ANONYMOUS;CODE lacks the depth and maturity of earlier Science Adventure games but makes up for it with thrilling action and top-notch presentation. While it may not hit the highest of highs, I expect this is one most visual novel fans will enjoy.
VIDEOVERSE may seem like a product for a niche audience, and admittedly it probably hits different if you experienced the early internet, but its ideas and themes are relevant today. If you’re at all interested in stories about online communities and relationships, VIDEOVERSE is well worth your time.
Aside from its impressive hand-drawn animation, Curse of the Sea Rats is at its best a mediocre game that does little to stand out from the innumerable alternatives. At its worst, it’s tedious, grating, and unfun. Maybe if you love traditional animation and rats you’ll find something to enjoy here, but I’d wait for a discount before considering Curse of the Sea Rats.
The Future Radio and the Artificial Pigeons has an interesting concept and compelling themes. Unfortunately, it fumbles the execution, too often rushing to hit the next plot point rather than taking the time to build investment in its ideas and characters, and as result, undermines the emotional and thematic impact it aspires to.
While it doesn’t quite reach the heights of its predecessor, Chaos;Child is a strong visual novel in its own right–one that builds on and evolves what came before in interesting ways. It’s a shame this release is so lacking in polish, but Chaos;Child’s poignant thematic heart still shines through.
Chaos;Head is bold, powerful, and one of the most thematically interesting visual novels you can read. Despite its substantial flaws, Chaos;Head NOAH is the only way to officially experience Chaos;Head in English, and I highly recommend it.
The current Switch build of No Place for Bravery is so buried under technical problems that you should stay far away. But if and when the problems are fixed? I wasn’t able to see the end of No Place for Bravery, making it difficult to fully evaluate. It certainly has some good pieces: great art, a strong concept, and satisfying combat. Maybe that’s enough for it to be worth a shot. Still, from what I did see, it’s hard not to feel that with a bit more thought and care No Place for Bravery could have been a much better game than it is.
Amatsutsumi stands on the strength of its main route. Depending on how you feel about the other heroines and sexual content the journey can be circuitous, but the story of Makoto and the kotodama is worth seeing to the end.
If you enjoy pulp horror, you’ll have a lot of fun with Mothmen 1966. I certainly did. It’s a sharp, well-crafted package that nails the style and aesthetic. Mothmen 1966 doesn’t have a lot of depth or nuance, which may not be to everyone’s taste, but this is very much an intentional choice. And if you’re unfamiliar with pulp, Mothmen 1966 is short and accessible: a great introduction that’s worth giving a shot.
Neon White is slick, exciting, addictive, and most of all, exhilarating fun. Strap on your belts, and get ready to race through heaven and ice some demons because this is one you won’t want to miss.
Soda Crisis serves up a sugary, refreshing can of good old arcade-style fun. Whether you’re in cola withdraw rage or just want to blast baddies and cause chaos, Soda Crisis goes down sweet and satisfying.
Hoa may not offer much gameplay or narrative, but for those willing to savor the relaxed experience, Hoa’s beautiful art and sweeping music can whisk you away for a short, lovely jaunt through a magical world.
Variable Barricade is at its best when it leans into its inner romcom. Driven by a great protagonist and enjoyably quirky love interests, it has no shortage of sweet and funny moments. Unfortunately, the fun parts come with a generous side of tedious and manufactured melodrama. Overall though I still enjoyed Variable Barricade.
Ocean’s Heart is a charming adventure, even if none of its ideas are new. I would have liked a bit more polish and consistency in the mechanics, but Ocean’s Heart’s sense of discovery and whimsical fun was enough that I enjoyed my playthrough.
Henchman Story is a hilarious ride with a real heart to it, and its comic book style and full voice acting make it stand out from the crowd of English language visual novels. It’s an easy recommendation, especially if you’re looking for a change of pace from the usual anime-adjacent fare that visual novels are known for.
Bright Memory: Infinite has a nascent vision of what it wants to be. And honestly, that vision is kind of good. With the right elements around it, Bright Memory: Infinite’s combat could have shined. Unfortunately, everything else is an incoherent mishmash of undeveloped ideas, lazy design, sloppiness, and technical problems. Even at the budget price of $9.99 I can’t recommend this mess.
Love Flute tells an intimate character-driven story that has more to it than you might think. The simulation gameplay lacks depth, but if you like collecting things you might still enjoy it, and if you don’t, you can mostly ignore it. If you’re in the market for a short visual novel I’d recommend giving Love Flute a look.
Olympia Soiree stands out for its nuanced characters, detailed world-building, and ambitious storytelling that thoughtfully tackles difficult subjects. Oh, and the romance is great too! I wish the bad endings and choice system had been more robust and that there was more of the excellent art and music, but these are minor quibbles. If you’re open to a serious story that touches on challenging themes—and want to romance some dashing men along the way—I’d highly recommend Olympia Soiree.
Besides its stylish cutscenes and bold color palette, Fire Tonight has little to offer. The gameplay is simplistic while the characters and story have no chance to develop over the game’s paltry one-hour runtime. Even at the budget price of $5.99, I don’t think Fire Tonight is worth it.
While I have my complaints about the Eternal Cylinder, I'm ultimately glad I played it. It takes a bit to get going, can meander at times, and the storytelling often frustrated me. It also consistently nails the most important moments, and by the time the credits rolled, I realized The Eternal Cylinder had been something special that I’ll remember for a long time. Maybe The Eternal Cylinder isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s an experience unlike anything else--one well worth having despite its flaws.