- #1 Tokyo Dark
97% 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 22.4%, Anime 16.9%, Horror 14%, Female Protagonist 11.4%, Gore 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: It features a female protagonist navigating a dark, atmospheric version of Tokyo while uncovering disturbing secrets.
- #2 Spirit Hunter: Death Mark
96% matchVery Positive82% of 496 reviews2019
Dev: EXPERIENCEPub: Aksys Games
Windows
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 13.2 hrs≥1hr: 70%
A strange rumor is spreading through the shadows of Tokyo's H City: a mysterious disfigurement has been appearing on the bodies of certain individuals. Anyone who receives the Mark will rapidly die of unknown, horrifying causes. The countdown to death has already begun...
Why similar: Visual Novel 34.4%, Horror 25.3%, Violent 22.8%, Anime 11%, Adventure 6.4%
Why You'll Like It: This title excels at the urban legend horror genre, focusing on investigative mystery and supernatural threats.
- #3 PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
95% 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 36.8%, Anime 22.5%, Horror 22.2%, Mystery 7%, Adventure 5.2%
Why You'll Like It: This game perfectly captures the essence of Tokyo urban legends and supernatural mystery found in the seed title.
- #4 The Letter - Horror Visual Novel
96% 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 29.5%, Horror 20%, Gore 12.9%, Anime 9.4%, Violent 6.2%
Why You'll Like It: It offers a branching narrative with strong atmospheric tension and a focus on horror-themed choices.
- #5 Tiny Bunny
94% 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 27.9%, Horror 17.2%, Gore 12.7%, Violent 9.1%, Psychological Horror 6.3%
Why You'll Like It: This game provides a deeply unsettling and dark atmosphere that mirrors the psychological weight of the seed title.
- #6 Corpse Party
94% 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 26.6%, Anime 18.8%, Gore 18.5%, Visual Novel 18%, Psychological Horror 6.3%
Why You'll Like It: A classic of the genre, it delivers intense gore and psychological horror within a trapped, supernatural environment.
- #7 Saint Maker - Horror Visual Novel
93% 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 31.2%, Horror 19.9%, Female Protagonist 15.7%, Anime 13.9%, Psychological Horror 9.2%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological horror story featuring a female protagonist that focuses on building tension and dread.
- #8 The House in Fata Morgana
92% 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 25.9%, Horror 13.3%, Anime 13.1%, Great Soundtrack 9.4%, Female Protagonist 9.1%
Why You'll Like It: It is a gothic, atmospheric visual novel that excels at emotional storytelling and dark, mysterious themes.
- #9 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.1 Onikakushi
91% 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 48.6%, Anime 23.9%, Mystery 8.9%, Great Soundtrack 6.7%, Story Rich 5.2%
Why You'll Like It: This foundational entry in the series perfectly encapsulates the small-town urban legend horror aesthetic.
- #10 CHAOS;CHILD
91% matchVery Positive94% of 3,800 reviews2019
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 81.1 hrs≥1hr: 81%
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 28.6%, Gore 15.4%, Anime 12.9%, Violent 11.8%, Horror 8.7%
Why You'll Like It: Set in Tokyo, this mystery-thriller incorporates gore and psychological elements that align well with the seed game.
- #11 WORLD OF HORROR
89% 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 44.1%, Anime 22.9%, Psychological Horror 14.6%, Mystery 7.9%, Atmospheric 5.1%
Why You'll Like It: It utilizes a unique, retro-inspired art style to deliver Lovecraftian urban legend horror that feels both nostalgic and terrifying.
- #12 Root Double -Before Crime * After Days- Xtend Edition
90% matchVery Positive90% of 592 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 39.9%, Anime 17.7%, Gore 10.7%, Violent 8.6%, Mystery 4.8%
Why You'll Like It: An intense mystery-thriller that focuses on survival and complex character-driven narratives.
- #13 sweet pool
89% matchVery Positive90% of 455 reviews2018
Dev: Nitro+CHiRALPub: JAST
Windows
As madness and horror devour his world, can Youji find hope amid the nightmare? Experience a bond deeper and darker than love in this unforgettable visual novel.
Why similar: Visual Novel 35.7%, Gore 21.3%, Violent 13.6%, Anime 9%, Horror 8.9%
Why You'll Like It: A dark, visceral visual novel that explores psychological trauma and horror with a mature, unsettling tone.
- #14 Your Turn To Die -Death Game By Majority-
87% 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: Female Protagonist 30.5%, Anime 28.1%, Psychological Horror 13.5%, Mystery 12%, Story Rich 6.8%
Why You'll Like It: This game features a gripping death-game narrative with strong character dynamics and psychological tension.
- #15 Zero Escape: The Nonary Games
88% matchVery Positive93% of 6,967 reviews2017
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 6.5 hrsMean: 21.7 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Kidnapped and taken to an unfamiliar location, nine people find themselves forced to participate in a diabolical Nonary Game by an enigmatic mastermind called Zero. Why were they there? Why were they chosen to put their lives on the line? And more importantly, who can be trusted?
Why similar: Visual Novel 33.4%, Anime 12.2%, Gore 7.2%, Mystery 6.6%, Psychological Horror 6.4%
Why You'll Like It: It combines high-stakes mystery with psychological horror and intense, life-or-death decision making.
- #16 The Aquarium does not dance Special Edition
86% matchVery Positive98% of 221 reviews2025
Dev: 橙々Pub: Frontier Works Inc.
Windows
Navigate your way through an aquarium overrun by gruesome creatures known as creepies and unravel its hidden mysteries. With each riddle you solve, you’ll find yourself one step closer to uncovering the chilling truth of Bianca Aquarium. Your choices affect the outcome of the game, so choose wisely.
Why similar: Horror 24.5%, Female Protagonist 21.7%, Visual Novel 17.4%, Psychological Horror 9.1%, Anime 8.7%
Why You'll Like It: It shares the specific aquarium setting and horror-themed pixel art aesthetic of the seed game.
- #17 Blood Orange: Definitive Edition
86% matchVery Positive95% of 222 reviews2023
Dev: Decent TreatmentPub: Semicolon
Windows
Underwater psychological horror with a shocking, character-driven narrative. Explore ruins beneath the amazon river basin, and converse with their dolphin inhabitants. Skillfully capture and develop photographs with your underwater camera.
Why similar: Visual Novel 35.1%, Female Protagonist 16.9%, Psychological Horror 13.2%, Choices Matter 9.2%, Atmospheric 7%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological thriller that uses choices and atmosphere to create a compelling, dark narrative.
- #18 Folie Fatale
85% matchVery Positive86% of 2,482 reviews2024
Dev: Kanmidoko (神海処)Pub: 346lab Localization
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 5.4 hrs≥1hr: 87%
All capture targets are mentally "Jirai"(landmine)!? Meet these eccentric boys, reveal the truth beneath in this Psycho-love-horror VN!
Why similar: Visual Novel 29.3%, Female Protagonist 19.8%, Anime 14.8%, Gore 9.1%, Psychological Horror 8.7%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological horror otome that features a female protagonist and branching paths in a dark setting.
- #19 Lachesis or Atropos
84% matchVery Positive87% of 68 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: Visual Novel 24.8%, Horror 15.7%, Anime 14.5%, Female Protagonist 13.6%, Gore 10%
Why You'll Like It: A detective-focused visual novel that blends horror elements with a female protagonist's perspective.
- #20 The Silver Case
84% matchVery Positive89% of 1,085 reviews2016
Dev: GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE INC.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 8.6 hrs≥1hr: 85%
The Silver Case – the debut title from world-renowned developer SUDA51 has been fully remastered and localized to English for the first time ever!
Why similar: Visual Novel 32.5%, Anime 18.8%, Horror 17.2%, Mystery 8.3%, Psychological Horror 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: A gritty, Tokyo-based mystery that explores dark themes through a unique, experimental visual novel style.
- #21 Fatal Twelve
83% matchVery Positive92% of 995 reviews2018
Dev: LYCORISPub: Sekai Project
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 7.7 hrsMean: 12.4 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Shishimai Rinka was a high schooler who ran a small café named Lion House in place of her grandmother. She lived her life much like any other person her age, but one day, she was caught up in an explosion while returning home on the train alongside her friend, Hitsuji Naomi.
Why similar: Visual Novel 31.9%, Female Protagonist 18.5%, Anime 15.8%, Violent 10.9%, Great Soundtrack 5.6%
Why You'll Like It: A supernatural mystery game that involves a high-stakes competition with life-or-death consequences.
- #22 Hashihime of the Old Book Town
82% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 612 reviews2019
Dev: ADELTAPub: MangaGamer
Windows
Follow the protagonist's pursuit to uncover the death of his friends during the Taisho era of Japan. An highly-acclaimed, psychedelic BL murder-mystery visual novel from indie developer ADELTA!
Why similar: Visual Novel 40.2%, Gore 14.4%, Violent 14.3%, Anime 11.7%, Horror 7.2%
Why You'll Like It: A dark, psychological mystery set in historical Tokyo with a strong emphasis on atmosphere and character development.
- #23 AI: The Somnium Files
82% matchVery Positive92% of 9,101 reviews2019
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 15.1 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Play as detective Kaname Date on the case of an elusive serial killer in this thrilling, sci-fi murder mystery.
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.3%, Anime 18.4%, Gore 14.7%, Violent 9%, Mystery 6.4%
Why You'll Like It: A detective mystery set in a futuristic Tokyo that features dark themes and surreal, dream-like sequences.
- #24 It gets so lonely here
81% matchVery Positive94% of 1,971 reviews2023
Dev: ebi-hime
Windows · Mac · Linux
A yandere yuri visual novel with a fairytale theme. Can you escape from your mysterious pursuer?
Why similar: Visual Novel 32.5%, Female Protagonist 16.6%, Anime 15.4%, Horror 14.6%, Psychological Horror 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: A dark fantasy visual novel that features a female protagonist and explores themes of isolation and horror.
- #25 MAMIYA
81% 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 34.8%, Horror 16.9%, Anime 15.4%, Psychological Horror 10.8%, Story Rich 5.7%
Why You'll Like It: A surreal and psychological horror visual novel that explores themes of identity and existential dread.
- #26 Narcissu 1st & 2nd
80% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 5,225 reviews2015
Dev: stage-nanaPub: Sekai Project
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 48 minMean: 19.5 hrs≥1hr: 47%
This is a story of disease and suffering; of medication and adverse effects; of thoracotomy scars and cellular poisons; of the living who cannot help but to die and of the dying who cannot help but to live; of a resting place other than "on 7F" or "at home".
Why similar: Visual Novel 57.1%, Anime 25.6%, Great Soundtrack 7.9%, Story Rich 3%, Female Protagonist 3%
Why You'll Like It: A highly emotional and story-rich visual novel that shares the indie, atmospheric roots of the seed game.
- #27 Blood Lily Loop
79% matchVery Positive84% of 67 reviews2024
Dev: Sounding Stone / 老奉毊
Windows
Your bestie seems to be hiding something. There's something about your world that seems odd as well, like it has...secrets. Dive into the Cthulhu Mythos universe of this horror game and witness a "friendship" that rewrites the world.
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.4%, Horror 18.9%, Female Protagonist 18.2%, Anime 13.6%, Choices Matter 6.7%
Why You'll Like It: A Lovecraftian-inspired RPGMaker horror game that features multiple endings and a female lead.
- #28 Lake of Voices
78% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 620 reviews2018
Dev: GB Patch Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 30 minMean: 3.5 hrs≥1hr: 36%
A free horror Visual Novel about an ill-fated journey across Sinnlos, a lake where gruesome monsters lurk just beneath the surface. With times being so dire you'll need to decide what, and who, is going to be sacrificed. Anyone can be saved, but not everyone can be.
Why similar: Visual Novel 41.3%, Horror 15.7%, Female Protagonist 15.3%, Great Soundtrack 8.6%, Choices Matter 5.7%
Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric indie visual novel that focuses on survival and choices in a supernatural setting.
- #29 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.5 Meakashi
78% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 1,008 reviews2017
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 21.9 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 21.5%, Horror 14.7%, Anime 13.6%, Gore 11.2%, Great Soundtrack 8.8%
- #30 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.2 Watanagashi
77% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 1,766 reviews2015
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.3 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 29.7%, Horror 16%, Anime 14.8%, Gore 9%, Violent 6.9%
- #31 Silenced: The House
79% matchMostly Positive73% of 99 reviews2018
Dev: Graven Visual Novels
Windows · Mac
Median: 30 minMean: 2.8 hrs≥1hr: 39%
Any plans for the weekend? There is a great place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and daily routine! We promise a unique experience of horror and despair… if you stay alive, of course. Survive the night in the house from your nightmares!
Why similar: Visual Novel 24.6%, Gore 24.1%, Violent 18.5%, Anime 12.6%, Female Protagonist 7.2%
Why You'll Like It: An indie horror visual novel that leans into gore and violent themes within a confined setting.
- #32 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.6 Tsumihoroboshi
77% matchOverwhelmingly Positive99% of 873 reviews2018
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 6.2 hrsMean: 40.2 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 27.2%, Horror 15%, Anime 14.8%, Gore 12.8%, Violent 9.4%
- #33 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.7 Minagoroshi
76% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 663 reviews2019
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 15.8 hrsMean: 91.0 hrs≥1hr: 87%
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 23.2%, Anime 16%, Horror 15%, Gore 14.3%, Violent 10%
- #34 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.4 Himatsubushi
76% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 867 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 28.1%, Anime 15.5%, Violent 14.7%, Horror 11%, Great Soundtrack 8.7%
- #35 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.3 Tatarigoroshi
75% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 1,224 reviews2016
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 22.0 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 28%, Anime 15.5%, Horror 12.6%, Violent 9.2%, Gore 8.6%
- #36 Notch - The Innocent LunA: Eclipsed SinnerS
74% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 3,292 reviews2015
Dev: Angels Blue Digital EntertainmentPub: DigitalEZ
Windows
Median: 5.5 hrsMean: 161.9 hrs≥1hr: 92%
This is an isolated town, a town of memories that have been forgotten by its people. However, this small town has not been quiet and peaceful since the murders began... Time passes by, where are the sinful spirits going? Are my memories reality, or just a dream?
Why similar: Gore 19%, Visual Novel 18.6%, Horror 14.6%, Anime 13.2%, Great Soundtrack 9.1%
- #37 Wonderful Everyday Down the Rabbit-Hole
73% matchVery Positive93% of 2,444 reviews2017
Dev: KeroQPub: Frontwing USA
Windows
Median: 9.4 hrsMean: 168.3 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Wonderful Everyday is a visual novel with multiple routes which develops a story based on a few concepts: "the sky and the world", "the beginning and the end", "literature and science", "savior and hero", "brother and sister".
Why similar: Visual Novel 28.2%, Violent 12.3%, Gore 12%, Anime 10.7%, Horror 8.4%
- #38 Lucid9: Inciting Incident
74% matchVery Positive90% of 1,038 reviews2016
Dev: Fallen Snow Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.8 hrsMean: 12.1 hrs≥1hr: 71%
Lucid9 is a visual novel focused on a web of intricate mysteries set in the fictional 2018 metropolis of Isamu. Lucid9: Inciting Incident is the first part of the story, focused on a string of disappearances that occur at a prestigious, uppity boarding academy.
Why similar: Visual Novel 35.9%, Anime 19.9%, Horror 10.8%, Gore 8.1%, Violent 6.2%
- #39 Magical Eyes - Red is for Anguish
75% matchVery Positive81% of 69 reviews2016
Dev: Pomera StudiosPub: Fruitbat Factory
Windows
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 4.7 hrs≥1hr: 97%
Magical Eyes - Red is for Anguish is a thrilling mystery story revolving around a series of unfathomable incidents in a town.
Why similar: Visual Novel 38.9%, Anime 24.3%, Horror 16.9%, Mystery 7.5%, Adventure 6.7%
- #40 Blood Lily Ghoststories
70% matchVery Positive95% of 107 reviews2025
Dev: Sounding Stone / 老奉毊
Windows
A horror game about a needy female ghost. A trio of close-knit occult club girls gather late at night to enjoy telling ghost stories. Little do they know that Miss Choker, a ghost that targets girls, is just dying to appear...
Why similar: Visual Novel 28.5%, Female Protagonist 18%, Horror 17.8%, Anime 15.3%, Choices Matter 6.5%
- #41 CORPSE FACTORY
72% matchVery Positive80% of 855 reviews2022
Dev: RIVER CROW STUDIO
Windows
Median: 4.3 hrsMean: 6.7 hrs≥1hr: 94%
Discard your sense of morality and enter the world of CORPSE FACTORY. An obscure website allows users to request a death. Victims supposedly receive a photograph of their own corpse before they are killed! With English voice acting by an all-star cast.
Why similar: Visual Novel 22.6%, Violent 16.1%, Anime 14%, Gore 13%, Horror 10.5%
- #42 fishy
72% matchVery Positive95% of 79 reviews2021
Dev: I Choose Paradise
Windows · Mac · Linux
Fishy is a heartfelt visual novel about friends, enemies, acceptance, and monsters. Explore the aquarium, face your fears, and maybe make a friend. here fishy fishy f̵̥͘͠i̷̱͉͋͑s̵͙̈͘h̵͖̅y̶̜͘
Why similar: Visual Novel 40%, Female Protagonist 19.9%, Horror 16.6%, Psychological Horror 10.7%, Story Rich 6.7%
- #43 The Elevator Game with Catgirls
71% matchVery Positive100% of 107 reviews2022
Dev: NoBreadStudio
Windows · Linux
Kirin plays the elevator game and disappears. Will her girlfriend, Asahi, be able to find her? The Elevator Game with Catgirls is a horror visual novel with point-and-click elements, inspired by the Korean urban legend, Elevator to Another World.
Why similar: Visual Novel 34.4%, Horror 20.5%, Female Protagonist 11.1%, Anime 10.6%, Psychological Horror 8.9%
- #44 Detention
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 11,663 reviews2017
Dev: RedCandleGames
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 5.1 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Detention is an atmospheric horror game set in 1960s Taiwan under martial law. Incorporated religious elements based in Taiwanese/Chinese culture and mythology, the game provided players with unique graphics and gaming experience.
Why similar: Horror 29.8%, Visual Novel 11%, Great Soundtrack 9.8%, Gore 9.3%, Female Protagonist 9.2%
- #45 Drops of Death
69% matchVery Positive93% of 86 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: Visual Novel 43.7%, Anime 19.8%, Female Protagonist 9.6%, Mystery 8.9%, Choices Matter 8.5%
- #46 Yomawari: Night Alone
73% matchMostly Positive76% of 2,266 reviews2016
Dev: Nippon Ichi Software, Inc.Pub: NIS America, Inc.
Windows
Median: 5.9 hrsMean: 9.2 hrs≥1hr: 80%
A quiet evening stroll takes a turn for the worse as a tragic accident befalls a little girl and her dog. When her sister goes missing later in the night, the little girl decides to venture out into the eerie darkness to search for her loved ones as evil spirits haunt the alleyways and streets of her once-peaceful town.
Why similar: Horror 34%, Anime 16.2%, Female Protagonist 15.2%, Gore 10.1%, Great Soundtrack 9.6%
- #47 Banebush
67% 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 37.6%, Horror 23.1%, Violent 14.4%, Psychological Horror 9.2%, Story Rich 4.9%
- #48 夜弦之音 - Echoes of Nocturnal Chords
71% matchVery Positive100% of 111 reviews2020
Dev: 秋之忧郁Pub: Eternal Dream
Windows
On a rainy night, Xiaoyin disappears searching for the legendary “Miracle Grass.” Yixuan follows clues into a trap-filled cave where bodies, monsters, lies, and warmth intertwine. Multiple endings guide you through fairy tale and reality, revealing a fate woven from hope and loss.
Why similar: Gore 22.3%, Violent 18.4%, Horror 17.9%, Anime 16.2%, Female Protagonist 13.6%
- #49 outside the door
68% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 543 reviews2024
Dev: basandaika games
Windows
Outside the door is a mystic visual novel set within one office. You are about to figure out the stories of a few visitors without having a single memory of yourself.
Why similar: Visual Novel 32.1%, Anime 22.6%, Violent 9.4%, Female Protagonist 9%, Horror 8.5%
- #50 Her Love, Like Poison
67% matchVery Positive96% of 234 reviews2025
Dev: ebi-hime
Windows · Mac · Linux
A dark lesbian horror/romance story so toxic it's emitting spores. Ethel, a shy university student, ventures into the wintry woods late at night, where she meets an enchanting femme fatale — but all is not as it seems.
Why similar: Visual Novel 36.1%, Anime 24.2%, Horror 17.2%, Female Protagonist 8.8%, Psychological Horror 7.1%
- #51 BAD END
71% 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 32.2%, Horror 21.1%, Anime 21%, Mystery 7.2%, Story Rich 4.8%
- #52 CAFE 0 ~The Drowned Mermaid~
73% matchMixed63% of 178 reviews2015
Dev: ROSEVERTE MYSTERYPub: ROSEVERTE
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.1 hrsMean: 3.9 hrs≥1hr: 96%
What will you do if you can redo the last 7 days before you died? Try this unique supernatural mystery visual novel!
Why similar: Visual Novel 46%, Horror 12.8%, Anime 12%, Female Protagonist 9.8%, Psychological Horror 5%
- #53 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.8 Matsuribayashi
68% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 753 reviews2020
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 19.6 hrsMean: 76.9 hrs≥1hr: 86%
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 36.3%, Horror 18.9%, Anime 12.6%, Psychological Horror 9.9%, Great Soundtrack 8.6%
- #54 Tiny Bunny: Prologue
67% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 2,244 reviews2020
Dev: Saikono
Windows
Median: 42 minMean: 2.7 hrs≥1hr: 38%
Tiny Bunny: Prologue is a non-linear horror visual novel. Those, who have heard the voice of the forest, are beyond help.
Why similar: Visual Novel 41.4%, Horror 31.9%, Anime 7.7%, Indie 5.8%, Adventure 5.6%
- #55 ENIGMA:
69% matchVery Positive95% of 144 reviews2016
Dev: UzumeyaPub: Fruitbat Factory
Windows
Median: 4.3 hrsMean: 5.6 hrs≥1hr: 96%
Enigma is an atmospheric, full-length visual novel where you discover the secrets of Enigma, a worldwide epidemic, and a forest on a lonely island that bears its name.
Why similar: Visual Novel 43.8%, Anime 23%, Great Soundtrack 12.8%, Adventure 8%, Indie 6.6%
- #56 The Song of Saya
66% matchVery Positive90% of 9,092 reviews2019
Dev: NitroplusPub: JAST
Windows
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 56.3 hrs≥1hr: 83%
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 33%, Gore 26.1%, Horror 11.7%, Anime 9.4%, Psychological Horror 9.3%
- #57 Fragile
70% matchMixed64% of 429 reviews2020
Dev: Beer Night Studio
Windows
Get pulled into the nightmares of reality as you play as an abducted girl from the ger district of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Uncover a secret organization that deals in human trafficking and other horrendous activities. Try to escape from the scariest place on earth!
Why similar: Gore 34.3%, Violent 23.2%, Horror 14.2%, Female Protagonist 9.8%, Adventure 4.6%
- #58 Raining City: Millions Recollections
65% matchVery Positive87% of 285 reviews2025
Dev: Orca LayoutPub: 昆布科技
Windows
One night, Lyu Xuan woke up soaked in blood, a mysterious black hole in the palm of her hand, and millions pouring out of that hole, like an unstoppable fountain of wealth. Still in shock, She has to evade the monsters that rushed to her and her new riches. A strange story begins in a gloomy city…
Why similar: Visual Novel 29.4%, Anime 19%, Horror 18.2%, Female Protagonist 17.2%, Mystery 7.4%
- #59 Nie No Hakoniwa - Dollhouse of Offerings
67% matchMostly Positive78% of 204 reviews2024
Dev: Chatte NoirePub: Sekai Project
Windows
Median: 5.4 hrsMean: 9.5 hrs≥1hr: 93%
"Let us celebrate, the birth of this nightmare." A story about an urban legend surrounding a certain "Box", this is a Japanese-style, supernatural visual novel about madness, love and hate.
Why similar: Visual Novel 29.1%, Gore 20.8%, Anime 16.7%, Horror 14.8%, Violent 11.5%
- #60 Doki Doki Literature Club!
64% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 219,150 reviews2017
Dev: Team Salvato
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 38.2 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 27.3%, Anime 18.7%, Horror 14.2%, Gore 11%, Psychological Horror 10.3%