While most visual novel games aren’t going to flex the muscle of a PlayStation 5, sometimes you just want to relax and settle in with a good story. Luckily there is a superb selection of games to choose from, covering a wide range of themes, settings, and gameplay mechanics. No matter what you’re after, you’re likely to find something to enjoy in our list of the best Japanese visual novel games on PlayStation 5. If you don’t see your favorite, let us know in the comments below!
Witch on the Holy Night
Witch on the Holy Night is a prequel to the popular Tsukihime and is part of developer Type-Moon’s shared universe. Don’t worry if you haven’t played Tsukihime before, as this story stands on its own quite well. A high school student named Aoko Aozaki has moved into a mansion where a witch is rumored to live. Those rumors turn out to be true, and the witch somewhat reluctantly begins instructing Aoko in the ways of sorcery. When strange happenings start kicking off in the town, Aoko and her companions must get to the root of the problem before things go too far. The plot can be a bit stop-and-start, but the evolving character relationships make for an interesting read.
Zero Escape: The Nonary Games
This bundle gets you Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors and Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward, the first two games in the Zero Escape series. These games dip heavily adventure and puzzle-solving elements, but they have enough visual novel aspects to make them right at home on this list. In each title, nine unlucky people must challenge the Nonary Game, a fatal contest where only the clever will survive. You can look forward to some very twisty plots in both of these games, and for whatever they occasionally lack in coherence they more than make up for in sheer tension.
The House in Fata Morgana: Dreams of the Revenants Edition
Developed by Novectacle, this game tells a tale that spans centuries. The House in Fata Morgana is frequently mentioned as one of the best Japanese visual novel games, and it’s clear why. A mysterious mansion stands empty save for an amnesiac spirit and a maid who appears to have some secrets of her own. The spirit must explore the past to determine both its own identity and what happened to bring the mansion to its current state. With an incredibly compelling plot, powerful atmosphere, and some genuinely excellent writing, this is one visual novel you must experience.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
Unorthodox though it may be, this is one of the best Japanese visual novel games on PlayStation 5. With one foot planted firmly in the adventure genre and the other in the visual novel genre, the Ace Attorney series somehow manages to appeal to fans of both. Maybe it’s the great writing and memorable characters? Perhaps it’s the exciting court battles? Whatever the case, Capcom hit on a winning formula with Ace Attorney. The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles mixes things up by taking the story to a fresh setting. An ancestor of Phoenix Wright finds himself moving from one troublesome case to the next in Victorian England, and even ends up meeting an oddly familiar detective along the way.
428: Shibuya Scramble
An intriguing crime thriller from Spike Chunsoft, one of the publishers who was instrumental in the early days of the genre on console. In 428: Shibuya Scramble, you follow the viewpoints of several people involved with a kidnapping and ransom in the titular city of Shibuya. When and how you make each character act will determine which path and ending you’ll follow. You have to really think about the consequences of each choice, and that’s quite interesting. The game also presents a lot of different themes and tones, making for a rather enjoyable visual novel to fully explore. Its distinctive design makes this one of the best Japanese visual novel games on PlayStation 5.
AI: The Somnium Files
From the mind of Kotaro Uchikoshi, the creator of the Zero Escape series, AI: The Somnium Files is a mystery thriller with a distinct twist. With investigation segments that break from the typical mechanics of the genre, it’s a bit different from the usual visual novel. You play as Kaname Dato, a special kind of detective who can dive into the memories of others to find additional evidence. He’s been called in to investigate a murder that has taken place in this near-future version of Tokyo. Some of the gameplay elements don’t work as well as others, but on the whole this is a fantastic game.
Gnosia
One of the things some people don’t like about visual novels is that once you’ve played through the game, there isn’t much reason to come back. Gnosia adds an RNG component so that each loop of the game differs in unpredictable ways. A dangerous organism known as Gnosia infects people and makes them try to kill others, and one or more of the people on your escape ship has been compromised. You won’t know who until you can puzzle it out, and it might even turn out that you’re the Gnosia on a particular loop. Run through enough times and you might finally figure out a real way to get out alive. Fascinating stuff.
Steins;Gate Elite
How could someone make a list of the best Japanese visual novels without including Steins;Gate in some form or another? A fascinating science-fiction story about a bunch of friends who stumble upon a huge discovery. While the main character, Okabe Rintaro, initially tries to use this invention for the benefit of himself and his friends, he soon learns that nothing is without its cost. Steins;Gate Elite is a spiffed up version of the original game and offers all of the twists and turns that made it a classic in the genre.
Clannad
A high school student with a tumultuous past has a chance meeting with a girl who helps him find meaning in his life. He’s soon surrounded by many new friends, each with their own story to tell. Clannad deals with themes of family, trauma, and grief as it spins its tale spanning the lead character’s journey from adolescence to adulthood. It’s considered by many to be the masterpiece work of legendary visual novel developer Key, and after you’ve played it you will easily understand why.
Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen
Fans of turn-based tactical RPGs looking for a gateway into the visual novel genre will want to take note of the Utawarerumono trilogy. This is the first part, and it does an excellent job of setting up the world and its key characters. It also manages to be a fine enough story on its own, so don’t worry that it’s all build-up with no go. You don’t remember who you are and your injuries are severe. All you know is that you’ve been saved by the people of this village, and you’ll eagerly pay them back by fighting for their survival.
