- #1 Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk
97% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 21,266 reviews2021
Dev: Nikita Kryukov
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.6 hrsMean: 7.6 hrs≥1hr: 79%
A sequel to Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk. Dive into demented and bizarre world once again and help the girl become a little happier.
Why similar: Visual Novel 33.1%, Psychological Horror 25.4%, Psychedelic 15.7%, Text-Based 5.7%, Female Protagonist 5.3%
Why You'll Like It: It offers a similarly raw, surreal, and deeply psychological visual novel experience that explores mental fragility.
- #2 SIGNALIS
96% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 31,986 reviews2022
Dev: rose-enginePub: Balor Games
Windows
Median: 5.4 hrsMean: 9.0 hrs≥1hr: 79%
A classic survival horror experience set in a dystopian future where humanity has uncovered a dark secret. Unravel a cosmic mystery, escape terrifying creatures, and scavenge an off-world government facility as Elster, a technician Replika searching for her lost dreams.
Why similar: Psychological Horror 26.2%, Female Protagonist 20.3%, Mystery 18.2%, LGBTQ+ 14.8%, Atmospheric 10.4%
Why You'll Like It: It captures the same cold, Soviet-inspired atmospheric horror and existential dread found in Z.A.T.O.
- #3 Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk
96% 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 35.6%, Psychological Horror 23.6%, Philosophical 18.2%, Text-Based 9.6%, Anime 5.9%
Why You'll Like It: This experimental title provides the same abstract, unsettling narrative style that defines the genre's psychological horror.
- #4 The House in Fata Morgana
95% 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: Philosophical 21.2%, Visual Novel 19.5%, Mystery 12.4%, Psychological Horror 11.6%, LGBTQ+ 7.9%
Why You'll Like It: This title matches the deep, philosophical, and emotionally heavy storytelling found in the best narrative-driven visual novels.
- #5 Hello Charlotte EP2: Requiem Aeternam Deo
94% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 2,273 reviews2016
Dev: etherane
Windows
Median: 2.9 hrsMean: 8.7 hrs≥1hr: 68%
A eulogy for happiness, and a lament for connection that never was.
Why similar: Philosophical 24.7%, Visual Novel 20%, Psychological Horror 19.2%, Female Protagonist 11.5%, Anime 6.9%
Why You'll Like It: It shares the surreal, meta-narrative, and psychological horror elements that make indie visual novels so compelling.
- #6 Yume Nikki
94% matchVery Positive94% of 9,908 reviews2018
Dev: kikiyamaPub: PLAYISM
Windows
Median: 54 minMean: 72.0 hrs≥1hr: 46%
This is a game in which you traverse the extremely dark world inside a dream.
Why similar: Psychological Horror 40.1%, Female Protagonist 23.3%, Atmospheric 14.1%, 2D 6%, Pixel Graphics 6%
Why You'll Like It: This indie classic provides the same surreal, dreamlike exploration of a lonely protagonist's psyche.
- #7 Umineko When They Cry - Answer Arcs
93% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 1,457 reviews2017
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 24.7 hrsMean: 46.6 hrs≥1hr: 87%
This is the 2nd half of the Umineko When They Cry sound novel series, featuring episodes 5 through 8. This steam version features multi-language options, swap-able renewed character sprites, as well as the original BGMs and un-cut content.
Why similar: Visual Novel 29.8%, Philosophical 22.7%, Mystery 21.7%, Story Rich 7.2%, Psychological Horror 6.5%
Why You'll Like It: It is a masterpiece of complex mystery and psychological tension that rewards deep investigation.
- #8 Pathologic 2
92% 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: Psychological Horror 42.3%, Atmospheric 24.8%, Story Rich 21.8%, Indie 4.6%, Adventure 3.6%
Why You'll Like It: It perfectly encapsulates the oppressive, philosophical, and bleak atmosphere of a dying Soviet-era town.
- #9 The NOexistenceN of you AND me
91% matchVery Positive93% of 19,673 reviews2024
Dev: 0x0Real StudioPub: Nino Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.5 hrsMean: 15.7 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 42.5%, Psychological Horror 25.4%, Anime 10.3%, Psychedelic 8.1%, Story Rich 8%
Why You'll Like It: It focuses on the same psychological horror and multiple-ending structure that defines the genre's indie scene.
- #10 Wonderful Everyday Down the Rabbit-Hole
91% 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: Philosophical 31.2%, Visual Novel 23.9%, Psychological Horror 15.4%, Mystery 9.3%, Female Protagonist 6.6%
Why You'll Like It: It offers a deeply philosophical and psychological narrative that challenges the player's perception of the world.
- #11 GNOSIA
90% matchVery Positive94% of 4,733 reviews2022
Dev: Petit DepottoPub: PLAYISM
Windows
Median: 7.2 hrsMean: 15.4 hrs≥1hr: 90%
The Gnosia lie. Pretending to be human, they’ll get in close, trick and deceive, and then eliminate one victim at a time...
Why similar: Visual Novel 26.1%, Mystery 17.1%, Psychological Horror 15.6%, LGBTQ+ 10.6%, Anime 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: It combines sci-fi mystery with a loop-based visual novel structure that keeps the player constantly questioning reality.
- #12 SeaBed
89% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 960 reviews2017
Dev: PaleontologyPub: Fruitbat Factory
Windows
Median: 6.0 hrsMean: 94.8 hrs≥1hr: 89%
SeaBed is a yuri-themed psychological mystery visual novel told through the perspectives of three separate characters: Sachiko, Takako and Narasaki.
Why similar: Visual Novel 37.9%, Female Protagonist 20.3%, LGBTQ+ 16.5%, Mystery 10.4%, Anime 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: This visual novel provides a slow-burn, atmospheric, and melancholic experience focused on character introspection.
- #13 WORLD OF HORROR
88% 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: Psychological Horror 35.6%, Mystery 25.2%, Anime 11.9%, Atmospheric 11.2%, Pixel Graphics 6.5%
Why You'll Like It: It delivers a similarly oppressive, cosmic-horror atmosphere with a distinct, striking visual identity.
- #14 Deluge: Sermon for the Dead
89% matchMostly Positive77% of 102 reviews2024
Dev: leavesPub: socah
Windows · Mac · Linux
High school girls have been disappearing from Abbotsford. Unravel the mystery before all things wash away in a tidal wave of deep despair. An interactive visual novel with psychological and lovecraftian undertones.
Why similar: Philosophical 33%, Visual Novel 24.7%, Mystery 18%, Anime 8.6%, Story Rich 5.3%
Why You'll Like It: It blends Lovecraftian mystery with an anime-style visual novel format to create a unique sense of dread.
- #15 Hazy Mind
87% 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 26.4%, Psychological Horror 20.5%, Psychedelic 16.6%, Female Protagonist 8.7%, Story Rich 6.9%
Why You'll Like It: This title explores the boundaries of reality through a psychological lens, much like the seed game.
- #16 HOPE LEFT ME
86% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 818 reviews2023
Dev: AstrophysicsPub: .orphans
Windows · Linux
Median: 42 minMean: 1.8 hrs≥1hr: 27%
You wake up in a mysterious place, alone and freezing to death, the only person around seems to be a weird girl with a long sleeve soviet jersey.
Why similar: Philosophical 37.5%, Visual Novel 32.6%, Atmospheric 9.9%, Text-Based 7.9%, Anime 6.1%
Why You'll Like It: It captures a similar dystopian, noir-inspired atmosphere that emphasizes the loneliness of its protagonist.
- #17 Void Stranger
86% matchVery Positive91% of 3,271 reviews2023
Dev: System Erasure
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 16.0 hrs≥1hr: 80%
Place your faith and embrace the Void.
Why similar: Mystery 47.6%, Female Protagonist 13.4%, 2D 7%, Story Rich 6.4%, Psychological Horror 5.2%
Why You'll Like It: It hides deep, cryptic mysteries behind a deceptively simple puzzle-based gameplay loop.
- #18 Looking Up I See Only A Ceiling
84% matchVery Positive89% of 3,231 reviews2023
Dev: silver978Pub: IndieArk
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.3 hrsMean: 2.9 hrs≥1hr: 57%
A short psychological adventure about a stressed girl who wants to explore her ceiling.
Why similar: Visual Novel 22.2%, Mystery 18.6%, Psychological Horror 16.8%, Female Protagonist 13.7%, Anime 8.5%
Why You'll Like It: This short, point-and-click adventure focuses on the same psychological introspection and multiple-ending mystery.
- #19 The Cat Lady
85% matchVery Positive94% of 6,079 reviews2013
Dev: Harvester GamesPub: Screen 7
Windows
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 6.0 hrs≥1hr: 91%
The Cat Lady follows Susan Ashworth, a lonely 40-year old on the verge of suicide. She has no family, no friends and no hope for a better future. One day she discovers that five strangers will come along and change everything...
Why similar: Psychological Horror 33.3%, Female Protagonist 26.3%, Story Rich 15.3%, Atmospheric 11.2%, Indie 4.5%
Why You'll Like It: This game features a dark, psychological narrative that deals with trauma and isolation in a gritty, 2D world.
- #20 Saihate Station
82% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 8,177 reviews2025
Dev: びぶ/viv
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.2 hrsMean: 8.1 hrs≥1hr: 69%
An exploration/horror/adventure game about the codependent, love-hate relationship between two men.
Why similar: Visual Novel 33.5%, Psychological Horror 26.8%, LGBTQ+ 18.1%, Anime 6.4%, Atmospheric 5%
Why You'll Like It: It provides a haunting, 2D psychological horror experience that emphasizes atmospheric storytelling.
- #21 missed messages.
83% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 15,420 reviews2019
Dev: Angela He
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 36 minMean: 3.1 hrs≥1hr: 18%
‘goth gf’s iPhone’ airdrops you - accept or decline? A love/horror story about life, death, & memes.
Why similar: Visual Novel 37%, Psychological Horror 17.9%, LGBTQ+ 17%, Female Protagonist 13.5%, Story Rich 4.4%
Why You'll Like It: It is a poignant, free-to-play visual novel that touches on themes of mental health and choices that matter.
- #22 Amelie
82% matchVery Positive92% of 442 reviews2021
Dev: Two and a Half Studios
Windows · Mac
Median: 1.2 hrsMean: 2.4 hrs≥1hr: 61%
A psychological mystery yuri visual novel about a girl named Amelie. Forbidden from leaving the house, Amelie awaits the arrival of her long time penpal, Sofia, to her dear friend Lilika’s dismay. What secrets will Sofia unravel that were best kept buried?
Why similar: Visual Novel 21.4%, Mystery 14.3%, Female Protagonist 14%, LGBTQ+ 12.8%, Psychological Horror 12.8%
Why You'll Like It: This title features a female protagonist navigating a dark, psychological, and horror-tinged narrative.
- #23 Without a Dawn
80% matchVery Positive94% of 679 reviews2025
Dev: Jesse Makkonen
Windows
Median: 1.5 hrsMean: 2.4 hrs≥1hr: 61%
Without a Dawn is a dark, psychological, and philosophical visual horror novel featuring hauntingly beautiful pseudo-ASCII art.
Why similar: Philosophical 26.4%, Visual Novel 18.8%, Psychological Horror 13.1%, Mystery 11%, Female Protagonist 9%
Why You'll Like It: This visual novel mirrors the philosophical and psychological horror themes found in Z.A.T.O.
- #24 Paratopic
84% matchMostly Positive74% of 2,101 reviews2018
Dev: Arbitrary MetricPub: Serenity Forge
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 54 minMean: 5.3 hrs≥1hr: 47%
Smuggle contraband VHS tapes across the border. Discover the remnants of illicit industry. Prepare for an assassination. This is Paratopic, an atmospheric retro-3D horror adventure through a cursed fever dream.
Why similar: Psychological Horror 42.1%, Atmospheric 26.2%, Mystery 12.6%, Indie 11.8%, Adventure 6.4%
Why You'll Like It: It utilizes a low-poly, surreal aesthetic to create a sense of unease and mystery similar to Z.A.T.O.
- #25 The Chrono Jotter
81% matchVery Positive94% of 2,205 reviews2021
Dev: Orca LayoutPub: 2P Games
Windows
Median: 5.3 hrsMean: 7.7 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: Visual Novel 23.8%, Mystery 15.5%, Female Protagonist 13.6%, LGBTQ+ 13.1%, Psychological Horror 11.2%
Why You'll Like It: This story-rich visual novel explores complex themes through a female protagonist's perspective.
- #26 The Shell Part I: Inferno
81% 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 33.7%, Mystery 22.4%, Psychological Horror 19.6%, Atmospheric 8%, Text-Based 5.7%
Why You'll Like It: It offers a gritty detective mystery that delves into the psychological motivations of its characters.
- #27 Magical Girl Witch Trials
78% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 29,650 reviews2025
Dev: AcaciaPub: Re,AER
Windows · Mac
Median: 15.8 hrsMean: 28.1 hrs≥1hr: 87%
Thirteen girls awaken, only to find themselves in a prison. What awaits them: a Witch Trial. Help them prepare for the trial by exploring the prison in order to find the witch hidden amongst them. Find the witch, learn what kind of magic she holds, dispel the lies, and prepare for the execution.
Why similar: Visual Novel 37.4%, Female Protagonist 19.6%, Mystery 16.4%, LGBTQ+ 11%, Story Rich 5.4%
- #28 The Moon Looks Beautiful Tonight: Definitive Edition
79% matchVery Positive100% of 98 reviews2026
Dev: Cetacity
Windows
Two girls must travel to the Moon's core after it has been thrown out of orbit. A PC98 inspired visual novel about fear of the unknown and people in love.
Why similar: Visual Novel 29%, LGBTQ+ 15.8%, Mystery 10.9%, Text-Based 9.8%, Story Rich 6.5%
Why You'll Like It: It provides an emotional, sci-fi-tinged visual novel experience that focuses on character relationships.
- #29 Lachesis or Atropos
79% 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 26.6%, Mystery 17.1%, Female Protagonist 15.2%, LGBTQ+ 14%, Psychological Horror 8.7%
Why You'll Like It: It combines detective elements with a dark, horror-filled atmosphere and a female lead.
- #30 q.u.q.
77% matchVery Positive95% of 1,812 reviews2023
Dev: motijanPub: Nikita Kryukov
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.8 hrsMean: 8.5 hrs≥1hr: 75%
q.u.q. is a surreal visual novel about a somewhat crude girl that wanders a desert.
Why similar: Visual Novel 39.8%, Female Protagonist 17.2%, Anime 12.4%, Psychedelic 12.2%, Story Rich 7.8%
- #31 Paper Lily - Chapter 1
76% matchOverwhelmingly Positive99% of 8,133 reviews2024
Dev: Leef 6010
Windows
Median: 4.1 hrsMean: 8.3 hrs≥1hr: 76%
Paper Lily is an RPG horror game in which you can solve puzzles in different ways. Explore a hidden world, meet strange characters, and guide Lacie as she attempts to find answers about her unusual condition.
Why similar: Psychological Horror 30.2%, Mystery 17.5%, Female Protagonist 13%, Anime 12.4%, Story Rich 10.3%
- #32 Anamnesia - part 1: am i my body?
77% matchVery Positive94% of 87 reviews2024
Dev: Simon Herbig
Windows · Mac
Sci-Fi Mystery Visual Novel. Nine people are trapped in an underground research facility, forced to play a game of life and death. Check your log to find the truth that connects those apparent strangers - if you even want to, that is.
Why similar: Philosophical 22.9%, Visual Novel 21.4%, Mystery 15.7%, LGBTQ+ 11.1%, Narration 7.5%
- #33 It gets so lonely here
75% 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 30.1%, LGBTQ+ 16.6%, Psychological Horror 16.3%, Female Protagonist 15.9%, Anime 7.2%
- #34 The Elevator Game with Catgirls
75% 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 33%, Psychological Horror 20.1%, Female Protagonist 11%, Mystery 10.8%, Atmospheric 8.6%
- #35 Snowfall's Mystery
74% 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: Philosophical 25.9%, Visual Novel 16.8%, Psychological Horror 14.5%, Psychedelic 12.6%, Text-Based 9%
- #36 Deluge: Threnody of Crashing Waves
76% matchVery Positive85% of 252 reviews2022
Dev: leavesPub: socah
Windows · Mac · Linux
In the not so distant past, the Isle of Abbot underwent a mysterious evacuation event. Delve into the secrets of this unsettling place and elicit the girls' tragic fate. An interactive visual novel with psychological and lovecraftian undertones.
Why similar: Philosophical 33%, Visual Novel 25.1%, Mystery 15.8%, Female Protagonist 10.9%, Anime 8.6%
- #37 Buy a Croquette!
73% matchOverwhelmingly Positive99% of 7,187 reviews2024
Dev: 越青Pub: Eternal Dream
Windows
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 13.0 hrs≥1hr: 73%
March 2012, Nagano. The brave and clever high school girl, Chio Aozora, is facing a major crisis: she doesn’t have enough money to buy a croquette! Navigate through the streets and alleys of Nagano, interact with a variety of characters, solve complex puzzles, collect 380 yen, and buy a croquette!
Why similar: Mystery 24.7%, Visual Novel 23.4%, Psychological Horror 23.3%, Female Protagonist 16.6%, Sci-fi 7.2%
- #38 Blossoms Bloom Brightest
78% matchMixed70% of 207 reviews2017
Dev: Reine Works
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 18 minMean: 8.0 hrs≥1hr: 26%
A sci-fi, yuri visual novel with a dollop of mystery.
Why similar: Visual Novel 26%, Female Protagonist 15.3%, LGBTQ+ 14.8%, Psychological Horror 14.3%, Anime 7.5%
Why You'll Like It: It is an indie adventure that captures a similar sense of quiet, atmospheric mystery.
- #39 The Hole Town
73% matchVery Positive96% of 77 reviews2024
Dev: imayuiPub: Millchan Games
Windows
To the town in the hole... a story about a place where I can't go.
Why similar: Visual Novel 31.9%, Philosophical 28.5%, Atmospheric 8.1%, Female Protagonist 8%, Anime 5.9%
- #40 Return to Shironagasu Island
74% matchVery Positive94% of 3,990 reviews2020
Dev: HYOGO ONIMUSHIPub: TABINOMICHI
Windows
Median: 5.5 hrsMean: 14.2 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 39.3%, Mystery 25.2%, Psychological Horror 12.8%, Anime 7.3%, Story Rich 4.7%
- #41 Raging Loop
73% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 9,674 reviews2017
Dev: KEMCO
Windows
Median: 23.9 hrsMean: 58.6 hrs≥1hr: 84%
The feast has begun, can you escape the village alive?
Why similar: Visual Novel 39.7%, Mystery 21.1%, Psychological Horror 18.5%, Story Rich 6.8%, Atmospheric 4.4%
- #42 BAD END THEATER
71% 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 44.1%, LGBTQ+ 24.4%, Story Rich 12.2%, Anime 6.4%, Pixel Graphics 5.1%
- #43 Folie Fatale
70% 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 27.3%, Psychological Horror 19.3%, Female Protagonist 19.1%, Mystery 15.5%, Anime 7%
- #44 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.1 Onikakushi
72% 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 44.3%, Mystery 25.3%, Anime 11%, Story Rich 7.6%, Atmospheric 5.7%
- #45 NEEDY STREAMER OVERLOAD
69% matchVery Positive95% of 53,234 reviews2022
Dev: WSS playground
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 18.3 hrs≥1hr: 82%
NEEDY STREAMER OVERLOAD is a “multi-ending ADV” depicting daily life with “OMGkawaiiAngel”, a young girl with a rather extreme need for approval attempting to become the #1 “Internet Angel” (streamer).
Why similar: Visual Novel 32.2%, Psychological Horror 30.8%, Anime 11.6%, Psychedelic 9%, Text-Based 4.7%
- #46 Little Girl On Earth Asking Why She Asking Why
67% matchVery Positive97% of 235 reviews2026
Dev: senpiPub: GOGOGOBATO
Windows · Mac · Linux
"Life sometimes feels like it’s going in circles." Little Girl On Earth Asking Why She Asking Why is a short pixel art Visual Novel about a girl who tell herself this, forever. Maybe you can try to help her ?
Why similar: Philosophical 31.6%, Visual Novel 24.6%, Psychological Horror 17%, Text-Based 7.5%, Psychedelic 7%
- #47 Until Then
67% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 15,382 reviews2024
Dev: Polychroma GamesPub: Maximum Entertainment
Windows · Linux
Median: 7.6 hrsMean: 11.4 hrs≥1hr: 80%
A fateful meeting sets off a chain reaction, upending Mark's life. People disappear and memories prove unreliable. Uncover a hidden truth with Mark and his friends in this narrative adventure and race to unravel the mystery before it's too late.
Why similar: Visual Novel 44.9%, Mystery 17.3%, Story Rich 10.9%, LGBTQ+ 10%, Pixel Graphics 5.4%
- #48 Urban Myth Dissolution Center
68% matchVery Positive88% of 5,751 reviews2025
Dev: HakababunkoPub: SHUEISHA GAMES
Windows
Median: 7.7 hrsMean: 9.8 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Join forces with the psychic Director of the Urban Myth Dissolution Center and solve a variety of cases involving cursed relics, rental properties with shady histories, and dimensional anomalies. Monstrous oddities and otherworldly planes abound in this occult mystery adventure game!
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.9%, Psychological Horror 19.5%, Mystery 19.2%, Text-Based 9.4%, Story Rich 6.7%
- #49 CHAOS;HEAD NOAH
70% matchVery Positive89% of 1,696 reviews2022
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 52.6 hrs≥1hr: 82%
CHAOS;HEAD NOAH is now available on Steam!
Why similar: Visual Novel 40.5%, Mystery 19.9%, Psychological Horror 16.4%, Anime 9%, Story Rich 7.9%
- #50 RGB GlitchGazer
67% matchVery Positive99% of 93 reviews2026
Dev: 群星闪耀时Pub: 群星闪耀时
Windows
A mad and romantic ADV. Unravel a strange world of science and philosophy with a mecha girl, zombie girl, or beastfolk. Some paths may disturb you... or thrill you.
Why similar: Visual Novel 26.3%, Philosophical 23.9%, Mystery 17.7%, Psychedelic 11.5%, Anime 8.6%
- #51 Eye of Saccharine
71% matchMostly Positive78% of 59 reviews2023
Dev: SasDeRiderPub: BRXKENVN
Windows · Mac · Linux
A girl suffering from hallucinations tries her best to live a normal life in the megapolis. She sees an advertisement for a certain doctor presenting a revolutionary technology for diagnosing and treating the psyche, "G.L.A.Z.A".
Why similar: Visual Novel 24.4%, Female Protagonist 13.7%, Psychological Horror 13.7%, LGBTQ+ 10.7%, Text-Based 10.2%
- #52 Tokyo Dark
71% 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 28.8%, Mystery 16.6%, Psychological Horror 16.5%, Female Protagonist 15.2%, Anime 11%
- #53 Umineko When They Cry - Question Arcs
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 2,634 reviews2016
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 13.9 hrsMean: 40.4 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Umineko When They Cry is the 2nd series of Sound Novel released by 07th Expansion. The steam version features renewed character sprites which is swappable from the classic art.
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.5%, Mystery 22.8%, Philosophical 16%, Psychological Horror 10.4%, Story Rich 7.6%
- #54 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.7 Minagoroshi
69% 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 31.7%, Mystery 21.5%, Psychological Horror 20.6%, Anime 11.1%, Story Rich 7.5%
- #55 outside the door
67% 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 33.3%, Psychological Horror 20.4%, Mystery 12.8%, Anime 11.9%, Female Protagonist 9.7%
- #56 CHAOS;CHILD
68% 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 38.8%, Mystery 20.9%, Psychological Horror 15.1%, Anime 8.8%, Story Rich 7.1%
- #57 OMORI
66% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 85,929 reviews2020
Dev: OMOCAT, LLC
Windows · Mac
Median: 10.9 hrsMean: 24.5 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Explore a strange world full of colorful friends and foes. When the time comes, the path you’ve chosen will determine your fate... and perhaps the fate of others as well.
Why similar: Psychological Horror 52.9%, Story Rich 17.5%, Atmospheric 8.2%, Pixel Graphics 6.7%, Anime 5.3%
- #58 You know my name?
69% matchMostly Positive71% of 213 reviews2024
Dev: Mystael studio
Windows · Mac · Linux
A short visual novel about finding your name and a girl in the fog.
Why similar: Visual Novel 29.7%, Psychological Horror 21%, Psychedelic 18.4%, Text-Based 12.3%, Story Rich 6.7%
- #59 Limbus Company
65% matchVery Positive88% of 99,908 reviews2023
Dev: ProjectMoon
Windows
Median: 12.1 hrsMean: 198.5 hrs≥1hr: 82%
As the Executive Manager of Limbus Company, lead your group of twelve Sinners, venture into the buried facilities of Lobotomy Corporation, and lay claim on the Golden Boughs.
Why similar: Visual Novel 53%, Story Rich 21.2%, Anime 12.7%, Sci-fi 5.5%, 2D 5.1%
