This episode we’re discussing Visual Novels! We talk about what visual novels are, whether they count as books, reading novels we’re much too young for, being unable to suspend our disbelief, watching videos at 2x speed, monetization, watching vs playing, linear vs divergent stories, and more! Plus, this episode is like 75% tangents!
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In this episode
Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray | RJ Edwards
Things We Read (Played?) This Month
Matthews list of (more) Visual Novels he enjoyed playing
- A Mortician's Tale - “a story-driven death positive video game where you play as a mortician tasked with running a funeral home.”
- Arcade Spirits - “a romantic visual novel that follows an alternative timeline where the 1983 video game crash never occurred.”
- Don’t Take It Personally, I Just Don’t Like You: The Camping Trip - “a lo-fi relationship dramedy about camping illegally on government property in the chill of early autumn, having public anxiety attacks in crowded shopping malls, the people we choose to be with, and what we do when they don't choose us back.”
- The Night Fisherman - “A short tale of inhumanity in the English channel."
- The Outcast Lovers - “Driving home late one night you encounter a refugee in distress.” (Sequel to The Night Fisherman.)
- Us Lovely Corpses - “a short surreal-horror-romance visual novel about helping a friend.”
- Watch Me Jump - “a digital story of scandal and betrayal, played out in four quarters.”
- Mission: It's Complicated - “a visual novel about getting superheroes to fall in love, and the shenanigans that happen along the way.”
- Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator - “a game where you play as a Dad and your goal is to meet and romance other hot Dads.”
Other Media We Mentioned
Links, Articles, and Things
5 Visual Novels (and 1 amazing resource) by People of Colour
- Blerdy Otome: this episode’s list would not be possible without Blerdy Otome, who reviews otome games, visual novels, and related media! Check out the Blerdy Tribe page of her website for tons of Black game developers, artists, podcasters, and other folks to follow!
- ValiDate: a forthcoming romantic visual novel about 12 adults in Jercy City navigating new relationships and the harsh realities that come alongside them. Features an array of character art by artists of color and a narrative developed by an all people of color writing team.
- One Thousand and One Days: an LGBTQ+ fantasy otome based on the mythology of ancient Persia and Islamic lore.
- Pairs: a romantic sci-fi visual novel featuring two superheroic couples and four perspectives to see their stories from.
- Us Lovely Corpses: a short surreal-horror-romance visual novel about helping a friend. Matthew’s stream of this game can be found here (check the content warning in the video description).
- Order a Pizza: play as a divorced dad trying to order the perfect pizza. Matthew’s stream of this game can be found here.
Suggest new genres or titles!
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Join us again on Tuesday, September 15th we’ll be giving an update on media we’ve been consuming that’s not for the podcast!
Then on Tuesday, October 15th we’ll be reading Comedic/Humourous Novels!
