The best visual novels of 2017

Each year, more and more visual novels find their way into our gaming libraries. Major Japanese games are localized and developers in other regions decide to dabble in the genre. This year, a few incredible tales from Japan were finally told in other regions, and we appreciated the opportunity to play these three in particular.

The best visual novel of 2017: Chaos;Child

What happens when your delusions can shape the world around you? Do you imagine the worst possible situations, try to see the best possible outcome or remain grounded in reality? Chaos;Child lets people shape the story and world by determining whether or not to indulge in flights of fancy, all while attempting to investigate a series of murders. It is amazing how different each playthrough can be. – Jenni

Runner-up: Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Danganronpa has developed from a scrappy upstart game into a thriving franchise, a concept V3 plays with in its narrative and eagerly subverts to keep longtime fans guessing. One thing’s for sure: you’ll have opinions about the places this game goes, and that’s not a bad thing. – Graham

Runner-up: Collar X Malice

Otome games are gaining ground outside of Japan. Collar x Malice was the best one to be released in the west this year. There is a certain sense of gravity here, as our heroine is attempting to save her own life, investigate a terrorist organization and find love all at once. I think it works so well, because the focus is on solving crime and relationships develop naturally between your coworkers along the way. – Jenni