- #1 Muv-Luv
97% matchVery Positive94% of 1,987 reviews2018
Dev: aNCHOR Inc.
Windows
Median: 8.9 hrsMean: 21.1 hrs≥1hr: 87%
One of the most highly-acclaimed visual novel series arrives on Steam, newly revamped and officially in English! An interdimensional love story that takes high school romance on a roller-coaster ride through the depths of despair, culminating in a sci-fi grand finale of epic proportions.
Why similar: Mechs 25.9% ★, Visual Novel 12.2%, Romance 9.1%, Post-apocalyptic 8.4%, Anime 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: This is the essential prequel that establishes the characters and world-building necessary to fully appreciate the emotional impact of Alternative.
- #2 Baldr Sky
96% matchVery Positive94% of 1,573 reviews2019
Dev: Sekai Project
Windows
Median: 11.5 hrsMean: 68.2 hrs≥1hr: 72%
Kou Kadokura, a cyber officer, seeks to uncover the truth behind the tragedy that ended his once peaceful life. A war looms, and the answers he’s looking for are locked away in him... So why can't he remember anything? Unravel the mysteries hidden in his lost memories through this fast-paced mech action game!
Why similar: Mechs 34.6% ★, Visual Novel 14.6%, War 9.7%, Violent 7.8%, Sci-fi 7.7%
Why You'll Like It: It combines a deep, branching sci-fi narrative with fast-paced mech combat, mirroring the core gameplay and thematic appeal of the seed game.
- #3 The Song of Saya
96% matchVery Positive90% of 9,431 reviews2019
Dev: NitroplusPub: JAST
Windows
Median: 4.1 hrsMean: 59.1 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Bear witness to a love that will change the world, in this classic horror romance visual novel from acclaimed writer Urobuchi Gen.
Why similar: Visual Novel 21.9%, Gore 18.1%, Sexual Content 15.2%, Psychological Horror 14.3%, Romance 8%
Why You'll Like It: This title delivers the same level of visceral psychological horror and disturbing, dark themes found in the more intense moments of the Muv-Luv series.
- #4 Fate/stay night REMASTERED
94% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 4,490 reviews2024
Dev: TYPE-MOONPub: Aniplex Inc.
Windows
Median: 5.8 hrsMean: 48.8 hrs≥1hr: 78%
Seek the root of the Fate franchise. Return to where it all began.
Why similar: Visual Novel 28.5%, Sexual Content 16.2%, Anime 15.6%, Story Rich 8.4%, Romance 7.3%
Why You'll Like It: This classic visual novel features high-stakes action, complex character relationships, and a rich, multi-layered story that fans of epic narratives will appreciate.
- #5 Wonderful Everyday Down the Rabbit-Hole
95% matchVery Positive92% of 2,538 reviews2017
Dev: KeroQPub: Frontwing USA
Windows
Median: 9.6 hrsMean: 173.0 hrs≥1hr: 89%
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: Visual Novel 21.2%, Psychological Horror 13.1%, Sexual Content 12.5%, Violent 11.1%, Gore 9.5%
Why You'll Like It: It offers a profound and often unsettling philosophical narrative that challenges the player's perception, much like the psychological depth of Alternative.
- #6 CHAOS;CHILD
94% matchVery Positive93% of 3,899 reviews2019
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 81.0 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 24.6%, Gore 14.5%, Violent 12.6%, Anime 11.7%, Psychological Horror 9.3%
Why You'll Like It: This mystery-focused visual novel excels at building psychological dread and delivering a complex, story-rich experience with dark, mature themes.
- #7 YOU and ME and HER: A Love Story
92% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 6,620 reviews2020
Dev: NitroplusPub: JAST
Windows
Median: 7.7 hrsMean: 131.3 hrs≥1hr: 86%
YOU and ME and HER: A Love Story is the visual novel medium in its purest form. Will Shinichi choose Miyuki, the beautiful queen bee of the school, or the endearingly awkward misfit Aoi? With art by Tsuji Santa, these beautifully rendered romances will stay with you forever.
Why similar: Visual Novel 25.4%, Psychological Horror 15.8%, Sexual Content 14.4%, Romance 11.4%, Anime 10.4%
Why You'll Like It: It starts as a traditional romance but evolves into a meta-narrative psychological horror experience that subverts expectations in a way similar to Muv-Luv's genre shifts.
- #8 G-senjou no Maou - The Devil on G-String
93% matchVery Positive92% of 750 reviews2015
Dev: AKABEiSOFT2Pub: Sekai Project
Windows
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 37.1 hrs≥1hr: 90%
You play as Azai Kyousuke, the son of an infamous gangster. Kyousuke knows what he likes and lets nothing stand in his way in getting what he wants. Referred to as God by his classmates, he often enjoys listening to Bach and "working" part time for his stepfather.
Why similar: Visual Novel 30%, Anime 13.2%, Sexual Content 10.9%, Story Rich 8.6%, Romance 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: It provides a high-stakes, suspenseful thriller experience with intense psychological battles that rival the tension found in military dramas.
- #9 STEINS;GATE
91% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 25,836 reviews2016
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 6.5 hrsMean: 66.9 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 32.9%, Anime 17.9%, Sci-fi 12%, Story Rich 11.6%, Great Soundtrack 10%
Why You'll Like It: A quintessential sci-fi visual novel that balances lighthearted character moments with a gripping, high-stakes narrative involving time travel and tragedy.
- #10 Muv-Luv Alternative Total Eclipse Remastered
90% matchVery Positive94% of 263 reviews2022
Dev: aNCHOR Inc.
Windows
Median: 4.1 hrsMean: 10.2 hrs≥1hr: 94%
As mankind races to create new weapons to turn the tide in its war against alien invaders, Yuuya, a hot-headed American pilot, is assigned to work with a beautiful but cold Japanese officer on a top-secret project. Can they learn to work together in time to make the weapon that saves us all?
Why similar: Mechs 30.3% ★, War 13.8%, Visual Novel 12.7%, Military 11.2%, Anime 8.7%
Why You'll Like It: This is a direct spin-off set in the same universe, focusing on the global military struggle against the BETA with a similar tone and setting.
- #11 The Fruit of Grisaia
91% matchVery Positive92% of 1,103 reviews2015
Dev: FrontwingPub: Frontwing USA
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 125.9 hrs≥1hr: 86%
SIX FRUITS BARE THEIR FANGS AT THE WORLD. --The academy was their orchard. In this place of learning, protected by high walls from the outside world, there arrived a single young man who'd lost his purpose in life. He'd lost sight of what he wanted to protect.
Why similar: Visual Novel 26.1%, Anime 16.2%, Nudity 10%, Romance 9.8%, Sexual Content 9.3%
Why You'll Like It: This title features a deeply story-rich experience with dark character backstories and mature themes that resonate with the emotional weight of the Muv-Luv trilogy.
- #12 Zero Escape: The Nonary Games
89% matchVery Positive93% of 7,129 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 31%, Psychological Horror 13.7%, Story Rich 12.2%, Anime 11.9%, Sci-fi 7.3%
Why You'll Like It: It masterfully blends sci-fi, complex puzzle-solving, and psychological tension in a high-stakes environment where every choice carries significant weight.
- #13 Higurashi When They Cry Hou+
89% matchVery Positive88% of 170 reviews2023
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 5.5 hrs≥1hr: 65%
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 28.8%, Anime 18.8%, Gore 16.3%, Violent 15.1%, Psychological Horror 5.7%
Why You'll Like It: It is a masterclass in psychological horror and mystery, utilizing a small cast to explore dark, violent themes within a looping narrative structure.
- #14 AI: The Somnium Files
87% matchVery Positive92% of 9,207 reviews2019
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 15.0 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 25.9%, Anime 16.5%, Gore 13.8%, Story Rich 9.8%, Violent 9.4%
Why You'll Like It: This mystery visual novel offers a compelling sci-fi narrative with deep character development and dark, mature plot points.
- #15 Muv-Luv photonmelodies♮
88% matchVery Positive88% of 253 reviews2020
Dev: aNCHOR Inc.
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 10.4 hrs≥1hr: 96%
Fall in Luv all over again! Familiar faces and worlds collide in three massive new adventures, including the long-awaited follow-up to Muv-Luv Alternative!
Why similar: Mechs 29.2% ★, Visual Novel 12.7%, Gore 11.3%, Anime 8.9%, Violent 6%
Why You'll Like It: This collection provides additional side stories and character perspectives that flesh out the Muv-Luv universe.
- #16 [TDA00] Muv-Luv Unlimited: THE DAY AFTER - Episode 00 REMASTERED
86% matchVery Positive82% of 148 reviews2021
Dev: aNCHOR Inc.
Windows
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 4.4 hrs≥1hr: 89%
In a desperate attempt to exterminate the BETA, mankind has forsaken the Earth. Stranded onboard a TSF carrier in the South Pacific, a handful of survivors scramble to find a way back home to America. This is where Muv-Luv Unlimited: The Day After begins.
Why similar: Mechs 26.3% ★, War 14.3%, Visual Novel 11.4%, Post-apocalyptic 11.1%, Anime 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: A direct continuation of the Unlimited timeline, exploring the aftermath of the war with the BETA.
- #17 Muv-Luv photonflowers*
86% matchVery Positive93% of 276 reviews2019
Dev: aNCHOR Inc.
Windows
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 7.1 hrs≥1hr: 86%
It's the best of both worlds! Jam-packed with twelve tales that expand upon the Muv-Luv multiverse, this compilation is sure to satisfy that series sweet tooth!
Why similar: Mechs 25.2% ★, Visual Novel 10.9%, Post-apocalyptic 9.2%, Romance 8.2%, Gore 7.7%
Why You'll Like It: A companion piece that offers further insight into the characters and world of the Muv-Luv trilogy through various side scenarios.
- #18 Root Double -Before Crime * After Days- Xtend Edition
85% matchVery Positive90% of 598 reviews2016
Dev: YetiPub: Sekai Project
Windows
Median: 8.9 hrsMean: 14.3 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 36.7%, Anime 17.2%, Gore 10.4%, Story Rich 9.8%, Violent 9.6%
Why You'll Like It: A gripping sci-fi thriller that focuses on survival and psychological pressure within a confined, high-stakes environment.
- #19 [TDA01] Muv-Luv Unlimited: THE DAY AFTER - Episode 01 REMASTERED
84% matchVery Positive90% of 89 reviews2021
Dev: aNCHOR Inc.
Windows
Median: 4.1 hrsMean: 6.0 hrs≥1hr: 93%
The epic saga of Muv-Luv Unlimited: The Day After continues! In the aftermath of Operation Babylon, only a few inhabitable places remain on Earth. Follow the Japanese survivors in Seattle as they struggle to rebuild their lives — and defend themselves from the BETA.
Why similar: Mechs 24% ★, War 12.6%, Visual Novel 10.4%, Gore 8.3%, Sexual Content 8%
Why You'll Like It: Continues the gritty, post-apocalyptic narrative of the TDA series, focusing on the struggle for survival.
- #20 Sunrider: Liberation Day - Captain's Edition
84% matchVery Positive83% of 817 reviews2016
Dev: Love in SpacePub: Sekai Project
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 6.7 hrsMean: 8.3 hrs≥1hr: 93%
Liberation Day will come... but you will be betrayed. Experience the stunning continuation of Sunrider Mask of Arcadius in this hardcore turn based tactics game with heavy story elements.
Why similar: Mechs 33% ★, Visual Novel 19.3%, Anime 12.9%, Sexual Content 11.4%, Nudity 8.7%
Why You'll Like It: It provides a tactical mech combat experience paired with a serious military sci-fi story, making it a great mechanical and thematic match.
- #21 CLANNAD
82% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 10,614 reviews2015
Dev: VisualArts/KeyPub: Sekai Project
Windows
Median: 7.3 hrsMean: 106.2 hrs≥1hr: 83%
From the world renowned visual novel studio Key, the highly rated story of CLANNAD is now available on Steam! Improved visuals, achievement integration, and Dangopedia make this the best version of CLANNAD to date.
Why similar: Visual Novel 35.3%, Anime 19.8%, Romance 17.7%, Story Rich 10.3%, Great Soundtrack 10.2%
Why You'll Like It: While less violent, it is the gold standard for emotional storytelling in visual novels, providing a deep, character-driven experience that rivals the emotional peaks of the Muv-Luv series.
- #22 Dies irae ~Amantes amentes~
83% matchVery Positive87% of 711 reviews2017
Dev: lightPub: views Co., Ltd
Windows
Median: 1.4 hrsMean: 25.4 hrs≥1hr: 53%
Night after night, the same dream of a guillotine. A headhunting serial killer. And the "knights" in black who follow soon after. Irrationality that defies the realm of common sense begins to assault and devour the city.
Why similar: Visual Novel 29%, Violent 15.4%, Anime 15.1%, Sexual Content 8.9%, Story Rich 7.5%
Why You'll Like It: This title delivers an epic, action-packed narrative with dark fantasy elements and high-stakes battles that appeal to fans of intense storytelling.
- #23 [TDA03] Muv-Luv Unlimited: THE DAY AFTER - Episode 03 REMASTERED
82% matchVery Positive95% of 109 reviews2021
Dev: aNCHOR Inc.
Windows
Median: 3.9 hrsMean: 5.4 hrs≥1hr: 96%
The stakes grow higher in this latest episode of Muv-Luv Unlimited: The Day After! The shadow of nuclear annihilation looms over mankind, as France places the city of Seattle in the crosshairs. Can humanity overcome this crisis and unite to face the BETA?
Why similar: Mechs 23.3% ★, War 12.5%, Visual Novel 10%, Military 9.7%, Violent 7.7%
Why You'll Like It: Deepens the conflict and character arcs within the TDA series, maintaining the series' signature tone.
- #24 Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!
79% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 30,999 reviews2021
Dev: Team SalvatoPub: Serenity Forge
Windows · Mac
Median: 5.9 hrsMean: 81.7 hrs≥1hr: 79%
Welcome to the club! Write poems for your crush and experience the terror of school romance in this critically-acclaimed psychological horror story.
Why similar: Visual Novel 19.2%, Psychological Horror 16.2%, Sexual Content 12.8%, Anime 12.5%, Romance 10.5%
Why You'll Like It: It uses the visual novel format to deliver a shocking psychological horror experience that subverts player expectations through meta-narrative elements.
- #25 YU-NO: A girl who chants love at the bound of this world
81% matchMostly Positive79% of 373 reviews2019
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 2.3 hrsMean: 24.4 hrs≥1hr: 59%
Takuya Arima receives a package from his supposedly deceased father. It contains the mysterious Reflector Device which allows the user to travel between parallel worlds. Takuya must unearth the mystery of his father's legacy to prevent a calamity threatening to envelop reality itself.
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.7%, Sexual Content 18.5%, Anime 15.9%, Story Rich 9.1%, Sci-fi 8.5%
Why You'll Like It: A classic sci-fi adventure that explores complex themes of time and parallel worlds with a mature, story-rich approach.
- #26 [TDA02] Muv-Luv Unlimited: THE DAY AFTER - Episode 02 REMASTERED
81% matchVery Positive86% of 71 reviews2021
Dev: aNCHOR Inc.
Windows
Median: 3.9 hrsMean: 5.8 hrs≥1hr: 96%
Muv-Luv Unlimited: The Day After continues! The Shogun has come to Seattle, and with her, an installation that might solve the ongoing food crisis. But tensions simmer beneath the surface, as an unseen enemy waits for its chance to strike.
Why similar: Mechs 23.5% ★, Visual Novel 10.2%, War 9.8%, Gore 8.7%, Violent 7.9%
Why You'll Like It: Further develops the military and political tensions within the TDA timeline's desperate setting.
- #27 STEINS;GATE 0
79% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 8,091 reviews2018
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 125.7 hrs≥1hr: 88%
If you can't save the one you love… How can you save humanity? Sequel to the visual novel cult classic. Experience an alternate worldline of STEINS;GATE.
Why similar: Visual Novel 31.4%, Anime 17.4%, Story Rich 12.6%, Sci-fi 11.4%, Great Soundtrack 10.7%
Why You'll Like It: A darker, more melancholic follow-up to the original that explores the consequences of failure and the weight of sacrifice.
- #28 CHAOS;HEAD NOAH
77% matchVery Positive88% of 1,810 reviews2022
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 52.6 hrs≥1hr: 83%
CHAOS;HEAD NOAH is now available on Steam!
Why similar: Visual Novel 26.2%, Gore 18.5%, Anime 12.5%, Psychological Horror 10.4%, Violent 9.1%
- #29 The Eden of Grisaia
80% matchVery Positive93% of 118 reviews2017
Dev: FrontwingPub: Frontwing USA
Windows
Median: 9.3 hrsMean: 290.5 hrs≥1hr: 74%
The final chapter in the Grisaia series, featuring The Seed of Blanc Aile, the overarching story's grand conclusion and Prologue De La Grisaia, a prologue set before Yuuji's arrival at Mihama.
Why similar: Visual Novel 18.7%, Sexual Content 14%, Violent 13.2%, Anime 12.5%, Romance 11%
Why You'll Like It: The climactic conclusion to the Grisaia trilogy, offering a high-stakes resolution to the characters' long-standing conflicts.
- #30 ATRI -My Dear Moments-
76% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 22,666 reviews2020
Dev: FrontwingPub: ANIPLEX.EXE
Windows
Median: 6.9 hrsMean: 107.8 hrs≥1hr: 83%
"As the world sank, I found you." In the near future, a sudden and unexplained sea rise has left much of human civilization underwater. In a little town slowly being enveloped by the ocean, an unforgettable summer is about to begin for a boy and a mysterious robot girl...
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.3%, Romance 15.1%, Anime 14.7%, Story Rich 8.4%, Post-apocalyptic 5.9%
- #31 Grisaia Phantom Trigger Vol.1
78% matchVery Positive92% of 352 reviews2017
Dev: FrontwingPub: Frontwing USA
Windows
Median: 6.0 hrsMean: 52.9 hrs≥1hr: 88%
"Grisaia: Phantom Trigger" is a visual novel, specifically a kinetic novel (without branching routes). Returning character artist Akio Watanabe and writer Ryuta Fujisaki bring you the latest installment in the acclaimed Grisaia series.
Why similar: Visual Novel 25.6%, Violent 19.1%, Anime 16.3%, Sexual Content 9.8%, Story Rich 8.1%
Why You'll Like It: A spin-off that focuses on military-trained protagonists in a high-stakes, action-oriented setting.
- #32 Harmonia
78% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 783 reviews2016
Dev: VisualArts/KeyPub: VisualArts
Windows
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 90.0 hrs≥1hr: 87%
From renowned visual novel studio Key, which brought you the highly rated visual novel “planetarian~the reverie of a little planet~”, this is “Harmonia”, the latest kinetic novel in the series.
Why similar: Visual Novel 32%, Anime 20.5%, Violent 11.5%, Post-apocalyptic 8.3%, Great Soundtrack 8.2%
Why You'll Like It: A poignant, story-rich visual novel that explores themes of humanity and emotion in a post-apocalyptic setting.
- #33 eden*
77% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 5,086 reviews2015
Dev: minoriPub: MangaGamer
Windows
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 59.9 hrs≥1hr: 89%
A tale of the planet's final love story told using the full force of minori's critically acclaimed illustrative style, engaging musical compositions, and the highly talented staff that has led fans coming back for more every single time!
Why similar: Visual Novel 32.3%, Anime 22.8%, Romance 12.1%, Story Rich 7.1%, Great Soundtrack 6.3%
- #34 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.3 Tatarigoroshi
75% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 1,271 reviews2016
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 21.9 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 27.7%, Anime 16.3%, Violent 11.2%, Psychological Horror 10.3%, Gore 9.3%
- #35 Corona Blossom Vol.3 Journey to the Stars
76% matchVery Positive97% of 148 reviews2017
Dev: FrontwingPub: Frontwing USA
Windows
Median: 6.6 hrsMean: 29.6 hrs≥1hr: 91%
In the midst of a furious battle, the launch countdown begins. Time is running out for Keiji and his friends. Will the quest to help R-ne return home be successful? Find out in the thrilling and heartwarming conclusion to the Corona Blossom trilogy!
Why similar: Mechs 25.1% ★, Visual Novel 15%, Romance 11.2%, Anime 10.6%, Sexual Content 10.5%
- #36 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.5 Meakashi
75% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 1,058 reviews2017
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.9 hrsMean: 21.8 hrs≥1hr: 92%
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 23%, Anime 15.3%, Psychological Horror 14.3%, Gore 13.1%, Great Soundtrack 11%
- #37 Fate/hollow ataraxia REMASTERED
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 980 reviews2025
Dev: TYPE-MOONPub: Aniplex Inc.
Windows
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 62.1 hrs≥1hr: 76%
Relive the four days of destiny...
Why similar: Visual Novel 36.1%, Anime 20.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 18.3%, Cute 7.6%, Adventure 6.6%
- #38 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.6 Tsumihoroboshi
73% matchOverwhelmingly Positive99% of 908 reviews2018
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 6.3 hrsMean: 39.7 hrs≥1hr: 88%
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 27.9%, Anime 15.9%, Gore 13.8%, Psychological Horror 13.5%, Violent 11.7%
- #39 Nurse Love Addiction
74% matchVery Positive92% of 873 reviews2016
Dev: KOGADO STUDIOPub: KOMODO
Windows
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 84.7 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Follow Asuka Osachi, a ditzy girl training to become a nurse at Teito Nursing School. Experience her story with her classmates as they discover love, medicine, and adulthood.
Why similar: Visual Novel 21.9%, Anime 17.7%, Sexual Content 17.5%, Romance 12.5%, Nudity 11.2%
- #40 Tricolour Lovestory
73% matchVery Positive81% of 28,032 reviews2017
Dev: HL-Galgame
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 48.5 hrs≥1hr: 83%
Time flies and never comes back. But with an incredible 1-million-word script and 100+ original CGs, this game will take you back to when you were young, simple and pure. Go and get the love of your life back, start something new, or end everything in flame, that's for you to decide!
Why similar: Visual Novel 34.5%, Sexual Content 20%, Anime 13.6%, Nudity 10.6%, Romance 7.1%
- #41 Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth
72% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 1,476 reviews2020
Dev: AQUAPLUSPub: DMM GAMES
Windows
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 186.6 hrs≥1hr: 93%
Haku has sacrificed a lot to inherit a mask. With his natural wiles and the reputation of his departed friend, he strikes out on the path to a new future. The curtains rise on an era of strife that will shake Yamato to its very foundations.
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.6%, Anime 16.2%, Violent 10.8%, Gore 10%, Great Soundtrack 9.6%
- #42 Umineko When They Cry - Answer Arcs
73% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 1,497 reviews2017
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 17.1 hrsMean: 50.3 hrs≥1hr: 86%
This is the 2nd half of the Umineko When They Cry sound novel series, featuring episodes 5 through 8. This steam version features multi-language options, swap-able renewed character sprites, as well as the original BGMs and un-cut content.
Why similar: Visual Novel 34.7%, Great Soundtrack 22.1%, Story Rich 13%, Anime 12.8%, Psychological Horror 7.4%
- #43 Doki Doki Literature Club!
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 221,125 reviews2017
Dev: Team Salvato
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 38.4 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 20.5%, Psychological Horror 17.8%, Anime 14.7%, Romance 9.1%, Gore 8.8%
- #44 9-nine-:Episode 2
71% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 1,911 reviews2019
Dev: PALETTEPub: Sekai Project
Windows
Median: 7.7 hrsMean: 187.3 hrs≥1hr: 93%
It's Sora and Kakeru's time to shine when the action heats up in 9-nine-: Episode 2. Can they take down the murderer before it's too late for them both?
Why similar: Visual Novel 27%, Sexual Content 25.5%, Anime 13.9%, Nudity 11.6%, Violent 10.7%
- #45 The Labyrinth of Grisaia
74% matchVery Positive88% of 161 reviews2016
Dev: FrontwingPub: Frontwing USA
Windows
Median: 12.2 hrsMean: 571.6 hrs≥1hr: 76%
“Are things OK as they are?” In every second of every minute of the life the young man had lived, the same thought recurred in his mind. Looking back on his past, the girls he’d met in this peaceful life made him feel guilty, and his heart was tormented with that guilt.
Why similar: Visual Novel 23%, Anime 15%, Sexual Content 13.7%, Violent 12%, Romance 9.6%
- #46 CROSS†CHANNEL: Steam Edition
72% matchVery Positive90% of 438 reviews2018
Dev: MoeNovel
Windows
Median: 1.1 hrsMean: 20.4 hrs≥1hr: 52%
"This is the Gunjo Broadcasting Club. Is there anyone left out there?” CROSS†CHANNEL is now available to the whole world for the first time ever. Eight students relive an eternally looping week as tensions rise. Can they mend their broken friendships, or are they too far gone to salvage...?
Why similar: Visual Novel 33.6%, Anime 18.3%, Great Soundtrack 12.1%, Violent 11.1%, Story Rich 9.5%
- #47 planetarian HD
71% matchOverwhelmingly Positive99% of 3,297 reviews2017
Dev: VisualArts/KeyPub: VisualArts
Windows
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 66.3 hrs≥1hr: 87%
planetarian HD is an engaging and emotional visual novel from legendary game studio, Key. A sub-brand of VISUAL ARTS, Key are also famed for creating Kanon, AIR, CLANNAD, Little Busters!, Rewrite, Angel Beats!, and Summer Pockets.
Why similar: Visual Novel 35.6%, Anime 23.1%, Post-apocalyptic 16.3%, Story Rich 5.6%, Great Soundtrack 4.3%
- #48 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.7 Minagoroshi
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 703 reviews2019
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 15.8 hrsMean: 89.0 hrs≥1hr: 88%
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 23.9%, Anime 17.4%, Gore 15.6%, Psychological Horror 15.2%, Violent 12.6%
- #49 Raging Loop
69% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 10,075 reviews2017
Dev: KEMCO
Windows
Median: 24.2 hrsMean: 59.5 hrs≥1hr: 84%
The feast has begun, can you escape the village alive?
Why similar: Visual Novel 36.2%, Psychological Horror 16.3%, Gore 11.1%, Violent 10.1%, Story Rich 9.5%
- #50 Quantum Suicide
71% matchMostly Positive78% of 118 reviews2020
Dev: Cotton Candy Cyanide
Windows · Mac · Linux
Quantum Suicide is a game of betrayal, deception and romance in the cold depths of space.
Why similar: Visual Novel 15.9%, Violent 12.9%, Gore 11.7%, Romance 10.8%, Psychological Horror 10.2%
- #51 WITCH ON THE HOLY NIGHT
65% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 7,710 reviews2023
Dev: TYPE-MOONPub: Aniplex Inc.
Windows
Median: 14.7 hrsMean: 64.0 hrs≥1hr: 84%
A tale told with vivid colors and rich sound in a classic TYPE-MOON visual novel.
Why similar: Visual Novel 44%, Anime 19.6%, Great Soundtrack 10%, Story Rich 8.5%, Sexual Content 6.3%
- #52 Stella of The End
66% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 2,991 reviews2023
Dev: VisualArts/KeyPub: VisualArts
Windows
Median: 7.5 hrsMean: 25.2 hrs≥1hr: 80%
Jude Gray, a wandering Courier, receives a request to deliver some very special cargo. This cargo turns out to be Philia, an android girl who is unaffected by the enigmatic Singularity Machines.
Why similar: Visual Novel 22.2%, Post-apocalyptic 14.4%, Anime 13.6%, Gore 12.5%, Violent 12.1%
- #53 Togainu no Chi ~Lost Blood~
69% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 730 reviews2020
Dev: Nitro+CHiRALPub: JAST
Windows
Median: 4.9 hrsMean: 10.0 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: Sexual Content 23.4%, Visual Novel 22%, Gore 14.1%, Violent 12.2%, Anime 9.5%
- #54 ROBOTICS;NOTES ELITE
68% matchVery Positive90% of 669 reviews2020
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 6.6 hrsMean: 38.2 hrs≥1hr: 68%
Thanks to the rising popularity of the PhoneDroid—a device which features augmented reality (A.R.)—the age of advanced technology has finally reached Tanegashima. On that island, Central Tanegashima High's "Robot Research Club" is about to have their club disbanded.
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.3%, Mechs 19.8% ★, Anime 12.6%, Sci-fi 11.6%, Great Soundtrack 9%
- #55 Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma
69% matchVery Positive82% of 4,789 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 29.3%, Psychological Horror 18.2%, Anime 12.5%, Story Rich 11.7%, Sci-fi 9.1%
- #56 NUKITASHI
64% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 3,546 reviews2023
Dev: QruppoPub: Shiravune
Windows
Median: 10.6 hrsMean: 44.5 hrs≥1hr: 80%
Seiran Island. Even here in paradise, there are those who work in the shadows to bring it down... Confront the tyranny of a twisted system in this long-awaited visual novel adventure.
Why similar: Visual Novel 23.1%, Sexual Content 21.3%, Romance 17.4%, Anime 16.5%, Story Rich 9.1%
- #57 ef - the latter tale. (All Ages)
67% matchVery Positive97% of 125 reviews2019
Dev: minoriPub: MangaGamer
Windows
In this direct continuation of "ef - the first tale", Yuu tells the tale of a young woman who has lost one of her eyes due to an accident, but who may have lost so much more beneath the surface.
Why similar: Visual Novel 25.7%, Sexual Content 21.4%, Romance 16.1%, Anime 16%, Story Rich 11.4%
- #58 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.2 Watanagashi
67% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 1,830 reviews2015
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 17.1 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 30.9%, Anime 16.1%, Psychological Horror 15.2%, Gore 9.8%, Violent 8.7%
- #59 Fallstreak: Requiem for my Homeland
67% matchVery Positive98% of 50 reviews2020
Dev: Centicerise Productions
Windows · Mac · Linux
A death march to the end of the world. Can humanity's lost future be reclaimed?
Why similar: War 21.4%, Visual Novel 17.9%, Post-apocalyptic 15.8%, Anime 12.6%, Sci-fi 9.5%
- #60 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.4 Himatsubushi
67% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 899 reviews2016
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 20.9 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 26.6%, Violent 16.9%, Anime 15.4%, Psychological Horror 13.6%, Great Soundtrack 9.6%
