Best games
Best Visual Novel games on PC
The 37 best Visual Novel games on PC, ranked from 7,904 critic and player ratings.
The best Visual Novel game on PC 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.
- 37 games are listed on this page, carrying 7,904 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 37
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
Neon White
Neon White is a single-player speedrunning FPS where you can sacrifice your guns for godlike parkour moves.
88
/100
03
STEINS;GATE
Steins;Gate is a Japanese visual novel developed by 5pb. and Nitroplus. It is the second game in the Science Adventure series following Chaos;Head. The game is described by the development team as a "hypothetical science ADV" and explores time and time travel in 2010 Akihabara. The gameplay follows non-linear plot lines which offer branching scenarios with courses of interaction.
87
/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
Neon White
Neon White is a single-player speedrunning FPS where you can sacrifice your guns for godlike parkour moves.
88
/100
03
STEINS;GATE
Steins;Gate is a Japanese visual novel developed by 5pb. and Nitroplus. It is the second game in the Science Adventure series following Chaos;Head. The game is described by the development team as a "hypothetical science ADV" and explores time and time travel in 2010 Akihabara. The gameplay follows non-linear plot lines which offer branching scenarios with courses of interaction.
87
/100
04
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
05
AI: The Somnium Files
Play as detective Kaname Date on the case of an elusive serial killer in this thrilling, sci-fi murder mystery.
86
/100
06
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
07
Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward
The second game in the Zero Escape series. Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward is a mystery/thriller visual novel. It is story focused with multiple endings that use player choices and puzzle rooms to progress. Additions to the game include an 'auto-advance text' mode, so players can listen to the voice acting without clicking through dialog, a memo function that allows players to note anything they feel is useful, and a flow chart that shows how alternate choices unfold. The in-game calculator has been removed.
86
/100
08
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
09
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
10
Persona 3 Portable
Persona 3 Portable is an enhanced remake of Persona 3 for the PlayStation Portable. The game features an option to play as a female character, which alters some aspects of the story. In addition to the new playable character, there are two new difficulty levels to select from alongside the original game's three. The game also features some other story related changes regardless of the player character gender. The battle system is also updated to be closer that of Persona 4.
84
/100
11
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
84
/100
12
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations
84
/100
13
HuniePop
82
/100
14
Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!
82
/100
15
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
82
/100
16
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
82
/100
17
The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
82
/100
18
Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk
80
/100
19
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
80
/100
20
The Red Strings Club
80
/100
21
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
80
/100
22
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for All
80
/100
23
Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk
78
/100
24
Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma
78
/100
25
Love, Money, Rock'n'Roll
77
/100
26
The White Door
77
/100
27
Katawa Shoujo
76
/100
28
Helltaker
74
/100
29
Virginia
74
/100
30
Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
73
/100
31
Assemble with Care
72
/100
32
missed messages.
71
/100
33
Coffee Talk
70
/100
34
Emily is Away
67
/100
35
Long Live The Queen
67
/100
36
NEKOPARA Vol. 0
66
/100
37
Crush Crush
60
/100
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
05
AI: The Somnium Files
Play as detective Kaname Date on the case of an elusive serial killer in this thrilling, sci-fi murder mystery.
86
/100
06
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
07
Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward
The second game in the Zero Escape series. Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward is a mystery/thriller visual novel. It is story focused with multiple endings that use player choices and puzzle rooms to progress. Additions to the game include an 'auto-advance text' mode, so players can listen to the voice acting without clicking through dialog, a memo function that allows players to note anything they feel is useful, and a flow chart that shows how alternate choices unfold. The in-game calculator has been removed.
86
/100
08
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
09
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
10
Persona 3 Portable
Persona 3 Portable is an enhanced remake of Persona 3 for the PlayStation Portable. The game features an option to play as a female character, which alters some aspects of the story. In addition to the new playable character, there are two new difficulty levels to select from alongside the original game's three. The game also features some other story related changes regardless of the player character gender. The battle system is also updated to be closer that of Persona 4.
84
/100
11
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
84
/100
12
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations
84
/100
13
HuniePop
82
/100
14
Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!
82
/100
15
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
82
/100
16
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
82
/100
17
The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
82
/100
18
Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk
80
/100
19
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
80
/100
20
The Red Strings Club
80
/100
21
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
80
/100
22
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for All
80
/100
23
Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk
78
/100
24
Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma
78
/100
25
Love, Money, Rock'n'Roll
77
/100
26
The White Door
77
/100
27
Katawa Shoujo
76
/100
28
Helltaker
74
/100
29
Virginia
74
/100
30
Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
73
/100
31
Assemble with Care
72
/100
32
missed messages.
71
/100
33
Coffee Talk
70
/100
34
Emily is Away
67
/100
35
Long Live The Queen
67
/100
36
NEKOPARA Vol. 0
66
/100
37
Crush Crush
60
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Visual Novel game on PC?
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.