Visual novels and romance in video games
Was it just us, or did January feel like a whole year?
On our end, January meant short days filled with projects, longer nights, frozen and slippery roads, and tons of snow. Fortunately, that chapter is behind us since we’re well into February by now. Sure, the weather might look pretty much the same, but there’s a certain feeling of warmth floating in the air… or should we call it love? Yes, that sounds more accurate. 💗The month of love💗
And as gamers and QAs, there’s something else that comes to mind when we think about love. Beyond red hearts and lovebirds, we couldn’t miss the chance to talk about one of the most romantic game genres out there.
VNs 101
According to Masterclass, visual novels (further referred to as VNs) can be defined as text-based adventure games which blend interactive fiction and animated art styles to create an immersive experience for the player.
The genre is really popular in Japan, and a great deal of VN’s use a Japanese or Japanese-like art style inspired by anime. While primarily focusing on text-based narratives, visual novels may borrow from other type of games, like the class system of RPGs or the fidelity of simulation games.
VNs come in many forms, from family-friendly adventures, to the romance-focused otome, which are primarily intended for women. There are many sub-genres and there’s always a great chance for a player to find their niche.
Visual novels: more than just interactive books
Visual novels don’t rely on fast action or complex mechanics. Instead, the story is the focus of the gameplay. Players move forward by reading, clicking, and making choices that subtly steer the narrative in different directions.
The name visual novels come from the fact that these games often involve intricate narratives and branching storylines. A sub-category called kinetic novels closely resembles reading a book, but with an added touch of engagement, however, for other type of VNs gameplay is also part of it.
Interactive elements, such as inventory, puzzles, combat systems, animations or audio queues, can be introduced as part of the game, adapted to the text-based format. What seems simple on the surface can quickly become layered. Many visual novels go deep into constructing branching storylines where even small decisions can lead to different developments, relationships, or endings.
It’s a player-driven genre, in which we’re not just watching a story unfold, but we participate as main characters and often have the chance to shape the narrative. There’s a high level of interactivity and even replaying feels meaningful, rather than repetitive, as each playthrough can lead the us down a different path.
Predominant themes in visual novels
We already mentioned that VNs have their own sub-genres and categories, and of course, there are predominant themes which can be noticed across all of them. Let’s look at the main recurring topics from visual novels:
💕Love and romance💕
Romancing plotlines and dating simulators are usually the first things that come up when talking about visual novels. In many stories players are given the possibility to navigate different romantic routes and influence the outcomes through dialogue. VNs usually allow players to explore more facets of love, from simple crushes to lengthy relationships. Common scenarios can include unreciprocated love, enemies to lovers, and the fight to keep the „fire going”.
❤️🩹Loss and grief❤️🩹
Loss and grief are recurring themes in VNs because they play a huge role in the “character development” department. Whether it’s the death of a loved one, a painful separation, or a deep betrayal, these moments leave emotional marks that players can’t ignore. In visual novels, the players can choose how to respond to that grief: they can either face it completely, avoid it, or slowly learn from it while they move forward. There is an entire sub-genre called nakige which focuses on loss and heavy melancholic settings.
👤Identity and self-discovery👤
In VNs, characters are often placed at crossroads where they question who they are, what they want, and how they fit into the world around them. This theme makes the whole experience even more personal: players guide these journeys through choices that reveal their own values, doubts or desires. The common stories may explore themes like personal insecurity, social roles, or coming of age. Always at the character’s pace, and often with emotional honesty.
QA and Visual Novels: How to test
Testing? Is there even a need for QA in a text-based game?
Even though visual novels don’t use elements such as fast combat, complex controls, physics-based systems, or other traditional mechanics that require testing, the need for Quality Assurance is just as important as in other genres.
The player’s eyes are fully on the story and its narrative elements and as QA’s, that’s exactly what we focus on, along with the technical aspects of putting together such a game.
Interactions. Testers follow every dialogue option, every choice, every branch, making sure the narrative flows as intended. A wrong flag, a missing variable, or a broken choice can lock players out of entire routes or trap them in a dead end with nowhere to go.
Build. Technical elements matter just as much. Saving and loading needs to work perfectly, especially in games where players return often to explore different paths. Music, backgrounds, character expressions, and history of dialogue all need to come back exactly as they were. Even the “Skip” button gets special attention, since skipping the wrong line can break pacing or worse, skip a choice that shouldn’t be skipped.
UI/UX. Visual elements are also closely watched. Backgrounds must match the scene, characters sometimes have animations, also they need to have the right expressions at the right time. In a genre that relies on mood, even small visual mistakes stand out.
Gameplay. Mini-games, timed decisions, puzzles, relationship systems, any type of mechanics need to be tested. QA’s learn how far the gameplay goes and test those systems accordingly, making sure they trigger correctly and don’t interfere with the story flow.
Localization. A very important aspect, since in VNs words carry the entire experience! As QAs, we check for grammar, consistency, formatting, tone, and intent. More importantly, we adapt the game experience to the respective country’s culture, as well as comply with the legal regulations at hand.
Well, that’s about it for now when it comes to visual novels.
If this article sparked your curiosity (maybe you’re discovering the genre for the first time, or maybe you already know your way around branching choices and slow-burn romances), now might be the perfect moment to lean into it. And if you’re in the mood for a little “enemies to lovers” tension or an “impossible love” kind of story, there’s no better excuse than the month of love.
For some inspiration, check out this article on itch.io, which highlights a selection of visual novels worth trying. Who knows? You might just find your next favorite story just in time for Valentine’s Day!
