Romance Visual Novels are largely an untouched genre of games that you should play right now. Actually, Visual Novels, in general, are the type of media that are looked down on outside the Japanese fandom.
There is the types of media that are stuck in between appealing to people who read physical books, and video game players. Although there are a lot of genres to explore among visual novels, the most sought-after is obviously romance.
In the list below, we are going to talk about some of the top romance visual novels you should play right now.
The Best Romance Visual Novels Of All Time
Doki Doki Literature Club
Kicking this list off with the most important and common visual novel. Doki Doki Literature Club may seem like any other romance visual novel with dating sim elements. But the more you progress in the story, the more you uncover something darker.
Unlike most other visual novels in the market, Doki Doki Literature Club is not created by a Japanese studio. It is developed by Team Salvato and published by the American company, Serenity Forge.
Doki Doki Literature Club shook the world after its release. It was reported in the news media for its controversial content and was a sensational topic of discussion all over the internet. The game is free to play, but a paid and expanded version titled Doki Doki Literature Club Plus was also released recently.
The House in Fata Morgana
The House in Fata Morgana is not a dating sim, but it does not change the fact that it is a beautiful visual novel. It also has romance narratives that plays in with a compelling story. It was developed by Novectacle as a visual novel for PC systems.
In 2016, the game was released internationally by the English Localization distributor, MangaGamer. Later, there were several console versions of the game released, especially for handhelds. This is when the game started gaining quite a bit of cult following.
The plot of The House in Fata Morgana involves a spirit that has lost all their memories. This individual appears inside an unknown mansion with no recollection of the past and is assisted by a maid.
Clannad
Clannad is one of the best romance visual novels that you should be playing right now. It was developed by the legendary developer of visual novels, Key. A studio that was founded by Jun Maeda, who is also the director of Clannad.
Jun Maeda’s name is associated with several anime and visual novel properties. Shows that are absolutely beloved among fans of Japanese media. Clannad is one of his best works, which was elevated to newer heights when it got an anime adaptation.
The plot of Clannad follows a high school student named Tomoya Okazaki. He comes across a colorful cast of characters in his life. He helps solve various problems lingering in these characters’ lives. The story goes even further into exploring his life after graduation.
Aikagi
Aikagi is a Visual Novel developed by a studio named Azarashi Software. They have been working on developing visual novels since the late 90s. The developer is also known for their Grisaia visual novel series, which has a considerably sized fanbase.
But we are here to talk about Aikagi, a romance visual novel that was released internationally and is available on Steam. It even got an anime adaptation in 2019. The aspect of visual novel romance that draws most people to the genre is the slice of life.
Sweet and cozy romance, which is a subgenre of Japanese media that has a term of its own called ‘Iyashikei’. Aikagi is a visual that excels at this aspect in providing a rich and comforting experience. This is one romance visual novel that you definitely should play.
STEINS;GATE
Most visual novels generally have a modern setting akin to the real world. Especially if it is a romance visual novel, then it is not too often that we get a fantastical setting. Because that type of setting is not the main focus for the genre.
But STEINS;GATE is a visual novel that proves that thought wrong. It throws the audience into a science fiction story with good romance. STEINS;GATE is developed by the Visual Novel studio named MAGES Inc. and published by the famous company Spike Chunsoft.
The story follows a young science student who discovers time travel using a microwave. STEINS;GATE is an award-winning visual novel that you should definitely play right now.
Fate/Stay Night REMASTERED
The Fate franchise is not new to any fan of Japanese media. Fate/Stay Night and its other derivatives are well-known all over the world. Especially the infamous gacha game that spawned out of the property, Fate/Grand Order.
Fate/Stay Night is a part of a fantasy visual novel universe created by writer Kinoko Nasu and developed by TYPE-MOON. The story follows a high schooler named Shirou Emiya who is caught in the middle of a holy grail war.
Historical and mythological figures appear in the real world to face off against each other over the holy grail. Fate/Stay Night is also a really good romance visual novel that you should play. There’s a plethora of spin-off content to explore around this IP.
Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon
Let’s talk about another franchise that exists in the same universe as the fate series. It is also a visual novel franchise that was released way before Fate/Stay Night. Even though originally an eroge, Tsukihime eventually got a remake in 2021.
Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon is made by the same legendary developer, TYPE-MOON. It follows the story of Shiki Tono. A young individual who is cursed with the mystic eyes of death perception.
The visual novel explores various romance routes through interactions with other characters, just like the Fate series. There are several other spin-offs of the Tsukihime IP, one of the most popular ones being the Melty Blood fighting game series. It also got a remake recently, along with the release of the mainline visual novel remake.
