Visual Novel
| Synonyms: | |
| See also: | eroge, nakige, Otome game, galge, dating sim, Interactive Fiction |
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A visual novel is a type of computer game that uses mostly static images with text, and sometimes sound to construct a branching narrative -- usually with limited options for the player to choose from as the story progresses, but multiple possible endings based on those choices.[1][2] Some visual novels become so popular they gain adaptations in other mediums, including manga, anime, light novels, drama CDs, etc.[1]
Visual novels are primarily produced and played in East Asia, though some have been licensed or fan translated in other regions. Their fanbase outside East Asia (and Japan in particular) is slowly growing.[1]
Fanworks for popular visual novels may include fanart, doujinshi and/or fancomics, fanfic, fan translations, Let's Plays, and meta.
Notable Visual Novels
- Ace Attorney
- Blooming Panic
- Butterfly Soup
- Clannad
- Cryptic Crush
- DRAMAtical Murder
- Error143
- Fate/Stay Night
- Heaven Will Be Mine
- We Know the Devil
Fan Translations
With so few visual novels produced or officially licensed outside of Japan, fans have tried to fill in the gaps. Some translation-related communities include:
- al|together A translation festival run in 2005, 2006, and 2008, resulting in several translations of free visual novels into English
- Fuwanovel Forums is a popular place for visual novel fan translation groups to post project updates, recruit new members, etc.
Fan Communities
Resources
References
- ^ a b c What are Visual Novels?, Archived version, accessed Jan. 20, 2014.
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". VNDB. Archived from the original on 2014-07-17. Retrieved 2014-01-20.