- #1 PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
97% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 7,313 reviews2023
Dev: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 8.8 hrsMean: 10.2 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 16.5%, Text-Based 14.5%, Hand-drawn 11.9%, JRPG 11.6%, Horror 11.5%
Why You'll Like It: A masterful blend of supernatural mystery and investigation that mirrors the eerie, urban-legend-inspired horror of the seed game.
- #2 Raging Loop
96% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 11,351 reviews2017
Dev: KEMCO
Windows
Median: 24.2 hrsMean: 60.5 hrs≥1hr: 83%
The feast has begun, can you escape the village alive?
Why similar: Visual Novel 29.6%, Psychological Horror 13.8%, Psychological 13.4%, Mystery 13.3%, Detective 9.8%
Why You'll Like It: Features a high-stakes death game and time-loop mechanics that force the protagonist to make brutal choices to survive.
- #3 7 Days to End with You
96% matchVery Positive88% of 3,483 reviews2022
Dev: LizardryPub: PLAYISM
Windows
Median: 2.2 hrsMean: 3.0 hrs≥1hr: 68%
To know a language, know the world, and finally know you.
Why similar: Investigation 20.3%, Interactive Fiction 17.7%, Text-Based 15.2%, Psychological 15.1%, Visual Novel 14.4%
Why You'll Like It: Shares the central theme of a seven-day countdown while challenging players to decipher a mysterious language to uncover the truth.
- #4 Zero Escape: The Nonary Games
95% matchVery Positive93% of 7,427 reviews2017
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 6.5 hrsMean: 21.7 hrs≥1hr: 90%
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 28.7%, Puzzle 15.5%, Mystery 15.1%, Psychological Horror 12.9%, Anime 11.4%
Why You'll Like It: Combines a strict time limit with intense puzzle-solving and psychological horror in a life-or-death scenario.
- #5 Doki Doki Literature Club!
94% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 228,468 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: Dating Sim 25.5%, Visual Novel 22.8%, Psychological Horror 20.3%, Anime 16.9%, Horror 13.6%
Why You'll Like It: A quintessential psychological horror experience that subverts the dating-sim genre in ways that mirror the distortion of reality found in the seed game.
- #6 Your Turn To Die -Death Game By Majority-
93% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 4,472 reviews2023
Dev: NankidaiPub: 0UP GAMES
Windows
Median: 7.2 hrsMean: 13.5 hrs≥1hr: 81%
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: Interactive Fiction 27%, Psychological 24.9%, Psychological Horror 14.2%, Mystery 14.2%, Anime 13.6%
Why You'll Like It: An intense death game visual novel where every choice carries heavy consequences and psychological weight.
- #7 BAD END
94% matchVery Positive83% of 398 reviews2015
Dev: Arai Koh Create OfficePub: YOX-Project
Windows
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 3.9 hrs≥1hr: 92%
It's rumored that those who play 'BAD END'- a Visual Novel will die in REAL LIFE if they make the wrong decision in the game itself.
Why similar: Interactive Fiction 18.2%, Visual Novel 18.2%, Horror 13.6%, Anime 12.9%, Mystery 10.8%
Why You'll Like It: An indie visual novel that focuses on the dark consequences of choices, fitting the horror and interactive-fiction tags perfectly.
- #8 AI: The Somnium Files
91% matchVery Positive91% of 9,439 reviews2019
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 15.2 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 27.6%, Detective 20.3%, Anime 18.1%, Mystery 15.5%, Adventure 5.9%
Why You'll Like It: Features deep investigation mechanics and surreal psychological sequences that align with the investigative and horror themes of the seed game.
- #9 Spirit Hunter: Death Mark
92% matchVery Positive83% of 533 reviews2019
Dev: EXPERIENCEPub: Aksys Games
Windows
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 13.2 hrs≥1hr: 72%
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 34.7%, Horror 29.2%, Adventure 14.3%, Anime 12.1%, Detective 9.7%
Why You'll Like It: Focuses on investigation and survival against supernatural threats, capturing the same dread-filled atmosphere.
- #10 Suhoshin
91% matchVery Positive90% of 175 reviews2022
Dev: No More 500
Windows
Median: 4.8 hrsMean: 8.8 hrs≥1hr: 98%
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 13.8%, Interactive Fiction 12.2%, Investigation 10.7%, Thriller 10.3%, Text-Based 10.1%
Why You'll Like It: A story-rich mystery that blends psychological horror with a compelling investigation narrative.
- #11 Higurashi When They Cry Hou+
90% matchVery Positive87% of 200 reviews2023
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 6.3 hrsMean: 9.5 hrs≥1hr: 73%
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 27.7%, Psychological 26.8%, Anime 18.4%, Adventure 9.5%, Horror 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: A classic psychological horror visual novel that uses a small-town mystery and recurring time loops to build unbearable tension.
- #12 Gore Screaming Show
89% matchVery Positive87% of 179 reviews2022
Dev: Black CycPub: JAST
Windows
A deeply unsettling visual novel following a boy who returns to his hometown expecting to find peace; however, it isn't long before his hopes are dashed by the monster known as Gore Screaming Show.
Why similar: Dating Sim 12.3%, Visual Novel 11.9%, Text-Based 11.4%, Thriller 10.6%, Psychological Horror 8.9%
Why You'll Like It: A dark, supernatural thriller that leans heavily into the psychological horror and anime-style visual novel aesthetic.
- #13 The Chrono Jotter
88% matchVery Positive94% of 2,280 reviews2021
Dev: Orca LayoutPub: 2P Games
Windows
Median: 5.4 hrsMean: 9.1 hrs≥1hr: 87%
Rewind time to save your girlfriend in a twisted high school death game. A gripping yuri visual novel: Investigate brutal murders, unravel psychological horrors, and fight for a forbidden love that defies death itself.
Why similar: Interactive Fiction 15.1%, Visual Novel 14.1%, Detective 11.3%, Thriller 10.8%, Horror 9.7%
Why You'll Like It: A mystery-focused visual novel that emphasizes story-rich investigation and complex character dynamics.
- #14 Seven Days
89% matchVery Positive98% of 199 reviews2019
Dev: LIFE0Pub: Fruitbat Factory
Windows
Median: 4.8 hrsMean: 151.8 hrs≥1hr: 94%
A couple of days before the summer holiday starts... Kanzaki Shuuichi receives a "cursed Blu-ray disc" from one of his friends and is possessed by a female ghost which, when exorcised, leaves behind the physical form of the female specter.
Why similar: Visual Novel 25.3%, Anime 16.7%, Psychological Horror 13.5%, Mystery 12.3%, Horror 12%
Why You'll Like It: A mystery visual novel that shares the time-sensitive narrative structure and anime-inspired art style.
- #15 GNOSIA
86% matchVery Positive94% of 5,158 reviews2022
Dev: Petit DepottoPub: PLAYISM
Windows
Median: 7.3 hrsMean: 15.3 hrs≥1hr: 91%
The Gnosia lie. Pretending to be human, they’ll get in close, trick and deceive, and then eliminate one victim at a time...
Why similar: Visual Novel 21.8%, Psychological 19.9%, Anime 15%, Psychological Horror 12.8%, Detective 12.7%
Why You'll Like It: A unique social deduction game that uses time loops to unravel a mystery while managing the paranoia of the characters involved.
- #16 Root Double -Before Crime * After Days- Xtend Edition
87% matchVery Positive91% of 616 reviews2016
Dev: YetiPub: Sekai Project
Windows
Median: 8.9 hrsMean: 14.2 hrs≥1hr: 94%
Rescue squad captain Watase Kasasagi wakes up without his memories in the middle of his most critical mission yet-- a nuclear meltdown at a research facility. In an unfamiliar place and without his years of training, he must rescue the survivors and escape...
Why similar: Visual Novel 44.6%, Anime 21.6%, Mystery 14.2%, Adventure 7.4%, Thriller 7.1%
Why You'll Like It: A complex thriller that uses a strict time limit and branching paths to explore the psychological collapse of its characters.
- #17 The House in Fata Morgana
85% matchVery Positive95% of 6,743 reviews2016
Dev: NOVECTPub: MangaGamer
Windows
Median: 6.5 hrsMean: 27.9 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 28.7%, Psychological Horror 17.1%, Horror 16.6%, Mystery 15.6%, Anime 15.5%
Why You'll Like It: A deeply psychological and tragic visual novel that excels at building an atmospheric, haunting narrative.
- #18 Corpse Party
86% matchVery Positive89% of 1,404 reviews2016
Dev: GrisGrisPub: XSEED Games
Windows · Linux
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 16.9 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 34.2%, Anime 22.7%, Visual Novel 20.2%, Psychological Horror 16.7%, Adventure 6.3%
Why You'll Like It: A definitive horror visual novel that features anime-style aesthetics and a brutal, high-stakes survival plot.
- #19 Fateweaver: The Alchemist's Quandary
84% matchVery Positive98% of 100 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: Investigation 18.6%, Visual Novel 13.7%, Interactive Fiction 12.1%, Detective 11.2%, Horror 10.6%
Why You'll Like It: Features multiple endings and choices-matter gameplay within a dark, horror-tinged visual novel framework.
- #20 Mandemon
84% matchVery Positive87% of 373 reviews2023
Dev: 致意
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 15.8 hrs≥1hr: 83%
Crumbling school buildings in Japan. A string of bizarre incidents. The eerie legend of Mandemon. Lies and truth intertwine. Love and hatred blur in the mist. What will you do? Who can you trust? Welcome to a cruel world of deceit and suffering—
Why similar: JRPG 18.3%, Visual Novel 15%, Psychological 10.8%, Emotional 10.6%, Mystery 9.4%
Why You'll Like It: Combines mystery and word-game mechanics with a visual novel structure, offering a unique investigative experience.
- #21 The Test: Secrets of the Soul
82% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 1,567 reviews2023
Dev: Randumb Studios
Windows
You will answer a series of questions that will reveal things from deep within. Some will be uncomfortable, but with great knowledge comes great sacrifice. Can you make it all the way through The Test, and are you SURE you want the answers you seek? For it is time to unlock "Secrets of the Soul..."
Why similar: Investigation 14.9%, Psychological 13.6%, Visual Novel 12.7%, Interactive Fiction 11.8%, Detective 9.1%
Why You'll Like It: A choose-your-own-adventure style game that focuses on the psychological impact of the player's decisions.
- #22 My Head On Your Body
83% matchMostly Positive74% of 50 reviews2024
Dev: Creepy Pop
Windows · Mac · Linux
You've moved to a new house where the previous owner was murdered. They never found his head. But, it has found you.
Why similar: Interactive Fiction 15.8%, Psychological 15.1%, Visual Novel 14.1%, Text-Based 13.1%, Horror 10.4%
Why You'll Like It: An experimental visual novel that leans into psychological horror and surrealism to create a disturbing experience.
- #23 Five Stages of Pink
82% matchVery Positive98% of 94 reviews2022
Dev: Kaffein
Windows · Mac · Linux
Psychological horror and mystery game about a boy who desperately wants a Normal life in the most abnormal city in the world. Help Timor understand his cruel life in this supernatural city and investigate murders while trying to escape Death. This is a visual novel and point and click game.
Why similar: Visual Novel 15.9%, Detective 12.9%, Interactive Fiction 11.3%, Psychological Horror 10.8%, Emotional 10%
Why You'll Like It: A mystery-driven visual novel that focuses on detective work and psychological tension.
- #24 The seven days i spent with you
78% matchVery Positive94% of 1,247 reviews2026
Dev: RErevue_studioPub: LoveStoryProject
Windows
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 7.6 hrs≥1hr: 82%
With the enigmatic girl who imprisoned you――seven days in an unfamiliar room.
Why similar: Dating Sim 20.3%, Interactive Fiction 15.2%, Visual Novel 14.7%, Text-Based 12.3%, Anime 11.4%
- #25 Fearbonding
79% matchVery Positive96% of 162 reviews2025
Dev: Night Asobu
Windows · Mac · Linux
Fearbonding is a Yandere x Demon BL Horror Visual Novel. Play as Hinata, a demon, and try to tame the deranged Kosuke. Will you get to satisfy your hunger for fear through your new hunting dog or will you be the one to get devoured?
Why similar: Visual Novel 16.3%, Dating Sim 14.2%, Psychological Horror 12.8%, Interactive Fiction 12.3%, Horror 11.5%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological horror visual novel that explores dark themes through a romance-focused lens.
- #26 Countdown
80% matchVery Positive83% of 63 reviews2024
Dev: duskstudio
Windows
Countdown is a short visual novel that tells the story of an ordinary individual's journey through their thoughts and emotions as their life approaches its end. The plot includes critiques and discussions of social issues such as life, family, the workplace, and the healthcare system.
Why similar: Dating Sim 38.6%, Visual Novel 29.9%, Emotional 18.2%, Text-Based 6.7%, Anime 6.6%
Why You'll Like It: An indie visual novel that uses a countdown mechanic to drive its emotional and dark narrative.
- #27 Threads of Karma
81% matchMixed54% of 72 reviews2025
Dev: 萝卜不长毛线公司Pub: Hawthorn Games
Windows
Lin Yue'an embarks on a journey home, but unsettling events soon disrupt her ordinary life. Strange dreams, lost memories, and eerie occurrences lead her to uncover hidden truths. Can she trace everything back to its true origin and escape the net of fate that has already been woven around her?
Why similar: Interactive Fiction 16.3%, Horror 12.1%, Supernatural 11.3%, Mystery 10.8%, Visual Novel 9.8%
Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric mystery game that incorporates supernatural horror and puzzle elements.
- #28 KAKUSANKIBOU / 扩散希望
81% matchVery Positive82% of 163 reviews2018
Dev: あみそ組Pub: Pujia8 Studio
Windows
Basically the story goes as visual novel form. Sometimes, the system switches into dot part, and you can control the character to continue the story.
Why similar: Anime 15.7%, Visual Novel 14.6%, Psychological 14.2%, Horror 13%, Psychological Horror 10.6%
Why You'll Like It: An indie horror RPG that utilizes anime aesthetics to tell a dark, unsettling story.
- #29 Departed Away
78% matchVery Positive89% of 573 reviews2024
Dev: Alperen Torun
Windows
Discover 'Departed Away,' a captivating visual novel where friendship intertwines with mystery. Uncover secrets, engage in verbal duels, and make choices that shape your story. Delve into emotional depth and intricate connections in this unique story.
Why similar: Dating Sim 21.5%, Visual Novel 16.1%, Interactive Fiction 15.7%, Investigation 13.5%, Psychological 12.7%
Why You'll Like It: A 2D visual novel that blends dating-sim elements with psychological horror and dark themes.
- #30 Spirit Hunter: NG
79% matchVery Positive90% of 293 reviews2019
Dev: EXPERIENCEPub: Aksys Games
Windows
Median: 5.3 hrsMean: 20.7 hrs≥1hr: 72%
Beware the Creeping Horror... Face nightmares you thought were merely urban legends. Uncover a dark mystery, making deadly decisions just to survive. Play this chilling companion story to the award-winning Spirit Hunter: Death Mark game and bring the terror home.
Why similar: Visual Novel 40.3%, Horror 30.5%, Adventure 19.4%, Anime 9.8%
Why You'll Like It: An investigation-heavy horror game that shares the dark, supernatural tone and focus on uncovering hidden truths.
- #31 7 Days
76% matchVery Positive99% of 103 reviews2025
Dev: Daver The DavePub: IC Industries
Windows
Step into a world where dreams and reality mix. You find yourself in a dream-like world, and explore a different traumatic experience each day. Your choice determines if the boy accepts these moments and moves on, or stays in the past.
Why similar: Hand-drawn 25.7%, Psychological 22.6%, Emotional 19.7%, Psychological Horror 15.5%, Puzzle 11.7%
- #32 Backspace Backspace Backspace
76% matchVery Positive97% of 62 reviews2024
Dev: Blue Tango Street
Windows · Mac
In an AI-powered age where original authors have become largely redundant, play as a dejected writer on the brink of losing their creative drive forever.
Why similar: Psychological 16.8%, Visual Novel 16.5%, Interactive Fiction 15.8%, Text-Based 15.8%, Horror 11.5%
- #33 Extra Case: My Girlfriend's Secrets
77% matchVery Positive85% of 184 reviews2022
Dev: Sounding Stone / 老奉毊
Windows
Your girlfriend seems to be hiding something. Will you respect her privacy or pry into her secrets? Don't worry, though. This is a horror dating sim with a time loop, so you can try again...and again...and again...
Why similar: Dating Sim 17.7%, Visual Novel 13.7%, Interactive Fiction 12.7%, Psychological Horror 10.4%, Mystery 8.6%
- #34 The NOexistenceN of you AND me
73% matchVery Positive93% of 22,293 reviews2024
Dev: 0x0Real StudioPub: Nino Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.5 hrsMean: 18.7 hrs≥1hr: 70%
Use "game" as a medium to showcase the world of "you/girl". Explore the truth of "you/girl/world" through the form of a "visual novel".
Why similar: Visual Novel 24.6%, Interactive Fiction 18.1%, Psychological 15.9%, Psychological Horror 14.1%, Anime 12.6%
- #35 The Bunker Notes - Horror/Drama Visual Novel
75% matchMostly Positive77% of 66 reviews2026
Dev: Synthetic Domain
Windows
"The Bunker Notes" is a visual novel about a concrete trap where the past whispers through the cracks of rusted doors. In this world, survival is everything; meeting another person might be your last mistake.
Why similar: Interactive Fiction 14.9%, Psychological 12.8%, Visual Novel 11.5%, Text-Based 9.5%, Thriller 8.7%
- #36 7 days with Death
77% matchVery Positive92% of 65 reviews2017
Dev: Narrator
Windows
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 4.6 hrs≥1hr: 85%
On Christmas Eve, a strange girl breaks into your home claiming to be the bringer of death.；This unbelievable prophesy is then followed by many strange omens...he must make a choice...
Why similar: Visual Novel 35.3%, Dating Sim 26.6%, Anime 24.1%, Adventure 14%
- #37 Midnight Witch
74% matchVery Positive93% of 366 reviews2023
Dev: Crimson Moon Studio
Windows
Your average student life quickly descents into horror as a mysterious witch takes over the college... Can you save the girl you love? Or even make it out alive?
Why similar: Dating Sim 20%, Visual Novel 15.9%, Interactive Fiction 15.2%, Anime 11.4%, Psychological Horror 11.1%
- #38 Sunlight Scream
75% matchVery Positive84% of 83 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: Dating Sim 18.7%, Visual Novel 16.6%, Detective 14%, Anime 11.8%, Psychological Horror 10%
- #39 Graces: Posthumous Wish
73% matchVery Positive94% of 212 reviews2024
Dev: TomoToro
Windows
Aki is haunted by a curse. In search of salvation, she travels into the memories of a dead classmate, where she must witness three eerie mystical stories and figure out how to break the shackles of misfortune.
Why similar: Visual Novel 14.7%, Detective 10.9%, Supernatural 10.3%, Psychological Horror 10.1%, Text-Based 9.9%
- #40 咒影 Curse of the Shadow
72% matchVery Positive81% of 293 reviews2026
Dev: 小青蛙妙妙制作组
Windows
"Curse of the Shadow" is a BL-themed horror visual novel. Cursed by a "ghost", protagonist Xu finds eerie dark shadows in every photo he takes.Once escaping reality, he’s forced by fate to face fears again.To uncover the curse’s truth, he and two friends embark on a terrifying, unknown journey.
Why similar: Interactive Fiction 14.7%, Investigation 13.8%, Visual Novel 12.2%, Psychological 10.2%, Horror 9.3%
- #41 Return to Shironagasu Island
73% matchVery Positive94% of 4,299 reviews2020
Dev: ONIMUSHI HyogoPub: TABINOMICHI
Windows · Mac
Median: 5.5 hrsMean: 13.9 hrs≥1hr: 92%
A mystery adventure game and visual novel set on solitary Shironagasu Island. Discover its secrets, solve its mysteries, and escape from the ominous island!
Why similar: Visual Novel 25.3%, Horror 14.1%, Mystery 13.9%, Adventure 11.2%, Anime 10.4%
- #42 クラブ・スーサイド
72% matchVery Positive97% of 182 reviews2023
Dev: MORPATHPub: Celtia
Windows · Mac
私は、自殺を考えている。クラブ・スーサイドへようこそ。自殺を考える少年達に寄り添う、奇妙な一週間。命を思考するノベルアドベンチャー。
Why similar: Visual Novel 40.6%, Anime 21.6%, Psychological Horror 20.3%, Adventure 17.5%
- #43 久美子之死：昭和少女血色告白
70% matchVery Positive89% of 149 reviews2026
Dev: LingVision Games
Windows
1988年，日本泡沫经济破灭前夕，化身被冤枉成嫌犯的刑警，侦查青梅奇怪自杀案，牵连出持续20年的连环杀人案秘密，穿梭烟酒与霓虹的昭和街头，在人心与生死的抉择中，搜查蛛丝马迹，找出血案真相。
Why similar: Interactive Fiction 15.6%, JRPG 13.3%, Visual Novel 12.4%, Text-Based 10.3%, Detective 9.1%
- #44 Kugayama Shiori's Death Diary
68% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 1,036 reviews2026
Dev: Laplacian
Windows
Median: 7.1 hrsMean: 7.1 hrs≥1hr: 83%
A mystery visual novel where horror meets occult comedy. Follow Kugayama Shiori, a ghost who casually dies over and over as she searches for her cause of death and the regrets that bind her to this world. Her investigation will eventually lead to a single incident—and the truth behind her demise.
Why similar: Visual Novel 34.8%, Text-Based 23%, Adventure 16.1%, Horror 14.7%, Mystery 11.5%
- #45 Matsuro Palette
71% matchOverwhelmingly Positive99% of 543 reviews2020
Dev: SleepingMuseumPub: KEMCO
Windows
Survive seven days with a cursed painting. Rely on notes from past victims and manage to successfully paint her portrait. But be careful not to upset her, or you'll quickly find yourself dead! An assortment of terminal tableaus awaits you. Will you be the one to finally finish her?
Why similar: Interactive Fiction 18.6%, Visual Novel 14.7%, Horror 12.8%, Emotional 12.6%, Hand-drawn 11.1%
- #46 Yet Another Killing Game
70% matchVery Positive97% of 258 reviews2025
Dev: Soulseer Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
You wake up in a house, alone with two beautiful girls... But no one is allowed to leave until one of you DIES. Why is this happening? What is the purpose of this “killing game”? But most importantly...WHO SHOULD DIE?!
Why similar: Investigation 15.1%, Visual Novel 14.3%, Thriller 12.6%, Text-Based 11.8%, Hand-drawn 11.1%
- #47 Looking Up I See Only A Ceiling
70% matchVery Positive88% of 3,595 reviews2023
Dev: silver978Pub: IndieArk
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.3 hrsMean: 2.9 hrs≥1hr: 58%
A short psychological adventure about a stressed girl who wants to explore her ceiling.
Why similar: Psychological 21.7%, Visual Novel 12.9%, Interactive Fiction 12.8%, Anime 10.5%, Psychological Horror 9.6%
- #48 Seven Mysteries: The Last Page
74% matchMostly Positive73% of 63 reviews2018
Dev: Sang Hendrix
Windows
A story-driven psychological horror RPG about a group of friends who unintentionally become bound together after encountering 7 curses from a school.
Why similar: Visual Novel 17.7%, Psychological Horror 16.6%, Horror 15.5%, Anime 15.1%, Supernatural 10.7%
- #49 Bloody Painter Dating Sim
69% matchVery Positive90% of 1,778 reviews2024
Dev: DeluCat Productions
Windows
You have unfortunately been captured by a serial killer, and you must increase your chances of survival within seven days. Your choices will determine how he treats you and the outcome of your relationship. What will your final relationship with him be...?
Why similar: Dating Sim 40.2%, Visual Novel 20.2%, Interactive Fiction 19.3%, Horror 13.7%, Anime 6.6%
- #50 7Days Origins
71% matchVery Positive86% of 355 reviews2021
Dev: Buff Studio
Windows
Median: 1.5 hrsMean: 4.6 hrs≥1hr: 61%
7Days Origins is a single-player story game where the storyline changes based on the player's choices. For 7 days, you will meet various characters in the world of the dead. You may become allies and embark on adventures together or become enemies and fight.
Why similar: Interactive Fiction 18.9%, Psychological 17.5%, Visual Novel 15%, Horror 12%, Hand-drawn 11.9%
- #51 The Final Prize is Soup
69% matchVery Positive94% of 68 reviews2024
Dev: 4nokiPub: Quill Yuri
Windows · Linux
You who are unqualified to drink Meng Po's soup, you have been chosen for the game of life. A horror yuri visual novel following a series of death games in the afterlife.
Why similar: Interactive Fiction 20.6%, Visual Novel 15.5%, Psychological 12.4%, Crime 10.7%, Anime 10.6%
- #52 PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid's Curse
66% matchVery Positive95% of 2,698 reviews2026
Dev: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 13.9 hrsMean: 15.3 hrs≥1hr: 94%
Will you survive the curse together this summer? A new supernatural mystery adventure begins, telling a bittersweet story of the passions of youth featuring new locations, new legends and a new cast of characters.
Why similar: Visual Novel 20.8%, Horror 13%, Mystery 12.3%, Supernatural 12.2%, JRPG 10.1%
- #53 Decide 4 God
67% matchVery Positive94% of 50 reviews2025
Dev: Miracle Moon
Windows
The final entry of the Abime Series. Six intruders and six captives share a high-tech prison where their moral dilemmas may lead them to a fate worse than death. Can they overcome the wiles of Empathy Systems? What dark secrets lurk behind that institution? When does knowledge become a curse?
Why similar: Psychological 15.7%, Investigation 15.6%, Visual Novel 13.6%, Thriller 12.4%, Horror 9.4%
- #54 INFINITY DEADLINE
67% matchVery Positive95% of 59 reviews2026
Dev: YvelRevo
Windows
Play as 25yo writer Jian Xun in a 5-min deadline loop. Your script is alive! In this thriller puzzle, use "keyframe sorting" to piece stories. Fight AI, break the 4th wall & escape the nightmare!
Why similar: Interactive Fiction 22.1%, JRPG 21.3%, Visual Novel 15%, Psychological Horror 11.4%, Hand-drawn 10.7%
- #55 and yet, we dream
67% matchVery Positive92% of 52 reviews2026
Dev: arda bolat
Windows · Mac · Linux
a psychological visual novel where you investigate the souls of the dead. spend time with them, analyze their past, file reports to decide their eternal fate.
Why similar: Psychological 22.3%, Visual Novel 21.8%, Hand-drawn 14.8%, Mystery 13%, Emotional 12.3%
- #56 Folie Fatale
66% matchVery Positive86% of 2,697 reviews2024
Dev: Kanmidoko (神海処)Pub: 346lab Localization
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 5.2 hrs≥1hr: 84%
All capture targets are mentally "Jirai"(landmine)!? Meet these eccentric boys, reveal the truth beneath in this Psycho-love-horror VN!
Why similar: Dating Sim 24.9%, Visual Novel 20.5%, Thriller 15.4%, Psychological Horror 14.4%, Anime 11.3%
- #57 Demons' Timeline
63% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 1,164 reviews2026
Dev: DigitalCats
Windows
Cyber Detective L solves Paradoxes—bizarre incidents by supernatural Demons—via the social media giant Parrotter. The Cyber Detective Squad, L and his Demon partner Nyasuteria, wield elite hacking and psychic powers to take on the final Paradox investigation.
Why similar: Investigation 17.4%, Text-Based 15.4%, Detective 11.2%, Visual Novel 10.9%, Mystery 10.1%
- #58 Bad Faith
68% matchVery Positive92% of 64 reviews2022
Dev: Mado
Windows · Mac · Linux
Sanctuaries. Secrets. Serious consequences. A solo-developed psychological horror/drama visual novel.
Why similar: Psychological 16.7%, Visual Novel 14.9%, Horror 11.3%, Anime 11%, Thriller 10.6%
- #59 Hazy Mind
66% matchVery Positive87% of 355 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: Psychological 22.9%, Visual Novel 21.7%, Psychological Horror 16.7%, Anime 12.1%, Horror 10.5%
- #60 12 Hours to Die
69% matchMostly Positive73% of 226 reviews2020
Dev: Wesley ReitsmaPub: Westeford
Windows · Mac · Linux
A mystery visual novel about six students forced to play a 12-hour long killing game.
Why similar: Visual Novel 26.4%, Detective 18.4%, Emotional 12.9%, Mystery 12.7%, Puzzle 11.8%
