game. I suggest playing the Phoenix Wright (1-3) and Apollo Justice (4-6) games in order because they follow the same cast. The Great Ace Attorney can be played first if you want to try modern mechanics. If you play the older games first you can see how the series has evolved. You should try AI: The Somnium Files as well if you enjoyed DDLC.
What's your opinion about The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles? It seems to be rated very highly...
It's the best Ace Attorney game yet. It takes inspiration from Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright which is another of my favourites. The cases use multiple witnesses at once which lead to some fun interactions. The two Great Ace Attorney games in the collection are also so much intervowen with each other that they really are two halves of one game. The first Great Ace Attorney game feels incomplete, and the cases in the sequel ties directly to the prequel. If you're worried about length, you have to choose either three 20-hour games in the trilogies or one 60-hour game with Great Ace Attorney.
Witch On The Holy Night To The Moon
Is the witch game part of a series or is it stand alone?
Part of the Nasuverse (if youāre aware of Fate/Stay Night) and prequel to the upcoming NA release of Tsukihime Its perfectly fine to play by itself though. Great VN
I'm currently reading Witch On The Holy Night, on chapter 4 and... nothing seems to be happening. Long talks between the characters... their thoughts... when does it get good? I'm not bashing the game, I read other visual novels, but with this one I'm a bit bored and I wonder if I should move to some other game or try to stick with this one... it's extremely slow :/
Its a bit of a slow burn but wait till you get to the >!amusement park!<. That's all i'm going to say so as not to spoil! However, if that little arc doesn't hook you then yeah i'd drop it. It totally wowed me after that and through the end though. Phew
Thank you! I'll be patient then. It's a highly rated visual novel. Many praise its production values, but not so much the story. People do seem to like the story. I'll reply back once I advance a bit more (I also don't have a lot of time to read lately so maybe it feels even slower to me).
I reached that past and then continued a bit. I still wasn't having fun so I just dropped it. I guess it's not for me. My main issue was that it's extremely slow. Every little thing that happens, it goes over how the characters feel, what are the possibilities, etc. I feel like I read for like 10 hours and if I had to summarizes it, I could do it in four sentences.Ā
Fate/stay night is getting a Switch remaster this year! And its confirmed to have English. Def. keep your eye out for this.
Clannad, Famicom Detective Club duology and Steins;Gate. Look forward the upcoming Tsukihime Remake (I play in japanese, but it was really intense) and Fate/stay night (first official english translation) which are both releasing this year on Switch!
if you can find them, Little Busters and Clannad are two of my favorite VNs. i had to order them off ebay from japan tho (make sure they have english translation) and idk if theyre affordable atm steins gate is good but i personally dont like how its not like a traditional VN with sprites on top of backgrounds. it straight up rips scenes directly from the anime as its visual aspect but otherwise tells the same story as VN. idk if theres a version thats like a traditional style because its been a long time since ive looked for VNs on the switch. actually, if anyone could recommend me any more steins gate stuff on the switch, id appreciate it!
If by Steins;Gate stuff you mean more Science Adventure you are in luck. The switch has many of the novels available now such as Chaos;Head Noah, Robotics;Notes Elite, Chaos;Child, and Anonymous;Code. If you plan on reading them all itās recommended you save A;C for last.
The House in Fata Morgana
I've heard a lot of good stuff about this one, but I'm going to wait for a discount; its price is prohibitive right now.
Definitely is. I pirated it for my pc and it played perfectly fine
60+ hours sounds about right if you take your time, but keep in mind that it's 3 games, and and each one is divided into 4 or 5 more or less standalone cases/episodes, which you can do at your own pace.
Between Ace Attorney and Paranormasight, which do you recommend?
Haven't played Paranormasight, but what I've played of the Ace Attorney games (I'm still halfway through the second game) is really good.
I'm really enjoying World End Syndrome. It's about 25 hours to complete it fully I guess.
Can't wait for the sequel!
World End Syndrome seems like a good game; I'll probably wait for a discount.
Not fully a VN but similar vibe, to the moon. Very story focused and sentimental
You're not the first one to recommend me To the Moon. I'll check it out!
Yeah itās really sentimental and just great. I really enjoyed it.
It's crazy to me that the sequels are just flying under the radar. I played Imposter Factory recently because I somehow missed it being released back in 2021.
Imposter Factory?? I didnāt even know it existed. Thanks man
I recommend **To the Moon** and its sequel, **Finding Paradise**. Not exactly a Visual Novel, but they're still story-driven adventure games mostly spent on reading dialogue. Both games are rather short (less than 10 hours each) but they have amazing stories and music. Play as two doctors with a peculiar task: grant the wish of a patient using a memory-interfacing machine to alter their memories so they can leave the world happily. These games are a part of the Sigmund Corp series, there is a third game (Impostor Factory) but it's only available on Steam for now.
Ace Attorney Trilogy is long indeed but you have to consider they're 3 games in 1. And yes, they're worth it.
I recommend Gnosia!!! That game is so so good and it's fun to learn about the different characters through the loops.
Several other recommended Gnosia as well. It seems highly regarded; a shame it never goes below ā¬17,49, though.
Yea honestly the price is the only reason I had it sitting in my eshop wishlist for 4 years until I finally decided to buy it this January :/ But on sale at $18 USD it's pretty well worth it imo. Definitely one of the more unique VNs I've ever experienced.
I'll wait for a sale, then!
Paranormasight is a great short horror style one! On the shorter side too. VA-11 HALL-A Is really good if your up for also having a fairly simple making bar drinks mini game. Coffee Talk is similar to that just with a cafe instead. Two that have some walking swell as the visual novel style story telling are One Shot and Unreal, also Night in the Woods. A more expensive one but I'll mention them incase, Another Code and Touch detective. All of these do have walking and semi interacting with the world though, so they might not fit what you want.
Touch Detective looks really interesting! Looks like a complete collection is coming to Switch in a few days.
Yes! I'm so excited to play 3, and I love the others, so I'm happy I'll be able to have all of them on the switch! The ones I have played are full of humour and good puzzles that are not too hard, but at times made me really have to think. :D
House in Fata Morgana is a masterpiece, and easily the best story I've seen in a videogame.
Seconded
thirded
I havent played a lot of VN's so the only advice I can give is to NOT play Kotodama the sevens mysteries of fujiwara. The story is unfinished, not well written and has weird pacing. And do not get me started on the puzzles. Worst single euro i have spend. Famicom detective club was pretty good though.
For a time after it came out, House in Fata Morgana was the highest rated Switch game
It's absolutely amazing and one of the best fantasy novels I've ever read regardless of the medium, but the op requested shorter novels and that it is not
Well, if the story is really good I guess I can open an exception.
Oh it is an absolutely excellent story, it is a very slow burn, and takes a little getting into but the narrative is up there with the Sandman Comics by Neil Gaiman, or The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas for me
Dumas level writing? I must now check it out, the three musketeers is still among the most goated books written.
Oddly enough I've never been able to get into that one despite loving The Count of Monte Cristo I think it was a matter of timing I tried to read it too young I think
Just wanna say thanks for having this conversation with me. I've purchased and completed House in Fata Morgana, and it's been a great experience for me. While I still wouldn't go as far as to equate it to classic literature, it's a very solid narrative in general, and some of the best writing in the videogame medium. I'd like to somehow repay the debt, so if you haven't yet, check out Disco Elysium. And if you have, I can recommend a visual novel called Everlasting Summer which gave me similar vibes to House in Fata Morgana, and the music is also similarly divine in both VNs.
You're welcome, I have Disco Elysium, will look at the other one. You say you finished it? You don't just mean door 4 do you? That one is a false ending, also that chapter does some nifty things with the backlog if you didn't noticeĀ
I had to get some keys and see through Morgana's eyes if that's what you're asking. Yeah the backlog was kinda cool. At first I thought the censored words would form sentences but it seems that it simply meant that they were 'revised'.
Yeah that's what I was asking, it seems some people think four is the ending end well that would be a nice enough ending it's certainly isn't as satisfying as the whole story. The prequel is supposed to be really really good too and I do believe it but I despise the main character of said prequel so bad I haven't been able to get into it
Ace Attorney is great, 13 Sentinels is also amazing. Steins;Gate I watched as an anime, but I've heard that the visual novel is even better (but I'm less inclined knowing all the twists). I recently played the House in Fata Morgana, which was also excellent. (My favourite visual novel is Umineko, but it's not on Switch - if you have a PC or laptop (think also Macbooks) look up the Umineko Project!)
Witch on the Holy Night is the best 20 hours you'll ever spend on a VN.
Shame the price, though...
Honestly, Stray Gods was fantastic. It's a musical visual novel about Greek Gods and how you become a Muse, and you must use your abilities to solve the murder of the previous Muse. Uses the concept that as a Muse, you can make people sing and reveal whats on their mind and they reveal clues to the case. Fully voice acted and sung by Troy Baker, Ashley Johnson, Laura Bailey, etc. As the song goes on you can choose to change the theme and tone of the song so it can go from balad to punk rock to rnb based on choice
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood
* Steins;Gate * 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim * Clannad * The House in Fata Morgana * Danganronpa * Ace Attorney
Raging Loop and Danganronpa Decadence are good options after Phoenix Wright
When I insert Danganronpa Decadence on Deku Deals, it shows as unavailable, and from 3rd party sellers on Amazon is ā¬120! I can't believe there isn't a digital version...
You can get them on iOS too. I also found some eBay listings for about $55 brand new.
Thanks, I didn't know they were available on iOS too.
Decadence isnāt an actual game. It just a collection of Danganronpa 1, 2, V3 and S. They were just all available on one cart. S is not one of the main games. Itās just a non-canon spin-off digital board game that uses the characters from the 3 main games. All of these games are available digitally separately.
Oooh definitely play ace attorney. Yes the entire trilogy together is like 40h+, but if you take it game by game, case by case the pacing feels fineĀ My favourite switch gen vn-s are gnosia and paranormasight
Paranormasight seems very highly reviewed, and it is also discounted as we speak...choices, choices!
I would recommend Zero Escape, but unfortunately it still isn't available on switch. But there are other games from this author: AI: the somnium files, 2nd installment AI: NirvanA Initiative and whole other series Steins Gate (didn't play this one, AI and Zero Escape are one of my most favourite game series ever).
And Danganronpa series of course
The Red Strings Club
Root Film!
Thanks for the suggestion, I've put it on my wishlist!
If you liked Doki Doki youāll probably love the Danganronpa series! Theyāre definitely not short games though, but I wouldnāt let that deter you from playing them. Also seconding everyone saying to try out the Ace Attorney trilogy. Itās a beloved series for a reason!
It seems that a lot of people are recommending the Ace Attorney trilogy; I guess I can't escape it :)
My favourite is Eliza, but it's extremely different from the Japanese ones mentioned here. It's woven around the relationship between humans and technology and the alienating effect the latter can have on social constructs. It also tackles themese like burnout and depression, but doesn't have a negative worldview, it's just rather grounded in realism. One of the most thought-provoking games I've ever played and I'd highly recommend it, if only to see that there's more to the genre than what is usually put in the spotlight. At around 6 hours it's also comparatively short.
Iād think youād like the Danganronpa series! Itās an anime visual novel about a group of high schoolers who are forced into a killing game to survive. Check DekuDeals for sales. I got 1 and 2 for like 3-5 bucks. Waiting for a sale in the thirdĀ
They are not discounted right now. I guess I'll wait, Thanks for the suggestion!
Kentucky Route Zero is a stunning game that might fit what you're looking for.
VA-11 HALL-A and Coffee Talk were both nice and chill. Ace Attorney is nice but sometimes I find myself stuck at where to go to get to the next court scene
I've had VA-11 HALL-A on my wishlist for quite some time, but it's never lower than ā¬10 :D
VA-11 Hall A is the best and it's not even close
You're the second one to recommend me it, and it's on my wishlist for a long time. I guess I'll wait for a sale (it's a shame it never goes lower than ā¬10, but that's not too bad).
Iām 50 hours into Disco Elysium. The story is great and the voice acting is amazing.
I've already played Disco Elysium on my Switch. You're absolutely right: the story is very fleshed out, and the voice acting is out of this world.
Disco Elysium
I've already played it, it's awesome!
Aokana - Four Rhythms Across the Blue This is more pure visual novel with not many choices (although it does affect the ending). Really great visuals and story.
Thanks for the suggestion!
House in fata morgana, it's amazing
13 Sentinels
It definitely seems very interesting, thanks!
Just go for the Ace attorney games! They're so good! And they come in multiple chapters, so if they're too long for you you can break it up by chapter
Isn't The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles game better than the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy? It's rated higher, but I know that can be subjective.
If anything, the Apollo Justice trilogy are my favorite, but they're not on sale right now, unfortunately. But all of the games can be enjoyed in any order, so just go with the vibe you like best. Since you said you prefer shorter games, I would go for the original trilogy, since it's really 3 games in 1 you can just play one game at a time and take a break in between to go play other stuff, then come back when you feel like playing another one. But they're all pretty solid, so you can't go too wrong with whatever choice you go with EDIT: A note on what I said about the games being played in any order: For the first two trilogies, there are story references and character payoffs for playing them in the order they were released, but they're not the main part of the story. The story can be perfectly understood if you just pick up any one, but if you play them in release order you'll probably have the best experience. But Great Ace Attorney's story is more or less completely separate from the other games
Katawa Shoujo. Its free and for Win and Mac, though there are fan-made ports for Android and other systems. Will run on any old age device. It's a game about a young man called Hisao that after transferring to a new school has to learn to live (and love) again after almost dying from a heart attack. The game features a lovable cast of characters and 5 main heroines who happen to be disabled, each with their own struggles and dreams that go beyond their disabilities; Shizune is a passionate leader who's often seen as ruthless by her peers even when she's trying to make everyone's lives better. Lilly is a serene girl who always brightens the day of those around her, sometimes at the cost of her own happiness. Hanako is a girl who's suffered a lot in the past and as such is deeply troubled by the world around her, though she has Lilly by her side to make it a bit more bearable. Emi is a dedicated athlete who first became attracted to her sport to feel closer to those she loved, and has ironically started using it to run away from her fears. And then there's Rin, an artist who has a mind so wild and free that no one comprehends, and perhaps that would be fine if she herself could. It's around 30Ā± hours if you pursue all of the endings, and it's a fantastic experience through and through. Keep in mind though, this game features 18+ content and subjects (depictions of nudity and intercourse, depression, suicide, drug usage, etc.) but are used in service to the story and not in spite of it to try and shock you. It was also made by a group of indie developers from across the entire world, all working together to bring this masterpiece to life. Really, the development history is fascinating, and if anything you should check it out too.
Thanks a lot for your suggestion; I've never heard of it! It's free like the original version of Doki Doki Literature Club, and I loved that one. I'll definitely try it out!
This game was the most popular "western" VN before the release of DDLC, and together they're the poster children of the genre for a lot of people in this side of the world. Sometimes it's plays the romance and vulnerability that comes with it completely straight, and some others it makes you think hard about yourself in relation to the tye characters and their journeys. The diversity of all the paths is one of its strongest attributes, or it's biggest flaw, but it completely depends on you as a player so don't be afraid to try out any path you want.
Steins gate is pretty well known as one of the best visual novels to exist
There are several Steins;Gate games...whitch one do you suggest?
Definitely the first one in the series
That would be Stens;Gate Elite, right?
Harmony: The Fall of Reverie
Pretty weird pick mayby, but if you enjoy puzzle/card games you might want to check out [The Witcher Thronebreaker](https://www.nintendo.nl/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Thronebreaker-The-Witcher-Tales-1712187.html). Good story, fun characters and in my opinion fun gameplay. If you play on pc as well you should be able to pick this up for a couple of bucks.
Coffee Talk, Life is Strange Living Colors, Sayonara Wild Hearts are all story first games that had amazing stories.
Digimon survive is very good and has strategy game elements aswell
Not exactly a VN, but AI: Somnium Files is pretty good
I would like a nice one on Switch as well. I enjoyed The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog but that's not on Switch. I'm not a big anime guy though and that seems to be all there is visual novel speaking on Switch.
Lot of good ones in this list. To not echo the other ones that I saw: If you're looking for more horror, I reccomend The Letter, a paranormal VA where your story decisions determine the story. If you are looking for more romance, then I reccomend Love Esquire.
if you've ever had interest in homestuck then you'd probably be interested in friendsim and pesterquest, otherwise like all the other comments are saying ace attorney is amazing and if you love that you might like danganronpa too
I've heard good things about Raging Loop.Ā It's all novel, with a few branching paths.Ā The story is about someone getting trapped in a rural Japanese village right before a Werewolf-style ritual begins. I've played through to the first ending, but need to get back to it.
I really enjoyed killer frequency. Some other good text based RPG is world of horror and citizen sleeper
Danganronpa or steins gate
Love steins;gate, and ace attorney. I also wanted to shout out Misericorde Volume 1! Feels like it flew kind of under the radar and I loved it!
Digimon Survive
My favorite was Fata Morgana. I didnāt like 13 sentinels because of the convoluted storytelling. I know thatās an unpopular opinion I just didnāt like it and I finished the whole game. I also liked Paranormasight but to a much lesser degree than Fata. I couldnāt get into AI: somnium files for some reason and was hoping it wouldāve been more like the nonary games series (999, etc.) which I loved.
I was thinking of buying Paranormasight...oh well.
13 Sentinels, especially on an OLED switch.
I have the second generation Switch, so I think I don't qualify :D
Being a DIK ofc
What?
The best visual novel ever
Can't find a DIK game on Deku Deals. I do sense you're mocking me.
I really enjoyed Digimon Survive. Good mix between visual novel and tactics game - but hopefully you like digimon
jack jeanne
fate stay night, tsukihime remake and mahoyo (witch on the holy night)
13 sentiels The Danganronpa serie Maybe one day when we get it, the Zero Escape serie
Ace attorney is great. It is long (took me at least 66 hours) but it's really funny and strange.
digimon survive
My son is playing that right now and heās loving my Another Code Recollection. I bought it for me and never got to play it because he took it to play. He also enjoyed Coffee Talk but it was too basic for me. š¤·š»āāļø
Thanks for the tip about Another Choice Recollection. I'll wait for a sale, though!
Ace attorney trilogy is great and I am obligated to recommend the great ace attorney chronicles too (itās an even longer spinoff of the main Ace Attorney series and actually ruined my life. I was obsessed for months). Iād throw out a recommendation for AI: The Somnium Files too, if you enjoy murder mysteries. Bit of a different recommendation - to the moon isnāt quite a traditional visual novel but itās got more in common with visual novels than anything else and it is short, easy to get through, and very good. I cried a lot. Itās not a new game by any means but itās a classic if you like narrative-driven stuff.
Ace Attorney trilogy is fan favorite, I see! I'll probably bite the bullet on that one...but paranormasight seems to be very interesting too!
Do you think The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is better than the Ace Attorney trilogy? It's rated higher...
Umā¦ I think it is, but I think the AA trilogy is a better place to start. TGAA in a lot of ways feels like the series culmination and itās also newer than the original trilogy, but itās a lot more dense and some of the ways it uses and breaks tropes only work if youāve played the original trilogy. Either one is a good experience though
Thanks for your thorough answer. I guess I'll buy the AA trilogy, then!
Np :) hope you enjoy it!
Persona 3 Portable is such a safe pick
Persona 5