Best games
Best Visual Novel games of 2021
The 11 best Visual Novel games released in 2021, ranked from 713 critic and player ratings.
The best Visual Novel game of 2021 is Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!, with a critic score of 82/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 30 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Each game is ranked in one genre only, the one that defines it best, so the same title never tops two different genre charts.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 2021.
- 11 games are listed on this page, carrying 713 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 29 September 2026.
Top 11
01
Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!
Welcome to the club! Write poems for your crush and experience the terror of school romance in this critically-acclaimed psychological horror story.
82
/100
02
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
This bundle is "The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures" and "The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve" in one package. Play as Ryunosuke Naruhodo, ancestor of Phoenix Wright, to solve mysteries and defend clients with the ace detective Herlock Sholmes across both England and Japan.
86
/100
03
The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
A narrative-driven RPG set in a gritty world where a person's Lot is determined at birth, while the gods are real and preside over the fates of men. Set out on a lifelong journey and carve out your own destiny. Will you become a judge, an inquisitor, or conspire against the old order? You decide!
82
/100
Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!
Welcome to the club! Write poems for your crush and experience the terror of school romance in this critically-acclaimed psychological horror story.
82
/100
02
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
This bundle is "The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures" and "The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve" in one package. Play as Ryunosuke Naruhodo, ancestor of Phoenix Wright, to solve mysteries and defend clients with the ace detective Herlock Sholmes across both England and Japan.
86
/100
03
The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
A narrative-driven RPG set in a gritty world where a person's Lot is determined at birth, while the gods are real and preside over the fates of men. Set out on a lifelong journey and carve out your own destiny. Will you become a judge, an inquisitor, or conspire against the old order? You decide!
82
/100
04
The Ratchelor: A Rat Dating Sim
A new dating sim about finding and marrying the rat of your dreams. Choose from 21 eligible contestants and slowly narrow it down until you find true love.
80
/100
05
Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk
A sequel to Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk. Dive into demented and bizarre world once again and help the girl become a little happier.
78
/100
06
Tails Noir
Unfold the mysteries of a dystopic animal society inhabiting retrofuturistic Vancouver in a noir stealth adventure coming in 2019. Backbone is a pixel art cinematic adventure with stealth and action elements. As a private investigator Howard Lotor you are set to solve detective cases, interrogate witnesses, explore the intriguing retrofuturistic Vancouver, and sneak your way to safety using smell-based stealth mechanics. Backbone collides the visual and social contrasts of film noir with anthropomorphic animals and dystopian fiction. Crawl through the dark alleys of pixelated Vancouver, and experience the impactful storyline focused on themes of power and prejudice.
78
/100
07
Emily is Away <3
Emily <3 is a brand new game set on an old-new social media. Customize your facenook profile, send some friend requests and determine the outcome of your senior year.
75
/100
08
Umamusume: Pretty Derby
Umamusume: Pretty Derby is ready to race! Scout featured trainees and supporters as you navigate the immersive sports life simulation through the game's in-depth training system and top-of-the-line 3D graphics!
74
/100
09
Alfred Hitchcock – Vertigo
Can you trust your own mind? In Alfred Hitchcock: Vertigo, dive into a new kind of psychological thriller, and walk on a thin line between reality and fantasy. Live a powerful narrative experience paying tribute to the visual and storytelling techniques of the thriller genre. Investigate through the vision of three characters: everyone has a different story to tell. Explore several timelines to cross-check the events and separate reality from deceptive memories. Prepare yourself for a disturbing investigation inside the human mind: the truth is sometimes worse than madness…
71
/100
10
HuniePop 2: Double Date
Take a trip to an exotic island paradise for a steamy new adventure in this long awaited sequel to the popular dating sim / puzzle game hybrid, HuniePop!
70
/100
11
Dagon
62
/100
The Ratchelor: A Rat Dating Sim
A new dating sim about finding and marrying the rat of your dreams. Choose from 21 eligible contestants and slowly narrow it down until you find true love.
80
/100
05
Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk
A sequel to Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk. Dive into demented and bizarre world once again and help the girl become a little happier.
78
/100
06
Tails Noir
Unfold the mysteries of a dystopic animal society inhabiting retrofuturistic Vancouver in a noir stealth adventure coming in 2019. Backbone is a pixel art cinematic adventure with stealth and action elements. As a private investigator Howard Lotor you are set to solve detective cases, interrogate witnesses, explore the intriguing retrofuturistic Vancouver, and sneak your way to safety using smell-based stealth mechanics. Backbone collides the visual and social contrasts of film noir with anthropomorphic animals and dystopian fiction. Crawl through the dark alleys of pixelated Vancouver, and experience the impactful storyline focused on themes of power and prejudice.
78
/100
07
Emily is Away <3
Emily <3 is a brand new game set on an old-new social media. Customize your facenook profile, send some friend requests and determine the outcome of your senior year.
75
/100
08
Umamusume: Pretty Derby
Umamusume: Pretty Derby is ready to race! Scout featured trainees and supporters as you navigate the immersive sports life simulation through the game's in-depth training system and top-of-the-line 3D graphics!
74
/100
09
Alfred Hitchcock – Vertigo
Can you trust your own mind? In Alfred Hitchcock: Vertigo, dive into a new kind of psychological thriller, and walk on a thin line between reality and fantasy. Live a powerful narrative experience paying tribute to the visual and storytelling techniques of the thriller genre. Investigate through the vision of three characters: everyone has a different story to tell. Explore several timelines to cross-check the events and separate reality from deceptive memories. Prepare yourself for a disturbing investigation inside the human mind: the truth is sometimes worse than madness…
71
/100
10
HuniePop 2: Double Date
Take a trip to an exotic island paradise for a steamy new adventure in this long awaited sequel to the popular dating sim / puzzle game hybrid, HuniePop!
70
/100
11
Dagon
62
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Visual Novel game of 2021?
Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! currently tops the ranking with a score of 82/100 across 123 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.