| Revision as of 07:22, 21 June 2004 editShibboleth (talk | contribs)942 edits Redirect to ren'ai game. Distinction between visual novels/H games/etc explained at bishojo game.← Previous edit | Revision as of 04:50, 20 September 2004 edit undoDuty (talk | contribs)50 edits Only in one sentence, and not all visual novels are bishojo games. I think they deserve their own article.Next edit → | ||
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| A '''''visual novel''''' is a Japanese adventure game that only remains a game in the loosest sense of the word. As the name might suggest, they resemble mixed-media novels or stage plays more then anything else. Minimal player intervention is required, only clicking to keep the text, graphics and sound moving (some VNs offer 'play' or 'fast-forward' toggles that make even this unnecessary) and an occasional decision that affects the final outcome of the story. | |||
| #REDIRECT [[renai game | |||
| Visual novels have been compared aptly to ] novels. Most, however, strive for a higher level of plot & character depth then the aforementioned series of interactive children's books. Many fans of visual novels find them a welcome oasis in the often-desolate landscape of traditional video game storytelling. | |||
| Visual novels were a subset of ] in the past, and almost all contain ], which English-speaking fans tend to regard as a sort of unpleasant and unnecessary cliche (think of the 'obligatory sex scene' in Hollywood action films.) However, many recent ones have placed both titillation and romantic interaction decidedly low on their agendas, and they can be regarded as a distinct genre from ren'ai and H games. | |||
| ==Famous visual novels== | |||
| Many of these also have associated ] series. | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
Revision as of 04:50, 20 September 2004
A visual novel is a Japanese adventure game that only remains a game in the loosest sense of the word. As the name might suggest, they resemble mixed-media novels or stage plays more then anything else. Minimal player intervention is required, only clicking to keep the text, graphics and sound moving (some VNs offer 'play' or 'fast-forward' toggles that make even this unnecessary) and an occasional decision that affects the final outcome of the story.
Visual novels have been compared aptly to Choose Your Own Adventure novels. Most, however, strive for a higher level of plot & character depth then the aforementioned series of interactive children's books. Many fans of visual novels find them a welcome oasis in the often-desolate landscape of traditional video game storytelling.
Visual novels were a subset of ren'ai games in the past, and almost all contain hentai, which English-speaking fans tend to regard as a sort of unpleasant and unnecessary cliche (think of the 'obligatory sex scene' in Hollywood action films.) However, many recent ones have placed both titillation and romantic interaction decidedly low on their agendas, and they can be regarded as a distinct genre from ren'ai and H games.
Famous visual novels
Many of these also have associated anime series.