- #1 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.1 Onikakushi
97% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 6,552 reviews2015
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 21.5 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Higurashi When They Cry is a sound novel. The music, backgrounds and characters work together to create a world that is the stage of a novel for the user to read. They laugh and cry and get angry. The user takes the point of view of the protagonist to experience the story.
Why similar: Visual Novel 42.7%, Mystery 21.6%, Anime 21.5%, Story Rich 8.8%, Great Soundtrack 3.8%
Why You'll Like It: This classic mystery series shares the same unsettling atmosphere and slow-burn dread found in high-school-based thrillers.
- #2 Doki Doki Literature Club!
96% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 223,416 reviews2017
Dev: Team Salvato
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 38.5 hrs≥1hr: 74%
The Literature Club is full of cute girls! Will you write the way into their heart? This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.
Why similar: Visual Novel 33.3%, Anime 23.2%, Psychological Horror 12.4%, Horror 9.4%, Story Rich 6.4%
Why You'll Like It: Like Lucid9, this title uses the visual novel format to subvert expectations with intense psychological horror elements.
- #3 AI: The Somnium Files
96% 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 30.5%, Anime 18.7%, Mystery 17.7%, Story Rich 8.8%, Gore 5.7%
Why You'll Like It: This title offers a sophisticated detective mystery with deep psychological themes and a strong anime aesthetic.
- #4 Zero Escape: The Nonary Games
95% matchVery Positive93% of 7,226 reviews2017
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 6.4 hrsMean: 21.5 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Kidnapped and taken to an unfamiliar location, nine people find themselves forced to participate in a diabolical Nonary Game by an enigmatic mastermind called Zero. Why were they there? Why were they chosen to put their lives on the line? And more importantly, who can be trusted?
Why similar: Visual Novel 33.2%, Mystery 18%, Anime 12.5%, Story Rich 10.1%, Psychological Horror 6.3%
Why You'll Like It: It masterfully combines complex puzzle-solving with a dark, branching mystery narrative that keeps players on edge.
- #5 Tokyo Dark
94% 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 27%, Anime 21.1%, Mystery 13.8%, Horror 9.4%, Psychological Horror 6.5%
Why You'll Like It: This game features a detective-led mystery with significant psychological consequences and multiple branching paths.
- #6 CHAOS;CHILD
94% 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 33.3%, Mystery 16%, Anime 15.3%, Story Rich 7.3%, Gore 7%
Why You'll Like It: A gripping mystery thriller that explores dark, supernatural occurrences within a modern Japanese setting.
- #7 Your Turn To Die -Death Game By Majority-
93% 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: Mystery 37.4%, Anime 32.6%, Psychological Horror 15.2%, Story Rich 14.8%
Why You'll Like It: A high-stakes, free-to-play mystery game that features a gripping narrative and intense character interactions similar to Lucid9.
- #8 Root Double -Before Crime * After Days- Xtend Edition
92% matchVery Positive91% of 603 reviews2016
Dev: YetiPub: Sekai Project
Windows
Median: 8.9 hrsMean: 14.2 hrs≥1hr: 94%
Rescue squad captain Watase Kasasagi wakes up without his memories in the middle of his most critical mission yet-- a nuclear meltdown at a research facility. In an unfamiliar place and without his years of training, he must rescue the survivors and escape...
Why similar: Visual Novel 42.6%, Anime 19.4%, Mystery 14.1%, Story Rich 8.7%, Gore 4.3%
Why You'll Like It: A complex, story-rich visual novel that excels at building suspense through its intricate, multi-perspective narrative.
- #9 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.2 Watanagashi
91% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 1,894 reviews2015
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 16.9 hrs≥1hr: 93%
Higurashi When They Cry is a sound novel. The music, backgrounds and characters work together to create a world that is the stage of a novel for the user to read. They laugh and cry and get angry. The user takes the point of view of the protagonist to experience the story.
Why similar: Visual Novel 33.4%, Anime 16.7%, Mystery 15.5%, Horror 9.8%, Psychological Horror 7%
Why You'll Like It: This continuation of the Higurashi series deepens the mystery and horror elements established in the first chapter.
- #10 PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
90% 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 33.8%, Anime 21%, Mystery 17.6%, Horror 11.2%, Story Rich 8.5%
Why You'll Like It: A unique supernatural mystery that focuses on investigation and uncovering dark secrets in a modern urban environment.
- #11 Trick and Treat - Visual Novel
91% matchVery Positive90% of 3,624 reviews2016
Dev: Eternal Night StudiosPub: Alberto Herrera
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 42 minMean: 5.1 hrs≥1hr: 41%
Trick & Treat is a Visual Novel that test your instincts by making choices that can get you out from the cursed forest or drive you to death… or maybe just maybe your choices can guide you to something more?
Why similar: Visual Novel 43.5%, Anime 30.8%, Horror 8.6%, Simulation 3.7%, Mystery 3.4%
Why You'll Like It: A free-to-play horror visual novel that shares the dark, atmospheric tone of the seed game.
- #12 PRICE
89% matchVery Positive94% of 5,159 reviews2016
Dev: YETU GAME
Windows
Median: 1.2 hrsMean: 7.8 hrs≥1hr: 59%
The hero Ivry wakes up from a nightmare and finds himself in a weird room. To escape from fear and darkness, he has to search and explore on his own until he discovers the truth and finds his sister Iva.A puzzle game 《PRICE》
Why similar: Anime 29.6%, Visual Novel 18.3%, Horror 14.5%, Mystery 8.2%, Great Soundtrack 8.1%
Why You'll Like It: A free-to-play puzzle-heavy visual novel that uses a dark, anime-inspired aesthetic to tell its story.
- #13 Sound of Drop - fall into poison -
89% 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 35.6%, Anime 19.8%, Horror 10.9%, Gore 8.1%, Violent 6.4%
Why You'll Like It: A horror-focused visual novel that captures the same eerie, isolated feeling found in Lucid9.
- #14 The Monster Inside
86% matchVery Positive88% of 2,090 reviews2017
Dev: Random Seed Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 12 minMean: 1.5 hrs≥1hr: 10%
A film noir style audio-visual novella. A mysterious woman... a string of murders... and a man with a hidden past.
Why similar: Visual Novel 48.6%, Mystery 29.8%, Horror 9.1%, Detective 8.6%, Indie 3.9%
Why You'll Like It: A free-to-play indie title that leans into noir-inspired mystery and psychological tension.
- #15 Detective Butler: Maiden Voyage Murder
87% matchVery Positive82% of 310 reviews2017
Dev: Goldbar Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 30 minMean: 10.4 hrs≥1hr: 28%
Follow Detective Butler and his sidekick Gilligan as they solve a locked-room murder during a haunted cruise ship's maiden voyage. Can you solve the mystery before Detective Butler reveals the answer?
Why similar: Visual Novel 33.4%, Mystery 23.7%, Anime 20.2%, Story Rich 9.5%, Detective 5.9%
Why You'll Like It: A lighthearted yet engaging detective mystery that focuses on investigation and character dialogue.
- #16 Elsewhere High: Chapter 1 - A Visual Novel
88% matchMixed65% of 81 reviews2017
Dev: Horizon Studio
Windows · Mac
Median: 1.3 hrsMean: 17.5 hrs≥1hr: 68%
Welcome to Elsewhere High, "a school for exceptional children." In this visual novel, players are able to immerse themselves in the world of the outcast. Each student at Elsewhere High has fallen short of expectations at their original high school; they've flunked out, skipped class, wrote threatening notes, or grew to be a...
Why similar: Visual Novel 43.2%, Mystery 22.6%, Anime 21.4%, Horror 12.9%
Why You'll Like It: This title directly mirrors the school-based mystery setting and free-to-play accessibility of Lucid9.
- #17 GNOSIA
84% 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: Visual Novel 32.2%, Anime 20.6%, Mystery 18.5%, Story Rich 10.1%, Psychological Horror 8%
Why You'll Like It: A brilliant blend of social deduction and mystery that forces the player to solve a recurring puzzle in a confined space.
- #18 Narcissu 1st & 2nd
85% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 5,330 reviews2015
Dev: stage-nanaPub: Sekai Project
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 48 minMean: 19.5 hrs≥1hr: 47%
This is a story of disease and suffering; of medication and adverse effects; of thoracotomy scars and cellular poisons; of the living who cannot help but to die and of the dying who cannot help but to live; of a resting place other than "on 7F" or "at home".
Why similar: Visual Novel 59.1%, Anime 27.1%, Story Rich 6%, Great Soundtrack 5.2%, Indie 1.5%
Why You'll Like It: A highly regarded, story-rich visual novel that focuses on emotional depth and character development.
- #19 missed messages.
84% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 15,498 reviews2019
Dev: Angela He
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 36 minMean: 3.0 hrs≥1hr: 18%
‘goth gf’s iPhone’ airdrops you - accept or decline? A love/horror story about life, death, & memes.
Why similar: Visual Novel 46.1%, Psychological Horror 9.5%, Choices Matter 9.4%, Anime 7.9%, Story Rich 6.6%
Why You'll Like It: A short, impactful free-to-play visual novel that explores themes of mental health and mystery.
- #20 STEINS;GATE
83% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 26,241 reviews2016
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 6.5 hrsMean: 67.1 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Developed by 5pb. and Nitroplus, STEINS;GATE was awarded Famitsu magazine's coveted annual Game of Excellence award and was voted one of the most emotionally charged “tear-inducing games” ever made, in a Famitsu poll. It is a gripping and moving Visual Novel, which has already spawned manga and anime adaptations.
Why similar: Visual Novel 42.5%, Anime 22.5%, Story Rich 11.5%, Mystery 7.5%, Great Soundtrack 7.1%
Why You'll Like It: A seminal visual novel that balances character-driven drama with a high-stakes, time-bending mystery.
- #21 Summer Nightmare
86% matchMixed55% of 554 reviews2017
Dev: Team Summer NightmarePub: Elkibe Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 30 minMean: 12.2 hrs≥1hr: 30%
If one’s imagined world of nightmare and the real world unite…. The hide-and-seek game of death in the world of nightmare begins. Discover hints and save yourself from the nightmare!
Why similar: Visual Novel 36.3%, Anime 25.7%, Horror 13.3%, Gore 11.2%, Psychological Horror 6.9%
Why You'll Like It: A free-to-play horror visual novel that effectively uses gore and mystery to build its atmosphere.
- #22 Umineko When They Cry - Question Arcs
82% 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 32.6%, Mystery 21.7%, Anime 11.6%, Great Soundtrack 11.2%, Story Rich 9.8%
Why You'll Like It: An essential mystery visual novel that challenges the player to solve elaborate riddles within a tense, supernatural framework.
- #23 Kill or Love
82% matchVery Positive89% of 2,191 reviews2020
Dev: Andy Church
Windows · Mac · Linux
A visual novel about obsession, loneliness, and, based on your choices, varying amounts of murder.
Why similar: Visual Novel 37.1%, Anime 24.8%, Psychological Horror 11.1%, Mystery 9.8%, Horror 6.6%
Why You'll Like It: A free-to-play visual novel that combines psychological horror with romantic tension.
- #24 One Thousand Lies
81% matchVery Positive89% of 1,138 reviews2016
Dev: Keinart Lobre
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 36 minMean: 6.6 hrs≥1hr: 37%
One day, Ciarán starts receiving enigmatic emails from a mysterious sender, turning his everyday life into a mess of a romantic comedy with psychological themes mixed in. What lies beyond the mystery he's been presented with? In the words of Harry H.: "If you want to know the truth, go find it".
Why similar: Visual Novel 47.7%, Anime 26.8%, Story Rich 9.6%, Simulation 7.4%, Casual 4.7%
Why You'll Like It: A free-to-play visual novel that emphasizes a character-driven story with mystery elements.
- #25 Adolescent Santa Claus
81% matchVery Positive85% of 1,321 reviews2018
Dev: TALESSHOP Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 30 minMean: 3.5 hrs≥1hr: 25%
This visual novel game tells the tale of a cute little Santa Clause appearing
Why similar: Visual Novel 55.4%, Anime 33.5%, Casual 5.7%, Story Rich 3.1%, Indie 2.2%
Why You'll Like It: A casual, free-to-play visual novel that provides a lighter, yet still narrative-focused experience.
- #26 9-nine-:Episode 1
79% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 1,944 reviews2019
Dev: PALETTEPub: Sekai Project
Windows
Median: 7.2 hrsMean: 146.1 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Help Miyako and Kakeru track down a superpowered serial killer before they strike again.
Why similar: Visual Novel 48.5%, Anime 24.1%, Mystery 10.7%, Story Rich 5.8%, Simulation 3.8%
Why You'll Like It: A supernatural mystery visual novel that features a compelling cast and a modern school setting.
- #27 Lynne
79% matchVery Positive80% of 1,133 reviews2018
Dev: ebi-hime
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.1 hrsMean: 4.8 hrs≥1hr: 52%
Lynne is a short story about the scariest thing in the world: being a teenager.
Why similar: Visual Novel 51.7%, Anime 15%, Horror 11.9%, Psychological Horror 10.5%, Simulation 6.4%
Why You'll Like It: A short, free-to-play psychological horror experience that focuses on unsettling imagery and narrative.
- #28 Ciconia When They Cry - Phase 1: For You, the Replaceable Ones
78% matchVery Positive92% of 556 reviews2019
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac
Median: 12.0 hrsMean: 14.6 hrs≥1hr: 73%
This is the first chapter in newest entry When They Cry visual novel series produced by Ryuukishi07. It features HD graphics, more detailed animations, and newly created songs by many of the composers from Umineko, as well as several new additions.
Why similar: Visual Novel 38.3%, Mystery 18.7%, Anime 17.1%, Violent 9.9%, Story Rich 8.2%
Why You'll Like It: A complex, mystery-laden thriller from the creators of Higurashi that offers a deep, engaging narrative.
- #29 MAMIYA
78% 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: Visual Novel 33%, Anime 14.9%, Mystery 13.8%, Story Rich 10.4%, Psychological Horror 10.1%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological visual novel that explores dark, surreal themes with a focus on character introspection.
- #30 Magical Eyes - Red is for Anguish
80% matchVery Positive82% of 71 reviews2016
Dev: Pomera StudiosPub: Fruitbat Factory
Windows
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 4.7 hrs≥1hr: 97%
Magical Eyes - Red is for Anguish is a thrilling mystery story revolving around a series of unfathomable incidents in a town.
Why similar: Visual Novel 40%, Anime 25.6%, Mystery 21.4%, Horror 9.6%, Indie 3.3%
Why You'll Like It: A supernatural mystery that blends anime aesthetics with a dark, investigative narrative.
- #31 Carpe Diem
76% matchVery Positive89% of 8,560 reviews2015
Dev: Moonlit Works
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 12 minMean: 9.0 hrs≥1hr: 13%
Seize the day
Why similar: Visual Novel 52%, Anime 38.9%, Casual 3.5%, Psychological Horror 2.3%, Indie 1.8%
- #32 Sunlight Scream
76% 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 27.3%, Anime 18.1%, Mystery 16.5%, Story Rich 8.5%, Psychological Horror 6.9%
- #33 Connected Hearts - Visual novel
77% matchVery Positive89% of 345 reviews2017
Dev: Eternal Night StudiosPub: Stw Projects
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 42 minMean: 10.3 hrs≥1hr: 34%
Gary is caught in a strange dream and now he must overcome the adversities on his path or perish in the attempt. In this adventure you will meet 3 children in dream-like scenarios, next to a mysterious girl who talks about a promise.
Why similar: Visual Novel 56.8%, Anime 22.7%, Simulation 11.2%, Casual 6.2%, Indie 3.2%
- #34 NOeSIS01_诉说谎言记忆物语
73% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 1,525 reviews2020
Dev: Classic ChocolatPub: Hikare 个人汉化
Windows
From behind the incidents, there hide the secret of the past.
Why similar: Visual Novel 27.6%, Mystery 18.4%, Anime 17.9%, Horror 9.7%, Gore 8.8%
- #35 CUPID - A free to play Visual Novel
75% matchVery Positive87% of 1,308 reviews2016
Dev: FerventPub: Afterthought Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.5 hrsMean: 6.9 hrs≥1hr: 64%
"Love is both poison and cure, both knife and remedy." Set in 18th Century France, this is a gothic romance tale about loss, revenge and the different faces of love.
Why similar: Visual Novel 57.9%, Anime 15.8%, Horror 7.5%, Simulation 5%, Story Rich 4.5%
- #36 Anamnesia - part 1: am i my body?
73% matchVery Positive95% of 91 reviews2024
Dev: Simon Herbig
Windows · Mac
Sci-Fi Mystery Visual Novel. Nine people are trapped in an underground research facility, forced to play a game of life and death. Check your log to find the truth that connects those apparent strangers - if you even want to, that is.
Why similar: Visual Novel 38.9%, Mystery 25.3%, Anime 22%, Story Rich 11.6%, Psychological Horror 1.6%
- #37 The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 25,022 reviews2023
Dev: SEGA
Windows · Mac
Median: 1.9 hrsMean: 5.6 hrs≥1hr: 66%
Sonic the Hedgehog...was murdered!? Get to the bottom of the mystery in this brand-new adventure!
Why similar: Visual Novel 43%, Mystery 24.3%, Anime 7%, Psychological Horror 6%, Detective 5.8%
- #38 Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma
74% matchVery Positive82% of 4,838 reviews2016
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 11.4 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Nine participants awaken, trapped in an underground facility. To escape, they must play a game with deadly consequences. Who will live, and who will die? The choice is yours. Let the Decision Game begin…
Why similar: Visual Novel 31.8%, Mystery 18.2%, Anime 13.2%, Story Rich 9.7%, Psychological Horror 8.5%
- #39 Train of Afterlife
77% 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 45.1%, Anime 18%, Mystery 9%, Simulation 8.3%, Casual 6.2%
- #40 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.3 Tatarigoroshi
73% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 1,326 reviews2016
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 21.8 hrs≥1hr: 93%
Higurashi When They Cry is a sound novel. The music, backgrounds and characters work together to create a world that is the stage of a novel for the user to read. They laugh and cry and get angry. The user takes the point of view of the protagonist to experience the story.
Why similar: Visual Novel 31.5%, Anime 17.8%, Mystery 16.3%, Horror 7.9%, Story Rich 7.6%
- #41 Humanity Must Perish
75% matchVery Positive81% of 273 reviews2017
Dev: Zetsubou
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 24 minMean: 3.8 hrs≥1hr: 30%
Humanity Must Perish is a short, comedic visual novel in which the fate of humanity is placed in the hands of a witty, pessimistic android.
Why similar: Visual Novel 46.3%, Anime 25.2%, Simulation 15.2%, Casual 8.9%, Indie 4.4%
- #42 12 Hours to Die
74% matchMostly Positive73% of 226 reviews2020
Dev: Wesley ReitsmaPub: Westeford
Windows · Mac · Linux
A mystery visual novel about six students forced to play a 12-hour long killing game.
Why similar: Visual Novel 44.1%, Mystery 21.9%, Anime 16.8%, Detective 6.3%, Gore 5.2%
- #43 Deluge: Threnody of Crashing Waves
72% matchVery Positive86% of 259 reviews2022
Dev: leavesPub: socah
Windows · Mac · Linux
In the not so distant past, the Isle of Abbot underwent a mysterious evacuation event. Delve into the secrets of this unsettling place and elicit the girls' tragic fate. An interactive visual novel with psychological and lovecraftian undertones.
Why similar: Visual Novel 36%, Anime 24.9%, Mystery 20%, Story Rich 7.5%, Simulation 7.2%
- #44 Urban Myth Dissolution Center
68% 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 36.9%, Mystery 20.3%, Psychological Horror 9.7%, Story Rich 9.6%, Anime 9.3%
- #45 outside the door
69% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 667 reviews2024
Dev: basandaika games
Windows
Median: 2.1 hrsMean: 2.8 hrs≥1hr: 79%
Outside the door is a mystic visual novel set within one office. You are about to figure out the stories of a few visitors without having a single memory of yourself.
Why similar: Visual Novel 35%, Anime 25.2%, Mystery 11.9%, Psychological Horror 9.1%, Horror 5.1%
- #46 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.4 Himatsubushi
71% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 932 reviews2016
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 20.7 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Higurashi When They Cry is a sound novel. The music, backgrounds and characters work together to create a world that is the stage of a novel for the user to read. They laugh and cry and get angry. The user takes the point of view of the protagonist to experience the story.
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.3%, Anime 17.1%, Mystery 15.6%, Story Rich 7.6%, Psychological Horror 6.6%
- #47 Everlasting Summer
70% matchVery Positive94% of 77,807 reviews2014
Dev: Soviet Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 5.3 hrsMean: 59.1 hrs≥1hr: 75%
Visual novel loved by many – Everlasting Summer – now on Steam!
Why similar: Visual Novel 44%, Anime 22.3%, Story Rich 11.3%, Great Soundtrack 8.6%, Mystery 6.8%
- #48 Notch - The Innocent LunA: Eclipsed SinnerS
71% 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: Visual Novel 21.1%, Mystery 15.9%, Anime 15.4%, Horror 9%, Story Rich 8.1%
- #49 Ambre - a heartbreaking kinetic novel
72% matchMostly Positive75% of 671 reviews2017
Dev: Träumendes Mädchen
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 48 minMean: 18.9 hrs≥1hr: 42%
A heartbreaking kinetic novel about the meeting of a depressed thirty years old man with a lost little girl he takes in his house.
Why similar: Visual Novel 60%, Anime 27.6%, Casual 8.7%, Indie 3.7%
- #50 Nightmare Zapping
69% matchVery Positive99% of 76 reviews2023
Dev: Maldo19
Windows
A horror channel browsing game where each channel holds a different nightmare to experience, explore them and find out the truth about what has happened in a small town where the inhabitants have disappeared.
Why similar: Visual Novel 32.3%, Anime 17.2%, Mystery 14.4%, Horror 11%, Story Rich 9.7%
- #51 Higurashi When They Cry Hou+
69% matchVery Positive86% of 184 reviews2023
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 5.7 hrsMean: 5.7 hrs≥1hr: 68%
The tragedy of Hinamizawa is over. Those held captive within its grip are free from the fate that bound them to June 1983. Yet the tale of Hinamizawa is not truly complete. There are many worlds not yet explored.
Why similar: Visual Novel 39.2%, Anime 24.8%, Gore 8.1%, Violent 7%, Mystery 6%
- #52 BAD END
71% matchVery Positive83% of 398 reviews2015
Dev: Arai Koh Create OfficePub: YOX-Project
Windows
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 3.9 hrs≥1hr: 92%
It's rumored that those who play 'BAD END'- a Visual Novel will die in REAL LIFE if they make the wrong decision in the game itself.
Why similar: Visual Novel 31.4%, Anime 20.9%, Mystery 19.3%, Horror 11.2%, Story Rich 9%
- #53 노베나 디아볼로스
68% matchVery Positive93% of 1,574 reviews2020
Dev: H5DEV Games
Windows · Mac
Novena diabolos is an Ocult mystery adventure game. The main character, Park Joon-sung, has to find a single human woman who doesn't know who she is and get out of town safely.
Why similar: Visual Novel 33.2%, Mystery 21.2%, Anime 12.7%, Simulation 11.5%, Detective 6.6%
- #54 Deluge: Sermon for the Dead
68% matchMostly Positive78% of 110 reviews2024
Dev: leavesPub: socah
Windows · Mac · Linux
High school girls have been disappearing from Abbotsford. Unravel the mystery before all things wash away in a tidal wave of deep despair. An interactive visual novel with psychological and lovecraftian undertones.
Why similar: Visual Novel 34.7%, Anime 24.3%, Mystery 22.5%, Story Rich 8.8%, Choices Matter 5.4%
- #55 Take Care Of It.
65% matchVery Positive99% of 72 reviews2026
Dev: Zealli
Windows
Horror/thriller visual novel with RPG elements about two friends that explores guilt, co-dependency, and personal limits being pushed.
Why similar: Visual Novel 44.8%, Horror 14.6%, Simulation 13.4%, Gore 7%, Story Rich 6.8%
- #56 CHAOS;HEAD NOAH
66% matchVery Positive88% of 1,885 reviews2022
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 53.3 hrs≥1hr: 83%
CHAOS;HEAD NOAH is now available on Steam!
Why similar: Visual Novel 35.3%, Anime 16.1%, Mystery 15.4%, Gore 8.8%, Story Rich 8.3%
- #57 Kid,napper: Gosh, I'm Kidnapped by a Pupil
67% matchVery Positive88% of 4,471 reviews2018
Dev: Catnip
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 42 minMean: 10.0 hrs≥1hr: 31%
I had to admit, the only thing that is more scary than a murder weapon, is that girl, who is not even supposed to hold it
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.7%, Anime 19.7%, Horror 10.6%, Story Rich 9.2%, Psychological Horror 8.4%
- #58 Tiny Bunny
62% matchVery Positive83% of 30,327 reviews2025
Dev: Saikono
Windows · Mac
Median: 8.4 hrsMean: 12.6 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Tiny Bunny is a non-linear horror visual novel. Those, who have heard the voice of the forest, are beyond help.
Why similar: Visual Novel 37.3%, Horror 12.5%, Story Rich 10.9%, Anime 8.4%, Psychological Horror 8.3%
- #59 Five Stages of Pink
67% matchVery Positive98% of 93 reviews2022
Dev: Kaffein
Windows · Mac · Linux
Horror mystery about a boy who desperately wants a Normal life in the most abnormal city in the world. Help Timor understand his cruel life in this supernatural city while trying to survive one more day. In a universe where Sleep is an illness. This is a visual novel with point and click features.
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.1%, Anime 17.4%, Mystery 17.3%, Horror 10.4%, Story Rich 9.4%
- #60 Kimochii Classroom
64% matchVery Positive88% of 171 reviews2025
Dev: Radish ASMR
Windows · Mac · Linux
Welcome to Kimochii Classroom! A slice-of-life visual novel with stunning visuals, a beautiful soundtrack, and an immersive story. Who will you meet first?
Why similar: Visual Novel 47.6%, Anime 20.3%, Psychological Horror 8%, Choices Matter 7.9%, Story Rich 7.1%
