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SYMBOLIC | Metal Gear Solid Δ looks pretty goofy written down, but which games have worse titles?
What's in a name? Loads, actually. The Best Games Ever Show Episode 53
Visual Novel & Dating (Page 2)
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THIS CELLULOID DREAM | Everyone with a Netflix account can play one of 2022's best-rated games for free
Netflix is known for its movie content, sure – but have you ever played a game that’s secretly three movies threaded together?
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RED HEAD REDEMPTION | Gingers? In video games? Who allowed this?
It's a mutation. It's a very groovy mutation. The Best Games Ever Show Episode 52
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IT'S ALL LINKED | As Tears of the Kingdom finally arrives, we ask: ‘What’s the best Zelda game that isn’t a Zelda game?’
The Legend of Zelda is a hugely influential series, but which of its many copycats is the best? The Best Games Ever Show Episode 51
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ROYAL SHAME | What's the best game that's uncomfortably pro-monarchy? The Best Games Ever Show Episode 50
Hey fellas, is it royalist to build an entire artistic medium around individual power fantasies?
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News
LOTS OF CATS | Here’s everything announced at Nintendo’s Indie World Showcase
Missed the showcase? Here’s a round-up of all the games that were shown off.
Video
GRID CIRCULAR | Tron: Identity is the perfect Disney universe for Bithell Games to play around in
A surprising culmination of everything the studio has been building towards since Thomas Was Alone.
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April... Fools? | Sonic's latest game kills him off, and you have to figure out who did it
RIP to a real one.
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RAINCOAT | How Sherlock Holmes, slick 3D graphics, and Switch exclusivity sets the ambitious Rain Code apart
We speak to writer Kazutaka Kodaka on his detective inspirations, releasing close to FF 16, and more at GDC!
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Kiss And Tell | Dating sim that helps you file your taxes delisted from Steam for obvious reasons
Tax Heaven 3000 will be available on other platforms next month, though.
Article
JUST PARANORMAL MEN | Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries Of Honjo is a must-play for Danganronpa, Zero Escape, and Japanese horror fans
A surprise Square Enix horror visual novel is just what I needed to curl up with, even if it did get under my skin.
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REBUILD | Doki Doki Literature Club publisher has another visual horror novel on the way
Developed by the creators of Paratopic, Arbitrary Metric.
Video
LAST MINUTE HEROICS | Midnight Suns is a surprise late contender for Game of the Year
Firaxis finally gives us an Iron Man Mode we can all enjoy.
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sounds interesting | Tron Identity is a new visual novel coming to PC from Bithell Games
From the folks who brought you Thomas was Alone.
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in a brew moon | Xbox Game Pass gets surprise addition with another indie hit
Coffee Talk comes to Xbox Game Pass today – and the heart-warming indie game arrived with very little warning
News
Steph's Story | Life is Strange: True Colors is set to receive a prequel novel
The book will be the first ever novel tied to the series.
Guide
Steins;Gate Complete Walkthrough: Get All the Endings and Achievements
This is the choice of Steins Gate, but so is that one. Which one is right? Time-leap your way to the True ending with our full, spoiler-free guide.
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News
Mature Visual Novels are at Risk of Being Taken Down from Steam [Update]
A sudden content guideline change blindsided the visual novel community.
Article
How Necrobarista Looks to Anime to Evolve the Visual Novel
We talked to the designers and artists behind the most artistically innovative visual novel on the horizon.
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Digital Gems: A Guide to Dating Girls, Boys, and even Pigeons
In a special Valentine's Day themed Digital Gems, we spotlight some dating simulators that will make your heart skip a beat.
Review
Chase: Cold Case Investigations ~ Distant Memories ~ 3DS Review: Short Story
The successor to defunct developer Cing's emotional adventure games can't help but feel like a pretender to the throne.
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10 Questions with Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair's Killer Localization Team
Spike Chunsoft's intriguing mix of Battle Royale and Ace Attorney debuted in America with one of the best English language adaptations in years. We talked to NIS America's crack team of localizers to find out how they pulled off this nearly impossible task.
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Walking Further: Delving Into Visual Novels
With this week's release of The Walking Dead: 400 Days, a whole lot of you are doubtless going to be hungry for more story-heavy action soon. Here's a roundup of some other experiences you might want to try.
Article
Now on the PC, Corpse Party Remains a Must-Play for Horror Fans
If you missed its 2011 digital PSP release—and you probably did—there's never been a better time to experience this gory, gut-wrenching adventure.
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Expert Witness: An Interview with Alex Smith, the Writer Behind Ace Attorney's English Debut
The veteran localizer discusses his process, working with Japanese puns, and how Phoenix was nearly named "Roger."
Review
XBlaze Code: Embryo PS Vita Review: A Compelling Argument for Illiteracy
Arc System Works combines shopworn anime tropes and thoroughly hateful design in one repellant package.
Article
JPgamer: From the Folks Who Brought You Steins;Gate: Lovecraft Meets Giant Robots
The recently localized Steins;Gate may be Nitroplus' most well-known work, but an earlier title from the developer is still a fascinating read for those of you with strong stomachs.
Review
Steins;Gate PC Review: Time After Time
Nitroplus and 5pb.'s classic Japanese visual novel Steins;Gate finally gets an English language release thanks to localization specialists JAST USA. Was this time-travelling tale worth the wait?
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JPgamer: First Impressions from Steins;Gate
Pete's been playing the long-awaited official English localization of Nitroplus' well-regarded, mind-bending visual novel Steins;Gate. Was it worth the wait? El Psy Kongroo.
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JPgamer: Dating Sim Month: Kira Kira
In the third installment of Dating Sim Month, Pete looks at a coming-of-age visual novel that is full of surprisingly emotional moments -- it's Overdrive's Kira Kira.
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Inside the Genesis of Virtue's Last Reward and the Challenges of Visual Novels
Things aren't looking so rosy for a continuation of Spike Chunsoft's Zero Escape series. We talk to director Kotaro Uchikoshi about the inspiration behind his games, and the challenges of keeping a niche genre alive.
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JPGamer: Dating Sim Month: Magical Diary
It may not be a Japanese game in itself, but Hanako Games' Magical Diary is a great example of not only a traditional dating sim model, but also of "otome games" aimed specifically at female players.
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JPgamer: Dating Sim Month: Aselia the Eternal
February! The month of love! What better time to indulge yourself with some virtual romance courtesy of Japan's fine selection of relationship-centric titles? Snuggle up and get cozy -- this week we take a look at visual novel/dating sim/strategy game/RPG hybrid Aselia the Eternal.
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2013 in Review: The State of Narrative in Games
Pete Davison and Jeremy Parish look back at the ways this year's games succeeded and failed at telling great stories.
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JPgamer: I've Poured Too Many Tears
In this week's roundup of all things Japanese gaming, we take a look at Narcissu, a free indie visual novel hoping to get on Steam, plus Idea Factory International's site launches, there's an Atelier anime on the way, and Sega has a pleasing announcement for Hatsune Miku fans.
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JPgamer: A Real Page-Turner
With the Steam release of Dysfunctional Systems: Learning to Manage Chaos, the first pure visual novel to hit Valve's platform, we explore this quintessentially Japanese means of interactive storytelling and what gaming at large could learn from it.
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JPgamer: Dragons in Your Pocket
This week in our roundup of all things Japanese, we talk the Dragon Quest I-VIII iOS ports and what Idea Factory International are up to, plus news on Drakengard 3, that Dengeki Bunko fighting game and a Kickstarter that may be of interest to dating sim fans.
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"Gritty" and "Mature" Aren't Synonyms
We saw quite a few games at E3 obviously shooting for adult audiences, but making something dark isn't the only way to be mature.
