When it’s time to sit down for a gaming session, we sometimes don’t want to jump into something that’s filled with action, fights, and complicated button sequences. Sometimes we want the story to take center stage, with art to back it up, and that’s where visual novels come in. 

The visual novel genre of video games originated in Japan, but it quickly became a beloved genre worldwide, and now there are visual novels of every genre from romance to body horror. 

If you’re a fan of visual novels and want to get absorbed into some fascinating stories woven by indie developers, here are 10 epic tales to grab your attention. The majority of these are approaching release or currently in development, but there are some fully released ones included for those who want more than a demo!

Death & Faeology

Death & Faeology is a delightful murder mystery romp set in 1920s New York with a heavy focus on the dark academia aesthetic and a fae-touched twist. The character under your control is a renowned faeologist with an eye for detail and a helpful fae friend who must stay hidden, and it’s their job to unravel the mystery and (hopefully) solve a series of murders taking place throughout the city. 

You never see your character, and you’re free to envision them however you like, with them never being referred to by any specific pronouns. There are multiple romance options, depending on the choices you make throughout the story, but you don’t have to delve into any of them if you’re content with being a perpetual introvert. 

Death & Faeology is currently in development by Mushroomallow, and there isn’t a release date currently announced. However, there is a demo to play which introduces some of the major characters and plot points, and really pulls you into the story. 

You Shouldn’t Be Here

You Shouldn’t Be Here is a pixel art visual novel that really piles on the creep factor. The art style is mesmerizing, somehow managing to be vague and yet packed full with details that jump out at you, and the story will have you on the edge of your seat right from the very beginning. 

This psychedelic horror game is hard to describe to someone who hasn’t experienced it for themselves, but you’ll end up befriending an odd fellow named Dimitriv who will shelter you and provide safety, as long as you keep doing as he asks. With terrifying creatures outside and questionable requests inside, it’s hard to decide whether you want to stay or go. 

You Shouldn’t Be Here was developed by Doomster Entertainment and released on July 1, 2025. If you want to get a feel for the dark and creepy atmosphere, you can download and try the demo on Steam.

Comet Angel

I think we can all remember what it felt like to be a teenager, with the stresses of our entire future laid out before us alongside parental pressure and huge life choices looming that we feel too young to make. Comet Angel starts out with two teenage girls, Izzy and Nat, going through just that, but then things take a cosmic turn. 

After a comet flies over town, Izzy and Nat find a slippery snake-like alien that they call Faerie. Faerie can communicate telepathically with Nat, and also tells the girls that if they help it, it will allow them to see the future. You’ll need to find metal items for Faerie to eat, with only a certain amount of space available, and you’ll be graded for your efforts each time. 

Comet Angel is being developed by Cross Couloir and will be released in its entirety on October 28, 2025, There’s a demo available to try, which allows you to play through the first couple of chapters and meet Faerie. 

The Wondrous Wedding of Ivan the Bard

Set in medieval Russia, The Wondrous Wedding of Ivan the Bard centers around the titular bard and his endeavor to make his way in the world armed with only his intelligence and his Gusli. With six endings to discover and three possible romantic interests, you’ll get a lot of enjoyment from joining Ivan on his adventures. 

After falling in love with the King’s daughter and realizing that he has absolutely no chance of romancing her, Ivan is down on his luck and down in the dumps. But, as all good fairytales tend to do, things take a fantastical turn, and Ivan finds himself with decisions to make and multiple roads open to him. 

The Wondrous Wedding of Ivan the Bard is currently in development by CopperSnake Studio and is set to release in the early months of 2026. There is, however, a demo to try on Steam if you want to meet Ivan and find out a little more about this lovely little tale. 

Scenes from the Heart

If you’re looking for a more traditional visual novel in the expected anime style, you’ll find a lot to love about Scenes from the Heart. It’s a coming-of-age tale that centers around a girl, Chisaki, moving to a new school and finding friendship with the introverted playable character. Together with a third friend, Konaka, the trio end up getting into improv theater and even develop their own visual novel. Very meta. 

Scenes from the Heart will be released in two parts, with the first part focusing on the friendship-building elements and developing the story. Part two, which will release later, will delve into everyday life as it surrounds the three characters, and offer a branching story.

Scenes from the Heart is currently in development by Zamius and the first part is set to release at some point during Fall 2025. There’s a demo to download and play right now, which introduces the three main characters and gives some hints of the story to come. 

Reflections of the Void

If you want a visual novel with a horror twist, Reflections of the Void is a solid contender when it comes to both genres. In Reflections of the Void, you play as the caretaker in a facility for patients with unknown ailments. You have a tablet that provides daily instructions, and you’ll need to feed and take blood from designated patients. 

However, you aren’t beholden to the tablet. You can choose to disobey instructions, or even step outside of the facility, even though you’re strictly forbidden from doing so. Each time you choose to leave, you mysteriously end up passing out and back at the facility. There’s a whole mystery to unravel, some potential romance with certain characters, and a lot of secrets to unravel. 

Developed by Echo Story Games, Reflections of the Void is set to release at some point before the end of 2025. If you want to meet some of the important characters or experience a portion of the story now, you can go and download the demo through Steam. 

and Roger

and Roger is, possibly, the strangest visual novel on this list and the one that requires the most input from the player. It starts with a Kaptcha that progressively unravels, and then progresses into the weirdest and creepiest morning with the main character being force fed by someone claiming to be their father but who definitely isn’t. 

You’ll need to repeatedly click on circular buttons on the screen to progress the story, with additional decoy buttons being added to confuse the mind and make things harder. It’s hard to describe and Roger, but the best I can manage is to say that it feels like a slow descent into anxiety and confusion that perfectly matches the story that’s being woven, and it’s done spectacularly well. 

and Roger is developed by TearyHand Studio and set for release very soon on July 24, 2025. If you can’t wait that long and want to see what on earth I’m trying to explain here, you can download the demo and try it out for yourself. 

Anemorie

Anemorie is a visual novel that feels like stepping into a teenage romance anime like Toradora or Your Lie in April, but hopefully without the crying-induced dehydration. You take up the role of Anna, a student with a heart condition that you must keep under control, and the ability to garner memories from objects around her.

If you like the romance genre of anime, you’ll love Anemorie, and not just for the heartwarming story. There are also a bunch of minigames, including a cooking mini game and one that feels like a simplified DDR-style rhythm game, plus the repeating mini game that puts you in control of slowing Anna’s heart rate in high-stress moments. 

Currently in development by InnGamez Studio, Anemorie doesn’t have a set release date just yet. However, I highly recommend going to Steam and downloading the demo to try and wishlisting the game for updates as development progresses. 

Chicken Police

I know I said that and Roger was the weirdest visual novel on his list, but Chicken Police comes in a close second and may even take top spot for you personally, depending on how you feel about chickens and other animals with human bodies. It’s like Bojack in high definition, wrapped up as a noir detective story, and tied up with a comedy bow. 

Two discredited cops, Marty MacChicken and Sonny Featherland, are yearning for the good old days when they were partners and respected by everyone in Clawville for their crime-fighting efforts. Now, they’re reunited after almost killing each other during their last case to solve one last very bizarre crime, and things are never quite what they seem. 

Chicken Police was developed by The Wild Gentlemen and is the oldest game on this list, having been released in 2020. However, it didn’t quite feel right to write this up without including it, and there’s still a demo that you can go and try out. 

Deep Pixel Melancholy

Set in what is most likely Russia but described as “the frozen north” during a perpetual polar night, Deep Pixel Melancholy manages to feel like a darker and more horrifying take on Groundhog Day. Egor, the main character, is stuck in an endless loop of the same day on repeat, although it’s hard to see this as a bad thing when he was broke and destined to be fired the next day. 

At its heart, Deep Pixel Melancholy is a story about overcoming hardship and perseverance, battling that inner emptiness and the demons that accompany it. Egor has to face the same day repeatedly and figure out how to get time back on track, or whether he even wants to bother. There are multiple endings to discover, so you’ll find yourself replaying repeatedly. 

Deep Pixel Melancholy is being developed by ok/no, and is due to be released before the end of 2025. If you want to meet Egor and understand what it means for his life to be stuck on repeat, you can download the demo now through Steam.