The Art of Visual Novels

Ever since my friend Frendy introduced me to visual novels, my leisure time has never been really the same.

I’ve always enjoyed reading stories of fantasy, horror, and adventure genres. When I’m not in a movie theater, you can always find me in bookstores. At least back then. I still have several novels I haven’t finished reading yet, because I got caught up in visual novels. It’s safe to assume that my interest in books has been somewhat replaced by visual novels.

Visual Novel Basics

Visual novels, like the name suggests, is a form of storytelling that offer visual representation of the story, in the form of CG (computer graphics) images included in the game. This makes it easier for readers to understand and see the setting, characters’ appearances, and how the scene happens.

1. Let’s escape real life and step into
the world of fiction for a moment…

Many visual novels allow players to name their MC (main character), something that I really like because this gives immersive experience. Essentially, we get to play as ourselves in fictional settings. Certain visual novels may also come with customization feature, allowing us to customize our MCs, among other things.

Visual novel may be a type of game, but I think it still has more in common with books. For one, despite the visual element playing significant factor in representing the story, we still need to read everything to follow through. And because the CGs are usually used to illustrate only the important scenes, we still need to imagine how the rest of the story plays out, though not as much as reading books requires it.

In addition to being nameable, some visual novels may also have faceless MC. Like, completely unseen, not even in CGs, which leaves their appearance to our own imagination. Makes it easier for us to imagine ourselves getting involved in whatever adventure we are having in the game.

2. In addition to good and bad endings,
your choices may also improve your MC’s standings
with the NPCs and affect how they feel about your MC

Interactive and choose-your-own-adventure books may be the predecessors of visual novels. Many visual novels implement a choice system, which leads to branching stories and endings. These are called nonlinear visual novels. Their opposite, linear visual novels, generally only have one story route and one ending. Some linear visual novels may still have multiple endings, which are affected by the choices the player has taken throughout the game, much like nonlinear ones.

I’m not sure if there are still choose-your-own-adventure books produced these days, but my aunt used to have one: Pinocchio’s Adventures by Jim Razzi and Carlo Collodi. It is based on the 1940 Disney film, Pinocchio. But because of the choices element in the book, the story plays out a little bit differently. Though if I remember correctly, you can still follow the story like how the movie plays it, or deviate from it.

Choose-your-own-adventure books are usually lumped
within children book category, but I wonder
if there are something for mature audience too

In the books, you need to go to a certain page if you want to see the outcome from our choice. In linear visual novels, the choice’s outcome usually only affects the endings. In nonlinear visual novels, however, they will normally happen immediately, affecting which story route you will play. Still, in both linear and nonlinear, you can’t really tell which ending you will get, though sometimes they are hinted at by how the NPCs react to your answers and decisions.

In horror visual novels or interactive games like Until Dawn,
you may expect being offered multiple sadistic choices often

Regardless, in both interactive books and visual novels, your choices will decide the fate of the characters and how the story ends. In a way, you may consider Until Dawn a visual novel, even though it’s not officially classified as one.

Thought Process of Making Visual Novels

Much like books and movies, visual novels also come with a variety of genres. Although dating sim or stat-raising sim (otome) seem to have the most entries of all genres. And even if you’re not playing a romance visual novel, chances are there is an option for you to be interested romantically in one of the main characters.

And they are almost always attractive. Naturally, because visuals (art styles) are one of the main selling points of visual novels, they have to make the characters as appealing as possible. It’s similar to movies, which often have recognizable actors as the leading characters. To make them more marketable.

3. One way to let people know about your project and
get initial feedback is by releasing a demo of it

As a result, I think visual novel creators have to work twice as much; thinking of interesting and compelling plots, and making character and background concepts. In my experience, at least when writing books, we don’t need to describe all the characters’ appearances in extensive detail. Maybe just two or three main characters, and they’re usually for the cover.

It’s why most visual novels have many people working on them. In addition to writers, sfx, and concept artists, making a visual novel also requires a certain degree of knowledge in programming. In a way, I think making a visual novel is like making a movie or TV series.

I’m sure there are more things involved in the creation of visual novels, but for now, this is all I know.

Art Style (In)Consistency

There are some visual novel creators who prefer to work solo, though. This means more work for them, but also guaranteed consistency, at least in the art department. Other than CGs, visual novels primarily use sprites to represent characters and items.

Characters have different expressions and poses, so they have more than one sprite, each for appropriate scenes or mood, and are interchangeable. They are different from CG, which is a single picture showing an event, featuring one or more characters in the same setting.

Sprite

CG

4. Two scenes from All Men are Pigs featuring Benito.
Notice how both the sprite and CG are in different art styles?

As most visual novels have two different artists for both sprites and CGs, the same characters often look different in CGs and other scenes. This may or may not break the immersion, depending on the players. Solo visual novel creators don’t seem to have this art style issue, as they do the illustrations entirely themselves. It may take them longer to finish their projects, though.

The Visual Novel Experience

Back then, Frendy played a lot of adventure fantasy and romance visual novels. Now that he is married and has responsibilities, he hasn’t had any time to play visual novels, or reading books, anymore. Movies and series are usually his go-to entertainment medium these days.

Because romance tends to always exist in visual novels regardless of the genre, I used to think it’s a game for singles. And because of the very same reason, many visual novels have playable female MCs, which may make it seem like they are primarily targeted for female audiences.

I find visual novels really engaging. And I have to admit, I mostly play them to escape the bustling mundane everyday life. Also as a means to forget my own current non-existent relationship. But hey, back then even when I was still in a relationship, I still turned to visual novels for fun while waiting for my partner to finish whatever he had to do for the day.

5. Yes, it’s a stupid cliché and I’m not having any of it

Sometimes visual novels give me some ideas for dates or hangout plans. And, more often than not, well-written visual novels have some characters say something relatable or quote-worthy. It is another similarity that it has with books and also movies, a trait of storytelling. Not to mention, the backgrounds may be good enough for desktop wallpapers.

6. Don’t we all ever feel like this at some point?

Reading Blues

For most, reading can be quite a chore. Even more so when all there is in the book is just a bunch of words. It can be quite intimidating and tiresome if we’re not used to it. Even those who enjoy reading books may prefer to read in solitude, with little to no distraction. Visual novels, to some extent, don’t really have this kind of restriction.

Since most written novels don’t have visual elements representing the scenes, we are left to imagine the stories ourselves, requiring more concentration to read and enjoy them. And every reader may have a different take on how the scenes unfold, even with written descriptions. It’s actually good to keep our minds sharp, which in turn, improves our creativity. A person who gets the hang of reading may turn off everything around them, completely being in the zone.

Much as I enjoy visual novels, I still like reading books too. In the event when I have to travel without my laptop, books are my main entertainment. Novels are a good time waster, and self-development books are also a good source of motivation. I wish they were cheaper here, but I understand why they’re not.

Behold my stuff. I haven’t finished all of them,
and these are not the only books I have left…

E-book is also an option, but let’s face it, I may instead surf the net or explore social media as soon as I hold my phone. Doesn’t anyone? Regardless, both written novels and visual novels have their own appeal. Both are forms of storytelling, just in different mediums.

Let’s Play!

Want to get into visual novels? I find itch.io the best site to look for them. You may need to buy them, but there are also some that is free. You can also find them on Steam.

If you’re just getting started, I recommend try ones with shorter durations, like The Blind Griffin or Ballads at Midnight. They are free, so Hakuna Matata~

Visual novels represented by images on this entry, in numerical order: (1) The Crossroads, (2) Arcade Spirits, (3) Coming Out on Top, (4) All Men are Pigs, (5) Changeling, (6) Our Life: Beginnings & Always, and (7) Andromeda Six (featured header image and final image below).

If you’re a long time visual novel player, don’t hesitate to share your favorites. I’m always up for discussion and you can always leave a comment 😁

Have a nice weekend, and remember not to wander too far in the realm of fiction. You may not want to come back~

Yep, this is me. Couldn’t say it any better