Highlights

• Doki Doki Literature Club! is an unsettling psychological horror visual novel that took the gaming world by storm in 2017.
• The game's constant breaking of the fourth wall adds to its already unsettling atmosphere and keeps players on edge.
• The game's massive fanbase is a testament to its effectiveness in delivering horror that lingers in players' minds long after they've finished playing.

Doki Doki Literature Club! took the world by storm when it came out in 2017. Under the guise of being an average dating sim, players were immediately taken aback when the game deliciously unfolded into an unsettling psychological horror title. It constantly breaks the fourth wall, adding a layer of trepidation to an already unsettling game. The game's allure is so massive that the fanbase simply can't stop talking about this game even now, which is a testament to how effective the horror of this game is.

This visual novel provides the type of experience that will leave the player yearning for more. Those who felt this urge after the credits rolled will be glad to know that there is a wide array of visual novels for them to check out that are in the vein. Any person who thinks that VNs aren't engaging enough to keep them interested in the long run will be more than surprised by how effective these visual novels are, having a lasting impression on a person's mind long after they're finished playing through these titles.

Updated on February 2, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Most people don't rate visual novels all that highly, finding the railroaded experience to be a bit too linear for their liking. This is a shame since a lot of visual novels do a great job of incorporating unique stories with great writing to make for an enthralling time. The best visual novels understand the strengths of this genre, either accentuating what makes them so riveting or combining it with a wealth of other tropes to make for a memorable experience.

18 Class Of '09

A Hilarious VN That Takes Players On A Wild Ride

• Platform(s): PC
• Release Date: June 10, 2021
• Developer: SBN3

One of the weirdest video games that players can check out, Class of '09 is a game that needs to be experienced firsthand. Trying to explain what this game is all about will just make people seem crazy.

The fact that the insane hijinks in this game are all fully voice-acted is both impressive and hilarious at the same time. Players who don't mind playing through a game that doesn't take itself seriously and pokes fun at the tropes present in this genre should check out this unique anti-visual novel.

17 Milk Outside A Bag Of Milk Outside A Bag Of Milk

A Sequel To A Psychological Horror VN That Becomes Bigger And Better Than Before

• Platform(s): PC
• Release Date: December 16, 2021
• Developer: Nikita Kryukov

After the massive and unprecedented success of Milk Inside a Bag of Milk Inside a Bag of Milk, Nikita Kryukov decided to make a sequel that built upon the systems of the first game. The end result is Milk Outside a Bag of Milk Outside a Bag of Milk.

The haunting presentation and impressive artwork are taken to even greater heights in a sequel that is longer and better in every way. Players who want to support the developer should make it a point to purchase and check out this uniquely horrifying visual novel for themselves.

16 Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

A Murder-Mystery VN Where A Bunch Of Talented High Schoolers Are Forced Into A Game Of Death

Danganronpa is not strictly a visual novel per se, including elements from detective games and dating sims to make for a pretty unique video game that fans will have a great time checking out. All three games in the series feature a set of characters with various special talents who are thrust into a twisted killing game against their will.

The first game was a great introduction to the series, even if some of the cases did feel a bit rough around the edges. Regardless, it's still an excellent title, with the Class Trials being an explosion of visuals, minigames, and revelations that will keep players engaged till the very end of each case.

15 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy

A Great Series Of Detective VN Games Where Players Take On The Role Of A Lawyer

The Ace Attorney games are some of the best visual novels that players can check out, featuring heavy elements of detective titles and letting players discover and solve a case in court by connecting the dots and making witnesses sweat with every contradiction that is pointed out. The escalating music and amazing visuals add to the sense of wonder players experience with each breakdown in the series.

The first three Ace Attorney games have been remastered for new fans to check out this masterpiece for themselves, allowing new players to easily get into the three games that made Phoenix Wright a household name. The sheer wealth of titles in this series simply boggles the mind and will let players sink hundreds of hours in this series once they're properly invested.

14 Milk Inside A Bag Of Milk Inside A Bag Of Milk

A Psychological Horror VN That Takes A Rather Sobering Look At Trauma And Psychosis

A visual novel that is pretty short, the oddly-titled Milk Inside a Bag of Milk Inside a Bag of Milk is a riveting tale of a woman's struggle with psychosis. Players control the voice in her head at various intervals while she's just trying to accomplish the simple task of going to a grocery store to get some milk.

Despite how short the game is, the excellent premise and striking visuals led to the creation of a sequel that was way bigger in scope, fittingly titled Milk Outside a Bag of Milk Outside a Bag of Milk. Fans of unique gaming experiences will love what these titles bring to the table, with the psychological horror being executed with a deft touch.

13 I Woke Up Next To You Again.

A Unique VN Where Players Speak With A Person They've Woken Up Next To

• Platform(s): PC
• Release Date: September 18, 2017
• Developer: Angela He

Romance has always been complicated, and the fast-paced, mercurial modern dating scene hasn't made things any simpler. I Woke Up is about the protagonist's relationship with the person they woke up with—a fleeting connection that begins to fray the moment it's stitched together, but that somehow holds within itself the possibility of forever.

I Woke Up is short and bittersweet. It may not be one of the most influential visual novels, but it makes the most of its terse writing. Conversations here are clipped, with a handful of words standing for so much more, and the repercussions of those words sometimes run out of control.

12 Ebon Light

A Fantasy VN Where Players Can Customize Their Character

• Platform(s): PC
• Release Date: November 9, 2019
• Developer: Underbliss

A dark fantasy of human curiosity and elven secrets, Ebon Light takes most of its cues from RPGs. The game begins with the opportunity to customize the main character, choosing her name, appearance, and personality.

The art, music, and writing all complement one another, and while none are boundary-breaking, all of them create a pleasingly foreboding atmosphere. Ebon Light is an intriguing world and one that players will be happy to lose themselves in for a time. The love interests and other characters are all compelling, but the best character of all may be the protagonist: a woman with depth, complexity, and more than enough strengths to outweigh her flaws.

11 The Average Everyday Adventures Of Samantha Browne

A Sobering Look At Anxiety In An Eye-Opening VN

When players imagine epic video game conflicts, they probably picture mighty warriors clashing with dragons in caverns filled with gold, or perhaps picture armadas of spaceships screeching towards one another towards the black void of space. They probably don't picture oatmeal.

The Average Everyday Adventures of Samantha Browne is about the titanic struggle that even a simple task becomes when the person attempting it is wracked with anxiety. Samantha Browne is a college student who wants to make oatmeal, but doing so means leaving her dorm room and facing the world. As powerful as it is simple, this game is an underrated must-play.

10 Missed Messages

A Dark VN That's Brief Yet Extremely Poignant

• Platform(s): PC
• Release Date: May 1, 2019
• Developer: Angela He

Missed Messages may not be the fourth-wall-breaking mind-bender that Doki Doki Literature Club! is, but the impression it leaves on players is no less profound. The game deals with serious, traumatic subjects, as well as ones that are quieter kinds of sad and uncomfortable.

The game is brief and can be completed in under half an hour. That may be merciful because this achingly beautiful game delivers one emotional gut punch after another. The painterly art and spot-on music selection draw players into a world of texts, memes, homework, and conversations that later come back to haunt like ghosts in a Victorian manor.

9 Umineko: When They Cry

A Fun Murder-Mystery VN With A Riveting Story

• Platform(s): PC, Mobile, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
• Release Date: August 17, 2007
• Developer: 07th Expansion

Umineko: When They Cry features little interactivity, instead urging its viewers to sit back and enjoy the story that is going to be presented to them. When it does allow the viewer to interact, it is to uncover a series of bizarre, mind-boggling murder mysteries that are quite perplexing to solve.

It makes heavy use of sound and audio to create atmosphere and convey emotions, on top of its visual storytelling. Umineko will spin its viewer's minds with its impeccable story and tantalizing mysteries.

8 The House In Fata Morgana

An Ambitious VN That Makes Players Feel A Lot Of Emotions

The House In Fata Morgana visual novel will make its viewers feel a wide range of emotions. From glee and optimism to anxiety and horror, The House in Fata Morgana has an engrossing story, and those who will witness it will surely think about it for the years to come.

This tale has a very Shakespearian aura that is mysterious, heartwarming, and charming. It is both a mystery and a tragedy and those who enjoy a good visual novel like DDLC should not miss this one.

7 Steins;Gate

Time Travel And Trauma Play A Central Role In This Engaging VN

Steins;Gate will not only fulfill the urges of those who enjoyed Doki Doki Literature Club, but it is also the perfect graphic novel for fans of the science fiction genre. This visual novel is often regarded by many as one of the best of all time and it is very difficult to argue this praise.

This visual novel relies heavily on time travel, the central theme of its story. Its narrative is initially calmer, but it eventually explores the horrible consequences of time travel as the story continues.

6 Analogue: A Hate Story

A Sci-Fi VN That's Darker And More Disturbing Than What Meets The Eye

• Platform(s): PC
• Release Date: February 1, 2012
• Developer: Christine Love

Analogue: A Hate Story takes the "space exploration story" trope and gives it a dark and mysterious spin. This visual novel is highly rated on Steam, and for good reason — Analogue: A Hate Story's story and characters will leave its viewers mystified.

The story of this visual novel is centered around a starship that has lost contact with Earth. The story then progresses with the player stumbling upon text logs to uncover the mystery surrounding the ship. This journey will then present the players with twists, turns, and terror as they go along the story.

5 Clannad

What Seems Like A Simple Feel-Good VN Turns Into Something Dark

• Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Mobile, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: September 18, 2017
• Developer: Key

Much like Doki Doki Literature Club, the characters in Clannad have an air of normalcy about them. However, as the story continues, the viewer will be surprised to see just how terrible the skeletons are that are hiding in these characters' closets.

While starting as a very average and serene tale, the story of Clannad gradually becomes darker and more emotional as it progresses. Its drama element becomes more heartbreaking just as DDLC slowly gets more terrifying.

4 Sound Of Drop

A Great Horror Visual Novel

• Platform(s): PC
• Release Date: October 30, 2015
• Developer: aiueoKompany

Sound of Drop is a horror visual novel that those who enjoyed Doki Doki Literature Club will surely enjoy as well. Set inside the Mantem Aquarium, the story of Sound of Drop borrows inspiration from urban legends, almost to the point of being Lovecraftian, to tell a story that's horrifying and disturbing.

There are so many things for the viewer to uncover from this visual novel. It has three different main story routes and an astounding 30 different endings.

3 Myth

One Of The Most Complex And Mind-Bending Visual Novels Fans Can Check Out

• Platform(s): PC
• Release Date: October 28, 2016
• Developer: Circletempo

Myth is a very enigmatic visual novel with a story so convoluted that people are still discussing its meaning to this day. It is set in a "world of light" that's devoid of shadows. However, the other end of the spectrum of this world, the "world of shadows," constantly reaches out to the main character.

This place is one that's filled with terror and malice, and the viewers will be able to behold a series of horrifying scenes when the novel takes the story to this setting. It will take a lot of patience to get through this visual novel, but it is rewarding to those who have the stomach for it.

2 Higurashi: When They Cry

A Deeply Disturing Visual Novel That's Not For The Faint Of Heart

• Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, Mobile, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
• Release Date: August 10, 2002
• Developer: 07th Expansion

Higurashi: When They Cry is exactly the kind of visual novel those who love Doki Doki Literature Club would enjoy. Like DDLC, Higurashi starts very innocently until it isn't so much anymore. This visual novel will leave the reader alarmed and horrified.

Higurashi has a story that is very enthralling, heartbreaking, and unsettling. It also features voice acting from professional voice actors, making the experience more engaging.

1 Corpse Party: Book Of Shadows

A Visual Novel In A Legendary Series That's Extremely Disturbing

• Platform(s): PC, PlayStation Portable, Mobile
• Release Date: September 1, 2011
• Developer: Team GrisGris, MAGES

Standing at the same level of notoriety as Doki Doki Literature Club is the Corpse Party franchise. Corpse Party: Book Of Shadows is an anthology visual novel that seems innocent in the beginning, but it doesn't take long to reveal its horrifying elements.

Unlike most visual novels, Corpse Party: Book of Shadows is heavy in interactivity. It is part visual novel and part point-and-click exploration where the viewer is urged to move the story forward.