Introduce your friends to good quality Visual Novels without them complaining about having to pay for it.
These are all Visual Novels I have personally played and recommend as an introduction to the genre and what it's capable of. It's more than just high school dating sims, porn, and meme games. If your friends try to say otherwise, here's some ammunition to prove them wrong.
The criteria I use to put something in this collection is as follows:
The reason for these criteria is to reduce any barrier of entry or objections people might have to actually trying one of these. And once they're able to see the potential, then they'll be ready to go deeper.
It's a little otome-heavy since that tends to be one of my preferences, but should have a good spread of things approached and handled well. I'll be adding to it slowly since I want to be able to personally curate it rather than just go based on referrals.
A raw look at the struggles of many to grapple with "invisible illnesses", which apply to many disabilities both physical and mental, and the way society treats people without easily understandable symptoms.
A deep and flexible approach to choice in the narrative allows you to be who you want and still pursue your goals both in plot and in romance. Incredibly detailed customization options.
Angela He does a lot of really neat experimental VNs and hybrids, I recommend checking them all out but this is the one I will feature.
Supernatural otome - A longterm labor of love from a solo dev, quite rich in content.
One of the classics in western otome, not afraid to go dark
A good subversion on classic fairy tales, with a protagonist who has an actual personality and growth.
short otome for the gamer girl in you
Yuri, kinetic, very moe
Scifi romance from multiple perspectives
Otome dating sim done right
horror/survival with optional romance, voiced
Psychological Horror - Not for the faint of heart, but very enjoyable
Otome done right.
Unusual, short, and awesome. Does a lot of neat and non-standard implementation to give a very distinct feel.
