AerielEach month, we release a series that highlights some of the visual novels that were released in the previous month. July 2022 delivered an enticing selection of visual novels that are great for keeping entertained during these hot summer months!
Mothmen 1966
Platforms: Windows, Mac (Steam), Switch (eShop), PlayStation 4 (PS Store), Xbox One/Series X/S (Xbox)
Price: US $8.99
A young couple, a gas station owner, and a paranormal investigator get caught up in a terrifying conspiracy taking place at the edge of their reality, where nightmare creatures lurk, and the mysterious men in black lie in wait…
Chorus Worldwide
Mothmen 1966 instantly gave me Stranger Things vibes from the premise and vintage horror aesthetic. It’s definitely up the same alley as the popular show with its nightmare creatures against a retro backdrop, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this visual novel gained some popularity. The game features unique pixel art in green hues and a synopsis that leaves me intrigued.
TAISHO x ALICE: HEADS & TAILS
Platforms: Windows (Steam)
Price:
HEADS: Enjoy the happily ever afterstories with Cinderella and the gang in the topsy-turvy Looking-Glass World!
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TAILS: Join Woolfe and Ryoushi to explore the greater mystery of the events that took place in the real world!
HEADS & TAILS is a collection of stories that follow after TAISHO x ALICE, an otome game series with fairy tale stories. I’m excited for Red Riding Hood’s and Wizard’s after stories the most. If you’re a fan of otome games and you haven’t played the original games yet, then you’ll want to put these games at the top of your backlog.
A Pact With Me
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux (Steam) (itch.io)
Price: $4.99
Belial is a mischievous demon who’s looking for humans to make a pact with. In exchange for granting their wishes, he will take their souls after 20 years. One day, he meets three mortals with different backgrounds who seek his help for their own reasons. While assisting them, will Belial grow fond of these humans or corrupt them instead?
ChaniMK
A Pact With Me is the latest visual novel by ChaniMK, and it’s a SFW boys’ love story just as flirty as it is dangerous. The unique part of this game is that you play as the demon, and it is up to you to decide what route he will take with the humans. I adore Renan’s, one of the love interests, concept as “an amateur rockstar”—plus, his sprite is very cute! Overall, this story has a unique flair to it, and I think it’s worth diving into.
Project Vostok: Episode 1
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux (Steam)
Price: Free
“Project Vostok” is a non-linear horror visual novel about a group of airplane crash survivors finding a mysterious Soviet-era bunker in Russian mountains.
Natrix Games
I’m a big fan of fictional plane crash scenarios where the survivors have to investigate some sort of unusual occurrence, and this is the first time I’ve seen this type of story in a visual novel. Project Vostok: Chapter 1 is the first chapter of this new horror series. The art is very clean and the story has me curious to find out what mystery lies afoot for these crash survivors.
Ballads at Midnight
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux (Steam) (itch.io)
Price: Free
When a sarcastic bard is arrested and exiled to an abandoned castle, she expected to be at the mercy of a hungry, blood-thirsty vampire. She soon discovers that the vampire, Lucius, is not starving: he is gravely bored. She may just survive on borrowed time, one ballad each midnight.
Synstoria
Ballads at Midnight screams enemies-to-lovers romance, and if you’re a fan of that trope, you’ll love this game. At first glance, the art is exceptional and the voice acting is very alluring. You can tell a lot of effort went in to creating this story, and it’s definitely worthwhile for seasoned romance fans. The game offers an array of flavor choices that don’t affect the outcome of the story, but will affect lines of dialogue depending on your preference to play flirtatiously or be more brazen.
One Last Crane
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux (Steam) (itch.io)
Price: US $14.99
“One Last Crane” is a visual novel centered on Yuuki Murakami, a boy who has a brain tumor. After a long year of treatment without any positive results, Yuuki asks for his final wish: to return to his hometown and fulfill his promise to meet again with his childhood friend, Saki Nishimura. However, as always, things are hard for him.
Sekai Project
One Last Crane is an emotional visual novel based on the grim life of a young boy and his quest to reunite with a lost friend. The title alone tells us that this story is going to be tear-jerking, but it’s usually games like this that leave a strong impact for me. Based on the game’s pages, it’s unclear what features the game itself will offer, but based on the story and artwork alone I would absolutely play this—I just hope there’s a happy ending!
The Kobolds Left Behind
Platforms: Windows (Steam)
Price: US $5.99
Their dragons left them behind. With no chance of survival, three abandoned kobolds await the end. This is the story of their final day, when a treasure hunter stumbles upon the kobolds.
Archive Entertainment
The Kobolds Left Behind is a 2D “walking simulator” with a story-rich narrative that follows the story of three dragons. The game unfolds in a linear progression, but the game is pretty immersive and engaging and allows players to explore the environment and search for objects. My favorite feature in The Kobolds Left Behind is that the story centers around dragons, which is something I’d like to see more and more of in visual novels.
Courtney Gamache-Owen
