- #1 The House in Fata Morgana
97% matchVery Positive95% of 6,041 reviews2016
Dev: NOVECTPub: MangaGamer
Windows
Median: 6.4 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: Visual Novel 21.1%, Mystery 13.4%, Horror 12%, Anime 11.4%, Story Rich 11.1%
Why You'll Like It: A gothic, story-rich visual novel that excels in building a dark, melancholic atmosphere through its narrative and art.
- #2 The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
96% matchVery Positive90% of 9,503 reviews2021
Dev: SeverPub: 101XP
Windows
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 9.0 hrs≥1hr: 91%
A narrative-driven hardcore RPG set in a gritty world ruled by real but unrelenting gods. Set out on a challenging lifetime journey, where every choice has a price and entails consequences. Will you become an inquisitor, a judge, or conspire against the old order? Dare to decide!
Why similar: Choices Matter 23.2%, Visual Novel 14.9%, Choose Your Own Adventure 13.1%, Story Rich 11.7%, Text-Based 10.7%
Why You'll Like It: Offers a complex, choice-driven narrative set in a harsh, unforgiving world where every decision carries heavy consequences.
- #3 Scarlet Hollow
96% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 4,469 reviews2021
Dev: Black Tabby Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 7.6 hrsMean: 13.6 hrs≥1hr: 83%
Your aunt’s dead, your cousin hates you, and you’re stuck in the dead-end town of Scarlet Hollow. Choose your path through a branching narrative so dense that you'll see less than 1/5 of the game on a single playthrough. You won't be able to save everyone. Good luck, and welcome home.
Why similar: Visual Novel 18.9%, Dark Fantasy 17.9%, Choices Matter 15.2%, Horror 13.3%, Mystery 10.3%
Why You'll Like It: Features deep, impactful choices and a dark, hand-drawn aesthetic that mirrors the grim atmosphere of the seed game.
- #4 Tiny Bunny
95% matchVery Positive83% of 29,932 reviews2025
Dev: SaikonoPub: Serenity Forge
Windows · Mac
Median: 8.5 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 23.4%, Horror 16%, Choices Matter 12.1%, Story Rich 11.7%, Gore 10.1%
Why You'll Like It: A deeply atmospheric horror visual novel that captures the unsettling, surreal dread found in Sanator.
- #5 PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
94% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 6,520 reviews2023
Dev: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 8.6 hrsMean: 10.1 hrs≥1hr: 87%
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 17.9%, Hand-drawn 13.7%, Text-Based 12.1%, Horror 11.9%, Anime 11.7%
Why You'll Like It: Combines supernatural horror with a mystery-driven visual novel format that keeps the player constantly on edge.
- #6 Omen Exitio: Plague
94% matchVery Positive85% of 621 reviews2018
Dev: Tiny Bull Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 6.6 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Investigate a paranormal disease that threatens to eradicate humanity in this unsettling Lovecraftian adventure, inspired by the choose-your-own-adventure gamebooks of the 80s and 90s. Your choices will determine the story, your character’s destiny… and the future of humanity.
Why similar: Visual Novel 25.7%, Choices Matter 23.5%, Choose Your Own Adventure 21.7%, Story Rich 16.3%, Text-Based 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: Directly mirrors the plague-ridden, dark fantasy themes and interactive fiction mechanics of the seed game.
- #7 Tokyo Dark
93% matchVery Positive84% of 1,336 reviews2017
Dev: CherrymochiPub: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 5.5 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Legend tells of a door deep below Tokyo's sewers. All who enter are lost forever. Detective Ito's partner is missing. Explore Tokyo & uncover the darkness that lays beneath the streets in this Point & Click - meets Visual Novel - narrative adventure that questions the very core of Ito's sanity.
Why similar: Visual Novel 22%, Anime 17.9%, Horror 15.3%, Mystery 12.6%, Choices Matter 9.9%
Why You'll Like It: Blends anime-style visual novel elements with branching paths and psychological horror in a mystery-driven plot.
- #8 Kara no Shojo
92% matchVery Positive92% of 439 reviews2018
Dev: Innocent GreyPub: MangaGamer
Windows
Median: 6.1 hrsMean: 165.3 hrs≥1hr: 64%
Play as a detective tasked with catching a serial killer in this visual novel set in post-war Japan. Investigate key locations, question many complex characters, piece together clues, and try to stop the culprit before they end yet another young girl's smile.
Why similar: Visual Novel 14.7%, Emotional 12%, Gore 10.7%, Mystery 10.7%, Anime 10.5%
Why You'll Like It: A gritty, dark detective mystery that shares the mature, anime-inspired aesthetic and psychological depth of the seed game.
- #9 The Tales of Bayun
91% matchMostly Positive77% of 200 reviews2023
Dev: FlyinDogs
Windows
Can a flat world resting on the backs of three demon bears live in peace? Of course not! Immerse yourself in the universe of the dark Slavic legends, explore the characters' stories and make difficult choices that affect the course of events. Bayun the Cat will help you. If you're lucky, that is.
Why similar: Dark Fantasy 26.9%, Choices Matter 16%, Visual Novel 15.9%, Choose Your Own Adventure 13.1%, Hand-drawn 11.9%
Why You'll Like It: A dark fantasy narrative game that focuses heavily on moral dilemmas and multiple endings in a grim, folklore-inspired world.
- #10 The Shell Part I: Inferno
90% matchVery Positive91% of 1,325 reviews2023
Dev: Innocent GreyPub: Shiravune
Windows
Median: 10.7 hrsMean: 110.2 hrs≥1hr: 70%
Unravel a string of gruesome murders terrorizing Tokyo in this mystery-thriller visual novel. The secrets of a case from six years prior may just be the key to the current unending cycle of tragedy—and the thing that cracks this woeful world’s shell may be one girl’s smile.
Why similar: Visual Novel 21.9%, Mystery 14.5%, Choices Matter 13.7%, Gore 9.6%, Atmospheric 7.7%
Why You'll Like It: A dark, detective-focused visual novel that delves into psychological horror and complex mystery-solving.
- #11 Saint Kotar
91% matchMostly Positive75% of 277 reviews2021
Dev: The-Mark EntertainmentPub: SOEDESCO
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 6.1 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Saint Kotar is a psychological horror detective game set in a cursed valley in rural Croatia. Investigate the disappearance of your relative in the occult-ridden town of Sveti Kotar as you switch between conflicting realities through the eyes of two godly men.
Why similar: Choices Matter 16.4%, Visual Novel 15.2%, Horror 14.3%, Mystery 12.7%, Lore-Rich 11.8%
Why You'll Like It: A dark, point-and-click mystery that explores themes of religious horror and psychological trauma in a decaying setting.
- #12 Banebush
87% matchVery Positive95% of 2,088 reviews2024
Dev: Hinterland Mood
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.8 hrsMean: 3.4 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Banebush is a nonlinear and very red visual novel in the horror genre. Do you dare to step into a fairy tale if it turns out to be reality? 💀
Why similar: Visual Novel 39.4%, Horror 26.7%, Story Rich 16.5%, Atmospheric 13.3%, Adventure 4.2%
Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric horror visual novel that focuses on building dread through its narrative and setting.
- #13 The Letter - Horror Visual Novel
89% matchVery Positive86% of 1,500 reviews2017
Dev: Yangyang MobilePub: Neon Doctrine
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 6.6 hrsMean: 11.1 hrs≥1hr: 90%
When seven people fall prey to a vicious curse, they will discover that horror rests not from the shadows lurking about, but within themselves. To what ends will one go in order to survive?
Why similar: Visual Novel 24.6%, Horror 18.5%, Choices Matter 12.3%, Gore 10.3%, Anime 8.4%
Why You'll Like It: Features a branching narrative with multiple protagonists and a strong focus on horror and character-driven drama.
- #14 Saint Maker - Horror Visual Novel
89% matchVery Positive86% of 252 reviews2023
Dev: Yangyang MobilePub: Neon Doctrine
Windows · Mac
A haunted convent. Statues that move on their own. A buried past. Welcome to Saint Idelora’s convent, where becoming a saint comes with a price.
Why similar: Visual Novel 22%, Horror 15.6%, Choose Your Own Adventure 13.2%, Story Rich 10.6%, Anime 10.5%
Why You'll Like It: Focuses on psychological horror and a dark, oppressive atmosphere that complements the tone of the seed game.
- #15 Geminism
88% matchVery Positive90% of 115 reviews2025
Dev: CRAFTWORKPub: Shiravune
Windows
Two pairs of twins war for love, life, and limb beneath the curtain of a dark Tokyo night. From the artisans at CRAFTWORK comes a visual novel lush with art, action, and mystery; a story of GEMINISM—deformity and divinity.
Why similar: Dark Fantasy 20.8%, Visual Novel 14.9%, Emotional 10.8%, Anime 10.1%, Horror 8.1%
Why You'll Like It: A dark fantasy visual novel that emphasizes psychological horror and atmospheric storytelling.
- #16 Your Turn To Die -Death Game By Majority-
86% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 3,866 reviews2023
Dev: NankidaiPub: 0UP GAMES
Windows
Median: 6.4 hrsMean: 14.0 hrs≥1hr: 82%
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: Choose Your Own Adventure 23.9%, Mystery 22.5%, Anime 18.3%, Dark 13.9%, Story Rich 13.4%
Why You'll Like It: An intense psychological horror visual novel where choices are the primary mechanic for survival.
- #17 Bad Faith
86% matchVery Positive92% of 63 reviews2022
Dev: Mado
Windows · Mac · Linux
Sanctuaries. Secrets. Serious consequences. A solo-developed psychological horror/drama visual novel.
Why similar: Visual Novel 18.5%, Emotional 14.7%, Horror 13.5%, Anime 13.3%, Story Rich 9.2%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological horror visual novel that explores dark themes through its narrative and anime-inspired art style.
- #18 The Jewel of Monostructure
85% matchVery Positive96% of 136 reviews2021
Dev: Ignis SanatPub: Ignis Sanat 🔥
Windows · Mac · Linux
Sanator: The Jewel of Monostructure is a dark fantasy visual novel that combines deep lore with exciting adventures. Who is behind the mysterious thefts and why are the gates of the Monostructure open again? Take control of Richard Murdock, the plague doctor, and find the answer.
Why similar: Dark Fantasy 17.2%, Visual Novel 13.6%, Anime 9.2%, Lore-Rich 9.2%, Choices Matter 9.1%
Why You'll Like It: A dark fantasy visual novel that focuses on atmospheric storytelling and a unique, grim world-building style.
- #19 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.1 Onikakushi
84% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 6,215 reviews2015
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 21.9 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 34.2%, Mystery 19.4%, Anime 18%, Story Rich 11.9%, Dark 7.3%
Why You'll Like It: A classic horror visual novel that masterfully builds tension and mystery in a small, isolated community.
- #20 Enelia: Dawn of Madness
83% matchVery Positive95% of 127 reviews2024
Dev: Indra Studio
Windows
Immerse yourself in the enigmatic world of Nauris, where enchanting landscapes hide terrifying secrets: the strange behavior of elders, sinister rituals of priests, and the disappearance of citizens. Madness lurks everywhere – will you master it or become its victim? The choice is yours.
Why similar: Visual Novel 17.5%, Horror 12.5%, Choose Your Own Adventure 11.4%, Choices Matter 10.7%, Anime 10.4%
Why You'll Like It: A dark, horror-tinged visual novel that focuses on adventure and story-rich exploration.
- #21 Chronicles of Taldun: The Remainder
84% matchVery Positive97% of 148 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: Dark Fantasy 14.7%, Visual Novel 12.4%, Emotional 9.9%, Hand-drawn 9.5%, Choose Your Own Adventure 9.3%
Why You'll Like It: Features a mystery-heavy, dark narrative with multiple endings that reward careful choice-making.
- #22 WORLD OF HORROR
82% matchVery Positive90% of 9,731 reviews2023
Dev: panstaszPub: Ysbryd Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.6 hrsMean: 7.7 hrs≥1hr: 71%
Experience the quiet terror of this 1-bit love letter to Junji Ito and H.P. Lovecraft. Navigate a hellish roguelite reality with turn-based combat and unforgiving choices. Experiment with your deck of event cards to discover new forms of cosmic horror in every playthrough. The inevitable awaits...
Why similar: Horror 34.4%, Anime 17.3%, Mystery 17.2%, RPG 12.4%, Atmospheric 11.2%
Why You'll Like It: Captures a unique, unsettling aesthetic and provides a dark, RPG-lite experience that feels thematically aligned with plague-era horror.
- #23 HAPPY SAIN† SHEOL
82% matchVery Positive85% of 221 reviews2024
Dev: HUNGRYCULTPub: Sekai Project
Windows · Mac · Linux
Two thousand years ago, the Pestis Disaster swept through the land, corrupting all living things and making it to difficult to live on the land. Having touched the darkest darkness the world has seen, one must now face the dazzling light. Thus I pose this question. Whose wings did I see that day?
Why similar: Visual Novel 20.8%, Anime 16.4%, Horror 15.4%, Gore 13.7%, Text-Based 9.7%
Why You'll Like It: A horror-themed visual novel that uses a distinct art style to convey a dark and unsettling story.
- #24 Sigh of the Abyss
80% matchVery Positive96% of 178 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: Dark Fantasy 17.7%, Lore-Rich 13.8%, Visual Novel 12.7%, Hand-drawn 12.2%, Choices Matter 10.6%
Why You'll Like It: A dark fantasy visual novel that incorporates complex choices and a somber, atmospheric world.
- #25 Pathologic 2
81% matchVery Positive92% of 11,869 reviews2019
Dev: Ice-Pick LodgePub: tinyBuild
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 12.4 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Pathologic 2 is a groundbreaking open-world horror RPG. Resist the plague. Make medicine. Heal people. Perform an autopsy. Trade to get what you need. Fight and kill if necessary. Survive. Struggle with an outbreak in a secluded rural town that is rapidly turning into hell.
Why similar: Choices Matter 28.8%, Story Rich 22.5%, Atmospheric 18.6%, RPG 14.9%, Dark 10.6%
Why You'll Like It: While an immersive sim, it is the definitive experience for players who love the 'plague-ridden city' atmosphere and high-stakes decision-making.
- #26 Untale: King of Revinia
81% matchMostly Positive77% of 56 reviews2020
Dev: Empty Die Studio
Windows · Linux
Unravel the mystery of the King's sudden death... Claim your right for the throne. Try to stay alive as long as possible. Will you take the risk? The story for those who are brave enough to dive in a dark story and are able to think reasonably.
Why similar: Visual Novel 20.1%, Mystery 15.7%, Choices Matter 15.4%, Story Rich 12.3%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10.2%
Why You'll Like It: A story-rich mystery game that emphasizes the importance of choices and character-driven drama.
- #27 Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk
78% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 32,921 reviews2020
Dev: Nikita KryukovPub: Nikita Igorevich Studio
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 24 minMean: 7.2 hrs≥1hr: 11%
A short story about what sort of challenges everyday little things can be. Help the girl buy milk, be the first not to disappoint her.
Why similar: Visual Novel 34.1%, Horror 18.8%, Text-Based 15.6%, Anime 12%, Emotional 10.6%
Why You'll Like It: A short, intense psychological experience that mirrors the dark, surreal, and unique art style of the seed game.
- #28 MAMIYA
79% matchVery Positive93% of 444 reviews2021
Dev: Kenkou LandPub: Fruitbat Factory
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 12.1 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 17.9%, Dark Fantasy 14.5%, Emotional 10.3%, Choices Matter 10.1%, Horror 9.6%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological horror visual novel that explores themes of identity and dread in a surreal, dark setting.
- #29 7'scarlet
79% matchMostly Positive75% of 854 reviews2019
Dev: IDEA FACTORYPub: Intragames
Windows
Median: 7.8 hrsMean: 15.0 hrs≥1hr: 76%
The remote town of Okunezato is shaped like a crescent moon and shrouded in dark myths and legends. Take on the role of a brave young woman journeying into the unknown to uncover dangerous truths and locate her missing brother with her childhood friend.
Why similar: Visual Novel 26%, Anime 17.7%, Horror 15.9%, Mystery 13.4%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10.9%
Why You'll Like It: A mystery-focused visual novel that balances its anime aesthetic with a dark, suspenseful plot.
- #30 Corpse Party
78% matchVery Positive89% of 1,369 reviews2016
Dev: GrisGrisPub: XSEED Games
Windows · Linux
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 17.3 hrs≥1hr: 81%
A group of friends unknowingly perform an occult ritual that traps them in an otherworldly elementary school. Here, the vengeful spirits of young children threaten their lives and their sanity, and the only hope of survival is to uncover the chilling details behind the murders of those trapped before them...
Why similar: Horror 25.8%, Anime 17.6%, Visual Novel 15.7%, Gore 15.4%, Story Rich 7.2%
Why You'll Like It: A seminal horror visual novel that excels in creating a claustrophobic, terrifying atmosphere.
- #31 Snowfall's Mystery
75% matchVery Positive86% of 102 reviews2025
Dev: Sempiternal Rain
Windows
A psychological interactive novel about a floppy disk with a mysterious program. Help Elliot cope with his mental issues and uncover the secret of the floppy disk.
Why similar: Visual Novel 19%, Text-Based 17.4%, Choices Matter 15.8%, Lore-Rich 14%, Emotional 13%
- #32 For Mother Matron
76% matchVery Positive91% of 163 reviews2022
Dev: Velvetique GamesPub: Neoclassic Games
Windows · Mac
A story about a girl named Lizzy living in a miserable world and her journey to its darkest depths. A free atmospheric horror visual novel where you navigate life-or-death situations. SEEK PARADISE OR DIE TRYING
Why similar: Visual Novel 20%, Dark Fantasy 15%, Choose Your Own Adventure 14.9%, Horror 12.5%, Choices Matter 12.3%
- #33 The Specter's Desire
75% matchVery Positive98% of 51 reviews2024
Dev: Themisian
Windows · Mac
This year's Desire Hierarchy has begun. The stakes are now deadly. Hop into The Specter's Desire, a Visual Novel in which you play against the city's top talents to save your parents. Includes puzzling gameplay that has you tearing down arguments, hatching schemes, and revealing the truth!
Why similar: Visual Novel 20%, Choose Your Own Adventure 16.4%, Text-Based 14.8%, Horror 12.9%, Choices Matter 11.8%
- #34 It Paints Me
73% matchVery Positive97% of 224 reviews2024
Dev: ENDYSIS
Windows · Mac · Linux
Take the role of a painter struggling to finish his masterpiece in this short Gothic horror visual novel about art, pain and love.
Why similar: Visual Novel 17.4%, Dark Fantasy 13.9%, Hand-drawn 12.5%, Horror 11.5%, Emotional 11%
- #35 Unforgotten
77% matchMostly Positive78% of 51 reviews2020
Dev: ScoreboardGames
Windows · Mac
UNFORGOTTEN – a story-driven, non-linear visual novel, where you can immerse in the ethnic ambience of Northern myths and horrors. Can you solve the riddles of the past - without ever losing yourself in the present? Your fate is in your hands!
Why similar: Visual Novel 18.5%, Horror 13.7%, Choices Matter 12.9%, Mystery 12.1%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10.8%
- #36 Fateweaver: The Alchemist's Quandary
74% matchVery Positive98% of 99 reviews2023
Dev: Randumb Studios
Windows
You are The Fateweaver; an ancient beast of legendary status. It is your job to determine which way Fate will unravel as you dig deep into the psyche of those who beckon. Decide whether to help those who beg for your mercy, or invoke the wrath of the Gods upon those you deem unworthy of existence...
Why similar: Visual Novel 18.1%, Choices Matter 15.1%, Choose Your Own Adventure 13.7%, Horror 13.5%, Mystery 12.5%
- #37 Siberian Way
73% matchVery Positive82% of 68 reviews2025
Dev: RootGame
Windows
Siberian Way is a detective thriller novel. Follow the dark non-linear story and decide how it can end! For all fans of snowy Siberia, Murder on the Orient Express and twisted plots, seasoned with mysticism.
Why similar: Visual Novel 22%, Choices Matter 14.1%, Horror 13.8%, Text-Based 12.3%, Atmospheric 9.3%
- #38 BAD END
76% matchVery Positive84% of 393 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 23%, Horror 16.6%, Anime 16%, Mystery 15.8%, Choose Your Own Adventure 13.1%
- #39 Break Wolf
71% matchVery Positive99% of 156 reviews2025
Dev: RE Atelier
Windows
"Have we all been acting waywardly?" An Adventure RPG that deals with the life and death of wayward humans, striving to escape a syndicate that creates monsters.
Why similar: Dark Fantasy 23.6%, Choices Matter 13.1%, Lore-Rich 11%, Gore 10.4%, Story Rich 9.9%
- #40 Legends of Savvarah: Flowers and Scorpions
70% matchVery Positive98% of 85 reviews2026
Dev: ST Sinovar
Windows · Mac
You are Nikaria. An agent of a mysterious god, sent to another country. Does the end justify the means? Is the will of the god above the law? Is the death of a non-believer insignificant? The decision is yours alone.
Why similar: Visual Novel 17.6%, Choose Your Own Adventure 14.4%, Nonlinear 12.9%, Hand-drawn 12.7%, Dark Fantasy 11%
- #41 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 35.8%, Anime 14.9%, Mystery 8%, Nonlinear 7.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 7.2%
- #42 Saint Kotar: The Yellow Mask
74% matchMostly Positive74% of 340 reviews2020
Dev: The-Mark Entertainment
Windows · Mac · Linux
Follow the fear of Benedek Dohnany and Nikolay Kalyakin and play the onset of a dark and chilling narrative adventure. Make decisions and affect the events that precede a macabre series of murders, allegedly related to devil worship and witchcraft.
Why similar: Mystery 20.4%, Horror 19.8%, Hand-drawn 17.3%, Story Rich 13.7%, Atmospheric 12.6%
- #43 Project Vostok: Episode 1
73% matchVery Positive83% of 117 reviews2022
Dev: Natrix
Windows · Mac · Linux
"Project Vostok" is a non-linear horror visual novel about a group of airplane crash survivors finding a mysterious Soviet-era bunker in Altai mountains. Uncover the story full of drama, horrors and decide the fate a of various cast of heroes in this free visual novel.
Why similar: Visual Novel 18.2%, Horror 13.2%, Anime 12.3%, Gore 12.2%, Choices Matter 11.3%
- #44 BAD END THEATER
69% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 9,533 reviews2021
Dev: NomnomNami
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.6 hrsMean: 3.5 hrs≥1hr: 71%
select your protagonist and explore a variety of terrible fates!
Why similar: Visual Novel 28.2%, Choices Matter 20.9%, Choose Your Own Adventure 16.6%, Story Rich 15.7%, Anime 8.7%
- #45 Sunlight Scream
71% 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 22.1%, Anime 15.4%, Mystery 15%, Story Rich 11.6%, Horror 10.3%
- #46 Suhoshin
71% matchVery Positive91% of 166 reviews2022
Dev: No More 500
Windows
Suhoshin is a 2D Visual Novel set in the medieval Joseon period of Korea. While investigating a series of mysterious murders, you will have to make choices that will lead you down different paths toward different endings.
Why similar: Visual Novel 19.8%, Mystery 13.4%, Anime 13.2%, Text-Based 11%, Hand-drawn 10.2%
- #47 Mask of the Plague Doctor
72% matchVery Positive87% of 63 reviews2020
Dev: Choice of Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Stop a deadly plague in a medieval fantasy tale of swords and surgery! Unearth medical knowledge, prevent the town’s purge, or plot your own escape.
Why similar: RPG 31.4%, Text-Based 28.8%, Horror 25.9%, Adventure 13.8%
- #48 Cooking Companions
70% matchVery Positive94% of 1,183 reviews2021
Dev: Deer Dream StudiosPub: Serenity Forge
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 4.5 hrs≥1hr: 94%
Unravel the mystery in this cute psychological horror VN, set deep in the woods of the Tatras Mountains. Will you wind up on the chopping block?
Why similar: Lore-Rich 16.5%, Visual Novel 15.8%, Horror 11.8%, Anime 11.4%, Mystery 11.2%
- #49 KAMITSUBAKI CITY REGENERATE
67% matchVery Positive94% of 509 reviews2025
Dev: KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO
Windows
Answer the summons to the parallel world of "Kamitsubaki City" and meet a cast of colorful characters as you set out on a quest to save this city from the brink of destruction in this dark-fantasy sci-fi visual novel!
Why similar: Dark Fantasy 36.1%, Visual Novel 25.6%, Choose Your Own Adventure 21.1%, Anime 9.3%, Adventure 5.6%
- #50 Forsaker:DingDing&Blade
68% matchVery Positive81% of 241 reviews2025
Dev: 圣剑提灯制作组 [BladeLanternStudios]Pub: Infini Fun
Windows · Mac
A visual novel/roguelike hybrid where a simple mission spirals into a cannibalistic odyssey. You'll struggle as a fragile human, blood-soaked knight, or flesh-devouring Forsaker. Devour or be devoured—yet your fate dangles by unseen strings. Choose: cling to this broken world... or forsake it.
Why similar: Visual Novel 22.5%, Lore-Rich 20.3%, Anime 15.9%, Story Rich 11.3%, Atmospheric 7.9%
- #51 The Apocalypse Sacrifice
67% matchVery Positive95% of 247 reviews2024
Dev: FOG GAMESPub: INDIECN
Windows
As an adventurer, you have unintentionally uncovered a horrifying secret hidden in the town for years. Every choice you make will shape the story and become part of your personality test. Will you be the hero who saves the villagers, or will you sacrifice them to create your own legend?
Why similar: Lore-Rich 18.7%, Hand-drawn 13.1%, Visual Novel 12.6%, Choices Matter 11.6%, Horror 11%
- #52 Sally Face - Episode One
68% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 26,081 reviews2016
Dev: Portable Moose
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 8.2 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Delve into a dark adventure following the boy with a prosthetic face and a tragic past. Unravel the sinister mysteries of Sally's world to find the truth that lies hidden beneath the shadows.
Why similar: Horror 16.2%, Hand-drawn 15.4%, Story Rich 15.3%, Emotional 14.4%, Mystery 14.4%
- #53 Королевская ночь
68% matchVery Positive89% of 144 reviews2023
Dev: SNch
Windows
"Королевская ночь"– нелинейная визуальная новелла в жанре ужасов. Десятки лет одиночества заставят её мыслить иначе..
Why similar: Visual Novel 19.1%, Horror 13.5%, Choices Matter 12.6%, Hand-drawn 12.4%, Choose Your Own Adventure 11.3%
- #54 Hazy Mind
67% matchVery Positive86% of 318 reviews2024
Dev: betetiro
Windows · Mac · Linux
You can't remember anything, and all you can see is HER. Delve into your story and uncover the truth behind what happened to you and your parents.
Why similar: Visual Novel 23.5%, Choices Matter 14.4%, Anime 12.9%, Story Rich 12.3%, Horror 11%
- #55 Pandemic Love
69% matchVery Positive93% of 232 reviews2021
Dev: Red Skald
Windows
A short visual novel about isolation. You try to search for comfort in the lonesome people around you. Keeping the darkness at bay with small embers of light. Will you let the fear change you?
Why similar: Visual Novel 18.9%, Hand-drawn 16.1%, Choose Your Own Adventure 14.8%, Emotional 12.9%, Anime 12.4%
- #56 Dreambound
67% matchVery Positive96% of 89 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: Visual Novel 16.5%, Emotional 13.9%, Mystery 11.9%, Lore-Rich 11.4%, Anime 10.5%
- #57 Pink Noise
65% matchVery Positive92% of 107 reviews2026
Dev: Somber GamesPub: Caspianborn Publishing
Windows
Pink Noise is a nonlinear visual novel in the psychological horror genre, immersing you in the retro atmosphere of the '90s. It tells the tale of a group of teenagers who unknowingly set off a chain of terrifying events. What secrets lie within the mysterious VHS tape they should’ve never played?
Why similar: Dark Fantasy 17.5%, Visual Novel 15.7%, Choices Matter 12.9%, Hand-drawn 12%, Horror 11.5%
- #58 The Mildew Children
66% matchVery Positive93% of 451 reviews2024
Dev: The Growing StonesPub: Valkyrie Initiative
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.9 hrsMean: 5.5 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Featuring a blend of 2D adventure and visual novel, The Mildew Children is a grim tale about a village inhabited only by children who follow savage pagan traditions. A young witch named Kyrphel, along with her sisters, are bound to perform a macabre Ritual in order to save their village.
Why similar: Visual Novel 19.6%, Choices Matter 13.9%, Story Rich 12.5%, Emotional 12.4%, Mystery 12.2%
- #59 Knell of St. Godhrkar
66% matchVery Positive94% of 1,530 reviews2021
Dev: 二律背反Pub: 旅人计划
Windows · Mac
In this game, you can watch as 7 protagonists come to a crossroad, facing their own destiny. You will witness their own choices and the blood-splattering consequence they have on one another. There is no way out except to plunge them into the abyss...
Why similar: Visual Novel 28.6%, Text-Based 19%, Story Rich 15.9%, RPG 13.2%, Anime 10%
- #60 Solstice
70% matchMostly Positive76% of 190 reviews2016
Dev: MoaCube
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 4.3 hrs≥1hr: 93%
Solstice is a dystopian mystery visual novel about small personal disasters that turn into great catastrophes.
Why similar: Visual Novel 18.8%, Dark Fantasy 16.8%, Choices Matter 14.2%, Choose Your Own Adventure 13.6%, Mystery 10.6%
