Games that would work well as Visual Novels

[Lord of Rapture]

For the purposes of the thread, let us assume that Visual Novels are not games.

What games do you think would translate well into a visual novel format, focusing exclusively on the story and characters?

Planescape: Torment is an obvious choice, but I think Bioshock would work well as well.

Ooh, so would KoTOR (both games) as well.

[Deca]

I second the Bioshock idea. Both Bioshock games would work great in that format.

I'd also say Dawn of War but there are plenty of 40k graphic novels around already.

[Prime32]

I second the Bioshock idea. Both Bioshock games would work great in that format.

I'd also say Dawn of War but there are plenty of 40k graphic novels around already.
Graphic novel =/= Visual novel. A visual novel is something you read on a computer, with pictures, music, and a few forks in the story. Like Fate/stay night.

[Tengu_temp]

Dragon Age. Because the story is good but gameplay is unimpressive. And hey, it already has dating sim elements!

[Prime32]

Dragon Age. Because the story is good but gameplay is unimpressive. And hey, it already has dating sim elements!Final Fantasy. Any of them, really. For similar reasons.

[Cobalt]

Certain Ace Combat games have struck me as having truely great storylines (and not just "for a flight simulator game:" they were genuinely good at making me want to play past an annoying level simply because I wanted to see the conclusion of the storyline). In fact, I actualy wouldn't be suprised if there were already visual somethings of an Ace Combat game. But I'm too lazy to open Google.

[Fri]

Yeah, I was going to say most jrpg. Not all, though.

[Vitruviansquid]

Sacrifice is up there for me. It's got colorful characters, a good plot with a surprising twist, and some of the best voice acting I've ever seen.

[psilontech]

Homeworld.

Because it would be pretty.

[Rogue 7]

Dragon Age. Because the story is good but gameplay is unimpressive. And hey, it already has dating sim elements!

Maybe I'd actually play it in this form.

Because the combat just bored me, and since Mass Effect came out, I haven't looked at it twice.

[Lord of Rapture]

Maybe I'd actually play it in this form.

Because the combat just bored me, and since Mass Effect came out, I haven't looked at it twice.

*sniff* You're actually making me feel welcome for once. :smallredface:

[Toric]

Final Fantasy 6.

A great cast that the story jumps around between, with a villain that could be truly terrifying if well-drawn and well-written. Plus, we'd get to see battles involving more than 4 characters at a time!

[SparkMandriller]

Solitaire.

it could be like an ntr game with the queens come on



(Am I allowed to say like every RPG ever?)

[Zeful]

Balder's Gate, Icewind Dale and pretty much all games of a similar style would do well as a Visual Novel.

Though thinking about it, many short D&D campaigns would make pretty epic Visual Novels too. The DM plays the same setup for four or so different parties, records their decisions and then animates them.

[Comet]

A quick question, since I'm curious:

are there any Visual Novels made outside of Japan? Or is it a completely Japanese thing?

[Lord of Rapture]

A quick question, since I'm curious:

are there any Visual Novels made outside of Japan? Or is it a completely Japanese thing?

Well, so far, all of the major ones were released in Japan, but there are a few not from that crazy place. :smalltongue:

[Comet]

Here's another idea, which took me embarassingly long to come up with, since it's really rather obvious.
Shin Megami Tensei.
Take out all the grinding, running around and Atlus difficulty and you are left with an epic, sometimes touching, always esoteric story about humanity's rage against Hell/Heaven, with characters ranging from Thor to Lucifer (and Jack Frost).

I love the older MegaTen games for their weird mix of cyberpunk and occultism and the surprisingly personal stories of the world coming to an end time after time. I can't quite stand the gameplay, though. Too damn hard.

[Cubey]

Betrayal at Krondor has so much text, it could as well be a visual novel.

Just kidding. It's still an awesome game, one way or the other.

And I was going to say Dragon Age as a response to the original question here, but Tengu was faster.

[Poison_Fish]

Deus Ex? I think that'd be quite odd and funny. But it certainly could fit.

[Cubey]

"Oh my God JC, a bomb!"
"A bomb!"

[Excel Saga]
Who puts a bomb in a visual novel?!

[Mercenary Pen]

I'm gonna suggest Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri.

[Ikialev]

Super Mario Bros. :3
10marios

[Toric]

This. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116836) There's already a sequel ready!

[Inhuman Bot]

Another point for Bioshock.

It scares me too much for me to finish it. :smalltongue:

[Atelm]

I feel that Wanderers of Sorceria (http://wos.campaigncreations.org/) would make for an awesome VN. Although it isn't a game exactly, but a series of 6 campaigns for WC III.


"Oh my God JC, a bomb!"
"A bomb!"



Deus Ex wins in the department of [unintetionally] hilarious dialogue at times.

But yes, Deus Ex the Visual Novel would be really something to see.

[MrPig]

God of War, but mostly because I'm a sucker for anything Greek mythology and it's re-imaginings.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Considering that "Visual Novel" in Japan usually seems to equate to "dating sim"...the suggestion of Bioshock made me chuckle.

Seriously, though, that would be a good Graphic Novel if done right. I like Batman for the atmosphere and strong moral clashes...and Bioshock is chock full of that feel.

[The Dark Fiddler]

I'd say the Final Fantasy Tactics Advance games (not familiar with the original, would it work too?) would work, if they made the plot a bit bitter. Maybe there could be different endings based on all the different interpretations of Marche's character! :smalltongue:

Also, does Heavy Rain count or is it already too close to a Visual Novel? :smalltongue:

[Eldan]

I wanted to say Heavy Rain, and I haven't even played it :smalltongue:

What about Planescape: Torment? The combat wasn't all that great, apart from fantastic looking spells. So if they polished the graphics up, it would make a great novel. Or a movie, if they managed to pull it off.

[Lord of Rapture]

God of War, but mostly because I'm a sucker for anything Greek mythology and it's re-imaginings.

How the heck do you turn a game based entirely around hacking things to death into a VN? :smallconfused:

EA tried roughly the same process in reverse, at it kinda sucked.

@Eldan: I suggested it in my first post, and I agree. The combat wasn't all that great, but passable, but the dialogue and story utterly blow you away. It would be f***ing awesome in VN format.

[MrPig]

How the heck do you turn a game based entirely around hacking things to death into a VN? :smallconfused:

EA tried roughly the same process in reverse, at it kinda sucked.

@Eldan: I suggested it in my first post, and I agree. The combat wasn't all that great, but passable, but the dialogue and story utterly blow you away. It would be f***ing awesome in VN format.

Hidden beneath all the murdering tons of dudes thing, there's actually quite a bit of story. Also, I'd imagine it would be similar to the 300 graphic novel type o' thing.