VNs that start with a Bang (aka they get right to the point)

[Zalor]

I'm looking for some more VNs (particularly not too difficult untld VNs, although moderate difficulty is just fine) that satisfy this condition.

 

I want a story that essentially gets right to the point from the start. It doesn't waste my time with an overly lengthy common route or something similar. To list a few examples, VNs like Swan Song, Saya no Uta, Sayonara wo oshiete and Narcissu all come to mind as VNs that qualify.   

 

I think by nature of this request; most VNs that qualify will probably be shorter. Since I don't want stories that either drag on for no real purpose, or have a really slow start. 

 

Also, I understand that Clephas made this thread for those relatively new to the Untld realm, and if somebody could point out which VNs on that list fulfill this condition, I would certainly appreciate it.

[Deep Blue]

I was about to post something like this so thanks for posting this zalor

[Decay]

Demonbane has a training arc but I feel like it doesn't beat around the bush very much.

[Clephas]

It is a bit hard to say... I could suggest Draculius, since it only has one route, and there is nothing really meaningless along the way (unless you choose the joke/side route).  If you don't mind a charage Otome ga Tsumugu Koi no Canvas splits its paths off with a very minimal common route...  For middling difficulty, Yurikago yori Tenshi Made is a good choice, as the split is very early and it is pretty fast-paced. 

[GetterEmperor]

Same as Decay. Demonbane is pretty much to the point.

[Deep Blue]

sorry for using your post zalor but I guess I can use it since we are looking for the same thing, is there a vn like that but without supernatural things and by supernatural I mean magic, special powers and that type of things, it can be like swan song that is it something fictional and yet that it could happen in real life, basically something realistic..

[Conjueror]

Demonbane has a training arc but I feel like it doesn't beat around the bush very much.

 

W-What? But like the first twenty hours of that game is literally filler. Not to mention it's paced like Dragonball Z.

 

Bad pacing is pretty much the bane of all visual novels and there are very few that actually have the good sense to get straight to the point. You can usually recognize them from their short length.

 

I can only recall a few that didn't drag at one point or another: Sumire (same writer as narcissu), Hatsuyuki Sakura, DameKoi, Carnival (same writer as Swan Song), Phantom of Inferno (same writer as Saya no Uta) in ascending level of difficulty.

 

Subarashiki Hibi, Chaos;Head, Steins;Gate, Akatsuki no Goei, Utawarerumono and Aiyoku no Eustia are also reasonably well paced, though there are parts where they tend to move a little bit slow.

I also found Umineko surprisingly well paced despite how fucking long it was. It felt as if every single line in that game was there for a purpose (the reason I love Ryukishi despite his not particularly impressive prose).

[mjriedstra]

I'd recommend Kara no Shoujo. It's been a while but I don't remember there being any messing around in that one. It's also not supernatural at all.

 

Fair warning that it's dark and depressing, however. It's crime fiction.

[GetterEmperor]

sorry for using your post zalor but I guess I can use it since we are looking for the same thing, is there a vn like that but without supernatural things and by supernatural I mean magic, special powers and that type of things, it can be like swan song that is it something fictional and yet that it could happen in real life, basically something realistic..

Ayakashibito? 

 

Edit: Just read you wanted it without supernatural stuff. Sorry about that.

[mjriedstra]

W-What? But like the first twenty hours of that game is literally filler. Not to mention it's paced like Dragonball Z.

 

Bad pacing is pretty much the bane of all visual novels and there are very few that actually have the good sense to get straight to the point. You can usually recognize them from their short length.

 

I can only recall a few that didn't drag at one point or another: Sumire (same writer as narcissu), Hatsuyuki Sakura, DameKoi, Carnival (same writer as Swan Song), Phantom of Inferno (same writer as Saya no Uta) in ascending level of difficulty.

 

Subarashiki Hibi, Chaos;Head, Steins;Gate, Akatsuki no Goei, Utawarerumono and Aiyoku no Eustia are also reasonably well paced, though there are parts where they tend to move a little bit slow.

 

That's a very interesting point of view. I tend to agree from the standpoint of traditional forms of fiction. As a writer and editor, a lot of what I see in VNs drives me nuts. Rambling prose, filler scene after filler scene with no advancement of plot or characterization at all, and endless conversations about food in stories that have nothing to do with food.

 

However, I've come to realize that a lot of VN fans seem to want this sort of thing, and I've even started to appreciate it myself. VNs take slice of life to an artistic level, even in stories that are not about slice of life at all. It can be really relaxing just to fall into some other existence that is completely inconsequential. Not every moment has to be in tense anticipation of the next major plot point.

 

Most VNs seem to be in a style that reminds me of a 26 or 52 episode anime, rather than a 6 episode mini-series or an anime theatrical feature. To get that many episodes out, you either need a ton of small arcs that are actually complete stories in disguise, or you need filler. And filler isn't always bad, though it took me forever to realize it.

[Conjueror]

However, I've come to realize that a lot of VN fans seem to want this sort of thing, and I've even started to appreciate it myself. VNs take slice of life to an artistic level, even in stories that are not about slice of life at all. It can be really relaxing just to fall into some other existence that is completely inconsequential. Not every moment has to be in tense anticipation of the next major plot point.

 

Well, thank god for that ctrl key, then.

The more time I waste on pointless slice of life, the less time I have to read a good novel, so it's a really big pet peeve of mine (especially since that shit starts feeling all same'ish after your 50th vn). I do understand that some people like it, but the older I get the less tolerance I can muster toward bad pacing (the main reason I have a problem with Hino Wataru).

[Deep Blue]

Carnival looks really interesting but sadly doesnt look an easy novel to read

 

 

Ayakashibito? 

 

Edit: Just read you wanted it without supernatural stuff. Sorry about that.

thanks anyway

[Zalor]

Thanks for the replies guys!

 

Well, thank god for that ctrl key, then.

The more time I waste on pointless slice of life, the less time I have to read a good novel, so it's a really big pet peeve of mine (especially since that shit starts feeling all same'ish after your 50th vn).

[Clephas]

If you don't want a ton of slice-of-life and want it reasonably readable (no fantasy) Izuna Zanshinken is another good choice... protagonist is a vigilante assassin who works for a yakuza family. 

 

[LightBladeNova]

Definitely Root Double ~Before Crime - After Days~ 

 

It quite literally starts with a bang and gets right to the point, an explosion in a research facility. 

 

Here's the VNDB link: https://vndb.org/v5000

[WinterfuryZX]

sorry for using your post zalor but I guess I can use it since we are looking for the same thing, is there a vn like that but without supernatural things and by supernatural I mean magic, special powers and that type of things, it can be like swan song that is it something fictional and yet that it could happen in real life, basically something realistic..

 

Rose Guns Days.

Well... events on this novel could happen in real only if you are a member of magliana's gang or similar organized crime groups (if you exclude the unrealistic gunfights).

 

If you include sci-fi:

 

Remeber11 -the age of infinity-

[sanahtlig]

Ikusa Megami Zero has a very gripping narrative, and the best part is the first two chapters.  The opening is actually a combat scene, so you're thrust right into the middle of things.

 

The downside is that every JRPG story afterwards will disappoint.

[Chronopolis]

I haven't played that many VN's. If you filter out the games that are too hard, and you take out the slice of life heavy games, you get novels which are all over the place and different. The following games I recommend aren't masterpieces or even great. They're all decent though, I enjoyed them all.

 

-Midori no umi. The common route is not that long, and there are lots of branches with some interesting minor ends. (mystery, atmospheric charage).

-Houkago no Futekikakusha. There's basically no normal slice of life and the story starts quickly. There is some later on but it's pretty much part of the plot. Quite an emotionally powerful game, but might come off as repetitive or clumsy as a story. (utsug-ish, lots of character hurt and suffering due to adverse situations)

 

Both of the following two are old games and have abbreviated common routes.

-Konata yori Kanata Made (utsuge. There's supernatural but the novel isn't totally not about that and completely about the emotions and thoughts.)

-Kizuato  (suspense, thriller, supernatural. It in a few ways inspired Tsukihime and the VN genre. It's kinda got archtype not-that-deep (but still very likable) characters, but the story is totally respectable in itself. Play the remake version.)

 

If you want to challenge yourself, I'd recommend Aiyoku, overall it's both higher quality and more widely appealing than all of the games listed above. Sure, each chapter takes time to build up, but it's well presented (Characters are fantastic) and the atmosphere of the world just sucks you in.

 

Another recommendation if you want to challenge yourself is Giniro. It's a non-conventional story, a set of 5 seperate stories which kind of connect thematically with the theme of the "Silver Thread". It's the most utsuge ever. I really reccomend the first story, as it's got some poetic and artistic style to it as well as being very memorable. You could read just the first story and be fine with that. It's also easier than some of the later chapters to read, because it's a relatively minimal story.

 

 

Ikusa Megami Zero has a very gripping narrative, and the best part is the first two chapters.  The opening is actually a combat scene, so you're thrust right into the middle of things.

The downside is that every JRPG story afterwards will disappoint.

Hmm...Indeed the first two chapters of IMZ were good (still stalled on chapter 5 though). But IMZ is harder than average to read, and is veeerrry text heavy, and not suitable for a novice.

[fun2novel]

Fastest ones I know of are 999, VLR, Remember11 and Root Double.

[LinovaA]

Thanks for the replies guys!

 

 

My attitude towards slice of life is exactly as yours. It's especially difficult (almost painful) for me to read through mundane slice of life scenes in a foreign language that I am still learning. When I first started trying to read untld VNs, a few people gave me the advice to read what I'm interested in rather than what is easy. I was a fool and ignored that advice. After having read 2 moeges for the sole reason of getting accustomed to the language with simple writting, I can completely understand why people told me this. It felt like work reading those 2 VNs. I had to literally force myself to read through mind numbing scenes. I really did hate it, but I knew that I needed constant exposure to the language so I just forced through it. But now I've had enough. I decided I would rather struggle through something difficult that I find interesting, then work through something I hate. Hence why I don't mind if people recommend things that are somewhat difficult.

 

This was my attitude starting out. You don't want to find yourself looking at studying Japanese as a chore. It should be fun in my opinion. ^^

 

Houkago no Futekikakusha is what I am reading right now and it gets itself moving pretty quickly. I've been really enjoying it so far, but as Chronopolis said a few posts back it can come off as a somewhat repetitive. However, I definitely still highly recommend it because it really nails the emotions of the characters (and will probably send a few nails into your heart) and makes you care for every member of the cast.

[FinalChaos]

Dra Koi is a literal roller-coaster ride and barely gives you a second of rest. I definitely recommend it as something fast that gets straight to the point.

 

Since I had read the tled version I don't know about it's japanesse difficulty, it does have a bit of poetical parts in it but the vn is very short(took me 3-4 hrs).

I think you should give it a whirl.

 

It does have supernatural/fantasy elements so I guess it won't work for Deep Blue.

[Alucard]

Most nukige start with a bang

[Deep Blue]

Most nukige start with a bang

[Conjueror]

What's up with 放課後の不適格者, anyway? I see ppl recommending it on these boards, but all I heard about it in Japan is that it's terrible, or so bad it's funny even (it's like at the very bottom of egs with 56 rating or so xD).

[LinovaA]

What's up with 放課後の不適格者, anyway? I see ppl recommending it on these boards, but all I heard about it in Japan is that it's terrible, or so bad it's funny even (it's like at the very bottom of egs with 56 rating or so xD).

 

Going off the ratings of egs is about as good as going off the ratings of VNDB. xD