8 Of The Best Visual Novels Of 2021 (Thus Far)
It’s time for one of those lists, and today I’ve opted for listing 8 of the best visual novels of 2021, according to me and thus far, as I’m currently playing through one at the moment, and it got me thinking. A rarity.
As a boy scout in this genre, there will undoubtedly be titles I’ll miss. This could be for many reasons, but you won’t see any hentai-like titles here – not because I’m judging, they’re just not my thang, babes.
Considering I borderline hated visual novels at first, I’m now a convert as it’s an excellent platform for storytellers to engage their audience in ways a tree-based alternative may not. Anyways, let’s not overthink it.
Blake: The Visual Novel
Link to the Blake: The Visual Novel review
Quite a recent entry for this list as it was a title I was actively following from its first reveal. No, that’s not an ‘I was at the first Beatles concert’ thing, but to say that Blake: The Visual Novel was worth waiting for.
As stated in the review, this has some of the best illustrations in a visual novel I’ve seen, and it features an intriguing story that is well worth the entry fee. If you aren’t already following the developer, Ori Mees, do so, and hopefully, we can egg them on to do a sequel or spin-off in the same universe.
Oh, and if anyone beats Marv, do send me your walkthrough 😛
Crimson Skies
Link to the Crimson Skies review
With my pasty complexion, I’d fit right in with the folk of Bataille. As agent Erika, you hear of the transportation of a notorious serial killer and want to have a cheeky peek. Only, something unusual happens, and you’re soon trapped in the town, surrounded by these crimson spires. Get too close to one, and you’re dead. No questions asked.
Being stuck in the town, you soon find your feet as the local sheriff, doing menial tasks like counting the bodies of the locals who tried to escape. Still, you’re also fixated with a local family who gives off the airs of aristocracy, plus something shady about them.
Cue some twists and turns, moles, deceit, manipulation and some 80s movie references, and you have yourself an entertaining story. It did get sidetracked in a few places, but this is worth repeat plays with the multiple endings.
Dagon by H.P. Lovecraft
Link to the Dagon by H.P. Lovecraft review
Free-to-play should perk anybody up but can also raise alarm bells of paywalls and what-have-you. Dagon by H.P. Lovecraft by Bit Golem is nothing like that. Sure, there’s some paid-for DLC content, but if you’re a Lovecraft fan and don’t already have the material, it’s worth it.
A representation of the classic Dagon by some bloke named Howard, this is a less interactive type of visual novel, but one well worth the experience. The presentation – for your eyeballs and earholes – is brilliant, and it really casts a mood that may even inspire you to read more books.
The devs don’t need that much exposure at this point as the downloads for this game has been through the roof, and rightly so. I’m looking forward to what other visual novel-based material they may rustle up in the future.
Synergia
Riding the same cyberpunk wave like everyone else, Synergia was yet another dystopian adventure that, on paper, felt a bit by-numbers. In some respects, it was, but in genre expectations, not narrative.
For a start, there’s a reference to the good kind of Dick (Phil), paying respect to androids and sheep, but going one step further by creating a religion that protects people – Humanism.
Your hero, Cila, is one such follower of Humanism, but starts to re-wire her earn thought process and perception once she’s introduced to ‘the future’ or evolution of humanity and technology. There’s a romantic element here that works pretty well too, and it was a title I was frequently binging on.
Dry Drowning
Link to the Dry Drowning Review
What an awful concept – Dry Drowning – but you don’t have time to ponder on this sort of thing – there’s a killer on the loose, and you need to clear your name and get back in the good books of the public.
A detective noir set in the future, you play Mordred Foley, a descendant of Axel. He’s a washed-up P.I. that ballsed up on the Pandora serial killer case, but worse, he smokes far too much.
When he’s not stinking the place out, he’s interrogating perps, gaining just enough evidence to make a case. As mentioned in the review, Dry Drowning offers a bit more scope than the typical visual novel as it’s not just dialogue choices but actions too. It’s a stylish, moody looking game as well if that’s your bag.
CRASH: Autodrive
Link to the CRASH: Autodrive review
Don’t always be led by review scores as 1) they’re subjective, and 2) they’re just a guideline. How many times have you said, “Nice beer – 4 out of 5” in conversation. You have? Weird… CRASH: Autodrive had an above-average review score, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t have an impact.
My overall beef was the sharp change in conclusion, and I ‘didn’t agree with it’; still, that’s a personal response. I can still tell you that this is a well-written and intelligent visual novel with a few point and click elements thrown in for good measure. The art style, in particular, was nice n’ vibrant.
Jumping into an automated taxi with three strangers, you play Emily, who is thrown into the deep end as a make-do detective when their taxi runs over a pedestrian. This shouldn’t happen based on safety protocols, so did someone, or even something, orchestrate it? A story well worth a look and a good price, too!
Midnight Caravan
Link to the Midnight Caravan review
Released in 2020 (not sure if that was Early Access) and reviewed here in April of this year, Midnight Caravan was a nice surprise for my inbox. If you consider people killing each other through sharp, pointy things and poison, then yes – nice.
You could argue that this seedy adventure isn’t technically a visual novel, but I’m listing it as one, so there. Considering the narrative aspect and attractive art style, it has all the hallmarks of a game of its ilk. What makes it stand out the most is how ruthless it can be – both in storytelling and mechanics, as you can die in the game, an aspect not commonly seen in the genre. Right?
It’s a somewhat doomed scenario as someone is out to get you for unknown reasons, forcing you to abandon your life and take the helm of a travelling caravan of drunks, gamblers, prostitutes and thieves. Can you guide them to safety? Who is this person stalking you? How can you be a part of caravan club? Riveting stuff.
Crime Opera: The Butterfly Effect
Link to the Crime Opera: The Butterfly Effect review
As indicated in the review, Crime Opera: The Butterfly Effect didn’t start so well for me at first, and I was getting flashbacks to the time when I wasn’t keen on the genre, but, as a dog arrives in the story (no significance whatsoever), the story took a turn, and I was really into it.
A crude summary would be that of The Sopranos as we follow the Gallow family but from the eyes of the children. It takes a few beats to get started, but then we start experiencing all those telltale signs of corruption, deceit and character changes that maketh the person.
It’s a huge story that will continue in Crime Opera II, heading to Kickstarter next month. If you’ve already dabbled with this one, you’ll know what to expect, so keep your eye on the news. In the meantime, here’s the announcement of the sequel on Itch.io.
A Few To Watch Out For
With a hint of Lovecraft, Hermitage: Strange Case Files is a modern X-Files style narrative that links a handful of characters to a bookstore and its enigmatic store manager. Look out for a review as this is out at the end of October.
Next up is Sky of Tides. I’ve not played any demos or seen much more than anyone else, but I like where this one is going, plus the artwork is particularly striking. Read a little more on Sky of Tides here.
Finally, Plan B From Outer Space: A Bavarian Odyssey. From the same team behind the excellent text adventure The Innsmouth Case, this time, an alien crash lands and has to navigate hostile Barbvarians through shape-shifting. Actually, if we’re classing that as a visual novel, then The Innsmouth Case must be on this list too. Check out the review here.
Epilogue
So yes, there are inevitably titles missing from this list, and perhaps you’re fruitlessly shouting at the screen saying, “You £$@%! where’s the heck is XXXXX?!?!” As I said, I’m new to the genre (ish), and these are some of the ones I’ve played. Why list something if I haven’t even looked at it?
But you know what? I’m open to recommendations. When it comes to visual novels, I like dark stuff, twists, and unexpected events. If you’re a dev or publisher and think I need educating on a game and want some coverage (or just because you’re overly lovely), drop me an email from the contact link at the top or bottom of the site.
If there’s one game listed here that makes you go, “Oh, that sounds good”, then BOOM! mission accomplished.
Ta-ta x