Best games
Best Visual Novel games on Linux
The 19 best Visual Novel games on Linux, ranked from 4,683 critic and player ratings.
The best Visual Novel game on Linux right now is Doki Doki Literature Club!, with a critic score of 94/100 — 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 80 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: 1970 to 2026.
- 19 games are listed on this page, carrying 4,683 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 19
01
Doki Doki Literature Club!
The Literature Club is full of cute girls! Will you write the way into their heart? This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.
94
/100
02
Pyre
A party-based RPG/visual novel/sports game hybrid wherein the player, dubbed the Reader for their literacy by the group of scavengers who discovers them, is sent in exile to a lawless wasteland called the Downside and has to lead their ever-growing party of misfits to locations wherein many similar parties compete in Rites in order to attain freedom and be absolved of their crimes.
86
/100
03
Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You
Using the new governmental security program that has the power to survey the online presence of every person in The Nation, you investigate the lives of citizens to find those responsible for a series of terror attacks. Information from the internet, personal communications and private files are all accessible to you. But, be warned, the information you supply will have consequences…
86
/100
Doki Doki Literature Club!
The Literature Club is full of cute girls! Will you write the way into their heart? This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.
94
/100
02
Pyre
A party-based RPG/visual novel/sports game hybrid wherein the player, dubbed the Reader for their literacy by the group of scavengers who discovers them, is sent in exile to a lawless wasteland called the Downside and has to lead their ever-growing party of misfits to locations wherein many similar parties compete in Rites in order to attain freedom and be absolved of their crimes.
86
/100
03
Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You
Using the new governmental security program that has the power to survey the online presence of every person in The Nation, you investigate the lives of citizens to find those responsible for a series of terror attacks. Information from the internet, personal communications and private files are all accessible to you. But, be warned, the information you supply will have consequences…
86
/100
04
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
The follow up to Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. The main character, Hajime Hinata, a new 'Ultimate' student at Hope's Peak Academy. On their first day, Hajime and all of his classmates are taken on a field trip to the mysterious Jabberwock island by their anthropomorphic rabbit teacher, Usami. Usami explains that on this island the students are to have fun together and become friends to gather Hope Fragments. Usami's field trip does not go as planned when Monokuma appears and begins a new Killing Game. Anyone that wants to leave the island must commit a murder and get away with it. If the murderer is successful, he/she is allowed to leave the island, while everyone else is killed. When a murder occurs, the player investigates. After the investigations, a trial commences to determine who the culprit is.
85
/100
05
Everlasting Summer
Semyon, a poster child contemporary chan culture consumer, falls asleep in the bus, only to wake up in front of the gates of Sovyonok, a pioneer camp of the late Soviet Russia. Everlasting Summer is a time-warping, mind-bending visual novel with some eroge content, produced by the collective efforts of Russian chan communities.
85
/100
06
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
Learn about daily life in a cyberpunk dystopia. A branching storyline where your decisions do not depend on traditional choices, but through the drinks you prepare. Visuals inspired by old japanese adventure games for the PC-98, with a modern touch for an other-wordly experience. A beatiful soundtrack composed entirely by Garoad. Get to know your clients, their tastes, and prepare the drink that will change their lives.
84
/100
07
HuniePop
HuniePop is a 2015 adult dating sim/match-3 puzzle game published and developed by HuniePot. Funding for the game was raised via Kickstarter. It is available in two versions, one censored and one uncensored, although the censored one can easily be patched. The game follows a player (can be male/female) trying to woo a variety of women by going on dates with them, giving them gifts and talking to them.
82
/100
08
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
In Danganronpa, players dive into a series of class trials and expose the lies and contradictions of their classmates to find out who's behind each grisly murder. In each trial, players must use the evidence and testimony collected during their investigation to shoot down their opponent's assertions literally.
82
/100
09
Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk
A short story about what sort of challenges everyday little things can be. Help the girl buy milk, be the first not to disappoint her.
80
/100
10
The Red Strings Club
"The Red Strings Club is a cyberpunk narrative experience about fate and happiness featuring the extensive use of pottery, bartending and impersonating people on the phone to take down a corporate conspiracy."
80
/100
11
Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk
78
/100
12
Love, Money, Rock'n'Roll
77
/100
13
Katawa Shoujo
76
/100
14
Helltaker
74
/100
15
Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
73
/100
16
missed messages.
71
/100
17
Emily is Away
67
/100
18
Long Live The Queen
67
/100
19
Crush Crush
60
/100
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
The follow up to Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. The main character, Hajime Hinata, a new 'Ultimate' student at Hope's Peak Academy. On their first day, Hajime and all of his classmates are taken on a field trip to the mysterious Jabberwock island by their anthropomorphic rabbit teacher, Usami. Usami explains that on this island the students are to have fun together and become friends to gather Hope Fragments. Usami's field trip does not go as planned when Monokuma appears and begins a new Killing Game. Anyone that wants to leave the island must commit a murder and get away with it. If the murderer is successful, he/she is allowed to leave the island, while everyone else is killed. When a murder occurs, the player investigates. After the investigations, a trial commences to determine who the culprit is.
85
/100
05
Everlasting Summer
Semyon, a poster child contemporary chan culture consumer, falls asleep in the bus, only to wake up in front of the gates of Sovyonok, a pioneer camp of the late Soviet Russia. Everlasting Summer is a time-warping, mind-bending visual novel with some eroge content, produced by the collective efforts of Russian chan communities.
85
/100
06
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
Learn about daily life in a cyberpunk dystopia. A branching storyline where your decisions do not depend on traditional choices, but through the drinks you prepare. Visuals inspired by old japanese adventure games for the PC-98, with a modern touch for an other-wordly experience. A beatiful soundtrack composed entirely by Garoad. Get to know your clients, their tastes, and prepare the drink that will change their lives.
84
/100
07
HuniePop
HuniePop is a 2015 adult dating sim/match-3 puzzle game published and developed by HuniePot. Funding for the game was raised via Kickstarter. It is available in two versions, one censored and one uncensored, although the censored one can easily be patched. The game follows a player (can be male/female) trying to woo a variety of women by going on dates with them, giving them gifts and talking to them.
82
/100
08
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
In Danganronpa, players dive into a series of class trials and expose the lies and contradictions of their classmates to find out who's behind each grisly murder. In each trial, players must use the evidence and testimony collected during their investigation to shoot down their opponent's assertions literally.
82
/100
09
Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk
A short story about what sort of challenges everyday little things can be. Help the girl buy milk, be the first not to disappoint her.
80
/100
10
The Red Strings Club
"The Red Strings Club is a cyberpunk narrative experience about fate and happiness featuring the extensive use of pottery, bartending and impersonating people on the phone to take down a corporate conspiracy."
80
/100
11
Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk
78
/100
12
Love, Money, Rock'n'Roll
77
/100
13
Katawa Shoujo
76
/100
14
Helltaker
74
/100
15
Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
73
/100
16
missed messages.
71
/100
17
Emily is Away
67
/100
18
Long Live The Queen
67
/100
19
Crush Crush
60
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Visual Novel game on Linux?
Doki Doki Literature Club! currently tops the ranking with a score of 94/100 across 521 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.