Zakamutt

Future person looking to solve the same problem. Anyone have any tips on how to extract stuff from those psb files?
 
edit: I found a solution. For future humans, use psbdecompile from here: https://github.com/UlyssesWu/FreeMote

In terms of stuff that was considered at least notable in non-moe focus circles, besides several already mentioned after 2020 there is
Hira hira hihiru
Tsui no stella
Black Sheep Town
Meikei no Lupercalia

For the people that can get into ye olde darke BL there's also Ooe (very recent) and Slow Damage.

Release Date:  2013-09-20 Original title:  ワルキューレロマンツェ More＆More Censored: Yes Game Version: Ver1.0 OS: Windows Language: English (Gemini) VNDB  
Overview:
Fan disc of Walkure Romanze ~Shoujo Kishi Monogatari~ containing after stories for the 4 heroines of the original title, plus full routes for Bertille, Ayako, and Akane.
The world’s best knights gather at Winford Academy and it’s gotten quite lively with the jousting tournament nearing. Due to a misunderstanding, Takahiro’s osananajimi Mio was challenged by the proud Bertille to a match at the tournament. Since she hadn’t even rode on a horse before, he ended up guiding her to victory as a begleiter (knight’s assistant). With many watching the wonderful match, his skills as a begleiter were noticed by many students and they took quite an interest in him! However, he was unsure if he wanted to continue on as a begleiter or to return to being a knight. How will he fare in the both the arenas of jousting and love?
 
About translation:
This is a personal project to explore the capabilities of current LLMs (Large Language Models) and determine whether someone with no technical expertise, limited Japanese knowledge, and imperfect English fluency could produce a functional Japanese-to-English translation for a visual novel. The result, in my humble opinion, is surprisingly viable!
This is not a full-fledged translation project with UI localization, but it covers scenario text, which should suffice for enjoying the game. Currently a work-in-progress.
Team Members: me, Gemini and DeepSeek (LMMs)
 
Current Version Status:
Updated: 2025-04-23

Notes
Unedited routes may contain untranslated lines, voiceover bugs, or formatting issues. Game-breaking issues were addressed pre-release, but minor oversights may remain. Requirements
Use Japanese locale or a locale emulator. Recommended font: SimSun-ExtB. Other fonts may cause line-splitting/text-wrapping issues. Game version 1.0 Installation 
Place data8.pack into the GameData folder. Launch the game using Japanese locale or a locale emulator.  
Download (translation patch): Google Drive (v 0.7)

Hi, I'm not sure if it will work on what you're trying to work on, but I found a tool for "DDsystem" which is apparently the same family of engines through my deep and enduring connections (I searched the eroge translations discord). You can download it here https://mega.nz/file/PssyWQjR#mP8MY91fGXl-DHv6NfvIUtDjfFTTndIQJPrp24Dr9aM

Thank you so much. I'll make sure to do it! 

Hi, I'm not sure if it will work on what you're trying to work on, but I found a tool for "DDsystem" which is apparently the same family of engines through my deep and enduring connections (I searched the eroge translations discord). You can download it here https://mega.nz/file/PssyWQjR#mP8MY91fGXl-DHv6NfvIUtDjfFTTndIQJPrp24Dr9aM

I realized that the ending I got was the good one:(. Google said otherwise tho. I HATE the stupid Gemini search results summary. 

fam are you sure you're not getting the 'good' end but it's just not that 'good' of one

fam are you sure you're not getting the 'good' end but it's just not that 'good' of one

I mean have you tried inserting (mounting) the original disc (iso/mdf) before launching as it tells you to
in any case I browsed 某 private bit flow coordination provider and found a separate patch and nodvd exe given, uploading here: https://mega.nz/file/HhEmVb6K#4cOo11jA2xlM_k5UaTKLEv8ebERdSyPl8l0qxfLJwz4

First of all, sorry for the lack of updates since October. I had to pause the project for a bit, but it is still very much alive and I have been making steady progress on it recently, even finishing the editing for Airi's arc and I'm about a third of the way through Nagisa's arc currently, with 51% of the script edited. I will be aiming to complete the editing process before the end of next month, and then the QC process will begin. So at this point in time, I believe a release of the full patch by sometime in March is very doable and is a goal I plan on achieving, especially considering the extended break over the last few months. I'll be aiming to make some more frequent updates as I complete the editing for each arc in the coming weeks.

I think Yorhel is in the top 1-2% of people I'd trust to implement both more Western and Japanese ways of looking at the issue as appropriate to the title. As for the argumentation, well, I think a quote from one of the threads you link says it quite well:
 
I am thoroughly unimpressed by your argumentative performance.

I think Yorhel is in the top 1-2% of people I'd trust to implement both more Western and Japanese ways of looking at the issue as appropriate to the title. As for the argumentation, well, I think a quote from one of the threads you link says it quite well:
 
I am thoroughly unimpressed by your argumentative performance.

If by "appropriate" you mean how you acted in this forum in the past I can understand why you trust him so much.
Anyway, since Yorhel seems to make this matter personnal there is nothing anyone can do, under the risk to be trashed or banned. The only good side is since "Engaged in Group Sex of Multiple Males, Females and at least one Gender Nonconforming Individual" doesn't actually mean anything I assume very few people will use it.

I think Yorhel is in the top 1-2% of people I'd trust to implement both more Western and Japanese ways of looking at the issue as appropriate to the title. As for the argumentation, well, I think a quote from one of the threads you link says it quite well:
 
I am thoroughly unimpressed by your argumentative performance.

I think Yorhel is in the top 1-2% of people I'd trust to implement both more Western and Japanese ways of looking at the issue as appropriate to the title. As for the argumentation, well, I think a quote from one of the threads you link says it quite well:
 
I am thoroughly unimpressed by your argumentative performance.

Since this last post I have read a lot of indie OEVNs and although some were misses, most of them had something interesting to say. I'm planning on writing a review for these in October! Those are Queen of Moths, Reflection, Little Lamb, Boa Retina, DIVINATION, God is in the Radio, The Remains of My Affection, and Girlfriend Simulator, just in case you need some spoopy reads for next month (in advance.)
I'll try to finish Umineko's Chapter 6 this week, wish me luck.

Hi! 
It's still alive but there are hardly any progress at the moment. Experienced some hard crashes when we were doing the beta testing that we weren't able to resolve. But I am looking into it, probably a problem with the repacker. 
I appreciate people are still waiting for this. Tbh, I lost any remaining motivation doing this, so yeah it may take more time. Sorry to disappoint mates.

I've tried ActivityWatch and ManicTime and I think ManicTime is substantially better if you're only using one machine. Also gives you a very detailed breakdown of your day which may or may not alarm you.

VNDB Page
Fantranslation available HERE
Flowchart Guides for the game available HERE
Overview
Released in 1992, Otogirisou is the first Sound Novel developed by Chunsoft (later known as Spike Chunsoft) for the Super Famicom system. Otogirisou was the next evolution of Japanese Adventure games, having stripped down the Command Menu, Text Parser, and Point-and-Click controls of previous Adventure games. It instead limited its gameplay to simply reading NVL text and making a selection of choices that affects the narrative. With different scenes triggered by your choices, a branching narrative that leads to unique "stories" (what would later be known as Routes), and conclusive Endings for each of these stories, Otogirisou was a pioneer of the genre. It, alongside its follow-up Kamaitachi no Yoru in 1994, would redefine Adventure games into what we would identify as "Visual Novels" here in the West. Needless to say, this game has very important historical significance.
In Otogirisou, your character (canon name: Kouhei) is driving down a forest road in the middle of a stormy night with your girlfriend Nami, when suddenly a series of events causes your car to swerve off the road and be crushed by a falling tree. Seeking shelter, the two of you soon find a western-style mansion surrounded by a garden of hypericum flowers (otogirisou). However, not everything is as it seems within the mansion, as many dangers seem to lurk inside, and a mysterious past can be uncovered within its walls. Was it coincidence that you found yourself in this home, or has something brought both of you here...?
Please note that the following guide is exclusively for the Super Famicom version of Otogirisou and it is not compatible with the Playstation remake, as that version adds brand new scenes, a new Bad Ending, POV swaps to Nami's perspective, and around 15 new Epilogues. Additionally, this guide is written based off the fantranslation by Translated Games; the text will likely not be a perfect 1:1 match for the other fantranslation by the user ButThouMust.
Route/Ending List, and Unlock Conditions
Otogirisou is a late-branching style of Visual Novel, in which 80% of your run consists of the game's "Common Route" and then splits into 6 different routes, with 10 endings total. Three of these routes are unlocked from the start, meaning you can immediately get 5 out of the 10 available endings. Each of these endings exist within their own independent canon; any backstories or supernatural events you encounter in one ending may not exist in another ending. They are basically parallel universes dictated by your choices, rather than timelines that split off a consistent universe.
Here are the endings of the game (please note these names are not official, some have been taken from JP guides and some I've made up myself):
As you navigate through the game's Common Route, you will encounter different choices that are either serious in tone or lean into a more comedic nature. The endings/routes for this game run down a scale of content, where the more serious a route is, the higher it is on the list displayed above this paragraph. Likewise the more comedic a route, the lower it is placed on that list. Common route scenes that are more serious or more comedic will take the player higher and lower on the scale, and will ultimately put you in the path to specific routes. So for example, the choices that play the Common Route as straight as possible will most likely lead you to the Burned Route, while the choices in the Common Route that have exaggerated jokes will most likely lead you to the Monster Family Route.
You're free to get the endings in whichever order you like, as long as they've been unlocked for you. My recommended route order is almost the same as the "standard" game order, and my recommended order will be the one in which the rest of this guide will be organized into:
Remember, if you're trying to get an ending higher on this list, try to aim for serious choices, and if you are trying to get an ending lower on the list, choose the funnier options available.
In addition to these 10 endings, the game also contains 9 Epilogues that can be obtained after clearing specific endings twice or more. I will cover these Epilogues in greater detail later on.
Lastly, this guide will be separated into 3 types of guides: Flowchart guides which will showcase every choice in the game and where they lead, allowing for maximum freedom, Freeform guides that will mark the choices that specifically lead to routes/endings while still allowing players to freely explore the game, and Individual Ending walkthroughs that will showcase a set of specific choices that lead directly to each ending, restricting freedom for more linear and consistent experiences. For the individual walkthroughs, the choices I will list out will allow the player to obtain every single scene in the game in just 10 playthroughs of the game, one for each ending. Each walkthrough will also be optimized so that each of the scenes you'll encounter in the Common Route will correspond to the appropriate ending you are navigating towards. For example, if a specific ending does not contain any supernatural elements whatsoever, then the walkthrough to that ending will avoid any scenes in the Common Route that contain supernatural encounters to remain canonically consistent with that specific ending.
Flowchart guides
Flowcharts
Here are flowchart images containing every choice and ending in the game. There are 4 different charts, each one representing a different "phase" of the game in which more content is unlocked. The first image is the beginning of the game where everything is locked, while the last image is once you've obtained the "Pink Bookmark" and unlocked everything available to you.
Route Guide (Freeform)
If the flowcharts appear confusing or daunting for you, but you still want to explore the game with full freedom, the route guides will help you with what you need.
Burned Route
The Burned Route is unique to the other routes in this game as it splits off the Common Route much earlier than the others. This guide will tell you what choices lead to the Burned Route, and which choices can lock you out of the route:
Rest of the Routes
The rest of the routes are reached at the end of Common Route, once you reach a scene where you either find a photograph or a pair of diaries. The following are the choices immediately after these scenes that lead directly to the routes in question:
In order to reach the Firefly Ending, please follow the walkthrough for that specific ending down below in the Freeform guides section, as the path laid out over there follows a continuous storyline for that ending, and will make the ending make more sense for the player (or at least as much sense as it can).
Navigating the Monster Family Route
Once you obtain the Pink Bookmark (gained by clearing the first 9 endings), new choices are unlocked throughout the game, and especially within the Monster Family Route, allowing access to the Fireflies Ending. As such, navigating the Monster Family Route can cause trouble and lead you to the wrong ending. I will list out the best way to keep track of how to avoid getting forced into a specific ending.
For the Epilogues, please refer to the "Obtaining the Epilogues" section at the very bottom of this page.
Individual Ending walkthroughs
Start(s) of the Game
Before starting the game, it is important to understand that the opening scene of the game is randomized every time you start a new run. You can tell which version of the opening you're reading based on what activity you and Nami were doing before the scene starts: you were either playing tennis, you were fishing at a river, or you were playing in the river itself (this last one is only available on a 2nd run onward). Your first choice dictates which of the following 5 scenes you will trigger, based on what Nami tells you:
For most of the ending walkthroughs, I will dictate whether to start with any of these 5 scenes or with any of the 3 starters. That way, you can follow the string of choices necessary for each ending without issue, as well as remain canonically consistent with each ending. (Note: if you don't get the appropriate choices needed to trigger the scenes as listed, restart your run again, and let the RNG trigger the opening scene you want).
Burning Coffin Ending
Burning Basement Ending
Delusional Ending
Mother & Father Ending
Twins' Curse Ending
Fish Monster Ending
Shadow Ending
Monster Curse Ending
Monster Bloodlines Ending
Lovers' Path (Fireflies Ending)
Obtaining the Epilogues
Attributions
This guide is written entirely by me, based on my own flowchart created for this game.
The flowchart uses Japanese guides as a basis but every choice was tested 100% by me. Names of routes/endings are inspired by some names used in JP discussions for this game, but some are made up by me, and the "Chapters" in the flowchart are made up solely for the flowchart's structure.

It's seems like pretty popular engine in Japan.
FYI, Light.vn is now available in English language. If it's getting popular in the future, there maybe some major changes to the encryption scheme. But for now, the tool is worked as it is.

FWIW, I managed to get my hands on Function:W(); and it also works to extract now. It seems like the encryption key is shared b/w lots of these old VNs.

Back in the day, we had a list of English-language-first visual novels. Unfortunately its OP, nohman, has left us. Fortunately, a lot of good EVNs have been released since then! As Fuwanovel's resident Japanese-knowing, JVN-enjoying EVN reader, I figure I'm in a unique position to moderate this thread.
The previous list focused on "notable" EVNs, but to be honest, these days there are arguably so many notable EVNs that the list would get unwieldy. Besides, the reason to read anything is if it's good — or at least interesting — right? I want to see what you like.
Anyone can contribute with suggestions. If you think it's good or interesting, tell me why, link the game, and I'll add it to the list. To get us started, I'll seed the list with some of my own favorites . Don't be discouraged if what you like is nothing like what I do, though — that's a sign that we need your help!
The Fuwanovel List of Cool EVNs
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Actual Sunlight by Will o'Neill

Notable tags: Depression, Utsuge, Suicide
Zakamutt: This is a dark VN, and it came to me at a dark time in my life. It's one of the most uncompromising depictions of depression I have seen, and the writing is as funny as it is cutting. Not for everyone, but for me: one of my two 10/10 VNs.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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An Octave Higher by Kidalang

Notable tags: Fantasy, Magic/ESP Combat, Fictional World
Zakamutt: This is an honest-to-god fantasy VN made by the Indonesian studio Kidalang. It reminds me a lot of Terry Pratchett: you have a big medieval-ish city, magic and technology combined, and some interesting social commentary. The creators' Indonesian roots show through here, as Indonesia lived through an attempted communist coup, then an anti-communist purge, in 1965 — the story centers around people of different classes dealing with the rise of industry and capitalism, with such fun things as magic used in factory production, and even factory-provided mana potions... This is not an uncritical communist paean by any means — read it and you'll see.
Where to get: Steam
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Blankspace by NoBreadStudio

Notable tags: Escape Game, Mystery, Romance
Zakamutt: Where 999 flavors its mystery with science-fiction technobabble, Blankspace flavors it with messy human drama. You wake up tied to a pipe, and the only one that can help you is Beryl, a teal-haired beauty who was trapped along with you. As you unravel the mystery to escape, you can also pick how you interact with her, perhaps even fall in love — there's a text-only (no CGs) sex scene patch, and I highly advise you get it, as it's written more like erotica than a normal VN h-scene. Quite interesting. The character writing is some of the best I've seen in a VN, with interactions being both natural and entertaining, but also moving the plot forward. The point-and-click elements aren't bad either, and serve the plot as much as less interactive segments.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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Cinders by MoaCube

Notable tags: Lots of Choices, Proactive Protagonist, Fairy Tale
Templarseeker: It is a reimagining of Cinderella with unique art style.

Bonus: Fuwanovel review.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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Corpse Factory by RIVER CROW STUDIO

Notable tags: Thriller, Horror, Modern Day Tokyo
Templarseeker: By the title alone you might think its a rip off of Corpse Party, nevertheless give the VN/Game a try and you'll witness a interesting, gloomy, dark, and semi realistic depiction of modern society. A psychological horror VN at its very core.
In addition this VN/Game has decent English voice acting in it on some of the important dialogues!
Where to get: Steam, GOG
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Digital: A Love Story by Christine Love

Notable tags: Operating System Simulation, Interactive Adventure Game
Zalor: "It's not what you say, it's how you say it that matters", is the first thing that comes to mind with this VN. The story itself is quite simple, but the presentation is so excellent that it makes up for where the story might slack. Especially as somebody who is quite fascinated with old computers, I loved how the whole story is told through BBS messages. BBS standing for Bulletin Board System, and was essentially the internet before the internet. Its presentation mimics said environment very convincingly as well.
Where to get: Creator's Website (FREE!)
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Digital Seclusion by Zalor

Notable tags: Otaku Protagonist
Zakamutt: Digital Seclusion is a story of a person who might be a bit like you — though I hope none of you are as extreme. He's a shut-in collector of old Japanese visual novels, which he posts about on his blog. It's also an (opinionated) history of the medium, introducing many old, and for some, nostalgic, visual novels. One day, a girl that looks just like a heroine from one of his games steps out of the screen. But is she real, and if so, should he trust her — or is she nothing but bad news?
Digital Seclusion was written by one of our forum members, Zalor, and we also have a Fuwanovel review of this VN if you're interested.
Where to get: Itch.io (FREE!)
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Doki Doki Literature Club! by Dan Salvato

Notable tags: Poetry, Student Club
Alpacaman: I know this one is kind of controversial in the community. It's still one of the titles that introduced many people in the west to visual novels. Yes, it's gimmicky, but what it sets out to do it does very well and doesn't overstay its welcome. Many people in the community saw the game as an attack on VNs as a whole, but I think it's more about player agency and the relationship between games and the ones playing them.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io (FREE!)
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Heart of the Woods by Studio Élan

Notable tags: Fictional Modern Day European Town, Girl x Girl Romance Only, Contemporary Fantasy
Silvz: Heart of the Woods is amazing! I loved the characters, the art style and the story in general. Iirc there was a voice patch released after I read it, so it may be even better now. It's also good to have some LGBTQIA+ representation in the list!
(Also recommended by: Templarseeker, Plk_Lesiak)
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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Juniper's Knot by Dischan

Notable tags: Multiple Protagonists
Zalor: A short, well written story that nearly a decade later still leaves quite a good impression. Focused on the interactions between a lost boy and a demon confined within a magic circle, it has some folklore-ish vibes to it. However, the bouncing between the two perspectives of the boy and the demon girl adds a modern flair to a story that otherwise does feel like it could be within a Grimm Fairy Tales book. This is all not to mention the beautiful art. For more info here's a review.
Where to get: Steam, Dischan (FREE!)
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Katawa Shoujo by Four Leaf Studios

Notable tags: Nakige, Romance, Disabled Heroine
Zakamutt: Back in the day, there'd be no point in putting this on the list. Literally everyone knew about it, and it was many people's first VN. Today, I think this story is worth recommending anew. The central conceit is the protagonist, Hisao, transferring to an academy for the disabled after suffering a heart attack. But the depth in this VN lies in not the disabled girls he meets there, but in what lies beneath. Pretty much every character has hidden depths to them, and the story arc usually ends up much like a Key tearjerker (without the supernatural hijinx). It's not just nostalgia, mom, I swear. Katawa Shoujo is genuinely a good VN.
Where to get: OG, Moddable Fan HD rerelease with accessibility options (both FREE!)
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Lessons in Love by Selebus

Notable tags: Dating Simulation, Student-Teacher Romance, Lots of Choices
Alpacaman: A work in progress that at this point is even longer than Umineko and according to its creator is the longest VN in existence, period (each update is about 30-60k words long and there's been about 50). Which shouldn't keep you from reading it. At least to me this one is more about vibes than plot and works very well despite its length.
Where to get: Subscribestar, Itch.io (FREE but one of those things where the patreon is further ahead)
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Lynne by ebi-hime

Notable tags: Modern Day British Isles, Utsuge, Psychological Horror
Zakamutt: Ebi-hime is a well-regarded VN writer among those in the know, and for a reason: she consistently delivers well-written interesting stories. Lynne is one of her free offerings, and takes place in a lower-class British milieu, with all the stress and envy that often implies. Both the soundtrack and graphics match the griminess of the setting, with ebi-hime opting to work with the electronic music producer sleepy agents for the sound. Lynn, the protagonist, is haunted by nightmares as the national exams she simply cannot afford to fuck up approach. Almost everything around her seems practically designed to stress her out more. In school there is a girl that she feels has everything that she does not, Lynne. Will Lynn pass her exams, or will she break from the stress she is under? And what will happen to Lynne? Find out in this VN.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io (both FREE!)
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Meeting in the Flesh by inkEthic

Notable tags: Monster Hero, Body Horror
Alpacaman: An inversion of Saya no Uta's themes, showing you can find beauty anywhere.
Where to get: Itch.io (FREE!)
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Pale Cachexia by Argent Games

Notable tags: Dark Fantasy, (Gothic) Horror, Illness
Zakamutt: Our protagonist, Esther, is afflicted with the Pale, a disease that causes its victims to waste away at terrifying speed if they do not take medicine every day. Even with the medicine, sufferers are often doomed to a life of slow degeneration and disability, with everything from their mood to too much exercise affecting the condition. Esther has made a desperate bid for a cure, the last step of a journey in search of a cure the cottage of a dead scholar of the Pale in the forest — and the young girl who lives there. They build up a fragile relationship as Esther researches his notes, trying to find something — anything — to help her condition. But those same notes might hold horrors she never knew...
I liked this one so much it made me write like a pretentious twat on vndb. So I'm just going to reproduce that here. I'm not sorry.
A languid walk, rarely a run, into the terror and beauty of the darkness. The will to be independent yet the need to depend. The intense portrayal of guilt and avoidance in this is sublime — or maybe just too deeply #relatable for me to give it, with its beautiful immersive atmosphere and, for once, solid writing anything else but an "excellent" rating.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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Sensei Overnight by Pers0nas

Notable tags: All-girls School, Teacher Protagonist, Memory Alteration
Danmaku: it is a "psychological horror mystery grooming dating sim" obviously inspired by Lessons in Love but focuses more on its underlying mysteries and how all of its characters relate to it and without as much of the grind and wiki-searching. Like its contemporary, it has a strong visual flair and strong comedic and story/character writing with a heavy focus on psychoanalysing its characters. It has rather low sexual content, when it does have h-scenes, it will be rather weird and/or focuses on realism. It really creates its own highly unique identity later on, the earlier parts can be a slow burn. Very importantly, the choices you make will matter.
Where to get: Itch.io (FREE... but you can subscribe on patreon/subscribestar for early access updates)
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SHINRAI - Broken Beyond Despair by Gosatsu Visual Novels

Notable tags: Detective Work, Murder Mystery, Interactive Adventure Game
Danmaku: a murder mystery visual novel with refreshing story pacing due to its straightforward honkaku structure. The character writing is amazing and the tricks used in the murder(s) are unique enough to give it its own identity.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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 Solstice by MoaCube

Notable tags: Multiple Protagonists, Mystery, Lots of Choices
Templarseeker: Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi thriller of a VN
Where to get: Steam, GOG
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Soundless by milk+ visual

Notable tags: Bullying, Denpa, Cult, Mystery
Zakamutt: Mercy sees things. It’s too bad that what she sees are warped distortions, filthy beetles, tentacles, horrifying flesh-beasts and all that, but at least it isn’t permanently on so she’s not quite Fuminori yet. Too bad it’s getting worse, though.
Mercy lives in a small, secluded village; the village is strongly religious, ruled by the local church, and all the kids around see her as a convenient punching bag. But hey, it’s probably her fault anyway, she was cursed by sinning at the tender age of ten. She was seeing nice things before that.
Mercy is the protagonist of Soundless, a game taking inspiration from the classic in the "denpa" subgenre of visual novels, which tends to concern itself with madness, unreliable narrators, and horror.
Every person I've gotten to play Soundless has liked it, without exception. Any denpa fan that hasn't tried it is making a mistake. And I played it back when the well-received rerelease with an extra chapter wasn't even out yet. If you try nothing else, try this one: it's free!
Where to get: Itch.io (FREE!)
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Sweetest Monster by ebi-hime

Notable tags: Relationship Problems, Modern Day British Isles, Dark Fantasy
Silvz: a very short VN with great art and a plot twist that rivals the best mystery novels out there, at least in my humble opinion :3
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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The Dandelion Girl by /jp/ project / Outis Media

Notable tags: Literary Adaptation, Time Travel, Romance
Zalor: Another entry in that short and sweet department. Although often overshadowed by it's more successful sibling (the other 4chan visual novel, Katawa Shoujo), I think its charm shines through. And that's really the appeal I find with this VN. It's nothing amazing, but has a soulful charm to it.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io (FREE! — this is a remake by one of the original's creators. Links to the OG are dead.)
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The Language Of Love by ebi-hime

Notable tags: Heroine with Children, Adult Heroine, Only a Single Heroine
adamstan: I think The Language of Love by ebi-hime should be added to the list. Short, but very heartwarming and wholesome love story - I loved it. It's also one of the few EVNs that manage to pull off the japanese setting without being all cringey
Bonus: Fuwanovel Review
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io, Denpa, MangaGamer
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The Sekimeiya: Spun Glass by Trinitite Team

Notable tags: Confinement, Mystery, Hard Science Fiction
Danmaku: a highly elaborate ontological mystery visual novel. The music can be jarring and ear-grating at times and the characters can be pretty bland. One thing I can highly compliment this visual novel is the underlying mystery itself. It is highly engaging and may seem perplexing and complicated but the puzzle pieces connect together pretty nicely. You will answer about 50 questions at the end to solve it, you will be ranked with other players to see how you did. The individual mysteries are segmented enough that if you didn't get some of it you still will be able to solve the rest.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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VA11 Hall-A by Sukeban Games

Notable tags: Bartender Protagonist, Cyberpunk, Dialogue Based
Alpacaman: It's cyberpunk bartender action, what more could you possibly want? It nails the aesthetic with great visuals and BGM, has great characters, some actual depth to its themes without ever getting anywhere close to being pretentious. Also it has some of the best comedy in any VN I've read so far.
Where to get: Steam, Itch.io
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YOU LEFT ME by Angela He

Notable tags: Interactive Adventure Game, Surreal, Depression
Kawasumi: just because of how absolutely stunning visually it is.
Zakamutt: I would definitely recommend trying other Angela He VNs like Missed Messages out as well. She has a pretty unique style.
Where to get: Itch.io (FREE!)

Meow. Merry christmas everynyan

Nah, I feel you on this one. I like it when the writing has a point to it, but it doesn't seem to be the case for this one. Sure, she's an edgy teen who thinks others are trash—like almost any teen—but the pretentious writing makes me feel not care for her. She just sounds very emo (lol)