We're over halfway through 2024 and we've already read quite a lot of awesome, witty, heart-wrenching, and tear-jerking visual novels that any enthusiast would absolutely love. Here's a list of our picks for the best visual novels for 2024.
Best Visual Novels (2024)
Some of the best stories in video game history have come from visual novels. This is because visual novels aren't constrained by the need to align their narrative with gameplay mechanics. While they may not have much to boast about in terms of the latter, they more than make up for it with incredible stories filled with intimate themes and genuine characters.
But which visual novels released in 2024 truly stand out from the rest? Look no further than our list of the best visual novels of 2024, including some honorable mentions.
10. Murders on the Yangtze River
Murders on the Yangtze River takes you on a journey through early 20th century China as you solve a series of intriguing cases along the famous Yangtze River. The visual novel features incredible attention to detail, enhancing its thought-provoking mysteries and challenges. Any mystery-loving reader, especially fans of the Ace Attorney series, would enjoy this well-crafted detective story.
 Steam |
$14.99 |
9. Vampire Therapist
Vampire Therapist is an incredibly entertaining, yet thought-provoking and engaging game about the same kind of issues we mortals share with the eternal unliving. It offers advice in a form that is humorous and witty, but not at all dismissive of the troubles that plague each of us. However, do keep in mind that the game talks about potentially sensitive topics that some may feel uncomfortable reading about. If you can stomach it, though, the Vampire Therapist is definitely a great purchase you won’t regret.
8. Hookah Haze
Hookah Haze is a visual novel that wonderfully blends aesthetics with unique gameplay. It presents a gripping story that tackles sensitive topics, such as PTSD, belonging, transience, and self-loathing, in a way that feels natural rather than forced down your throat. The game features a well-defined cast of characters, each with their own story to tell, over a two-week emotional rollercoaster filled with drama, comedy, and romance.
7. Lilja and Natsuka Painting Lies
Lilja and Natsuka: Painting Lies tells the story of Lilja, a blind painter, and Natsuka, her energetic assistant, as they unravel the mysteries behind their clients' requests. The visual novel is moderately long, with the prologue alone taking a couple of hours to read. However, it captivates its audience with gripping themes and insightful reflections on life. Frontwing once again demonstrates their ability to craft a beautiful tale full of mystique without demanding too much of the reader's time. As a bonus, the visuals are lovely and easy on the eyes, and the voice work for the characters is nothing short of excellent.
| Steam |
$22.99 |
6. Tales from Toyotoki
Tales of Toyotoki is a story about life, companionship, tribulations, and romance, conveyed through the experiences of a group of well-developed characters, with a focus on a pair with unusual circumstances. It is a hilarious, romantic, and heartfelt tale whose simplicity in design allows the characters to shine through the narrative. While it may be slightly expensive for a barebones visual novel, the experience of reading its enchanting story alone makes it worth every cent.
5. Until then
Until Then isn't just about celebrating Filipino culture, despite what some headlines might say. While it does excel in its cultural representation, what really sets it apart is its gripping story that keeps you guessing from start to finish. It delivers a cinematic experience with beautiful art and memorable characters that leave a lasting impression, making it more than just a game—it's an unforgettable journey.
4. Minds Beneath Us
Minds Beneath Us delivers a powerful and compelling narrative set in a dystopian society shrouded in doom and gloom. Yet, it manages to offer a ray of hope, suggesting that even the bleakest circumstances can have a silver lining. The mysteries and intrigues are deeply satisfying to uncover due to the effort required to solve them. The game's difficulty arises from the tension between your moral compass and the consequences of following your heart. However, your experience may vary, as the game has a few quirks to get used to, such as its exclusive use of auto-saves to mark progress and a noticeable bias toward certain dialogue options.
3. Katawa Shoujo
Undoubtedly a classic, Katawa Shoujo is a dating sim where most of the romance options are girls with disabilities. These range from missing limbs and disfigured faces to more common conditions like blindness or being deaf-mute. Despite the lighthearted presentation of its characters and marketing, Katawa Shoujo is filled with scenes that can make even a grown man cry or even change lives. It is one of the most genuine, emotionally intelligent, and heart-wrenching visual novels out there.
The only reason it’s not ranked much higher in this list is because it technically isn't a 2024 release. Do note, though, that this visual novel is available on Steam for free. There is literally no reason for you not to read it.
| Steam |
Free |
2. No Case Should Remain Unsolved
No Case Should Remain Unsolved is a Korean detective visual novel that was released early in 2024 to an outstanding reception. While its main draw is the gripping story, the gameplay also deserves praise for its effectiveness as a detective game. Moreover, it's being sold at an incredibly affordable price! As an exceptional indie visual novel that effortlessly engages readers from start to finish, No Case Should Remain Unsolved is a clear contender for one of the top visual novels of the year.
| Steam |
$7.99 |
1. The Hungry Lamb
The Hungry Lamb is an excellent visual novel that approaches sensitive themes with a gripping side story of the lower caste. It combines beautiful visuals, immaculate audio work, impeccable writing, and the possibility of a life-changing conclusion to make you continue clicking through its dialogue. And it does the job much better than anybody could ask it to.
Best Visual Novels of 2024 Honorable Mentions
Aoi Tori
While not as old as some of the other classic re-releases on this list, Aoi Tori has aged remarkably well since its initial release in Japan about six years ago. It features fully voice-acted dialogue for a relatively short read of around five hours, with a story packed with bizarre yet strangely engaging genres and themes.
Unfortunately, a significant amount of content had to be cut for the game to be viable for a Steam release, despite the existence of much raunchier games on the platform. However, a separate patch is available for those interested in accessing the additional routes and scenes.
| Steam |
Free |
Fate/stay night REMASTERED
Despite releasing with quirks that made readers feel like they were back in 2010, Fate/stay night REMASTERED is still one of the more notable visual novels that was released globally this 2024. Not only is it a great entry point into the Fate series, but it’s also practically a required read for any existing fan who came in late through other means.
| Steam |
$29.99 |
Bring Me that Shawarma
Bring Me That Shawarma is an episodic visual novel that, despite its eyebrow-raising name, is a competent horror game with effective ambiance, strong writing, and high-quality artwork and photographs. Plus, it’s free (with a supporter pack available for $4.99) and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Definitely give this one a try if you can handle a bit of body horror, preferably while enjoying some shawarma yourself.
| Steam |
Free |
What's a Visual Novel?
An Interactive Novel in Game Form
Visual Novels, otherwise known as VNs, are essentially games where the vast majority of your "playtime" is spent reading text on the screen. In a way, it's the literal combination of "visuals" and a "novel," hence the name. To be more precise, one can think of it as a medium between traditional novels and typical console or PC games.
One major factor that set most visual novels apart from other games in their infancy was their non-linear storytelling. While most older games—and even some current ones—follow linear stories, many visual novels have featured multiple endings as a primary attraction since the release of "The Portopia Serial Murder Case" in 1983. Since then, multiple endings have become a staple feature of most visual novels.
Most visual novels have no "actual" gameplay. However, without the need to allocate resources to mind-blowing graphics or 3D models, writers and artists can focus entirely on crafting stories that tug at the heartstrings. As a result, some of the best stories in video game history have come from this medium.
