Recommend a VN

[OtakuNinja]

I have watched both animes and played the VN. In my opinion, the 2002 anime doesn't spoil anything except Ayu's route (and part of Nayuki's). But the 2006 anime spoils just about everything.
2002 is good if you want to get to know the characters before playing the VN, but not want everything spoiled.

[encrypted12345]

I don't think the art is that bad, considering it is from the 90s.

I've seen better art from eroge made in 1989 and one from 1995 that's only a tier below modern eroge art. The reason why Kanon's art is bad is more because of art style than anything else, but the artist has become significantly better by the time of Little Busters and Rewrite while still using the same basic art style (I still consider Clannad's to be bad). The reason why they use the same artist is because a significant amount of Key fans do genuinely like the art style. That's opinions for you.

That said, the only visual novel I consider unplayable because of art is Higurashi.

[acewing905]

The reason why they use the same artist is because a significant amount of Key fans do genuinely like the art style. That's opinions for you.

No, it's pretty much because Hinoue Itaru is one of the founders of KEY. They can't exactly fire her. And in her defense, she has definitely gotten better. Most Rewrite characters are downright cute.
Eg:
(Click for bigger image)

[OtakuNinja]

The reason why they use the same artist is because a significant amount of Key fans do genuinely like the art style. That's opinions for you.

No, it's pretty much because Hinoue Itaru is one of the founders of KEY. They can't exactly fire her. And in her defense, she has definitely gotten better. Most Rewrite characters are downright cute.
Eg:
(Click for bigger image)

HNNNNNNG!!!

I just imagined her in a lolita dress...

[stanman237]

Key artists, the creators of MOE
EDIT: They are not... My bad. They are pretty early though.

Key writers, the creators of nakige (One is written by the founders of Key)

[BobBobberson]

There's always Chaos;Head. It's a mindfuck, but then again, all of Nitro+ VNs are. And the protag is a creepy otaku! WOOOOOO!

[acewing905]

HNNNNNNG!!!

I just imagined her in a lolita dress...

Her school uniform is quite like one, actually.

[Camoufrage]

HNNNNNNG!!!

I just imagined her in a lolita dress...

Her school uniform is quite like one, actually.

Why must I see these things? They make me feel TOO DAMN GOOD AND HAPPY.

[acewing905]

Why must I see these things? They make me feel TOO DAMN GOOD AND HAPPY.

Cause she's the girl with the happiest face on Earth.



(And if these posts don't indicate it already, I'm highly recommending Rewrite. It's unlike anything KEY has ever done before. However, it's not fully translated yet, so might need to wait a while.)

[Nobody in Particular]

If Rewrite was an eroge, that picture that acewing905 posted right above me would have most definitely had a panty shot.

Rewrite certainly looks a lot more interesting than KEY's other works, even if it a little over the top.

[acewing905]

If Rewrite was an eroge, that picture that acewing905 posted right above me would have most definitely had a panty shot.

Rewrite certainly looks a lot more interesting than KEY's other works, even if it a little over the top.

I'm so glad it isn't an eroge. Don't want to think of Shizuru being violated.
By over the top, do you mean the content in the second OP?

[stanman237]

Either way I heard Rewrite Harvest Festa has a RPG Minigame in it.

So that makes:

Tomoyo After: Dungeons and Takafumi-RPG
Little Busters: Baseball Batting Practice, Ranked Battle System
Rewrite: GPS Minigame
Rewrite Harvest Festa: RPG Minigame

Reallive and Siglus sure can handle a lot being a VN engine

[acewing905]

Either way I heard Rewrite Harvest Festa has a RPG Minigame in it.

So that makes:

Tomoyo After: Dungeons and Takafumi-RPG
Little Busters: Baseball Batting Practice, Ranked Battle System
Rewrite: GPS Minigame
Rewrite Harvest Festa: RPG Minigame

Reallive and Siglus sure can handle a lot being a VN engine

These "games" are just 2D stuff that don't need many resources. (Especially LB!'s ranked battle system and Rewrite's Mappie "minigame" which is just clicking somewhere on the map to get a new scene.) Some VN engines like rUGP actually handle much more stuff. MuvLuv Alternative actually had a couple of small 3D scenes that were rendered realtime, and that was made quite some time ago. Compared to that, these aren't much. In fact, Siglus Engine takes too much resources at times for too little output.

[Xuan]

I am back!... For an instant to give my own English Translated Visual Novel Top 10 and Special Mentions List.

English Translated Visual Novel Top 10 List:
1) Clannad
2) Narcissu
3) Cartagra
4) Tsukihime
5) Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!!
6) Kara no Shoujo
7) Yume Miru Kusuri
Deus Machina Demonbane
9) Symphonic Rain
10) Ever 17

Special Mention:
1) Kira Kira
2) Muv Luv Alternative
3) Fate/stay night
4) Sengoku Rance
5) Big Bang Age

Here are some other good VNs that are not in my list, but someone else's. I do not necessarily agree that they are good (In fact there are some that I STRONGLY disagree against, but), but they are rated among Fakku members as one of their Top 10 English VNs.

Ever17 -the out of infinity-
Higurashi
Umineko
Little Busters!
ef - a fairy tale of the two.
Cross†Channel
999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors
Snow Sakura
Wanko to Kurasou
Saya no Uta
Kanon
Yin-Yang X-Change Alternative
G-Senjou no Maou
Sharin no Kuni, Himawari no Shoujo
A Profile
My Girlfriend is the President
Shuffle
Sengoku Rance
Utawarerumono
Remember 11
Quartett!
Edelweiss
Kamidori Alchemy Meister
Planetarian
Chaos;Head
Hanachirasu
True Remembrance
Hakuoki: Demond of the Fleeting Blossom
Shira Oka: Second Chances
Kana Little Sister
Tears 9, 10
A Midsummer Day's Resonance
Canvas 2
Autumn (Podzim)
Heart de Roommate
Ren'ai Blogger
10Project Nattsu
Persona 4 [eastern RPG with romance options]
Heartache 101 ~Sour into Sweet~ [dating sim]
Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side DS [ditto]
The Flower Shop: Summer in Fairbrook [VN with gardening and scheduling gameplay]
Sakura Wars: So Long My Love [tactical RPG with romance options]
Shikkoku no Sharnoth
Ghost Trick (Nintendo DS)

[acewing905]

English Translated Visual Novel Top 10 List:
...
3) Cartagra

Cartagra is not translated, afaik.