- #1 Ambition: A Minuet in Power
97% matchVery Positive86% of 425 reviews2021
Dev: Joy Manufacturing Co.Pub: Iceberg Interactive
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 4.3 hrs≥1hr: 94%
18th century Paris - a city of love, lies and revolution. You are a woman of fashion trying to survive the political turmoil. Date a cast of unforgettable characters. Amass the wealth and respect you deserve. Engage in gossip that can alter the course of history, or lead you to the guillotine.
Why similar: Dating Sim 19%, LGBTQ+ 15.5%, Alternate History 13.4%, Visual Novel 13%, Romance 13%
Why You'll Like It: A historical visual novel that balances social maneuvering, romance, and political intrigue.
- #2 Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
96% matchVery Positive93% of 126,799 reviews2019
Dev: ZA/UM
Windows · Mac
Median: 7.3 hrsMean: 22.5 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Disco Elysium - The Final Cut is a groundbreaking role playing game. You’re a detective with a unique skill system at your disposal and a whole city to carve your path across. Interrogate unforgettable characters, crack murders or take bribes. Become a hero or an absolute disaster of a human being.
Why similar: Detective 43.9%, Choices Matter 22.8%, Visual Novel 13.4%, RPG 12.7%, Story Rich 5.6%
Why You'll Like It: It offers the gold standard for dialogue-heavy investigation and complex, choice-driven character development.
- #3 SUNLESS SEA
96% matchVery Positive83% of 9,506 reviews2015
Dev: Failbetter Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 10.8 hrs≥1hr: 80%
LOSE YOUR MIND. EAT YOUR CREW. DIE. Take the helm of your steamship and set sail for the unknown! Sunless Sea is a game of discovery, loneliness and frequent death, set in the award-winning Victorian Gothic universe of Fallen London.
Why similar: Lovecraftian 75.4%, RPG 12.9%, Story Rich 7.8%, Atmospheric 1.7%, Singleplayer 1.2%
Why You'll Like It: Set in the same Fallen London universe, this game offers a similarly dark, gothic atmosphere with deep narrative exploration.
- #4 Citizen Sleeper
95% matchVery Positive93% of 10,020 reviews2022
Dev: Jump Over The AgePub: Fellow Traveller
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 7.4 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Roleplaying in the ruins of interplanetary capitalism. Live the life of an escaped worker, washed-up on a lawless station at the edge of an interstellar society. Inspired by the flexibility and freedom of TTRPGs, explore the station, choose your friends, escape your past and change your future.
Why similar: Hand-drawn 32%, Dialogue Heavy 31.5%, RPG 15.7%, Multiple Endings 12.3%, Story Rich 7%
Why You'll Like It: A narrative-focused RPG that emphasizes social bonds and survival in a unique, atmospheric setting.
- #5 Winds of Change
94% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 592 reviews2019
Dev: Klace
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 5.3 hrsMean: 11.5 hrs≥1hr: 83%
Lead The Rebellion, build your army, and shape the world with your choices. A story-heavy adventure game with multiple endings, romance options, and non-linear storytelling. A vast fantasy world waiting to be explored. Inspired by Dragon Age, and Mass Effect. Fully voice acted by a stellar cast!
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 28.7%, Romance 20%, Visual Novel 18.7%, Dating Sim 15.3%, Choices Matter 11.2%
Why You'll Like It: A story-rich visual novel with strong LGBTQ themes, meaningful choices, and a fantasy setting.
- #6 I Was a Teenage Exocolonist
94% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 4,636 reviews2022
Dev: Northway GamesPub: Finji
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 6.8 hrsMean: 15.9 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Spend your teenage years on an alien planet in this narrative RPG with card-based battles. Explore, grow up, and fall in love. The choices you make and skills you master over ten years will determine the course of your life and the survival of your colony.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 25.9%, Dating Sim 24.8%, Visual Novel 17%, Choices Matter 13.7%, RPG 6.2%
Why You'll Like It: Features deep life-simulation mechanics where every choice significantly impacts the story, relationships, and the world.
- #7 The House in Fata Morgana
93% matchVery Positive95% of 6,235 reviews2016
Dev: NOVECTPub: MangaGamer
Windows
Median: 6.5 hrsMean: 27.3 hrs≥1hr: 84%
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: LGBTQ+ 28.2%, Romance 24.2%, Visual Novel 24.1%, Choices Matter 11.8%, Multiple Endings 5.5%
Why You'll Like It: A masterpiece of gothic mystery and emotional storytelling that shares the haunting, literary tone of Mask of the Rose.
- #8 GNOSIA
92% matchVery Positive94% of 4,865 reviews2022
Dev: Petit DepottoPub: PLAYISM
Windows
Median: 7.3 hrsMean: 15.4 hrs≥1hr: 90%
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: LGBTQ+ 31.6%, Detective 31%, Visual Novel 27.8%, Story Rich 4.3%, RPG 3.4%
Why You'll Like It: Combines social deduction and mystery-solving with a loop-based visual novel structure that rewards investigation.
- #9 When The Night Comes
91% matchVery Positive93% of 329 reviews2021
Dev: Lunaris Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
When The Night Comes is a queer, narrative-driven, supernatural visual novel.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 27%, Dating Sim 21.6%, Romance 18.3%, Visual Novel 15.6%, Choices Matter 7.2%
Why You'll Like It: A supernatural visual novel that blends romance with mystery and LGBTQ-inclusive storytelling.
- #10 Coffee Talk
91% matchVery Positive95% of 12,298 reviews2020
Dev: Toge Productions
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 10.2 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Coffee Talk is a coffee brewing and heart-to-heart talking simulator about listening to fantasy-inspired modern peoples’ problems, and helping them by serving up a warm drink or two.
Why similar: Dialogue Heavy 28.1%, LGBTQ+ 27.5%, Visual Novel 22.3%, Choices Matter 12.2%, Multiple Endings 5.2%
Why You'll Like It: Focuses on the intimate, character-driven conversations that define the social aspect of visual novels.
- #11 The Divine Speaker
90% matchVery Positive96% of 437 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+ 27%, Dating Sim 18.9%, Romance 15.9%, Visual Novel 14.9%, Choices Matter 7.2%
Why You'll Like It: An adventure-focused visual novel with strong fantasy elements and a focus on character relationships.
- #12 VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
89% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 38,192 reviews2016
Dev: Sukeban GamesPub: Ysbryd Games
Windows · Linux
Median: 5.6 hrsMean: 31.1 hrs≥1hr: 86%
VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action is a booze em' up about waifus, technology, and post-dystopia life.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 42.4%, Visual Novel 32.6%, Choices Matter 18.7%, Story Rich 5.1%, 2D 1.3%
Why You'll Like It: Uses a social interaction mechanic to drive a deep, character-focused narrative in a distinct setting.
- #13 Pendula Swing - The Complete Journey
89% matchMostly Positive77% of 65 reviews2020
Dev: Valiant Game Studio
Windows · Mac
Explore a memorable 1920s fantasy world where you interact with, befriend and romance hundreds of characters with unique quests, as an already rich and famous heroine.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 22.1%, Alternate History 20%, Dating Sim 19.3%, Romance 16.5%, Lore-Rich 13.4%
Why You'll Like It: A story-rich adventure set in a fantasy world that emphasizes social interaction and exploration.
- #14 The Case of the Golden Idol
86% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 10,351 reviews2022
Dev: Color Gray GamesPub: Playstack
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 7.0 hrsMean: 8.0 hrs≥1hr: 90%
A new kind of detective game that allows you to think and investigate freely. Discover clues surrounding 12 strange and gruesome deaths and build your own theory. Pick your suspect, deduce the motive, unmask the awful truth.
Why similar: Detective 49%, Investigation 30.3%, Choices Matter 13.8%, Story Rich 4%, 2D 1.3%
Why You'll Like It: A brilliant detective game that requires careful observation and deduction to solve complex mysteries.
- #15 The Night Market
88% matchVery Positive86% of 71 reviews2023
Dev: Zinnia DemitassePub: Lamplight Inc.
Windows · Mac
Welcome to the Night Market. Survive your journey while navigating a foreign land, rife with political intrigue, arbitrary rules and secrets designed to keep you distracted. Fall in love, explore a world with rich characters, and try to save the realm.
Why similar: Dating Sim 24.2%, LGBTQ+ 23.5%, Dialogue Heavy 17.5%, Romance 17%, Choices Matter 9.6%
Why You'll Like It: An interactive fiction title that captures the charm of character-focused, choice-driven storytelling.
- #16 A Date with Death
84% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 13,836 reviews2023
Dev: Two and a Half Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.1 hrsMean: 7.9 hrs≥1hr: 72%
Fight against & romance the one hunting for your soul in A Date with Death, a romance chat simulator where you date(?) the Grim Reaper himself. Create your own character, decorate your apartment, and chat away with the charming yet dangerous Grim Reaper through text and video calls.
Why similar: Dating Sim 30.5%, LGBTQ+ 23.6%, Romance 15.7%, Visual Novel 15.1%, Otome 7% ★
Why You'll Like It: A supernatural dating sim that uses a unique interface to build tension and romance.
- #17 Love Shore
87% matchMixed70% of 76 reviews2023
Dev: Perfect Garbage
Windows · Mac · Linux
Play as Sam or Farah as they attempt to navigate the neon thrills of their cyberpunk city Love Shore, solve murders, fight gods and maybe fall in love.
Why similar: Choices Matter 36%, LGBTQ+ 22.5%, RPG 18%, Dating Sim 15.3%, Visual Novel 6.8%
Why You'll Like It: A cyberpunk noir visual novel that features complex choices and deep, character-driven romance.
- #18 Sucker for Love: First Date
85% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 2,966 reviews2022
Dev: AkabakaPub: DreadXP
Windows
Median: 2.3 hrsMean: 5.2 hrs≥1hr: 68%
Put the 'love' in 'Lovecraftian horror'! Perform terrifying rituals to win the affections of eldritch horrors and smooch 'em... at any cost!
Why similar: Lovecraftian 21.5%, Dating Sim 20.6%, Romance 19.2%, Visual Novel 14.1%, Choices Matter 6.9%
Why You'll Like It: A quirky dating sim that blends horror elements with a unique, stylized visual novel presentation.
- #19 Demonheart
86% matchVery Positive91% of 756 reviews2017
Dev: Rolling Crown
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.1 hrsMean: 9.9 hrs≥1hr: 94%
Discover the secrets of the witches and demons in this dark fantasy romance game, featuring a female protagonist whose personality is completely up to the player thanks to extensive dialog choices.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 23.9%, Dating Sim 21.4%, Romance 19.1%, Visual Novel 16.4%, Otome 10.3% ★
Why You'll Like It: A dark fantasy visual novel that features complex, morally gray characters and multiple romantic paths.
- #20 Return of the Obra Dinn
83% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 33,856 reviews2018
Dev: Lucas PopePub: 3909
Windows · Mac
Median: 6.7 hrsMean: 8.4 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.
Why similar: Detective 87.8%, Story Rich 5.7%, Multiple Endings 3.9%, Atmospheric 1.5%, Singleplayer 1.1%
Why You'll Like It: A masterclass in investigative gameplay that challenges players to piece together a dark, supernatural mystery.
- #21 Best Served Cold
82% matchVery Positive88% of 640 reviews2025
Dev: Rogueside
Windows · Mac
Can you mix a cocktail while eye-to-eye with a criminal? Find out in Best Served Cold, a murder mystery set in a bustling speakeasy where you serve customers, make friends and enemies, and solve crimes. At the Nightcap bar, prohibition is a killer… and so are some of your customers!
Why similar: Detective 24.2%, Visual Novel 14.9%, Investigation 12.2%, LGBTQ+ 10.7%, Choices Matter 10.2%
Why You'll Like It: A detective visual novel that relies heavily on conversation and investigation to uncover the truth.
- #22 Our Life: Beginnings & Always
81% matchOverwhelmingly Positive99% of 13,479 reviews2020
Dev: GB Patch Games
Windows · Linux
Median: 1.6 hrsMean: 25.6 hrs≥1hr: 56%
A twenty-dollar bill, four summers, fifteen years, and a one of a kind life. Create an experience that’s all your own in this near-fully customizable visual novel where you grow from childhood to adulthood with the lonely boy next door.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 25.4%, Dating Sim 20%, Romance 19.9%, Visual Novel 17.3%, Choices Matter 9.1%
Why You'll Like It: A highly customizable romance visual novel that emphasizes emotional connection and player agency.
- #23 Crimson Spires
84% matchVery Positive87% of 94 reviews2020
Dev: Woodsy Studio
Windows
This otome-style visual novel blends eeriness and romance into a compelling drama. A ring of deadly towers traps you in the small mining town of Bataille, Missouri with extreme conspiracy theorists, a serial killer, and wealthy vampires. Choose your partner wisely.
Why similar: Romance 39.8%, Visual Novel 39.6%, Otome 20.6% ★
Why You'll Like It: Combines mystery and romance in a gothic setting with a focus on branching narrative paths.
- #24 Long Live The Queen
82% matchVery Positive95% of 7,125 reviews2013
Dev: Hanako Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 5.7 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Rule the world or die trying!Being a Princess is not an easy job. Being a Queen is even harder. Especially when you're only fourteen years old, and the reason you've inherited the throne is that your royal mother has just met an untimely end.Now power is up for grabs.
Why similar: Visual Novel 68%, Choices Matter 11.2%, RPG 10.3%, Multiple Endings 6.9%, Story Rich 2%
Why You'll Like It: A high-stakes visual novel where choices matter immensely and failure is a constant, compelling possibility.
- #25 Sucker for Love: Date to Die For
78% matchVery Positive95% of 1,287 reviews2024
Dev: AkabakaPub: DreadXP
Windows
Median: 4.3 hrsMean: 4.4 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Put the ‘love’ in 'Lovecraftian horror!' Avoid the fanatical cultists and survive dangerous rituals to escape the Black Woods with your life in this 90’s anime inspired visual novel!
Why similar: Dating Sim 23.5%, Lovecraftian 21.2%, Visual Novel 15.9%, Hand-drawn 12.1%, Romance 8.1%
- #26 Lady in Mystery
80% matchVery Positive94% of 163 reviews2021
Dev: nolsoft
Windows
Welcome to a small detective agency in old Seoul. Lady in Mystery is a Yuri mystery visual novel set in 18th-century Joseon. Choose one of four women to grow closest to Heesoo, the disguised detective. Your choices may lead to love, revenge, or darker paths than you imagined.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 26.3%, Romance 18.8%, Visual Novel 16.3%, Investigation 8.4%, Hand-drawn 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: A detective-focused visual novel that blends mystery solving with romantic subplots.
- #27 Chronicles of Taldun: The Remainder
79% matchVery Positive95% of 152 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+ 23%, Visual Novel 16.6%, Romance 16.5%, Choices Matter 11.5%, Hand-drawn 11.1%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological mystery visual novel that features multiple endings and branching paths.
- #28 Drops of Death
77% matchVery Positive93% of 92 reviews2025
Dev: Snowhaven Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
A murder mystery visual novel with a romantic twist. The killer is randomly chosen at the start of each playthrough, and you may unknowingly fall in love with them. How will your story come to its end? Will you bring the killer to justice, fall in love with them, or die at their hands?
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 23%, Dating Sim 21.7%, Visual Novel 16.5%, Romance 15.3%, Choices Matter 10.9%
- #29 Arcade Spirits
79% matchVery Positive91% of 627 reviews2019
Dev: Fiction Factory GamesPub: PQube
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 7.2 hrs≥1hr: 93%
Arcade Spirits is a romantic visual novel that follows an alternative timeline where the 1983 video game crash never occurred. It's 20XX and you've just started a new job at the Funplex game arcade. Who will you meet along the way? Will you find the romance you're seeking?
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 24.8%, Dating Sim 22.4%, Romance 18%, Visual Novel 15%, Choices Matter 10.4%
Why You'll Like It: A lighthearted but choice-heavy visual novel that focuses on building relationships in a nostalgic setting.
- #30 Jester / King
78% matchVery Positive94% of 90 reviews2021
Dev: Rolling Crown
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 5.8 hrsMean: 6.7 hrs≥1hr: 94%
You wake up as a jester next to the king's lifeless body. You are trapped in a cursed kingdom with three love interests. Will you seek the truth, help the others, or try to escape?
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 18.5%, Detective 18.2%, Dating Sim 15.5%, Romance 13.9%, Visual Novel 11.6%
Why You'll Like It: An LGBTQ-focused visual novel that balances mystery, romance, and political intrigue.
- #31 Purrfect Date - Visual Novel/Dating Simulator
81% matchMixed61% of 471 reviews2017
Dev: Bae TeamPub: Bossa Studios
Windows
Median: 30 minMean: 6.7 hrs≥1hr: 38%
As Cat Island’s newest arrival, it’s not long before you realise something’s seriously amiss, or should we say… amorous! A blend of mystery, intrigue and wickedly black humour, will you discover your Purrfect Date before it’s too late? Remember, curiosity killed the cat...
Why similar: Dating Sim 39.1%, Visual Novel 21%, Romance 17.2%, Choices Matter 8.7%, RPG 7.1%
Why You'll Like It: A humorous and narrative-driven dating sim that offers a unique take on the genre.
- #32 Dreambound
76% matchVery Positive95% of 93 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+ 26.6%, Romance 17.6%, Visual Novel 17.2%, Dating Sim 13.5%, Lore-Rich 10.4%
- #33 Sigh of the Abyss
75% matchVery Positive96% of 187 reviews2024
Dev: Rascal Devworks
Windows
Embrace the monster within in this dark fantasy visual novel with inclusive romances. Befriend charming allies, defy bitter rivals, fall in love. Your choices will save or condemn mortals, shaping the fate of a city as beautiful as it is cruel.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 22.2%, Visual Novel 13.2%, Romance 12.9%, Lore-Rich 12.5%, Hand-drawn 11.1%
- #34 The Case of the Serialized Killer
77% matchVery Positive89% of 80 reviews2023
Dev: Alexis Royce
Windows · Mac
Delve into a devilishly delightful world of mysticism and mystery as Harold Ludicael, the disgraced demonologist. After the untimely demise of a famous illustrator, you’re tasked with solving their murder in this point-and-click visual novel.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 20.5%, Detective 16.9%, Visual Novel 13.8%, Investigation 12%, Hand-drawn 11.6%
- #35 Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical
74% matchVery Positive91% of 3,812 reviews2023
Dev: Summerfall StudiosPub: Balor Games
Windows
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 11.6 hrs≥1hr: 68%
Gods. Romance. Murder. Musical Numbers?! Play as Grace in a world where Greek Gods live in hiding among us. Change your fate as you draw friends, foes & lovers into song using your powers of musical persuasion to unravel the mystery of the Last Muse's death.
Why similar: Romance 29%, Choices Matter 20.2%, Hand-drawn 18.3%, Visual Novel 17.6%, Multiple Endings 8.4%
- #36 Cage of Roses
75% matchVery Positive90% of 193 reviews2025
Dev: ebi-himePub: Two and a Half Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
A haunting gothic romance set in the 19th century. Follow Meike, a young woman from an impoverished noble family, as she’s swept off her feet by the mysterious Magdalena: a vampire who possesses a dark secret.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 41.4%, Romance 30.1%, Visual Novel 24%, Story Rich 3.5%, Atmospheric 1%
- #37 Bewitching Sinners
74% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 509 reviews2024
Dev: Miss Xero
Windows · Mac · Linux
Bewitching Sinners is a dark comedy dating sim where your choices will either leave you with your true love or ruin a whole world and potentially killing millions of people within it, no pressure! Explore a fantasy world full of witches, hot priests, and the occasional dance with death.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 22.8%, Dating Sim 21.9%, Visual Novel 15.5%, Romance 15.4%, Otome 9% ★
- #38 Demonheart: Hunters
76% matchVery Positive84% of 295 reviews2020
Dev: Rolling Crown
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 7.3 hrs≥1hr: 87%
Embrace or resist the demonic influence around you. Romance your companions in this RPG with an emphasis on conversation choices and character interactions.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 21.7%, Dating Sim 20.3%, Romance 17.2%, Dialogue Heavy 10.1%, Otome 9.9% ★
- #39 The Murder Hotel
73% matchVery Positive95% of 64 reviews2025
Dev: Wegenbartho Games
Windows
Interrogate suspects, search for clues, & uncover a dastardly plot, as you solve a string of mystifying murders to help reluctant detective Ilmarinen escape the foreboding Fafnir Hotel.
Why similar: Detective 47%, Visual Novel 30.4%, Romance 16.4%, Story Rich 4.5%, 2D 1%
- #40 Rose Academy
72% matchVery Positive93% of 61 reviews2026
Dev: KK Studio
Windows · Mac
A detective visual novel inspired by Danganronpa and Everlasting Summer. You play as a young agent sent to an elite girls’ academy to investigate a suspicious death. Interrogate suspects, gather clues, and build romantic relationships — truth or temptation?
Why similar: Detective 28.8%, Dating Sim 22.6%, Romance 20.6%, Visual Novel 18.5%, Choices Matter 4.6%
- #41 Love Curse: Find Your Soulmate
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 3,103 reviews2025
Dev: Xso
Windows · Mac
Median: 5.5 hrsMean: 9.4 hrs≥1hr: 80%
Love Curse is a GL visual novel. You’ve fallen under a curse, and the only way to break it is to find your soulmate! The clock is ticking… Will you find true love? And what secrets will you uncover along the way?
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 35.6%, Dating Sim 21.9%, Visual Novel 16.1%, Romance 13.1%, Choices Matter 7.1%
- #42 Crimson Veil
73% matchVery Positive94% of 88 reviews2023
Dev: MKRUdesignPub: MKRUgames
Windows
An Adult Vampire Hunter RPG! Will you take down the creatures of the night, or will you turn into one yourself...?
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 31.4%, Romance 23.4%, Choices Matter 13.8%, Hand-drawn 12.5%, RPG 7.8%
- #43 Roadwarden
71% matchVery Positive94% of 4,990 reviews2022
Dev: Moral Anxiety StudioPub: Assemble Entertainment
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.2 hrsMean: 7.5 hrs≥1hr: 54%
Roadwarden is an illustrated text-based RPG that uses isometric pixel art and combines mechanics borrowed from RPGs, Visual Novels, adventure games and interactive fiction.
Why similar: RPG 21.3%, Visual Novel 18.7%, Choices Matter 16.6%, Detective 15.1%, LGBTQ+ 14%
- #44 Countess in Crimson
72% matchVery Positive84% of 840 reviews2023
Dev: Digital Seductions
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 160.4 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Uncover the dark secrets of the secluded Carpathian village while engaging in passionate romance along the way in this interactive visual novel / adventure game hybrid with a gothic horror theme.
Why similar: Dating Sim 30.9%, Visual Novel 25.8%, Romance 25.3%, Choices Matter 5.7%, Multiple Endings 5.3%
- #45 OBSCURA
70% matchVery Positive99% of 446 reviews2024
Dev: Rotten RaccoonsPub: Kaguya Project
Windows · Mac · Linux
Descend under a mountain to the marketplace below, where everything has a price. Meet the four men who can each give you what you need, but beware: they have their own hidden motives and uses for you. OBSCURA is a dark fantasy romance VN that asks how far you'll go to get what you need.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 25.7%, Romance 22.1%, Visual Novel 18.6%, Otome 12.4% ★, Choices Matter 10.6%
- #46 Changeling Tale
70% matchVery Positive98% of 244 reviews2023
Dev: Helmet Fox
Windows · Mac · Linux
Fantasy and reality collide in Changeling Tale, a story-rich visual novel about finding one's "true" self... and true love! Help a young man returning from war rebuild his life, kindle new romances, and reveal a secret that will forever transform the lives of those closest to him—literally!
Why similar: Dating Sim 23.4%, Romance 19.7%, Alternate History 18.6%, Visual Novel 16.5%, Choices Matter 9.4%
- #47 Velvet Bite: Softly, with Teeth
73% matchMixed52% of 82 reviews2025
Dev: EVERIUM
Windows · Mac
You've been invited to a Halloween party! Yay! Music! Food! Drinks! Vampires! Wait. VAMPIRES!? Velvet Bite: Softly, With Teeth is a Romantic Visual Novel featuring 6 romanceable vampires.
Why similar: Dating Sim 27.3%, LGBTQ+ 25.4%, Visual Novel 17.1%, Otome 9.4% ★, Romance 8.1%
- #48 Finding Cinderella
71% matchVery Positive89% of 56 reviews2024
Dev: 2humanstudiowo
Windows
A lighthearted game about love and murder.
Why similar: Dating Sim 23.6%, Romance 19.2%, Visual Novel 16.8%, Hand-drawn 11%, Choices Matter 10.9%
- #49 BUSTAFELLOWS
71% matchVery Positive86% of 1,017 reviews2021
Dev: NIPPON CULTURAL BROADCASTING EXTEND INC.Pub: PQube
Windows
Median: 2.4 hrsMean: 14.5 hrs≥1hr: 60%
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: Dating Sim 23.1%, Romance 22.1%, Visual Novel 19.3%, Otome 13.3% ★, Choices Matter 12.6%
- #50 Departed Away
69% matchVery Positive90% of 552 reviews2024
Dev: Alperen Torun
Windows
Discover 'Departed Away,' a captivating visual novel where friendship intertwines with mystery. Uncover secrets, engage in verbal duels, and make choices that shape your story. Delve into emotional depth and intricate connections in this unique story.
Why similar: Dating Sim 26.4%, Visual Novel 20.2%, Romance 19.1%, Investigation 12.2%, Choices Matter 10%
- #51 The Thaumaturge
68% matchVery Positive83% of 5,600 reviews2024
Dev: Fool's TheoryPub: 11 bit studios
Windows
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 9.0 hrs≥1hr: 86%
The Thaumaturge is a character-driven RPG with a rich story, morally ambiguous choices, and turn-based combat. In a city on the brink of change, use your mystical powers to read emotions, uncover motives, and command folklore-inspired demons — while resisting the temptation of your own pride.
Why similar: Detective 32.4%, Investigation 17.6%, Visual Novel 15.5%, Choices Matter 14.2%, RPG 8.4%
- #52 DAEMON MASQUERADE
66% matchVery Positive96% of 461 reviews2024
Dev: Callum Page
Windows · Mac · Linux
An anime-inspired supernatural detective game. Uncover the identities and powers of your adversaries using a conspiracy board full of evidence.
Why similar: Detective 23%, Alternate History 15.2%, Investigation 13.8%, Lovecraftian 13.3%, Lore-Rich 12%
- #53 Coming Out on Top
69% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 1,395 reviews2017
Dev: Obscurasoft
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 13.2 hrs≥1hr: 82%
The acclaimed gay dating sim. Have a sweet, sexy, or bizarrely comedic adventure with the man of your choice!
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 59.6%, Dating Sim 17%, Romance 7.5%, Visual Novel 7.4%, Choices Matter 6.3%
- #54 The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
66% matchVery Positive94% of 9,191 reviews2021
Dev: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 11.2 hrsMean: 34.7 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Immerse yourself in a dramatic yet charming and witty world of evidence-gathering, deduction and courtroom battles with this double-pack of the adventures of rookie lawyer Ryunosuke.
Why similar: Detective 44.5%, Visual Novel 31.6%, Dialogue Heavy 9.1%, Choices Matter 6%, LGBTQ+ 4.9%
- #55 First Bite
68% matchVery Positive85% of 164 reviews2022
Dev: First Bite Games
Windows · Mac
An LGBTQ+ Vampiric Visual Novel. One Night. Three vampires. Make a deal with death or die trying.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 26.4%, Romance 20.7%, Visual Novel 18.4%, Dating Sim 15.8%, Choices Matter 11.8%
- #56 Game of Fate: Chasing Through Time
65% matchVery Positive88% of 1,111 reviews2024
Dev: KARMAGAME HK LIMITEDPub: EpicDream Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 8.1 hrsMean: 9.1 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Immerse yourself in the first-person perspective, cross time and space, solve bizarre cases, save innocent victims, and catch a mysterious killer! You will solve murders, uphold justice, and also gain love. Are you ready? Play the "Game of Fate" that crosses time and space, life and death!
Why similar: Dating Sim 38.7%, Detective 22.9%, Lore-Rich 20.5%, Multiple Endings 7.9%, RPG 6.3%
- #57 Amarantus
67% matchVery Positive80% of 81 reviews2023
Dev: ub4q
Windows · Mac · Linux
Roadtrip across the country. Confront a tyrant. The revolution will be messy—but the relationships will be messier.
Why similar: Romance 25.9%, LGBTQ+ 20%, Choices Matter 16.5%, Hand-drawn 15%, Visual Novel 14%
- #58 Wayhaven Chronicles: Book Three
67% matchVery Positive81% of 142 reviews2023
Dev: Hosted Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Your decisions will shape who is friend or foe, who will share in your secrets, and just how your romance with a certain vampire will grow!
Why similar: Romance 63.5%, RPG 30%, Story Rich 5.5%, Singleplayer 1.1%
- #59 MazM: The Phantom of the Opera
69% matchMostly Positive75% of 92 reviews2021
Dev: Growing SeedsPub: CFK Co., Ltd.
Windows
A thrilling love story unfolds in a majestic Parisian opera house.
Why similar: Visual Novel 60.3%, RPG 33.2%, Story Rich 3.9%, 2D 1.9%, Singleplayer 0.7%
- #60 Lachesis or Atropos
67% matchVery Positive87% of 71 reviews2023
Dev: 4nokiPub: Quill Yuri
Windows · Mac · Linux
This world is woven of strings, of fate and of hate. What do you see, detective? A horror-mystery yuri visual novel peering into the maddening darkness of love and death.
Why similar: Detective 26.4%, LGBTQ+ 25%, Visual Novel 16.6%, Romance 13.6%, Choices Matter 10.8%
