Forum › Yuri Visual Novel Recommendation Thread

Licentious Lantern
Lantern%202
joined Sep 17, 2021

Yuri Visual Novel Recommendations

Seeing as there is a thread for manga recommendations I thought it would be nice to also share our experiences with Visual Novels on Dynasty as well. There is a section for this in the Yuri in Other Media thread, but I would prefer to make VNs the entire focus here.

In recent years the catalogue of Yuri VNs has grown considerably, not just in fan translations, but also official releases. These works also come from all over the world, be it Japan, the West or China. Seeing how this is an English site first and foremost I would prefer to talk about works with English translations in particular, but I would also not mind people talking about experiences with those that are not translated.

In this opening post I would like to just make a straightforward category list that I will update as more suggestions come in, but in the following posts I will take my time to recommend these works individually as well in much more detail. I have played every item on the initial list, so ask me for details if you are curious about anything.
Again, any kind of VN discussion is welcome, although if it contains spoilers, please tag it appropriately.

VNs with Yuri focus:

VNs with majorly Yuri content:

VN hybrids and VNs with selectable Yuri options/side-content:

VNs with Yuri adjacent content:

(This section could contain things like bisexual/trans stories or futanari content, things that most would not consider pure yuri. Incidentally things I also don’t read much of, so to be added later.)

last edited at Mar 3, 2024 3:34AM

Licentious Lantern
Lantern%202
joined Sep 17, 2021

Okay, let’s start out with a couple of diverse recommendations.

Kindred Spirits on the Roof ~ Full Chorus ~

Synopsis: The setting is Kokonotsuboshi Girls' Academy of Commerce, a school built on the site of an old castle, nicknamed "Shirojo." One day, the timid Toomi Yuna, who had been living a quiet life at this school, suddenly met two ghosts on the roof during lunch.

Enoki Sachi, who died in an accident before the war, and Nagatani Megumi, who died of illness 30 years ago. The two "kindred spirits" died with unrequited feelings in their hearts, met, and fell in love. They ardently wish to experience their "first time" together before their eternal rest... But they don't know how.

The two who are bound to the site of the school enlist Yuna to help them create more "yuri" couples at the school so that they can glean some sexual insight from observing them, and to assist the girls struggling with their hidden feelings.

Duration? Long (ca. 20-28 hours). Highly dependent on reading speed and whether you let the voice acting play out.

Gameplay? Kinetic.
The gameplay of Yurirei is basically kinetic. Although you pick events from the ‘calendar’ in the order you choose, the overall plot only progresses if you do a certain amount and choices have no true effect on the outcomes. So generally speaking you are just selecting events and following these different yuri couples that Yuna plays cupid for. To my surprise sometimes events get unlocked so far back in the year that I got somewhat confused about the context. I think this chaotic style of following the plot is hit and miss, although the couples never miss.
It has an abundance of CGs, which are beautifully drawn in a very unique artstyle. The sprites are very basic (static, no animations, small selection of outfits), but decent. Very much a representation of the VN conventions at the time (original release date: 2012).

Yuri? The central focus.
Everything in this story revolves around girls loving girls. The couples are diverse and face different types of challenges to their love. Except for one couple, all of the girls start out single and inexperienced, needing the help of Yuna and the spirits to get together. But it doesn’t stop at a confession scene for them, the relationships are fully fleshed out and elaborated on. Even though the synopsis makes it seem like Yuna is a neutral cupid of lesbian love, she also gets her very own yuri ending.
There is a student/teacher couple. If that is not to your taste, you can just skip through their events I suppose.
YouAki is the best pair objectively in my opinion.

Version? Buy the Full Chorus version/DLC. It is plain superior to the standard game in every way. Full voice acting, more CGs, drama CDs and more extra content.

Sexual content? Yes.
Every couple gets at least one sex scene. It’s all very tame, nothing to write home about, but all consensual (to a mind-boggling degree in one case) and cute.

Recommended? Absolutely. This VN is a classic that everyone should experience. Statistically speaking there must be at least one couple you care for and chances are you will love them all. This was one of my first Yuri VNs and it showed me the power of the medium. It gives more than enough content for the price. It’s available on Steam and MangaGamer and a few other places.


Synergia

Synopsis: Cila, a veteran cop with a sour outlook and anger issues expects nothing more from life besides the smell of ozone, blinding neon lights and the ever-present manhole steam. At least, until a shady friend replaces her broken-down housedroid as a favor. Advanced, more efficient and remarkably perceptive, unit M.A.R.A. begins to penetrate Cila's toughened exterior and possibly even heal her new owner's old wounds – if Cila can decipher the recurring nightmare the process brings. Soon Cila and Mara forge a unique if sometimes uneasy bond.

Unbeknownst to Cila, just as her life begins to find its new normal, the technological giant Velta Labs gets wind of Mara's existence and takes a mysterious interest in the android. A war unlike any before it is brewing on the horizon, its players are silently being selected and one android's fate may spell the difference between peace, war, the blossoming of a new religion, or a technological singularity beyond comprehension.

Duration? Short - Medium (ca. 8-10 hours)

Gameplay? Synergia is a choice based game with alternate endings and a late-game route split. The choices have long term effects that don’t become immediately obvious. The changes are unrelated to the romance, they only affect the plot.
The game has an extremely uniqe Cyberpunk/anime style and plenty of CGs to go around. The character designs are very unique and the presentation style takes some time getting used to. The character sprites are standard, but the portraits sometimes are a considerably odd representation and creep me out. Thankfully there are options to change colors of text boxes and make a lot of adjustments so your eyes won’t bleed after the 10 hour experience.

Yuri? The story revolves around the developing relationship between Cila and Mara, but nothing is quite as it seems. The game is more concerned with its world-building and plot than the romance most of the time, but their relationship is still very cute. Unlike in most Yuri VNs, Cila and Mara face more complications than just being same-sex lovers. There is a lot of focus on how relationships between humans and androids can truly work out and Cila is considered more of a deviant for being able to fall in love with a machine than being into women (but yes, Cila is a lesbian).

Version? There is only one versions of Synergia, so no need to compare.

Sexual content? None. The game has some minor nudity (nipples etc.), but that’s it.

Recommended? Synergia is a very high-concept story that goes rather deep into cyberpunk themes and transhumanism. It is a more intellectual experience than a straight-forward romance tale you might be used to in the genre. If those themes do not resonate with you at all then this VN is a rather hard sell in my opinion. I can definitely see how some of the topics in this story would make people uncomfortable, but I still recommend challenging those preconceptions! The story is not too long, but very detailed and even without the yuri aspect would still stand strong on its plot alone. If you found any of the mentioned themes even remotely interesting I would urge you to check it out on Steam, PS4 and a bunch of other platforms.


Starlight Vega

Synopsis: After moving into her grandfather’s old house, Aria and her best friend Melody accidentally unleash the flirtatious demon, Lyria, who spent the past fifty years in a stone. They are faced with the truth that magic is real and that there is a parallel world full of demons that has been separated from the human realm centuries ago.
Unfortunately Lyria was bound to Aria via a soul stone the moment she was freed, which causes her to feel intense pain if she makes too much physical distance from her. So she has no choice but to stick with the human girls and together they have to find a way to separate their soul bond and send Lyria back home to her own world where Queen Scherza awaits with even greater troubles.

Duration? Medium (9-12 hours)

Gameplay? Choice based route system. There are three routes and one harem ending, all based around specific choices. To be honest, the choice tree is actually quite complex and getting the harem ending is only possible after beating all three routes (and even then it is hard to get). The game has plenty of bad endings and some surprising flexibility in entering certain routes.
The game has a mediocre amount of CGs, but they are all very nice in my opinion. The artstyle’s quality is subjective I would say, because I actually quite enjoyed it, but it also has a definitive ‘indie’ feel to it. The sprites are basic, but serviceable.

Yuri? Plenty and good. The VN tackles same-sex relationships like they are normal for demons, so there is no conflict on that side (Aria being human is more of a challenge to be honest). With Melody there is more of a history as they are childhood friends and their love is more conventionally based on human society.
All three heroines are unique and have their own routes, so there is a lot to explore with them. The story justifies its harem ending pretty quickly by having some triangle dynamics in other routes too that make clear Aria is a bit indecisive and capable of loving several girls at once. That is not to say she isn’t loyal and exclusive once she actually enters a route. You can play the game entirely with a laser focus on each heroine.

Version? There is only one version of Starlight Vega, so no need to compare.

Sexual content? Minor nudity. Nothing explicit is shown, but there is some foreplay and erotic writing (The Scherza scene is almost a full-blown sex scene though).

Recommended? This one is near and dear to my heart. I can’t explain it well, but for such a clearly indie game with lots of limitations it’s actually incredibly charming and well executed. It was so good that I was left wanting for more, but what we got was great. I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone who likes yuri and fantasy. It's available on Steam and Itch.io.

last edited at Feb 3, 2022 1:52PM

Kimika3
joined Jan 1, 2019

I don't see Wanting Wings & Faraway Feathers (bundle from MangaGamer) or Curse of Kudan (also MG) on your list.

And if yandere is your thing Suteki na Kanojo no Tsukurikata is a pretty short good time.

Licentious Lantern
Lantern%202
joined Sep 17, 2021

I don't see Wanting Wings & Faraway Feathers (bundle from MangaGamer) or Curse of Kudan (also MG) on your list.

And if yandere is your thing Suteki na Kanojo no Tsukurikata is a pretty short good time.

As mentioned in my introduction, the list (for now) only contained games I myself played. I have not read any of the ones you listed here, that's why they are absent. I will add them now. Going by their synopsis and tags I assume they are full on yuri focused experiences?

If you have played them and have anything in particular to say about them it would be very helpful, as I can naturally not give a recommendation for works I don't know.

last edited at Jan 20, 2022 7:12AM

Kimika3
joined Jan 1, 2019

Yeah, they're all 100% yuri though Curse of Kudan (all ages) is stuck on my backlog. Wanting Wings is fluffy 18+ yuri between roommates at a boarding school. Its relatively short but dialog heavy with great banter between the three roommates. As far as Suteki na Kanojo I really liked it but its 18+ (except Steam version) with a yandere so it helps to know what you're getting into. It is a college setting which is nice.

Speaking of double packs there's also Yukkuri Panic Escalation from jast... its a 2000s reboot of the yuri chapter from the 1980s Cream Lemon hentai OVA series. It includes both a Qix game (for that 1980s gameplay) version and a VN version. There's not exactly much to it but the original OVA was groundbreaking for 1984.

last edited at Jan 20, 2022 7:55PM

Licentious Lantern
Lantern%202
joined Sep 17, 2021

Hmm, I've been interested in playing Aoishiro for a while, but heard it is a bit bloated. I wonder if there is anybody who played it before and can recommend it to me? The sheer amount of routes and bad endings seems daunting, but also intriguing.

Speaking of double packs there's also Yukkuri Panic Escalation from jast... its a 2000s reboot of the yuri chapter from the 1980s Cream Lemon hentai OVA series. It includes both a Qix game (for that 1980s gameplay) version and a VN version. There's not exactly much to it but the original OVA was groundbreaking for 1984.

Very well, I have added them. I haven't played this kind of puzzle game in a long time and it seems rather cumbersome, so the full on Visual Novel version is probably preferable. As is blatantly obvious from my initial list, I do not play pure porn games much. So if someone asks about their appeal I will leave that to others.

last edited at Jan 21, 2022 9:00AM

Licentious Lantern
Lantern%202
joined Sep 17, 2021

This time let us look at one high production value VN, one moeblob VN and one fetish VN.


Perfect Gold

Synopsis: Audrey Clary, heiress and LeFay Academy's brightest alchemy student, is about to have her first and worst detention experience of all time. It's bad enough that she has to stay in detention during Sunflower Day—it's even worse that she's stuck in detention with the one and only Marion LaRue, the self-proclaimed “Chaotic Fireball Legend” of LeFay Academy.

Marion LaRue is not having a fun day at all. What was meant to be a harmless little fire turned into an explosion that has her stuck in detention, missing out on one of the rare opportunities for her to enjoy life outside the academy. And of course she just had to be stuck with Audrey Clary, of all the high class LeFay students she could be in detention with.

Determined to not miss out on the long-awaited festival, Audrey and Marion begrudgingly work together to escape detention and find their way to the festival. As they explore the city and celebrate the Sunflower Festival together, an old friendship is rekindled, and new feelings begin to bloom.

Duration? Short (ca. 5 hours)

Gameplay? A choice based visual novel with a railroaded plot. Your choices merely affect the ending and otherwise deviate the scenes slightly where they are made. The plot shifts between the present events and the past often and does so on top of switching perspectives between Marion and Audrey. The game has beautiful semi-animated CGs, lots of polish in its sprites, HUD and transitions. It is fully voice acted and generally exudes production quality.

Yuri? Absolutely. The central focus lies on Marion and Audrey’s complicated relationship that used to be so very different just a year ago. The two have romantic chemistry and sexual tension for days and despite their current bad blood, this always shines through. All you want is for them to get back together and stop being useless lesbians, but alas, that is the point. Despite their awkward first love, when they start flirting it makes everything feel tingly all over.

Audrey is such a top, have you SEEN her pants, holy shit, she is just the most posh lesbian with a heart of gold gaaah, the icy-cold way she said “That is something we will never agree on” when Marion said boys aren’t so bad ohohoh

Ahem. Their interactions are cute, but their potential relationship is challenged by their society and standing in many ways and it does get addressed without hesitation that same-sex love is not an easy path to take, on top of their inherent issues with their school life and future prospects. The world building in this game is very strong as well, but never overshadows the central themes and romance one bit.

Version? There is only one version of Perfect Gold, so no need to compare.

Sexual content? None.

Recommended? Yes by all means, if you have any interest in Yuri, read it! The story-telling device of consistent time-jumps may be hampering the experience a bit to some, but this is the gold standard (pun fully intended) of Yuri Visual Novels from outside Japan. It is available on Steam.


Lilycle Rainbow Stage!!!

Synopsis:

Yuno loves Tamaki’s smile, and wants her to witness her dreams coming true.... though having not seen much of Tamaki lately, Yuno’s been feeling somewhat down. She depends on Saeka a lot, and since the latter always comforts her in times of need, Yuno can feels as though she can talk about her problems without a care in the world.

Tamaki wishes with all her might that she could keep watching over Yuno, who’s always been number one in her heart... but the circumstances around her are changing, little by little. It's not only one girl she has to keep watch over now, after all. Saeka has always been dependable and supportive, and Tamaki's has begun to feel confused...

“Sigh... Looks like she always needs someone by her side too...”

Saeka still has a crush on Yuno, but has been enraptured by Tamaki's aura, and finds that she can’t leave her alone. Recently, she's been mulling over whether or not she wants to try and change the way she is...

As they chat, grow closer, become jealous, get embarrassed, and laugh...

The crisscrossing emotions of these three girls allow this warm yet slightly bitter story to unfold…

That… is the MangaGamer synopsis. Now let me give you my synopsis instead:
A bunch of girls really do love each other that way, because they are special to each other and only they can make each other feel that way, because it really is love and she is so cute, really cute, she is the only one who makes her feel that way about being cute, so it definitely is love that she feels only for that special girl and nobody else.

Duration? Long (18-25 hours). Highly depends on whether you let the voice lines finish.

Gameplay? Lilycle can perhaps most aptly be compared to Kindred Spirits on the Roof from my previous recommendation post. The player selects events from a calendar and progresses the individual couples’ relationships by doing so. There are common events that are about the friendship groups of girls from the North and South high schools either respectively or intermingled. Sometimes events in past months will be unlocked after playing a later one, but it is rare.

The game features a handful of events with choices. As far as I can tell only the choices in May actually matter to unlocking any content, but with the nature of this game it is completely possible to just replay an event and pick the other option and still unlock everything. The game permanently records selected choices, unlocks and whether you read an event, so it is only accumulative, not subtractive in any way.

All couples have one straightforward “route” with the exception of the central main trio, who can have any combination of relationships with each other depending on what choices you made to unlock routes (again, it is accumulative so you can experience all three routes simultaneously, even though they are mutually exclusive in-universe).

The game is fully voice acted and features a strong and memorable moe-up-the-butt artstyle and the presentation is equally colorful and cutesy. The sprites aren’t anything to write home about (outside of the blinking feature). There are quite a few CGs and also some occasional cut-in arts that really give the game some life. The calendar is also really appealing and easy to navigate. But I must say… those big dead fish eyes are unnerving and never quite seem to align with where they are supposed to look.

Yuri? My slightly tongue-in cheek synopsis says it all. The girls are gay, they are gay for each other and everything revolves around the teeth-rottingly sweet love they share.

WARNING: There is an incest couple in this story. You can ignore all their romantic events if that is not to your taste.

Version? There is only one version, but the VN is based on a drama CD series that laid a lot of groundwork for the established couples, so it may be worth checking those out if you can find a translation.

Sexual content? None. Insane amounts of handholding, though.

Recommended? If you like moe art, lots of couples and more sweet tender love than you can handle, this is for you. Available on Steam and MangaGamer.


Lucy Got Problems

Synopsis: Lucy, a greenhorn succubus spy, arrives in the elven forest... and soon realizes she has no idea why. What was her mission, actually?! The only thing that's clear – her superior, Priestess Tiamat, will be really mad if she'll get back empty-handed! Lucy has to figure something out real quick, or she'll never know how her mistresses' panties look like. And she'll probably be fed to the sinister astral squids...
Find your way around and get along with the forest dwellers using Lucy's well-developed personality and exceptional internal qualities.
Do the impossible, touch the untouchable and have fun, of course!

Duration? Short (5-7 hous). Highly dependent on how close you want to get to 100% lines read.

Gameplay? Lucy Got Problems is a choice based Visual Novel and I have never meant this more literally. The game has a fairly short plot overall, but the variety of choices and outcomes is immense. There is a “Read Text” percentage in the menus and I confess that I could not make it past 98% despite trying absolutely every combination I could think of. This was after seeing every ending, event and content in the game mind you. That’s how much variation in dialogue or descriptions can exist even between events you did play. The branching trees and conditions are frankly absurd in some cases. Getting certain endings requires discipline or trial and error.

Outside of the choices, there is a predestined narrative trajectory that can only be avoided by bad ends, but that is just how the plot is set up. Though you technically end up in “the same place”, it is with a very different outlook and journey. You can affect the lives of the forest dwellers a lot, even if Lucy’s own fate is rather binary.

At its core this story is a light-hearted romp as the synopsis probably already conveyed. The game mostly doesn’t take itself too seriously and has fun with its absurd scenarios. There are plenty of CGs and some very… stylized art (read: fetish fuel).

Yuri? I have no qualms with calling this what it is: A fetish game. It is reminiscent of so many ero-trap this-or-that stories. While Lucy is very overtly a lesbian succubus (her entire goal in life is to see her mistress Tiamat’s panties (the demon priestess with an all-female harem by the way)) and the forest is filled to the brim with gay elf girls and witches, there is still plenty of non-yuri sexual content as well that involves the environment. The typical slime play, sentient vine rape and the, blegh sigh… p0n0s fish swarms. How much of that someone can handle varies, so that’s why this game is in the “Majorly Yuri Content” category.

Don’t get me wrong though, there are several straightforward lesbian sex scenes and they are decent for what they are. But for some reason it feels like they are hidden behind more complicated choice trees than everything else… That being said, when the game deigns to actually invest itself in the plot and characters the emotions can actually get really genuine.

Do it for Tiamat. Do it for her. She is worth it.

Version? There is only one version of Lucy Got Problems, so there is no need to compare. The uncensored sexual content is hidden behind free 18+ DLC on Steam though.

Sexual content? Yes, get the 18+ patch if necessary. There is no point in playing this without it. I already elaborated on the type of content to expect in the Yuri section. The Steam version has an honest-to-god achievement for turning the censorship on and off.

Recommended? If you want something funny, yet somehow intriguing and don’t mind obscenely fetishized content, then this could be to your liking. I enjoyed it more for the humor than the porn, that’s for sure. Except Tiamat. Do it for her. Be loyal, you incompetent succubus!
The game is available on Steam, MangaGamer and JAST USA.

158350
joined May 9, 2016

Hmm, I've been interested in playing Aoishiro for a while, but heard it is a bit bloated. I wonder if there is anybody who played it before and can recommend it to me? The sheer amount of routes and bad endings seems daunting, but also intriguing.

Wouldn't say it's bloated in terms of its length, but some of the routes and endings are...just okay. I had played it 12 years ago, so I don't remember much beyond the fact that the main route/true ending felt satisfying to me (but don't expect much in terms of yuri).
Otherwise, it's a good VN with really high production values, nicely written cast and engaging mystery. As a nice bonus, one of the main characters is voiced by Yuna Yatsushiro, uh, pardon, our queen and savior Kei Mizusawa.

last edited at Feb 2, 2022 11:33PM

Licentious Lantern
Lantern%202
joined Sep 17, 2021

Hmm, I've been interested in playing Aoishiro for a while, but heard it is a bit bloated. I wonder if there is anybody who played it before and can recommend it to me? The sheer amount of routes and bad endings seems daunting, but also intriguing.

Wouldn't say it's bloated in terms of its length, but some of the routes and endings are...just okay. I had played it 12 years ago, so I don't remember much beyond the fact that the main route/true ending felt satisfying to me (but don't expect much in terms of yuri).
Otherwise, it's a good VN with really high production values, nicely written cast and engaging mystery. As a nice bonus, one of the main characters is voiced by Yuna Yatsushiro, uh, pardon, our queen and savior Kei Mizusawa.

It doesn't deliver on the Yuri? I knew it was a plot focused VN, but with all the different heroines I thought romance would still play a major role. It would be a shame if such a high production game lacked in the most important (haha) aspect, but sometimes a good story makes up for a lacking romance.

If it is not overly bloated then I may check it out soon. Thank you for the recommendation.

158350
joined May 9, 2016

It doesn't deliver on the Yuri? I knew it was a plot focused VN, but with all the different heroines I thought romance would still play a major role. It would be a shame if such a high production game lacked in the most important (haha) aspect, but sometimes a good story makes up for a lacking romance.

Oh, no, I was talking about the true route/ending specifically. And maybe I'm just misremembering things. Do keep in mind that I'd played it more than a decade ago.

Alright, might just as well replay it, because what else am I gonna do? Wait for Fuyu-hen in lethargic idleness? Ah yes, sure, why not, I love to suffer so, so much, haha, , ahahahhahahahaahahhahahhahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

Licentious Lantern
Lantern%202
joined Sep 17, 2021

Alright, might just as well replay it, because what else am I gonna do?

Well, if you are dead set on that I would not stop you either, but if you are in need of new content to read this is the right thread for you~
If you are interested in reading a yuri related VN that is on the list or if you have any specifications for what you would like to read I can assist. There must be something you haven't tried yet, right?

158350
joined May 9, 2016

Alright, might just as well replay it, because what else am I gonna do?

Well, if you are dead set on that I would not stop you either, but if you are in need of new content to read this is the right thread for you~
If you are interested in reading a yuri related VN that is on the list or if you have any specifications for what you would like to read I can assist. There must be something you haven't tried yet, right?

Well, I'm quite voracious when it comes to yuri VNs, but I'm also picky and quite snobbish, lol. Which means that if there's a VN on this list, then it means that I either read it already or not really planning to because it doesn't capture me with its premise and/or aesthetics (visuals plus narrative themes plus music plus the general, overall vibe that a certain VN or game gives off through its marketing materials).

I'm done with Kudan no Folklore. It's not FLOWERS by any means, not even close: the visuals are of high quality, but I don't really care for the clear-cut bishojo designs of the cast and the overall aesthetic of the VN. OST is just okay-ish, nothing to write home about. But Hatsumi is always, well, Hatsumi , even if the novel, as so many other "pretty good VNs", clearly lacks a strong, prominent directorial backbone behind it (which FLOWERS is graced with by Sugina-sensei's talents and skills). As per usual, her writing is charismatic, witty and, as always, full of relatable or quirky cultural references that highlight characters' interests or parts of their personalities.

Also, I have to scream about THIS (big spoilers for the true ending of Flowers -Le volume sur automne-, Automne drama CD and a very mild spoiler for one of KnF's endings):

THERE IS AN INDIRECT REFERENCE TO YUZURIHA IN ONE OF THE ENDINGS OF KUDAN NO FOLKLORE. Like, one of the characters casually mentions that she met a beautiful, dashing girl, who has silver hair and apparently is a photographer. Given the KnF's location, which is a coastal town, this makes me want to scream even louder.
I swear to god, Hatsumi, why are you doing this to us?!

Speaking of FLOWERS, I almost forgot to mention that the main composer for Aoishiro is also MANYO and OP/ED are also done by Shimotsuki Haruka (but in a duet with Rita, who is another extremely prolific singer and composer on the Japanese VN/gaming scene). tl;dr: the OST there is pretty great, even gorgeous sometimes.

last edited at Feb 11, 2022 3:27AM

Licentious Lantern
Lantern%202
joined Sep 17, 2021

Well, I'm quite voracious when it comes to yuri VNs, but I'm also picky and quite snobbish, lol.

That is an unfortunate combination indeed, haha. Though I would consider myself quite voracious as well, I do find joy in some less stellar or high production works. Limiting yourself too much can be problematic. I find that often times the more indie works that lack polish have strong imagination and writing behind them to make up for it.

I'm done with Kudan no Folklore.

Ah, the localised Curse of Kudan that was interoduced prior, yes? It's one of the few I haven't read yet. I found the premise a bit overbearing, but you sure seem to sing its praises. Might be worth looking into.

Also, I have to scream about THIS (big spoilers for the true ending of Flowers -Le volume sur automne-, Automne drama CD and a very mild spoiler for one of KnF's endings):

THERE IS AN INDIRECT REFERENCE TO YUZURIHA IN ONE OF THE ENDINGS OF KUDAN NO FOLKLORE. Like, one of the characters casually mentions that she met a beautiful, dashing girl, who has silver hair and apparently is a photographer. Given the KnF's location, which is a coastal town, this makes me want to scream even louder.
I swear to god, Hatsumi, why are you doing this to us?!

Then it would take place after Automne in the timeline... but probably much later. The Drama CD mentioned Yuzuriha working in a book store, so her being a real photographer is quite the time jump. I knew the drama CDs are canon to the ture ending timeline, but this is a nice easter egg that makes it feel more real.

last edited at Feb 11, 2022 4:48AM

Kimika3
joined Jan 1, 2019

Is OshiRabu worth reading? I really like the art style but its rather short and I've heard mixed things.

Also I forgot to mention Yurinate! for the list which is... exactly what it sounds like.

Licentious Lantern
Lantern%202
joined Sep 17, 2021

Is OshiRabu worth reading? I really like the art style but its rather short and I've heard mixed things.

It has its faults, but I quite enjoyed it and it's sequel/add-on. I understand why many people have mixed feelings on it too, because I was the same way when I read it. Not in the sense that I find anything in it bad, but rather that it takes a lot of patience and an open mind. If you heard people say that it doesn't deliver on the yuri, rest assured, those people are wrong. It is in the nature of a yuri reader not to take kindly to a woman gushing over her male "crushes" while next to her female love interest, that's all.

Truthfully it is a very sweet and well paced love story. The main character, Akuru, just happens to be an otaku obsessed with her male oshis from all kinds of games and anime. This is both the crux of the plot and what causes all this friction with readers. Akuru is an adult who has never dated and has completely lost herself to the 2D realm. She never really had a chance to explore her sexuality either, which is why at first she is not very open to romance with another girl (not to mention one a lot younger).
That is juxtaposed with Ren, who is a high school girl that is 100% aware that she is a lesbian and is rather headstrong enough to go her own way, even against her family. She pursues Akuru pretty intensely, but is also a good influence on her in general.

What gripped me most about this VN is in fact this transition from a woman who never really considered love and is very withdrawn, to someone who learns to accept change while not abandoning her identity. I won't spoil any of the major plot beads here, but Ren's situation is also not quite as obvious as it first appears.
Additionally the voice acting is top notch. Akuru's voice actress has to jump some hoops that take serious vocal skill.

Two things though: Get the R18 version/patch, because the sexual content really helps to convey some progress for the first game. That alongside the "sequel" Love Or Die really changed my conflicted feelings a lot from back when I read the original. It made me understand that it all was a sensible progression.
Get all the endings. I think that really contrasts what actually makes their relationship interesting.

Also I forgot to mention Yurinate! for the list which is... exactly what it sounds like.

While I hardly have any right to critisize fetish works after recommending Lucy Got Problems, I still would ask you... have you actually read this? Because if you hadn't and cannot recommend it, I would probably rather avoid it altogether. Watersports is one of those tags that generally have a very... unique approach to story-telling.

last edited at Feb 11, 2022 10:12AM

Kimika3
joined Jan 1, 2019

While I hardly have any right to critisize fetish works after recommending Lucy Got Problems, I still would ask you... have you actually read this? Because if you hadn't and cannot recommend it, I would probably rather avoid it altogether. Watersports is one of those tags that generally have a very... unique approach to story-telling.

I skimmed it but didn't put a ton of time into it; the fan translation is more or less passable and its pretty much about a girl coming to terms with her fetish who really wants the girl she likes to hear/smell/see her pee and such. Its definitely not something I would universally recommend like Wanting Wings but I figured I'd throw it on the pile for thoroughness' sake. I still haven't mentioned Subarashiki Hibi either because while its got a bit of yuri, its got a lot more of 'what the actual fuck am I reading'. I have a hard time getting into OELVN so I can't compare or comment much on stuff like Lucy Got Problems.

A bunch of yuri (including the aforementioned Wanting Wings) is on sale at MangaGamer for Valentine's is why I was debating Oshirabu... I think I've got about everything else from them that I want, or at least the 18+ that I care about. I'm still on the fence but I'll probably cave soon.

Licentious Lantern
Lantern%202
joined Sep 17, 2021

I skimmed it but didn't put a ton of time into it; the fan translation is more or less passable and its pretty much about a girl coming to terms with her fetish who really wants the girl she likes to hear/smell/see her pee and such. Its definitely not something I would universally recommend like Wanting Wings but I figured I'd throw it on the pile for thoroughness' sake. I still haven't mentioned Subarashiki Hibi either because while its got a bit of yuri, its got a lot more of 'what the actual fuck am I reading'. I have a hard time getting into OELVN so I can't compare or comment much on stuff like Lucy Got Problems.

I have a hard time categorizing works I haven't read based on just circumstantial information. And if you merely skimmed through it, I can't really take the recommendation at full face value. A passable fan translation is another downgrade.

LGP is also a fetish work, but it still has a plot and is more comedy focused and that's also what the fetish content leans into. Stories about urination, defecation (and whatever else) tend to put an overemphasize on that fetish.

Be that as it may, if you throw your hat into the ring for this then I'll add it to the list.

A bunch of yuri (including the aforementioned Wanting Wings) is on sale at MangaGamer for Valentine's is why I was debating Oshirabu...

Ultimately it is a rather short work, so even if it isn't completely to your liking you can get through it quick enough. The original price is a bit steep for the content you get, but I think it is definitely worth getting in a sale.

Kimika3
joined Jan 1, 2019

I... have no knowledge of anything that is both yuri and scat, and I think I'd prefer to keep it that way. Though I couldn't stop myself from searching it on VNDB anyway. I have a pretty high tolerance for everything but scat and futa.

I know there's some more yuri OELVN out there like LIP! Lewd Idol Project but I only really know it because the dev got hosed by PayPal.

Licentious Lantern
Lantern%202
joined Sep 17, 2021

I... have no knowledge of anything that is both yuri and scat, and I think I'd prefer to keep it that way. Though I couldn't stop myself from searching it on VNDB anyway. I have a pretty high tolerance for everything but scat and futa.

I know there's some more yuri OELVN out there like LIP! Lewd Idol Project but I only really know it because the dev got hosed by PayPal.

I find it odd to equate futa to scat. It sounds a bit like equating het sex to scat, haha. All I can say is that I avoid anything with the Scat tag religiously, in so far we are the same.

Is there a reason you have a dislike for "OEL" VNs? As someone who has read plenty of both Enlgish and Japanese produced ones, I see no particular quality difference between the two inherently. Quality is always dependent on budget, creative control and talent.

That being said, I have not played LIP!. The concept being, well, idols, makes this a very uncomfortable topic for me. They may all be tied to lesbian romances, but they still expose themselves for male idol fans I assume. Not my cup of tea. If anyone read it and can recommend it I will add it, though.

Kimika3
joined Jan 1, 2019

I find it odd to equate futa to scat. It sounds a bit like equating het sex to scat, haha. All I can say is that I avoid anything with the Scat tag religiously, in so far we are the same.

Its not a comparison; I just really sort of dislike futa and prefer to avoid it. I try to stay open minded; I just recently got really, really into a ryona which I didn't see coming but with futa I just... can't. I can deal with them if they're relatively minor elements of a long VN, though.

Is there a reason you have a dislike for "OEL" VNs? As someone who has read plenty of both Enlgish and Japanese produced ones, I see no particular quality difference between the two inherently. Quality is always dependent on budget, creative control and talent.

OELVN really have nowhere near the length or production value of Japanese VN, though they are comparable to doujin works. That's not to fault them necessarily, my biggest issue with them is flavor, I guess. I've tried a at least a few OELVN here and there, well regarded stuff like Highway Blossoms, VA-11 Hall-A, even Doki Doki and just got kinda bored. I've also been reading VN at least since I picked up Umineko in 2008 or 2009 though so I'm probably more biased than many.

joined Jan 6, 2017

Personally I tend to prefer OELVNs though not by much. Mainly it's because Heart of the Woods is easily the best VN I've ever read.
I certainly think it has better production value than most Japanese VNs I've read and the story is just the perfect length. Also, it doesn't have too many choices which is definitely a problem that most VNs suffer from

Licentious Lantern
Lantern%202
joined Sep 17, 2021

Its not a comparison; I just really sort of dislike futa and prefer to avoid it. I try to stay open minded; I just recently got really, really into a ryona which I didn't see coming but with futa I just... can't. I can deal with them if they're relatively minor elements of a long VN, though.

Oh my. I would be the exact opposite, I have no tolerance for abuse in the slightest. Consensual sex between a futanari and a woman seems 100% more acceptable to me.

OELVN really have nowhere near the length or production value of Japanese VN,

This is just outright false for so many reasons. From the reality that the majority of Japanese VNs have low production value and you are just thinking of the high profile ones, to the fact that VNs like Perfect Gold and Synergia exist in the EN realm.
When it comes to length I would say Japanese VNs average out at 5-12 hours. The really long plot driven ones or those with RPG elements being the exceptions actually. Yes, you will have your Lilycle with its 30 hours completion time or the Type-Moon stuff that is basically just the length of an actual novel series, but that is not as common as you may think. Oshirabu, Letters from a Rainy Day and Ne no kami are a lot more common.

I've tried a at least a few OELVN here and there, well regarded stuff like Highway Blossoms, VA-11 Hall-A, even Doki Doki and just got kinda bored.

Then let's look at those examples.
HB is a pretty alright one, though the first attempt of that dev team. I think it is decent enough, with a setting and story that you will honestly not see anywhere else in this style, which makes it at least unique unlike the 250th high school girl story.
VA-11 Hall-A is super niche and caters to very specific tastes. I at least hope you didn't lump this one into the low production value ones, because what they do with that budget is very impressive.
DDLC is just mainstream viral material. It's only purpose for existing is to parody dating sims and VNs that are honestly better than it. As a response to actual VNs and subverting the genre, it can obviously not be treated like a representation of it.

I am not saying you are wrong for not getting into something, that is just a matter of taste. But I believe your choices and your criticism are at least slightly misguided. Higurashi, Umineko and VNs like that can absolutely spoil people with their length, depth and quality. But they are just not represenative of a vertcal slice of the industry.

Personally I tend to prefer OELVNs though not by much. Mainly it's because Heart of the Woods is easily the best VN I've ever read.
I certainly think it has better production value than most Japanese VNs I've read and the story is just the perfect length. Also, it doesn't have too many choices which is definitely a problem that most VNs suffer from

Heart of the Woods is very good, no doubt about it, though I can't see myself ever holding it as the best in my... heart.

As far as choices in VNs go, that is certainly debatable. It depends on how this tool is actually integrated. With route systems and affection point systems that decide your ending, choices are very good at giving the player agency and also giving you replay value. Of course works like Tsukihime or Kara no Shoujo are also infamous for the abundance of bad endings they entail, which can make flowcharts a nightmare. I think this is rather appropiate for detective style games at least where a mystery or some discoveries are involved.

Keeping the choices to a minimum is good for novels that just want to tell a staightforward plot. Personally I didn't like the choices that Heart of the Woods offered you, because they seemed arbitrary and to this day I genuinly don't think the ones needed for the good ending make sense. But due to them being so far and few inbetween it wasn't much effort to try out the combinations, so that is a plus.

last edited at Feb 12, 2022 3:55PM

joined Jan 6, 2017

Keeping the choices to a minimum is good for novels that just want to tell a staightforward plot. Personally I didn't like the choices that Heart of the Woods offered you, because they seemed arbitrary and to this day I genuinly don't think the ones needed for the good ending make sense. But due to them being so far and few inbetween it wasn't much effort to try out the combinations, so that is a plus.

Personally I love the choices there because, in my opinion, the true ending choices were the only ones that did make sense (for Morgan to make). Additionally, I love that Morgan is the only character who gets to make choices out of the four characters considering the story the VN has

And what I mean by "too many choices" isn't that choices themselves are bad but that most VNs I've read go overboard. Reader choice is great and all, but too much ends up devaluing the story.
Basically, I think that choices should only happen at important moments in the narrative instead of being scattered around. Scattering them around ends up interrupting the story while well placed choices work with the narrative.

Though my opinion might be a bit biased since I'm a slow reader. The so called "short" Oshirabu took me ~10 hours to read trough iirc and that is with me skipping through the stuff I've already read in order to get all the endings.
So even more choices means even more stuff to go through to get all the stuff which makes them very unpleasant. Especially the ones that have irrelevant choices scattered in with relevant ones.

last edited at Feb 12, 2022 4:41PM

Licentious Lantern
Lantern%202
joined Sep 17, 2021

Personally I love the choices there because, in my opinion, the true ending choices were the only ones that did make sense (for Morgan to make). Additionally, I love that Morgan is the only character who gets to make choices out of the four characters considering the story the VN has

Perhaps this would go too deeply into spoilers and the plot, but the first choice that mattered and the last choice that mattered seemed entirely incongruent with the purpose of the story and what the narrative was about. Of course there are combinations for certain endings that were logically sound, but the best ending requires you to make a choice that doesnt seem sensible to me.
To be specific The idea that Tara should grief and accept Maddie's death is directly opposed to the theme of the story of not giving up and is directly contradicted by, well, Maddie obviously coming back. Tara's entire character revolves around the fact that she believes everything is possible and that she doesn't just give up even if it seems futile. That is one of the things that attracted Morgan to her in the first place. Letting your emotions go free is a good thing, but the fact that it is inherently tied to giving up on Maddie is not sensible to me.

And what I mean by "too many choices" isn't that choices themselves are bad but that most VNs I've read go overboard. Reader choice is great and all, but too much ends up devaluing the story.
Basically, I think that choices should only happen at important moments in the narrative instead of being scattered around. Scattering them around ends up interrupting the story while well placed choices work with the narrative.

This is simply a matter of proper integration I believe. Choices dont really interrupt the plot much at all, they only take a few moments to make at most. To my understanding you are basically saying that you prefer kinetic VNs or ones that want to tell a straightforward plot as I mentioned before. You don't care too much about player input, you just want a focused narrative. That is fine of course and there are many great examples of this style.

My counter-argument is that if you have only a couple of choices at important moments, they often feel more unecessary, because it makes everything binary. If the plot is this focused, what need is there for choices in the first place? The intent of choices is for you to feel like you made a difference or that you caused something to happen. With a few obvious choices it feels like you just selected from a menu at a restaurant (often this happens when there are only choices at the start or end of a VN), with a few obtuse choices it feels random (you mean I shouldn't have pressed the green button that I knew nothing about?).

A choice system that gives you both choices with little consequences and big consequences mixed into the narrative can keep the player on their toes. It also can give you some variety in smaller scenes, which is good for replay value. For VNs with route systems many small choices can determine your route, which many people find appealing. It feels like the romance option really suits your personality, because you didn't just pick her, she actually resonates with your input.
Of course if more content is a negative to you or if a lot of variables are paralyzing to you, then that would not be helpful.

last edited at Feb 12, 2022 5:45PM

joined Jan 6, 2017

To be specific The idea that Tara should grief and accept Maddie's death is directly opposed to the theme of the story of not giving up and is directly contradicted by, well, Maddie obviously coming back. Tara's entire character revolves around the fact that she believes everything is possible and that she doesn't just give up even if it seems futile. That is one of the things that attracted Morgan to her in the first place. Letting your emotions go free is a good thing, but the fact that it is inherently tied to giving up on Maddie is not sensible to me.

That scene isn't about Tara giving up. Like, it literally ends with Morgan saying that she'll get Maddie back and Tara responding "I know. If anyone can, it's you."
Also, that choice is not about "what should Tara do", it's "what should Morgan do." Each choice is made by Morgan and is a part of her growth as a character. Her allowing Tara to let out her feelings is important for her character growth more than anything else. Same with the two other choices.

This is simply a matter of proper integration I believe. Choices dont really interrupt the plot much at all, they only take a few moments to make at most. You are basically saying that you prefer kinetic VNs or ones that want to tell a straightforward plot as I mentioned before. You don't care too much about player input, you just want a focused narrative. That is fine of course and there are many great examples of this style.

I mean, that's precisely what I'm saying. Badly implemented choices interrupt the story while well implemented ones flow with it. And the more choices you have the more likely it is that at least some are redundant and unneeded. Most VNs I've read have had way too many choices in comparison to the amount of plot beats.

And while I do prefer more kinetic stories I do also like the reader input, but redundant choices slow the story down. And that "few moments" is relative as well. Personally I have to: figure out what the choice is asking, figure out who or what the choices are referring to, in most cases I also save before making the choice, and write down which choice I go with so that I can figure out the other endings on later read throughs (also, if I save I need to write out which save file this path goes in also).
Usually a choice takes me at least 30 seconds to make which works really well in some cases but halts the whole story in others. Mostly the latter thing.

A choice system that gives you both choices with little consequences and big consequences mixed into the narrative can keep the player on their toes. It also can give you some variety in smaller scenes, which is good for replay value. For VNs with route systems many small choices can determine your route, which many people find appealing. It feels like the romance option really suits your personality, because you didn't just pick her, she actually resonates with your input.

This can still be implemented in the way I described as fun. For example, instead of scattering choices that influence dialogue in a single scene (e.g. "A looks better" vs "B looks better") you would have choices that influence the next scene (e.g. "I want to go with A" vs "I want to go with B", where the next scene is decided by which you choose).
This still has the romance option resonating with your input without having said input amount to very little in the actual story.
These small choices, to me at least, feel like they're just "need to get enough points to trigger a flag" instead of "I really like this person so I want compliment her", because the small choices don't really reward the reader with anything other than the knowledge that "this raises their points"

last edited at Feb 12, 2022 6:48PM

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