This year’s Steam Visual Novel Fest is now live! The event will be running from March 3rd until March 10th at 10 AM Pacific Time.
The Steam Visual Novel Fest is a celebration of narrative-driven games.
This event features steep discounts on popular visual novel titles and interactive fiction games. It also features demos for upcoming games to try out.
If you’re curious about visual novels, this festival is a great opportunity to pick up a few titles and dive in. If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve got a few recommendations below.
Raging Loop
Raging Loop is an absolute classic visual novel that is a must-play for any horror and/or mystery fans. Imagine a game like Town of Salem or Werewolf but presented in a rich, visual novel format.
In this visual novel, you’ll get to immerse yourself in the secluded Japanese village of Yasumizu. There’s a heavy mist surrounding the village, which prevents anyone from leaving… The problem?
Ancient gods have come back to hunt down the villagers one by one, and you’re trapped there. It’s a fantastic visual novel for a first-timer. The controls are pretty straightforward, and it’s coupled with fantastic art.
Scarlet Hollow
If you’re a fan of mystery box shows like From or Twin Peaks, Scarlet Hollow would be right up your alley. Scarlet Hollow is from the developers of the much-loved Slay the Princess.
Scarlet Hollow is an immersive horror mystery with a branching narrative where your decisions can dramatically alter the journey. You’ll be investigating haunted houses and strange sightings to figure out what happened in Scarley Hollow.
The game is currently in early access. The story is split across 7 episodes, but only 4 are available to play now. Buying the game will grant you full access to all the episodes (when they release).
If you’re on the fence about the game, there’s also a free demo you can try that covers the first episode.
STEINS;GATE
When it comes to visual novel history, Steins;Gate is an absolute classic and masterpiece. It’s one of the cornerstone games of the format and a must-play for any visual novel fan.
Steins;Gate is an award-winning time travel science fiction visual novels and is considered one of the best ever made. It features a non-linear narrative with different endings available.
This visual novel follows a rag-tag band of tech-savvy students who discover they can change their past via mail, using a modified microwave… What happens and how it changes the course of history is up to you.
Cabernet
Cabernet is a recently-released 2D narrative RPG that delves into visual novel territory. If you’re a fan of vampires, this is a must-play.
In Cabernet, you’ll be guiding Liza, a young vampire still settling into her new unlife in a 19th century-inspired Eastern European town.
If you love Carmilla and Dracula, this is a visual novel not to be missed. There is also a demo available if you want to try out the game and decide if it’s for you.
VA-11 Hall-A
VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action describes itself as a booze em’ up about waifus, technology, and post-dystopia life. This game is basically the Dark Souls of the visual novel format, launching its own subtype/genre.
While a new, catchy name hasn’t been decided on for the genre, VA-11 HALL-A has spawned a series of games that focus on serving customers and listening to their day-to-day life as gameplay.
Several games inspired by VA-11 HALL-A include the cozy Coffee Talk, Tavern Talk, and Hookah Haze.
The Steam Visual Novel Fest only happens once a year, so don’t forget to check it out! If you want more narrative-driven game recommendations, you can check out our list for games like Emily is Away.
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