- #1 DRAMAtical Murder
97% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 4,797 reviews2021
Dev: Nitro+CHiRALPub: JAST
Windows
Median: 6.7 hrsMean: 12.3 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Aoba's vibrant cyberpunk world is one of contrasts: high-tech virtual reality battles versus street gang turf wars, ultra-exclusive luxury resorts and tiny junk shops. The choices you make will shape the path of Aoba's journey into the dark secrets lurking beneath the glossy sheen of the city.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 33.6%, Visual Novel 13.2%, Romance 12.2%, Sexual Content 11.9%, Anime 8.5%
Why You'll Like It: A classic cyberpunk BL visual novel that balances complex world-building with intense character-driven mystery.
- #2 sweet pool
96% matchVery Positive91% of 488 reviews2018
Dev: Nitro+CHiRALPub: JAST
Windows
As madness and horror devour his world, can Youji find hope amid the nightmare? Experience a bond deeper and darker than love in this unforgettable visual novel.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 45.9%, Visual Novel 23.7%, Sexual Content 13.6%, Anime 7%, Psychological Horror 5.2%
Why You'll Like It: This title offers a deeply unsettling and visceral narrative experience that aligns with the darker, more surreal elements of the seed game.
- #3 Togainu no Chi ~Lost Blood~
96% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 770 reviews2020
Dev: Nitro+CHiRALPub: JAST
Windows
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 9.7 hrs≥1hr: 71%
Akira’s life has been defined by violence, but that won’t be enough to save him when he’s forced to play a deadly game. Will the bonds you forge in this stunning visual novel lead to his salvation, or to his ruin?
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 43.4%, Sexual Content 18%, Visual Novel 17.4%, Nudity 8.6%, Anime 8.5%
Why You'll Like It: A seminal dark BL title that features a dystopian setting and high-stakes psychological conflict.
- #4 NO, THANK YOU!!!
95% matchVery Positive87% of 191 reviews2018
Dev: paradePub: MangaGamer
Windows
NO, THANK YOU!!! is a dark, dramatic mystery hidden behind a comic veneer as all of the men in this yaoi visual novel harbor their own secrets. Uncover the mystery behind the protagonist and this bar disguising a detective agency while flirting with the guys and growing intimate with them.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 20.1%, Visual Novel 11.7%, Mystery 9.7%, Anime 9.2%, Psychological 9.1%
Why You'll Like It: A dark and mature BL title that focuses on complex interpersonal relationships and gritty, realistic character arcs.
- #5 The House in Fata Morgana
94% matchVery Positive95% of 6,401 reviews2016
Dev: NOVECTPub: MangaGamer
Windows
Median: 6.2 hrsMean: 26.8 hrs≥1hr: 83%
A gothic suspense tale set in a cursed mansion. "The House in Fata Morgana" is a full-length visual novel spanning nearly a millennium that deals in tragedy, human nature, and insanity.
Why similar: Philosophical 16.5%, LGBTQ+ 14.7%, Visual Novel 11.6%, Romance 11.1%, Mystery 8.9%
Why You'll Like It: A gothic, emotionally heavy visual novel that excels in psychological depth and dark, twisting mysteries.
- #6 MAMIYA
94% matchVery Positive91% of 496 reviews2021
Dev: Kenkou LandPub: Fruitbat Factory
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.8 hrsMean: 11.9 hrs≥1hr: 86%
MAMIYA is a captivating, dark mystery visual novel in which a group of young men struggle against existential dread before the end of the world.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 23.8%, Visual Novel 15.1%, Psychological Horror 12%, Emotional 9.4%, Mystery 8.4%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological horror visual novel that explores queer identity and existential dread through a haunting, non-linear narrative.
- #7 Beyond Eden
93% matchVery Positive92% of 196 reviews2017
Dev: Studio Pieplus
Windows · Mac
Beyond Eden is a Boy's love visual novel set in the Victorian era, centering on the themes of love-hate and revenge. As protagonist Alex, the player may proceed to destroy an aristocratic family while pursuing complex relationships with 6 different male characters. Does the fall await beyond Eden?
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 43%, Sexual Content 19.6%, Visual Novel 18%, Nudity 14.7%, Anime 4.8%
Why You'll Like It: A historical, psychological BL visual novel that mirrors the intense, character-focused drama found in Hashihime.
- #8 Lucky Dog 1
91% matchPositive100% of 49 reviews2025
Dev: tennenoujiPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Prison escapes, flight, and conflicts with rival gangs... A criminal boy's love visual novel with thrilling and exhilarating plots!
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 30.7%, Visual Novel 15.1%, Dark 10%, Anime 8.6%, Historical 8.5%
Why You'll Like It: A crime-themed BL visual novel that features a gritty atmosphere and high-stakes decision-making.
- #9 Kara no Shojo
92% matchVery Positive92% of 450 reviews2018
Dev: Innocent GreyPub: MangaGamer
Windows
Median: 5.9 hrsMean: 158.4 hrs≥1hr: 62%
Play as a detective tasked with catching a serial killer in this visual novel set in post-war Japan. Investigate key locations, question many complex characters, piece together clues, and try to stop the culprit before they end yet another young girl's smile.
Why similar: Visual Novel 12.3%, Emotional 10.8%, Mystery 10.6%, Anime 9.8%, Dark 9%
Why You'll Like It: A dark, atmospheric detective mystery that shares the gritty, historical, and violent tone of the seed game.
- #10 CHAOS;CHILD
91% matchVery Positive93% of 3,973 reviews2019
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 81.1 hrs≥1hr: 82%
From the creators of the critically acclaimed STEINS;GATE comes a sensational new visual novel: CHAOS;CHILD. Set in Shibuya in 2015, a group of high school students who survived an earthquake six years ago find themselves at the center of a new series of bizarre murders in the city.
Why similar: Visual Novel 25%, Mystery 16.1%, Anime 13.5%, Psychological Horror 10.5%, Story Rich 9.2%
Why You'll Like It: A complex psychological thriller that features a dark mystery and high-stakes investigation elements.
- #11 Tokyo Dark
90% matchVery Positive84% of 1,343 reviews2017
Dev: CherrymochiPub: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 5.5 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Legend tells of a door deep below Tokyo's sewers. All who enter are lost forever. Detective Ito's partner is missing. Explore Tokyo & uncover the darkness that lays beneath the streets in this Point & Click - meets Visual Novel - narrative adventure that questions the very core of Ito's sanity.
Why similar: Visual Novel 22.6%, Anime 20.8%, Mystery 15.5%, Psychological Horror 14%, Story Rich 7.3%
Why You'll Like It: A dark, psychological mystery that blends detective work with surreal, supernatural elements.
- #12 Umineko When They Cry - Question Arcs
89% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 2,754 reviews2016
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 14.4 hrsMean: 44.8 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Umineko When They Cry is the 2nd series of Sound Novel released by 07th Expansion. The steam version features renewed character sprites which is swappable from the classic art.
Why similar: Visual Novel 21%, Mystery 18.7%, Philosophical 14.3%, Story Rich 10.4%, Anime 8.8%
Why You'll Like It: A dense, complex mystery that challenges the player with its psychological depth and dark, supernatural undertones.
- #13 Hira Hira Hihiru
88% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 932 reviews2023
Dev: BA-KUPub: ANIPLEX.EXE
Windows
Median: 5.2 hrsMean: 11.8 hrs≥1hr: 68%
"Hira Hira Hihiru" is a visual novel set in a fictional Taishō Era. It tells the story of its two protagonists' struggle against Aerodema, a terrifying disease which brings the dead back to life.
Why similar: Visual Novel 42.1%, Choose Your Own Adventure 25.1%, Anime 11.4%, Atmospheric 8.8%, Story Rich 6.9%
Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric, historical visual novel that focuses on mystery and the weight of past events.
- #14 Dreambound
89% matchVery Positive95% of 94 reviews2024
Dev: Two and a Half Studios
Windows · Mac
Mysterious deaths. Dreams that are reality, and reality that is a dream. Will Noah be able to move forward and solve the mystery—or will he give in to the demons of his past? A story-rich BL mystery visual novel.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 17.3%, Visual Novel 10.3%, Romance 10%, Emotional 9.3%, Mystery 8.9%
Why You'll Like It: A story-rich mystery that explores complex emotional themes within a queer narrative framework.
- #15 Your Turn To Die -Death Game By Majority-
86% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 4,226 reviews2023
Dev: NankidaiPub: 0UP GAMES
Windows
Median: 6.4 hrsMean: 13.4 hrs≥1hr: 80%
Your Turn To Die -Death Game By Majority- is a multi-ending horror adventure game. Sara Chidouin returns home from school late one night to discover that something's gone terribly wrong. When she comes to, she finds herself, her friend Joe, and 9 other people trapped in a mysterious place.
Why similar: Psychological 15.6%, Mystery 14.7%, Dark 14.4%, Choose Your Own Adventure 13.6%, Multiple Endings 11.6%
Why You'll Like It: A gripping death-game mystery that forces players to make difficult moral choices in a high-tension environment.
- #16 GNOSIA
85% matchVery Positive94% of 4,951 reviews2022
Dev: Petit DepottoPub: PLAYISM
Windows
Median: 7.6 hrsMean: 15.4 hrs≥1hr: 91%
The Gnosia lie. Pretending to be human, they’ll get in close, trick and deceive, and then eliminate one victim at a time...
Why similar: Time Travel 23.3% ★, LGBTQ+ 15.9%, Visual Novel 12.8%, Mystery 9.8%, Psychological 9.7%
Why You'll Like It: A unique, loop-based psychological mystery that requires intense deduction and character analysis.
- #17 7'scarlet
87% matchMostly Positive75% of 873 reviews2019
Dev: IDEA FACTORYPub: Intragames
Windows
Median: 7.2 hrsMean: 14.5 hrs≥1hr: 75%
The remote town of Okunezato is shaped like a crescent moon and shrouded in dark myths and legends. Take on the role of a brave young woman journeying into the unknown to uncover dangerous truths and locate her missing brother with her childhood friend.
Why similar: Romance 26.6%, Visual Novel 26.1%, Anime 19.9%, Mystery 16.1%, Choose Your Own Adventure 11.4%
Why You'll Like It: A mystery-focused visual novel that balances romance with suspenseful, dark plot twists.
- #18 Analogue: A Hate Story
86% matchVery Positive93% of 2,291 reviews2012
Dev: Love Conquers All Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.7 hrsMean: 6.8 hrs≥1hr: 57%
A dark visual mystery novel featuring transhumanism, traditional marriage, loneliness, and cosplay. Two pursuable characters. Five endings. Welcome to the future.
Why similar: Visual Novel 49.1%, Anime 18.7%, LGBTQ+ 15.5%, Story Rich 6.9%, Romance 3.1%
Why You'll Like It: A narrative-heavy mystery that explores dark themes through historical records and character interaction.
- #19 Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
84% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 37,546 reviews2016
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 8.0 hrsMean: 22.8 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Investigate murders, search for clues and talk to your classmates to prepare for trial. There, you'll engage in deadly wordplay, going back and forth with suspects. Dissect their statements and fire their words back at them to expose their lies! There's only one way to survive—pull the trigger.
Why similar: Visual Novel 28.1%, Mystery 23.2%, Anime 23.2%, Psychological Horror 13.4%, Story Rich 12.2%
Why You'll Like It: A high-stakes death-game mystery that combines stylish presentation with dark, character-driven drama.
- #20 The Silver Case
84% matchVery Positive89% of 1,150 reviews2016
Dev: GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE INC.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 8.5 hrs≥1hr: 85%
The Silver Case – the debut title from world-renowned developer SUDA51 has been fully remastered and localized to English for the first time ever!
Why similar: Visual Novel 16.6%, Mystery 15.6%, Choose Your Own Adventure 12.3%, Anime 11.5%, Psychological 11.4%
Why You'll Like It: A surreal, avant-garde detective mystery that shares the experimental and dark narrative style of Hashihime.
- #21 BUSTAFELLOWS
83% matchVery Positive86% of 1,031 reviews2021
Dev: NIPPON CULTURAL BROADCASTING EXTEND INC.Pub: PQube
Windows
Median: 2.5 hrsMean: 14.5 hrs≥1hr: 62%
A new visual novel from the legendary eXtend! Mixing dangerous romance with murder mystery, BUSTAFELLOWS is a steamy noir mystery that will make you shiver but ask for more!
Why similar: Romance 27.4%, Visual Novel 25.4%, Anime 18.7%, Multiple Endings 14.8%, Story Rich 13.6%
Why You'll Like It: A noir-inspired visual novel that features a gritty urban setting and a complex, character-driven mystery.
- #22 Master Magistrate
82% matchVery Positive91% of 212 reviews2020
Dev: IRODORIPub: Shiravune
Windows
Median: 5.0 hrsMean: 8.7 hrs≥1hr: 93%
The samurai detective visual novel! Solve crimes and pass judgment on vigilantes, officials, inventors, and brigands to protect a city of eternal cherry blossoms.
Why similar: Visual Novel 24.7%, Mystery 18.8%, Anime 14.5%, Sexual Content 13.1%, Nudity 12.5%
Why You'll Like It: A detective-focused visual novel that offers a historical mystery with mature, gritty themes.
- #23 The Divine Speaker
81% matchVery Positive96% of 442 reviews2022
Dev: Two and a Half Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
A story-rich tale of breaking the bonds of fate... and meeting some cute guys along the way!
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 28.5%, Romance 14.7%, Visual Novel 14.4%, Anime 10.5%, Mystery 9.3%
Why You'll Like It: A fantasy-based BL visual novel that offers an expansive world and character-focused adventure.
- #24 The Shell Part I: Inferno
79% matchVery Positive91% of 1,407 reviews2023
Dev: Innocent GreyPub: Shiravune
Windows
Median: 11.4 hrsMean: 115.0 hrs≥1hr: 71%
Unravel a string of gruesome murders terrorizing Tokyo in this mystery-thriller visual novel. The secrets of a case from six years prior may just be the key to the current unending cycle of tragedy—and the thing that cracks this woeful world’s shell may be one girl’s smile.
Why similar: Visual Novel 18.1%, Romance 16.1%, Mystery 14.5%, Psychological Horror 11.5%, Dark 10%
- #25 Sunlight Scream
81% matchVery Positive84% of 81 reviews2023
Dev: Faithy Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
The hero moves to a new city. However, along with him comes a masked killer who begins to kill his friends one by one... Make decisions to build your adventure. Can you stop him before it's too late?
Why similar: Visual Novel 17.8%, Mystery 14.4%, Anime 13.9%, Romance 12.1%, Psychological Horror 11.6%
Why You'll Like It: A detective-themed mystery that provides a dark, story-rich experience with multiple paths.
- #26 Sound of Drop - fall into poison -
82% matchVery Positive85% of 539 reviews2015
Dev: aiueoKompanyPub: Sekai Project
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 8.8 hrs≥1hr: 95%
Nestled in the heart of Tokyo, the quaint little aquarium, Manten Aquarium. Numerous urban legends have arisen from here. On the night of the full moon the waters turn to blood and man faced fish lurk within.
Why similar: Visual Novel 41.6%, Anime 27.3%, Psychological Horror 9.5%, Mystery 9.2%, Story Rich 6.8%
Why You'll Like It: A horror-themed visual novel that focuses on mystery and survival in a dark, supernatural setting.
- #27 Saihate Station
77% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 9,519 reviews2025
Dev: びぶ/viv
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.2 hrsMean: 7.8 hrs≥1hr: 68%
An exploration/horror/adventure game about the codependent, love-hate relationship between two men.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 30%, Visual Novel 18.2%, Psychological Horror 16%, Anime 8%, Dark 7.2%
- #28 Blackberry Honey
80% matchVery Positive94% of 772 reviews2017
Dev: ebi-hime
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 11.9 hrs≥1hr: 83%
A lesbian love story set in Victorian England, featuring maids, music, and finding love in unexpected places.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 35.1%, Visual Novel 18.8%, Sexual Content 14.2%, Nudity 10.4%, Anime 9.7%
Why You'll Like It: A story-rich visual novel that explores queer themes within a historical setting.
- #29 start;again
79% matchVery Positive95% of 189 reviews2022
Dev: Two and a Half Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
A BL/yaoi mystery visual novel that follows a man named Sebastian as he’s forced into a game of life-or-death, alongside three strangers. Who put him there, and more importantly… who can he trust?
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 22.1%, Time Travel 15.1% ★, Romance 12.9%, Visual Novel 12.6%, Mystery 10.6%
- #30 Raging Loop
78% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 10,315 reviews2017
Dev: KEMCO
Windows
Median: 24.2 hrsMean: 60.1 hrs≥1hr: 83%
The feast has begun, can you escape the village alive?
Why similar: Visual Novel 27.5%, Mystery 17.3%, Psychological Horror 13.8%, Psychological 10.8%, Story Rich 9.2%
- #31 The Chrono Jotter
78% matchVery Positive94% of 2,243 reviews2021
Dev: Orca LayoutPub: 2P Games
Windows
Median: 5.3 hrsMean: 8.3 hrs≥1hr: 87%
Rewind time to save your girlfriend in a twisted high school death game. A gripping yuri visual novel: Investigate brutal murders, unravel psychological horrors, and fight for a forbidden love that defies death itself.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 27.3%, Visual Novel 16%, Mystery 12.5%, Emotional 12.3%, Story Rich 8.7%
- #32 RGB GlitchGazer
76% matchVery Positive97% of 97 reviews2026
Dev: 群星闪耀时Pub: 群星闪耀时
Windows
A mad and romantic ADV. Unravel a strange world of science and philosophy with a mecha girl, zombie girl, or beastfolk. Some paths may disturb you... or thrill you.
Why similar: Philosophical 15.2%, Psychedelic 13.3%, Surreal 12.9%, Visual Novel 12.8%, Emotional 11.3%
- #33 Z.A.T.O. // I Love the World and Everything In It
73% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 10,530 reviews2025
Dev: Ferry // Nopanamaman
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 6.4 hrs≥1hr: 73%
USSR, 1986. A girl goes missing in the closed city of Vorkuta-5, yet not a soul seems to be concerned. Uncover the mystery behind her disappearance and transmit your signal to the universe.
Why similar: Philosophical 24.4%, Visual Novel 18.3%, Mystery 12.3%, LGBTQ+ 11.1%, Psychological Horror 9.5%
- #34 SeaBed
77% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 1,036 reviews2017
Dev: PaleontologyPub: Fruitbat Factory
Windows
Median: 5.8 hrsMean: 79.2 hrs≥1hr: 89%
SeaBed is a yuri-themed psychological mystery visual novel told through the perspectives of three separate characters: Sachiko, Takako and Narasaki.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 35.6%, Visual Novel 23.9%, Romance 17.7%, Anime 11.4%, Mystery 8.1%
- #35 Wonderful Everyday Down the Rabbit-Hole
76% matchVery Positive92% of 2,595 reviews2017
Dev: KeroQPub: Frontwing USA
Windows
Median: 9.6 hrsMean: 175.1 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Wonderful Everyday is a visual novel with multiple routes which develops a story based on a few concepts: "the sky and the world", "the beginning and the end", "literature and science", "savior and hero", "brother and sister".
Why similar: Philosophical 24.7%, Visual Novel 14.7%, Psychological Horror 10.1%, Sexual Content 8.5%, Psychological 7.1%
- #36 The NOexistenceN of you AND me
72% matchVery Positive93% of 21,072 reviews2024
Dev: 0x0Real StudioPub: Nino Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.5 hrsMean: 17.4 hrs≥1hr: 70%
Use "game" as a medium to showcase the world of "you/girl". Explore the truth of "you/girl/world" through the form of a "visual novel".
Why similar: Visual Novel 21.5%, Psychological Horror 13.5%, Anime 12%, Psychological 11.2%, Surreal 10.4%
- #37 Mediterranea Inferno
75% matchVery Positive83% of 554 reviews2023
Dev: EyeguysPub: Santa Ragione
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 5.1 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Explore the inner demons of three childhood friends on a summer retreat. Unearth secrets, fears and obsessions as you help them reconnect and rediscover themselves. A mature and treacherous visual novel from the creator of Milky Way Prince – The Vampire Star.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 20.6%, Surreal 12%, Romance 11.7%, Visual Novel 11.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 9.7%
- #38 Lkyt.
74% matchVery Positive95% of 186 reviews2023
Dev: paradePub: MangaGamer
Windows
Lkyt is a tragic gay romance visual novel about the bonds that form between warriors fighting hopeless odds. Set in a feudal-Japan themed dark fantasy world, you and your chosen partner must use the power from your bond to last one day longer in your mission to achieve a brighter future.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 18.2%, Historical 12.1%, Visual Novel 9.8%, Romance 9.2%, Emotional 8.7%
- #39 Chronicles of Taldun: The Remainder
75% matchVery Positive95% of 153 reviews2022
Dev: Square Weasel Studio
Windows · Linux
A dark fantasy tale where death is not the end but the path to the truth. Two magi trapped in a collapsing tower must unravel a deadly mystery. Each death reveals another piece of the puzzle that is their shared past and forbidden love. For fans of House in Fata Morgana and literary dark fantasy.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 17.1%, Visual Novel 11.3%, Romance 10.6%, Mystery 9.8%, Emotional 9.7%
- #40 AI: The Somnium Files
74% matchVery Positive92% of 9,294 reviews2019
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 15.1 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Play as detective Kaname Date on the case of an elusive serial killer in this thrilling, sci-fi murder mystery.
Why similar: Visual Novel 26.1%, Mystery 20.3%, Anime 18.8%, Story Rich 12.6%, Multiple Endings 7.4%
- #41 CARTAGRA
71% matchVery Positive94% of 53 reviews2026
Dev: Innocent GreyPub: MangaGamer
Windows
Set in Ueno, Tokyo, where the wounds of the Pacific War have not yet healed, detective Takashiro Shugo becomes involved in a series of gruesome murders. A visual novel of love and hatred leading to obsession and madness…
Why similar: Visual Novel 19.3%, Historical 16.5%, Anime 12.5%, Emotional 11.9%, Dark 10.7%
- #42 NIGHT/SHADE: You're The Drug
73% matchVery Positive95% of 96 reviews2022
Dev: Thrill Switch Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
An adult LGBTQ+ visual novel about love, drugs, murder and crime. We follow this intense thriller through the eyes of our main protagonist, Sasha, while he maneuvers through dangerous drug deals, formidable kingpins, and silent assassins.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 27.3%, Visual Novel 17.7%, Anime 11.5%, Sexual Content 10.4%, Story Rich 8.3%
- #43 Urban Myth Dissolution Center
69% matchVery Positive88% of 6,076 reviews2025
Dev: HakababunkoPub: SHUEISHA GAMES
Windows
Median: 7.3 hrsMean: 9.6 hrs≥1hr: 83%
Join forces with the psychic Director of the Urban Myth Dissolution Center and solve a variety of cases involving cursed relics, rental properties with shady histories, and dimensional anomalies. Monstrous oddities and otherworldly planes abound in this occult mystery adventure game!
Why similar: Visual Novel 29.1%, Mystery 21.4%, Psychological Horror 19.8%, Story Rich 12.5%, Anime 8.6%
- #44 Paradise: Musubi
70% matchVery Positive99% of 70 reviews2026
Dev: PIL/SLASHPub: JAST
Windows · Mac · Linux
The first sequel to the Boys Love visual novel Paradise. Play through the continuation of the original game's good endings, and unlock flashbacks to the first Paradise from new perspectives. Contains new CGs, characters, and lots of romance!
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 24.2%, Visual Novel 13%, Romance 12.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10.9%, Mystery 10.8%
- #45 BAD END THEATER
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 9,804 reviews2021
Dev: NomnomNami
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.6 hrsMean: 4.7 hrs≥1hr: 71%
select your protagonist and explore a variety of terrible fates!
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 31.5%, Visual Novel 18.1%, Multiple Endings 12.3%, Choose Your Own Adventure 11.1%, Romance 10.8%
- #46 Gensokyo：Presumption of Guilt~Pansies Before Dawn
69% matchVery Positive93% of 350 reviews2026
Dev: 戏壤游戏(Xirang Games)
Windows
Explore the intertwined fates of humans and youkai in this interactive fiction. As an unwitting protagonist, enter the sealed realm of Gensokyo to investigate a series of bizarre murders. Unearth ancient secrets and witness a gripping saga hidden for millennia.
Why similar: Visual Novel 26%, Psychological 23%, Mystery 22.7%, Romance 21.8%, Story Rich 6.6%
- #47 Until Then
67% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 17,815 reviews2024
Dev: Polychroma GamesPub: Maximum Entertainment
Windows · Linux
Median: 7.0 hrsMean: 11.0 hrs≥1hr: 76%
A fateful meeting sets off a chain reaction, upending Mark's life. People disappear and memories prove unreliable. Uncover a hidden truth with Mark and his friends in this narrative adventure and race to unravel the mystery before it's too late.
Why similar: Visual Novel 20%, Emotional 19.2%, LGBTQ+ 13.4%, Psychological 12.5%, Romance 11.2%
- #48 Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds
71% matchVery Positive93% of 2,277 reviews2017
Dev: Idea FactoryPub: Idea Factory International
Windows
Median: 5.6 hrsMean: 11.6 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Romance 12 handsome warriors and the samurai of the Shinsengumi, uncover their dark secrets, and conquer your demons in this historical fantasy visual novel! Your narrative choices unlock multiple branching storylines and 30 different endings!
Why similar: Historical 21%, Romance 17.2%, Visual Novel 15.2%, Anime 11.9%, Sexual Content 9.9%
- #49 √Letter - Root Letter -
73% matchMostly Positive79% of 578 reviews2017
Dev: DRAGAMI GAMES, LTD.
Windows
Median: 5.0 hrsMean: 11.6 hrs≥1hr: 91%
When a letter is delivered 15 years late - you discover an old pen-friend was involved in a murder, before she disappeared. Travelling to her hometown, you must investigate the murder, using her past letters as clues to uncover the disturbing truth.
Why similar: Romance 17.1%, Psychedelic 17.1%, Visual Novel 16.8%, Mystery 14.4%, Anime 13.7%
- #50 Suhoshin
70% matchVery Positive91% of 172 reviews2022
Dev: No More 500
Windows
Suhoshin is a 2D Visual Novel set in the medieval Joseon period of Korea. While investigating a series of mysterious murders, you will have to make choices that will lead you down different paths toward different endings.
Why similar: Visual Novel 21.9%, Mystery 17.7%, Anime 16.3%, Psychological Horror 14.4%, Story Rich 11.1%
- #51 Entropic Float: This World Will Decay And Disappear
71% matchPositive92% of 50 reviews2022
Dev: Nico HPub: Starfield Gaming
Windows · Mac
A free drama-mystery visual novel with a modern fantasy setting. Reach out to the fourteen people trapped inside to find the truth through eighteen endings, influenced by but not exclusively bound to your own system time.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 23.1%, Visual Novel 21.1%, Mystery 15.2%, Dark 8.7%, Multiple Endings 8.6%
- #52 WITCH ON THE HOLY NIGHT
65% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 7,990 reviews2023
Dev: TYPE-MOONPub: Aniplex Inc.
Windows
Median: 14.2 hrsMean: 63.6 hrs≥1hr: 84%
A tale told with vivid colors and rich sound in a classic TYPE-MOON visual novel.
Why similar: Visual Novel 40.1%, Anime 20.4%, Emotional 17.2%, Story Rich 9.9%, Choose Your Own Adventure 6.9%
- #53 Mask of the Rose
68% matchMostly Positive76% of 396 reviews2023
Dev: Failbetter Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
A marvellous romance with a hint of murder, where every playthrough is different! Seek love, friendship, or more... intimate encounters. Help a murdered man find justice. And watch out for the bats.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 39.1%, Romance 26%, Visual Novel 24.7%, Multiple Endings 5.3%, Story Rich 3.8%
- #54 Notch - The Innocent LunA: Eclipsed SinnerS
68% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 3,299 reviews2015
Dev: Angels Blue Digital EntertainmentPub: DigitalEZ
Windows
Median: 5.5 hrsMean: 162.8 hrs≥1hr: 92%
This is an isolated town, a town of memories that have been forgotten by its people. However, this small town has not been quiet and peaceful since the murders began... Time passes by, where are the sinful spirits going? Are my memories reality, or just a dream?
Why similar: Surreal 14.1%, Psychological 11.1%, Mystery 10.3%, Visual Novel 10.2%, Nudity 9.2%
- #55 Snowfall's Mystery
66% matchVery Positive86% of 119 reviews2025
Dev: Sempiternal Rain
Windows
A psychological interactive novel about a floppy disk with a mysterious program. Help Elliot cope with his mental issues and uncover the secret of the floppy disk.
Why similar: Philosophical 19.9%, Psychedelic 17.6%, Psychological 11.5%, Romance 10.4%, Visual Novel 9.9%
- #56 Spirit Hunter: Death Mark
69% matchVery Positive82% of 516 reviews2019
Dev: EXPERIENCEPub: Aksys Games
Windows
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 13.2 hrs≥1hr: 71%
A strange rumor is spreading through the shadows of Tokyo's H City: a mysterious disfigurement has been appearing on the bodies of certain individuals. Anyone who receives the Mark will rapidly die of unknown, horrifying causes. The countdown to death has already begun...
Why similar: Visual Novel 72.2%, Anime 27.8%
- #57 Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms
67% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 1,089 reviews2018
Dev: Idea FactoryPub: Idea Factory International
Windows
Median: 5.1 hrsMean: 11.1 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Continue your journey to Edo in Hakuoki™: Edo Blossoms, where you play as the heroine Chizuru Yukimura. Romance the famous warriors of the Shinsengumi as you enter a fantasy drama of battles and self-discovery. Your narrative choices unlock multiple branching storylines and 30 different endings!
Why similar: Historical 19%, Visual Novel 18.9%, Anime 12.6%, Romance 12.4%, Mystery 10.5%
- #58 PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
64% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 6,978 reviews2023
Dev: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 8.9 hrsMean: 10.2 hrs≥1hr: 88%
How far would you go to bring someone back from the dead? Discover the depths that some will go to in this horror-adventure game.
Why similar: Visual Novel 27.2%, Anime 19.8%, Mystery 19%, Multiple Endings 12.7%, Story Rich 11.4%
- #59 Train of Afterlife
72% matchMixed51% of 183 reviews2015
Dev: Zeiva Inc
Windows
Median: 2.3 hrsMean: 3.4 hrs≥1hr: 97%
Train of Afterlife is a mystery, psychological, horror Visual Novel.
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.1%, Anime 14.1%, Surreal 8.5%, Psychological 8.4%, Mystery 8%
- #60 Melancholy Love
68% matchVery Positive95% of 76 reviews2021
Dev: White Dew GamesPub: Kikai Digital
Windows · Mac
Melancholy Love is a Yuri Visual Novel between an elite and a misfit in an All-Girls' High School. How will sparks flare between the two?
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 24.5%, Romance 15.9%, Visual Novel 14.5%, Emotional 12.6%, Anime 9.9%
