What's your favorite visual novels company

[SomethingFunny31]

What's your favorite visual novel company (nitroplus, key, ect)

Edited May 5, 2020 by SomethingFunny31

[Clephas]

It was Propeller... but now it is Light, because Propeller hasn't produced anything decent since Tokyo Babel... and its main writer is retired.  My current top five companies are listed below.  Eushully got knocked off because they haven't produced a masterpiece since Madou Koukaku (story-wise)

1.  Light

2.  Akatsuki Works

3.  Caramel Box (Setting aside the art-style, which some art-bigots have trouble with, they produce excellent games)

4.  Purple Software (high percentage of highest tier games since Mirai Nostalgia)

5.  AXL (because their stuff is always worth reading)

[MFrost]

I like Akatsuki Works & Purple Software too, but seeing as how I haven't played much, I'm going with Minatosoft mainly because I love how the depict the heroines. Majority aren't mostly helpless waiting for the protag to rescue or help them, and they're all pretty strong-willed, go-getters that I like, but they don't lose that femininity...like 87% of the time anyways.

[Clephas]

10 minutes ago, MFrost said:

I like Akatsuki Works & Purple Software too, but seeing as how I haven't played much, I'm going with Minatosoft mainly because I love how the depict the heroines. Majority aren't mostly helpless waiting for the protag to rescue or help them, and they're all pretty strong-willed, go-getters that I like, but they don't lose that femininity...like 87% of the time anyways.

Among the makers who have works in English, Minato-soft is one of the better ones. 

[exaccuss]

Probably Circus. I loved all the DC games.

[Norleas]

Though most of the time that i like a specific brand their start making only hot garbage, i think that i always swallow what Saga Planets and August made, with honorable mentions to Nitro+ and Favorite.

Propeller would probably be here too if were not the complete burning shit that are their last title.

[Tamaki Sakura]

My top 5 are Unisonshift Blossom, August, Saga Planets, minori, and Type-Moon. Honorable mentions to Favorite and Key.

[Clephas]

The problem with ranking companies is that while most companies have a certain 'style', the actual talents working for them tend to switch out fairly often.  It still isn't uncommon in the VN industry for writers, artists, and composers to work for a half-dozen different companies in the space of a year or two, and that is part of the reason why one release might be superb but the next one awful in some cases.  The most 'solid' companies, like Light, Nitroplus, and Akatsuki Works, tend to have set groups of talent that they use on a more or less permanent basis.  However, Purple Software, for instance, switches out its writers practically every time it puts out a new game.  Moreover, some of the greatest talent in the industry have a tendency to 'wander' from company to company (Shumon Yuu).

[Dionysus42]

Probably liar-soft, though from what I understand Sakurai no longer works with them which is a major hit as far as I'm concerned.

[Xander]

3rd eye and Akatsuki works

[ShinRaikdou]

Minato Soft and branches like Candy Soft and Harukaze. Then Yuzusoft, feng, and August. And NekoNeko Soft with Circus. I think in that order.

Though none of them are perfect, and has some game with forced drama(wannabe a nakige) that i hate.

Edited June 6, 2017 by ShinRaikdou

[Funnerific]

Currently Makura - I really like their games, even though I hated Supreme Candy and the H2O fandisk. And I still haven't read Sakuuta

[Clephas]

Supreme Candy is a bit weird, even as their games go... but it is my favorite by that company (mostly because it is Cthulhu Mythos-based).  I don't really like SCA-ji, though...

[Okarin]

Disclaimer: I have read 30-odd novels.

1. Key

2. Overdrive

3. Mages

4. Anything that strikes my fancy

[Ariurotl]

OVERDRIVE fanboy (well, more like fanoldman) here.

[WinterfuryZX]

5bp, âge and Chunsoft

Edited June 6, 2017 by WinterfuryZX

[fun2novel]

In no particular order. These are just out the top of my head. It doesn't mean I love them all just that they are interesting copanies.

3rd Eye - One of the best chuuni developers we have today.

Light - Another one of the best chuuni developers.

Propeller - Doesn't do much these days but what they did in the past puts then as another amazing chuuni developer. They also have some good nakige too.

5pb. - Their science adventure series are cool along with some other vns they made.

07th Expansion - Ryukishi07 is great.

KID - For the Infinity series.

La'cryma - Another pretty good chuuni developer.

Nitroplus - One of the most unique developers. Don't make much today but they have plenty of older goodies.

Regista - Founded by the guy who did the Infinity series.

Spike Chunsoft - Makers of many great visual (or sound) novels. Zero Escape, Danganronpa, 428, Machi, Kamaitachi no Yoru and so on.

Giga's Baldr team - The Baldr games are the best thing to come out of Giga, and the only thing worth playing.

 

[Adorabear]

Out of what I have played so far (which isn't a ton), I would say Overdrive, Spike Chunsoft, and Otomate for otome games.

[Veshurik]

On 6/6/2017 at 7:47 AM, Clephas said:

The problem with ranking companies is that while most companies have a certain 'style', the actual talents working for them tend to switch out fairly often.  It still isn't uncommon in the VN industry for writers, artists, and composers to work for a half-dozen different companies in the space of a year or two, and that is part of the reason why one release might be superb but the next one awful in some cases.

So, what about AXL? I know that they had only one style art for 11 years already, and... Those eyes are really scaring my friends, who play VNs. But I like that style, because why not. Maybe, I'll play their last game Aiyori. Impressed how often they release the product - 2 times in a year, yes? Usually companies make 1 game per year, or even two... And 2 games. huh. Poor artist.

Unfortunately, I don't know many about writers, art, etc. But I know that usually some companies has a "favorable" stuff. Fo example, music in last AXL titles by Solfa, songs by Chata. Ensemble invites for their songs only Duca last years. That's good or not? I like that anyway, because I love any work, if there wasted powers in it. 

Edited June 7, 2017 by Veshurik

[Clephas]

28 minutes ago, Veshurik said:

So, what about AXL? I know that they had only one style art for 11 years already, and... Those eyes are really scaring my friends, who play VNs. But I like that style, because why not. Maybe, I'll play their last game Aiyori. Impressed how often they release the product - 2 times in a year, yes? Usually companies make 1 game per year, or even two... And 2 games. huh. Poor artist.

Unfortunately, I don't know many about writers, art, etc. But I know that usually some companies has a "favorable" stuff. Fo example, music in last AXL titles by Solfa, songs by Chata. Ensemble invites for their songs only Duca last years. That's good or not? I like that anyway, because I love any work, if there wasted powers in it. 

Like I said, the most consistent companies are the ones who keep the same staff or rotate out groups of staff members.  However, most charage companies tend to only hire non-artist staff for only a single game.

[Tweek91330]

I'd say :

- Nitro plus

- Akatsuki works

- 3rd eyes

- Age

- Giga's Baldr team is nice too

[Noir]

I havent read from these companies in years but they are still dear to my heart with many fond memories <3

1.Shiritsu Sakuranbo Shougakkou 

2. Real (the REAL og)

3.Unison shift (I love their artwork and their stories create such a nice relaxing atmosphere. A world in which I could safely escape from the nightmare that was my life.)

Edited June 8, 2017 by Noir