Console: | Sony Playstation 2 |
TV Standard: | NTSC-J |
Country: | Japan |
Developer(s): | Vridge |
Publisher(s): | Success Corp. |
Release Date: | 2006-06-08 |
Players: | 1 |
Co-op: | No |
ESRB: | E - Everyone |
Type: | Adventure, Role-Playing |
A visual novel is an interactive fiction game, featuring mostly static graphics, most often using anime-style art or occasionally live-action stills (and sometimes video footage). As the name might suggest, they resemble mixed-media novels.
In Japanese terminology, a distinction is often made between visual novels proper (abbreviated NVL), which consist predominantly of narration and have very few interactive elements, and adventure games (abbreviated AVG or ADV), which may incorporate problem-solving and other types of gameplay. This distinction is normally lost outside Japan, where both NVLs and ADVs are commonly referred to as "visual novels" by international fans. Visual novels and ADVs are especially prevalent in Japan, where they made up nearly 70% of the PC game titles released in 2006.
Visual novels are distinguished from other game types by their extremely minimal gameplay. Typically the majority of player interaction is limited to clicking to keep the text, graphics and sound moving (most recent games offer "play" or "fast-forward" toggles that make even this unnecessary).
Most visual novels have multiple storylines and many endings; the gameplay mechanic in these cases typically consists of intermittent multiple-choice decision points, where the player selects a direction in which to take the game.
Tensei Hakkenshi Fuumoroku: In the game the player takes the role of a first year high school student (the player can change the character's name at the beginning) that lost his parents a few years ago. He is in possession of a pendant that has been passed down from generation to generation and he has been learning kendo since he was in elementary school. The game begins when he starts high school meeting his childhood friend Kasumi and he has to prevent the revival of the monster.
The gameplay is part visual novel with different choices and part combat.