Visual Novel
Ongoing coverage on Visual Novel.
Latest coverage
What We Played – MineGeon, Black Ops & Heave Ho 2
Several individuals shared their recent gaming experiences, including playing Heave Ho 2, 33 Immortals, Infinite Wealth, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Others reviewed titles like Planet Crafter, The Relic: First Guardian, The Mound, and Moonlight Peaks. Additionally, Call of Duty: Black Ops on PlayStation 5 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 were highlighted.
Adaptation of mystery novel Seasons of Books and Keys coming to Nintendo Switch
Shueisha Games has announced a video game adaptation of Honobu Yonezawa's mystery novel Seasons of Books and Keys. The drama-like adventure game, featuring two high schoolers on the library committee, is set to launch on Nintendo Switch and Steam this winter. The adaptation includes full voice acting, rich color illustrations, and an all-new episode written by Yonezawa himself.
Steam quietly dropped six free games — here they are, from creepiest to strangest
Steam has added six new free-to-play games to its library, including the horror title SSTWL – Sector Breach, the visual novels Tyrania Enforcers and Cosdarica’s Journey at the End of the World, the idle RPG Lost Vessel, the simulator Road Diner Simulator: Prologue, and the co-op FPS Codename CURE II. These titles represent a diverse range of genres from various small developers.
Meta-Narrative Monster Dating Sim Welcome, Dear Human Drops a Steam Demo
The meta-narrative monster dating sim visual novel, Welcome, Dear Human, has released a free demo on Steam. Developed by indie duo KikiCan and Ronkad, the demo features the complete Sleep Paralysis Demon story route and part of the Octo route, offering 1-2 hours of gameplay. The full game promises 10 romanceable monsters, branching choices, multiple endings, and customizable elements.
Blue Reflection Quartet launch trailer – full franchise hits Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch
Koei Tecmo and Gust have released a launch trailer for Blue Reflection Quartet, a collection that bundles all four entries in the series: Blue Reflection, Blue Reflection: Second Light, the anime Blue Reflection Ray, and the mobile game Blue Reflection Sun. The collection features updated visuals, new content, and a reference database for fans. Blue Reflection Quartet is set to release on July 30 for Nintendo Switch.
Danganronpa's ride or die creator "considered quitting" after a sequel to his high school killing drama was initially turned down: "I didn't want to work on another project"
Danganronpa creator Kazutaka Kodaka revealed that a sequel to the original game was initially rejected by Spike Chunsoft due to poor sales of the first title on PlayStation Portable. Kodaka considered quitting before a Danganronpa Zero light novel project led to the eventual greenlighting of Danganronpa 2, which is now considered a fan favorite.
Toxic yuri story Kaschei is a marvelous free visual novel that turns your Downloads folder into a little labyrinth of mirrors
Kaschei is an experimental visual novel created for the Toxic Yuri VN Jam 2, transforming the player's downloads folder into a labyrinth of interconnected stories. The game explores themes of belonging, hollowness, and resentment through linked artworks and various interface conventions, offering a unique narrative experience that blends mystery, sci-fantasy, and epistolary fiction. Despite its abrupt ending, likely due to its game jam origins, Kaschei is available for free download.
Game Demos
STARCULT. Night- Twisted Age is a dark fantasy visual novel with romance and horror elements, available on Steam for PC. The game features a palette of emotions that reveal hidden intentions and alter the future.
Blue Reflection Quartet getting Nintendo Switch physical release with English support, pre-orders open
A physical release for Blue Reflection Quartet is planned for Nintendo Switch in Japan, featuring English language support and a Premium Box version. The collection includes four stories from the Blue Reflection series, with updated visuals and new features for accessibility. The game is set to launch on July 30, 2026.
Now Playing at SUPERJUMP, Issue 42
Writers for SUPERJUMP share their current gaming experiences, including Persona 5 Royal, Urban Myth Dissolution Center, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, and Bionic Bay. The discussions cover personal progress, game design critiques, and the impact of technical performance on player enjoyment.
High Times – Dating/Cooking Sim Is Out Now on PC and Consoles
High Times – Dating/Cooking Sim, developed and published by Yangyang Mobile, is now available on PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. The game combines dating simulation, cooking, and visual novel elements, tasking players with managing a donut shop where donuts are used to help customers manage their emotions.
High Times – Dating/Cooking Sim Serves Up Donuts, Drama And Romance
High Times – Dating/Cooking Sim, developed by Yangyang Mobile, has launched on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch for £16.74. The game blends visual novel storytelling, relationship building, and café management, where players run a donut shop and use recipes to influence customers' emotions and life decisions. It features over 30 unique customers, six potential romantic partners, and is fully voiced with English cast members including LilyPichu and Johnny Yong Bosch.
The Incident at Galley House Achievements Guide - 100% Steam
This guide details how to unlock all 100% achievements for the visual novel detective game, The Incident at Galley House, available on PC via Steam. It lists specific in-game actions and code inputs required for each achievement, such as restoring power, viewing scenes in every room, and discovering character fates.
Checkpoint’s Queer Game of the Month: July 2026 – I'm Making a Monster
I'm Making a Monster, a visual novel by indie developer Zorkie Studios, explores themes of grief, isolation, and the struggle to cope with loss through a unique monster-building mechanic. The game features extensive player customization, including pronoun options, and a striking watercolor art style. It is praised for its emotional resonance and honest portrayal of complex human emotions.
Hand-Drawn Visual Novel Horror Game The Doll Shop Announced for PC
The Doll Shop, a hand-drawn visual novel horror game with romantic elements, has been announced by indie banner Atelier Sentô, founded by comic book artists Cecile Brun and Olivier Pichard. The game is set in a snow-covered Japanese village and features exploration, item collection, puzzle-solving, and dialogue choices with consequences. It is scheduled for release in October 2026 on Steam for PC.
"I'm saying this on camera and millions of people will believe it": How Suzerain Stories: The Neutral Lens lets you shape the news
Suzerain Stories: The Neutral Lens shifts the focus from political leadership to journalism, placing players in the role of news anchor Ilias Moris. Developed by Torpor Games, this new DLC explores the impact of media framing and journalistic choices, with CEO Ata Sergey Nowak emphasizing the game's expressionistic and less strategic approach compared to the main Suzerain titles.
The Incident at Galley House Codes Guide - Full List
This guide details the necessary codes for progression in The Incident at Galley House, a visual novel detective title. It provides solutions for puzzles and lists all codes required across different timelines and rooms within the game.
The follow-up to one of last year's best detective games is off to an 'overwhelmingly positive' start on…
The Incident at Galley House, a new detective puzzle game from developer Evil Trout, has achieved an 'overwhelmingly positive' reception on Steam with 97% of over 600 reviews giving it a thumbs up. This title, along with The Roottrees are Dead, originated as browser games on Itch.io and showcases a trend of detective games inspired by Return of the Obra Dinn.
Roman Sands RE:Build sets Nintendo Switch release date, new trailer
Roman Sands RE:Build will be released on Nintendo Switch on September 16, 2026, as announced by Serenity Forge and Arbitrary Metric. The game, originally planned for 2023, is a genre-bending experience that combines visual novel, adventure, puzzle solving, horror, and survival simulation elements.
the war for space gets a new publisher: heaven will be mine joins exothermic
Exothermic has announced it will publish the queer mecha visual novel Heaven Will Be Mine, originally released in 2018. The game, which follows three girls piloting giant robots, has received a modernization update and will benefit from Exothermic's publishing support and marketing. The deal aims to bring more attention to the cult classic within the visual novel and queer sci-fi communities.
