Listicle: 10 mind-bending visual novels that let you steer the story

From the writer of the upcoming instalment of Silent Hill, this franchise revolves around the inhabitants of Hinamizawa. A brutal death occurs annually at the Watanagashi festival. Can the residents figure out why, or will they all succumb to Oyashiro-sama’s curse? Or, will paranoia drive them to homicidal rage before that? The game is not for the faint of heart. This rural horror story isn’t just a visual novel, but a sound novel too – use your ears to get immersed. Developer: 07th Expansion

Part visual novel, part management simulator. You are P-chan, the producer/manager/boyfriend of a gloomy girl named Ame, aka OMGKawaiiAngel. Her dream is to become the number one streamer on the internet. Your job is to get her there… or not. As you influence every facet of her life, you soon find the dark truth beneath the pastel palette. NSO delivers social commentary about needing approval, the complicated nature of the internet, and mental-health spirals. Developer: WSS Playground

Eleven people wake up to discover that they’ve been trapped in a mysterious building. Forced to participate in a cruel death game, can Sara figure out who’s pulling the strings before the body count rises? YTTD does an incredible job of raising the stakes and keeping the tension taut, with its endearing characters. You must investigate, debate and reason your way out, because every choice you make has a devastating consequence. Developer: Nankidai

Most cyberpunk games have you playing an overpowered mercenary in the thick of things. In this one, you’re a fly on the wall, a bartender in Glitch City. It attracts the most interesting clients, from a literal brain in a jar to an android idol. The motto is to mix drinks and change lives. Let your patrons pick their poison as they pour their hearts out to you. It’s a humane side of the cyberpunk dystopia. Developer: Sukeban Games

For fans of creepy urban legends, the occult and atmospheric mystery. It’s set during the Shōwa era in Sumida City, Japan, where curses are being heaped upon the quiet neighbourhood of Honjo. Control a wide cast of characters to get to the bottom of things. Save your skin. Live to tell the tale. Best played at midnight with headphones. Why go half-measures with the scares? Developer: Square Enix

Useful title. Armed with a knife you find yourself in the woods, where the Princess waits. With its deceptively simple premise, the game weaves a beautiful, unnerving message of love, loss, loneliness and trust. With each decision you make, realities branch, dynamics shift. But your goal remains the same. Will you slay the princess or listen to the voice in your head? It has incredible replay value, because each time you get to the princess, something is different. Developer: Black Tabby Games

This courtroom franchise has spawned so many titles that it’s hard to pick one. Play as Phoenix Wright, a rookie who is on the ‘wright’ side of justice. Defend your clients as you investigate crimes, scrutinise the evidence, cross-examine witnesses and keep raising an objection each time the prosecution takes the stand. The aim: To prove your clients’ innocence. Aspiring lawyers and fans of My Cousin Vinny (1992) will love it. Developer: CAPCOM

Not quite like dating sims. Step into the shoes of the only male member of the Literature Club. In the idyllic after-school hours, you critique fellow members’ work and eloquently write your way into their hearts. Then, the twist. Someone’s depressed. Someone dies. You’re back to the start of the game and this time it’s different. The game breaks the fourth wall, comes with severe trigger warnings and will mess with your mind. Developer: Team Salvato

If time travel were possible, how far would you go to save the ones you love? Rintaro starts off using his power for fun and games. Things rapidly spiral into something far beyond his control. This game offers an immersive look at cause and effect, non-linear narratives and the consequences of exercising a superpower. You might just learn about quantum mechanics too. Developer: MAGES. Inc, Nitroplus

Following a bike accident, Haruaki finds himself in the strange village of Yasumizu. Despite the superstitious locals urging him to leave, he cannot. Once the mist starts rolling in, the stage is set for The Feast of the Yomi Purge. Haruaki must get to the bottom of this mystery and the right side of the residents, if he wants to escape this barbaric ritual. Otherwise, the only way he’s leaving Yasumizu is in a body bag. Developer: KEMCO