Story-rich games, visual novels, interactive fiction I’ve tried and you should too.

The Colorful Art is Must-See in the Visual Novel //TODO: Today

//TODO: today is a visual novel and dating sim. You'll follow the main character through a crisis involving life direction in the context of paying rent, becoming an artist, working in a bookstore, dating, and the help of a cute but invasive artificial intelligence named Joyce. The game takes advantage of bright pastel colors and hand-drawn art. It conveys a message of getting out of a rut as an adult and using a motivation to solve life's problems. The gameplay is a few hours and very interesting.

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VA-11 Hall-A is THE Classic Cyberpunk Bartender Sim

VA-11 Hall-A (Or Valhalla as it's known) is an interactive cyberpunk bartending simulator with elements of visual novel character interaction. Play from the perspective of Jill, a young woman who lives in the year 207X in a city called Glitch City. You'll learn to mix drinks for customers using a unique interface and alter them based on customers' needs and personal touch. Customers are customers, but many are absolute troublemakers. You'll talk them through their problems, as compulsive as they can be, and keep them from causing too much trouble--and hopefully, close their tabs. "What'll it Be?" The first time…

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CRASH Autodrive Tells A Story About Self-Driving Cabs and Murder

CRASH: Autodrive is a visual novel style point-and-click mystery that takes place in Pittsburgh, PA, the year 2027. You are a passenger in a robot auto cab that hosts you and three other passengers on your way to your respective destinations. The car takes an unanticipated detour and strikes a crossing bicyclist on a deserted back road in the city. With the aid of a host full of clues from your cab-sharers, you will use information and evidence from the individual to unravel the mystery behind the crash. In a world where A.I. is everywhere, you'll have to deduct on your own the implications of this accident. The game is due for release sometime in the spring of 2021.

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Arcade Spirits: The New Challengers Appeals to Gamers, Romantics, and Visual Novel Lovers

Arcade Spirits: New Challengers takes place in an alternate history, the year 20XX, where arcades have not been subjected to deprecation or obsoleteness, unlike what happened after consoles in the 1980s. As such, the arcade is quite an interesting place to run into quirky characters. Get into all sorts of gaming fun in a truly nostalgic vibe. I keep an eye on Steam's demo listings on a daily basis. I've been really into visual novels for some time now. I like the way they hit my palette when it comes to emotionally charged game content. The game Arcade Spirits: New…

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Coffee is a Seattle-Set Indie Masterpiece

Coffee Talk is an interactive visual novel released in the pumpkin spice season of 2020. You play a barista in Seattle in a futuristic/alternate-universe. Your customers range from human to succubus, and it is your job not only to make them coffee in your coffee shop but also to help talk them through their personal problems. The gameplay is interspersed with actual barista beverage making with various ingredients and you can even make latte art. The game art is also enjoyable and has a high-quality direction in design.

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A Cottage Story is a Hidden Gem & Terrific Little Visual Novel

A Cottage Story is an indie fantasy-style visual novel currently in development by indie developer LadyMeowsith on itch.IO. You'll play as Emory, or whichever moniker you choose. Your form is selectable as well. Your are a human/changeling grown up far away from humans. You live within a fantastic forest of goblins, satyrs, elves and maybe more. Meet characters and treat their ailments with a mastering of herbalism and healing skills from herbs found in the forest. Participate for story or personal fulfillment in this stylistic story/dating sim.

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The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante is One of the Best ‘Serious’ Interactive Fictions

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante is an interactive visual novel that spans the lifetime of a character named Sir Brante. Progress through the stages of life starting with childhood, where you'll forge deep experiences that will shape the course of your entire life later on. Your actions will affect your own character and also how others interact with you. Try to live true in a world dominated by an esoteric caste system and brutal classism, starting from the very bottom.

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Don’t Forget Me is an Interesting New Cyberpunk Mystery

Don't Forget Me is a pixel art, narrative investigation game about two cybernetic specialists, memory copiers to be exact. After a client visits their clinic, they find themselves in a complex situation involving government conspiracies and secret technology. The game is slated for release on April 15th, and gamers will find themselves playing a game with excellent art and unique mechanics.

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Superstorm Melon Date is Weird & The Best

Superstorm Melon Date is a visual novel that takes place in a relatively near dystopic future. People live in shelters and return to the surface only periodically because climate change has plagued the earth with frequent superstorms that burden humanity. People have developed widespread allergies and only the rich can raise fully human children. Therefore, a hybrid species of half melon people have outnumbered humans because they have better immune systems. To tie it all together, the plot of the game is about you going on a date with a melon person listed on an internet dating website. A melon person named, Mel.

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Demetrios: The BIG Cynical Adventure Requires Some Decent Puzzle Solving Skills

Demetrios: The BIG Cynical Adventure is an indie interactive-fiction/visual novel cartoon adventure. The interactive feature is much like you'd see in a hidden object story as well, although clues that you find unlock different possibilities. The story is very comical on purpose and can get as fresh out of the outhouse as you please. Despite this, it is a very well-thought-out mystery story about a complex theft and the clues can leave you curious about what's around every corner.

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