Do you consider visual novels games or books to read?

[aqua star]

If it has gameplay elements like Persona then it is a game.
But, if it is just text then it is a book to read.

[Original Cast Recording]

If you take away the story and there's nothing left, then it's not a game.

If you take away the story and there's still a game to play, then it's a game.

[90054321564584560]

well its a gerne that they knew itd flop if it was actually a book. its main appeal and selling point is artwork and tons of mediocre anime architype writing. Its hard to say but VN has choices and click to turn page = interactive parts of a game. Still counts I guess? Pure VN is quite different they are like overpriced book like imagine that kinds of books got sold for 10$ but with the "visuals" and works as a "game" they can charge up to 70$. And that kinds you are talking about is a hybrid one. Which main focus is still the turn based gameplay

[Sixtyfivekills]

Depends, some VNs have gameplay elements, some are nothing but pure reading. I'll use two of my favorite ones as examples.



This is pure reading except for one bonus chapter having branching paths/choices which is not new for adventure books with multiple endings so it's not a gameplay element:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2052410/WITCH_ON_THE_HOLY_NIGHT/

This one has gameplay elements, you can get a game over if you're wrong and you have to interact with your surroundings and characters:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/787480/Phoenix_Wright_Ace_Attorney_Trilogy/

[Spirit]

i think they are games. they are in game format, have visuals, music, choices

[Aesthier]

No. I don't consider visual novels.

So thank you for the suggestion!

[Defective Dopamine Pez Dispenser]

I think it's unimportant how one categorizes them taxonomically. They are whatever they are, and people enjoy them. Why should I care if someone considers them video games?

I view them as the interactive digital equivalents of choose-your-own-adventure books, personally. Or, in some cases, simplified graphical adventure games, depending on the amount and form of interactivity.

People's usage of the term "video game" became broadened beyond a strict definition of what constitutes a game a very long time ago. And VN's have a rich history at this point dating back to the 80's. They certainly aren't an aberration or something new.

[AustrAlien2010]

Visual novels aren't games.

Many games aren't actual games either. It's all pretty messed up terminology. "Gamers" use their own special language that does not make much sense.

Most of their words are heavily influenced by other, older media. Few people understand what they are saying, and if you try to find reason into it, you will find none. It's all very confusing, and it does not make sense.



Steam is also full of grammar errors and other inconsistencies and illogicalities. Don't expect to find much reason there either. It's a senseless industry primarily focussed on making profits by selling to the lowest denominator.

[Aesthier]

Originally posted by Aikido:

I view them as the interactive digital equivalents of choose-your-own-adventure books, personally.

Ohh I remember Zork!

[Violeta]

If they give players choices, they are games.

If they give the player no choices, they are awful

[Lady of the Lake]

Games because you press space and picture changes

[Duck Twacy]

Originally posted by aqua star:

If it has gameplay elements like Persona then it is a game.
But, if it is just text then it is a book to read.

I consider them comic books for kids.

[Rumpelcrutchskin]

games

[90054321564584560]

Originally posted by Duck Twacy:

Originally posted by aqua star:

If it has gameplay elements like Persona then it is a game.
But, if it is just text then it is a book to read.

I consider them comic books for kids.

I also see it that way but more like illustrated book accurately. But it has more options in adding music and voice acting and those things jacks up the price of the actual contents in there

[Morkonan]

Originally posted by aqua star:

If it has gameplay elements like Persona then it is a game.
But, if it is just text then it is a book to read.

IMO:

A "game" is something that, for the purposes of entertainment, provides the player with tools and rules and goals to attain using them.

If you have some PC "game" that does not give the "player" any agency in affecting some kind of manipulation of the game, with tools or using choices that manipulate the rules to obtain a goal (either established or chosen by the player), it's not a "game."

A "book" is a physical thing. It's tangible and is a bound series of pages, usually consisting of letters and text, but it can also be just pictures.

Media types are important. An artist may choose stone or butter to create a sculpture and the presentation will be different based on the medium chosen. "Visual Novels" are like comic books, where there's a combination of pictures and words used to communicate a story to the reader. It's possible that a PC Game can be a "visual novel" since there's no intrinsic need for it to be a "book."

[GlaceonChireiden]

I consider any digital program with a degree of interactivity, a game. Since vns have choices to make and multiple paths then they fall under that category.

So yes, I consider vns games.