VN with strong romance plus fantasy/SF story

[Spectrum]

Hi, all! I am looking for VNs that feature both a strong, emotional romance plot AND a compelling supernatural or science-fiction story that is about other things than the love story.

• 18+ is preferred but not mandatory. Romantic build-up and tenderness is much more important than explicit sex acts.
• A happy ending is absolutely essential (but it is fine if there are also bad endings).
• I especially love a heroine who is badass in action situations yet submissive in romantic/sexual situations. Not mandatory, though.
• English is preferred. I can only barely read manga in Japanese; any untranslated VNs will have to wait some years at least.

I have not played a lot of VNs, so I cannot give really good examples, but the ones I have played that come close-ish are:

• Highway Blossoms has a wonderful love story and a moderately interesting plot about finding buried treasure. No speculative fiction elements, though.
• Everlasting Summer has a quite interesting supernatural mystery plot. The romance is not very strong, though.

VNs which I have heard about and which might fit include the following, although I have not played any of them:

• Fate/stay Night (interested because it is famous; skeptical because other Type-Moon works disappointed me).
• 11eyes (the anime adaptation is flawed but did make me interested).
• Steins;Gate (don't know much about it, but I have heard it is good).
• Dies Irae: Amantes amentes.

Examples from other media include:

• Chivalry of a Failed Knight (Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry).
• Dusk Maiden of Amnesia (Tasogare Otome x Amnesia)
• Darling in the Franxx.

Can you recommend me anything? Thanks a lot!

Edited April 21, 2019 by Spectrum
Improved layout; added example

[Plk_Lesiak]

If you liked Highway Blossoms, Heart of the Woods should satisfy you even more - it has similarly strong romance and a pretty great supernatural mystery plot.

SoulSet is a full-on fantasy game and the romance is less crucial in it, but it's still there in decent amounts and its approach to mystery is quite interesting and unique.

[MIUUZICK]

you may like Code;Realize if you don't mind it being an otome.

 

 

[Clephas]

Evolimit

Komorebi no Nostalgica

Fake Azure Arcology

Re:Birth Colony

Bullet Butlers

Ayakashibito

Kikan Bakumatsu Ibun Last Cavalier (just avoid the Shinsengumi endings)

Akeiro Kaikitan (Avoid Youko's ending)

Hatsuru Koto Naki Mirai Yori

Tenshi no Hane o Fumanaide

Yomegami

World Election

Sakura, Sakimashita (despite the themes, i consider the endings to be happy, though worthy of tears at the same time)

Lunaris Filia

Toppara Zashiki Warashi no Hanashi

Toki o Tsumugu Yakusoku

 

 

[VirginSmasher]

Obligatory Himawari mention. Sounds like it'd fit your tastes pretty well (well, besides the all-ages part).

[littleshogun]

Since there's Himawari recommendation, I'll follow up by recommending Island (From the same writer). Other than Island, I guess you can try Hakuai (Beware of the bad endings), Fata Morgana (It might be too depressing though), and Dracu Riot. I hope my rcommendations here would be helpful to you.

[Spectrum]

Thanks a lot for the suggestions!

I have heard about Heart of the Woods. I should try that soonish.
Himawari is this one?
I have a friend who recommends me Dracu Riot. I will look closer at it.
I will also look at some more of them.

I have played Nurse Love Addiction (Hakuai). It is a solid game. (For me Itsuki is best girl by far.)

I am not afraid of bad endings. Bad endings can be very cool. I just need the game to ALSO have good endings.

Thanks!

[AustriaVNFan]

Since you seem not to have read it I think this sage would fit quite well what you are looking for:

Muv-Luv and Muv-Luv Alternative

It is (at least the Steam version, not sure if there is a patch) not 18+ but everything else is pretty much what you want. The romance - even though not the main theme later on - is pretty well done and I have never grown as attached to the heroines as in these games. Just read through Muv-Luv Extra (the first part). There is not so much of a plot going on there, but I still think it's important to read it to really get involved in the whole story and it's still sweet.

11 hours ago, Spectrum said:

Himawari is this one?

Yes, that one. I can second that. It will probably fit your requirements as well

 

On 20.4.2019 at 3:12 PM, Spectrum said:

Dies Irae: Amantes amentes.

I would not say this VN has strong romance. If romance is an important part for you you will probably be disappointed. But - no doubt about that - the story is good and the villains beautifully evil!

additionally I might add:
G-enjou no Maou: has an intriguing plot and when the MC finally gets over his 'sucker phase' the romance is quite nice.

[Spectrum]

On 4/24/2019 at 10:11 AM, AustriaVNFan said:

additionally I might add:

G-enjou no Maou: has an intriguing plot and when the MC finally gets over his 'sucker phase' the romance is quite nice.

Thanks for the advice. Does G-senjou no Maou have any supernatural elements? As far as I understood it is a fairly realistic setting.

[Funnerific]

On 4/26/2019 at 6:24 PM, Spectrum said:

Thanks for the advice. Does G-senjou no Maou have any supernatural elements? As far as I understood it is a fairly realistic setting.

No, G-senjou doesn't have any SF or fantasy elements.