Seeking My Personal Favorites

[Ghost2529]

Here's the full list of all of my personal favorites (in no particular order). I would definitely recommend every game here for a number of different reasons, as well as a number of others which I haven't gotten around to adding yet.
As of recently, life has thrown quite the curveball at me, and I've had a lot to deal with so I've not been keeping up with anything on here. I'm currently behind on a bunch of the titles here, and have a LOT of catching up to do.

I'm planning to work on typing up detailed feedback and synopses here of the different games as I get caught up on what I've missed.

Links to the game threads are included in the table below. When available, I used my favorite fan-signature for the game as the link, but when one wasn't available, I still provided a link for interested parties. Game Details links (the working ones) should take you to a post here where I've detailed my thoughts on the game as well as a summary / synopsis of the game's major selling points and what you can expect in it.

A House in the Rift Game Details	Harem Hotel Game Details	Ataegina Game Details	Love of Magic Game Details	Being a DIK Game Details	Radiant Game Details
Lilith's Throne GET THE GAME HERE (No Fan-Signature Available) Game Details	WVM Game Details	Halfway House Game Details	Price of Power Game Details	Vinovella University	Bad Memories Game Details
Thirty Days GET THE GAME HERE (No Fan-Signature Available) Game Details	My New Family Game Details	Long Live the Princess	Cosy Cafe	Pact with a Witch	Chasing Sunsets
Endowed	Long Road Home	Serenity	Eternum	Game Place Holder	Game Place Holder
Game Place Holder	Game Place Holder	Game Place Holder	Game Place Holder	Game Place Holder	Game Place Holder
Reluctant Archon Abandoned Game Details	Polarity Abandoned Game Details	Offcuts Abandoned Game Details	Game Place Holder	Game Place Holder	Game Place Holder

 

[Ghost2529]

A House In The Rift

Current Version (0.6.12r1)

Synopsis
A House in the Rift is a unique approach to the fairly common isekai genre.
The staples of which feature a character (or characters) pulled from our 'real' world into an alternate world or reality after something happens to them in the 'real world'.
For A House in the Rift, your MC is going about his normal day-to-day life when something happens in a nearby government building that causes things to get a bit 'weird'. He wakes up in a projection of his house, and you get to do a little exploring before you run into the first of many memorable characters.
As it turns out, your MC is something of a powerful Dream-walker who inadvertently pulls the girls into the projection of his childhood home here in The Rift.
The catch, everyone that ends up in the house is henceforth trapped until the MC can learn enough about magic to control his powers and find a way to get everyone home.

Gameplay
The gameplay is primarily a choice-based, character-driven story in the beginning with a sandbox exploration and first-person Point of View.
Things may seem a bit confusing at first, and some of the scenes are time-locked. There is also a bonus gallery with a bunch of clickable objects in the environment to unlock these, for those looking to get 100%.
A few of the scenes in the beginning are time-locked, meaning if you miss them and advance the story, you won't be able to get them again during that save. Fortunately, simply seeing them in a playthrough is enough to unlock them in the gallery.
You also have your 'phone' app which you can use to get hints on how to progress the stories for each of the characters, and during each time of the day you also have a room-selection option to get around the house that shows you where each of the girls is at that point in the day, so getting around and advancing their stories isn't difficult.
The girls have two core stats to keep in mind, and you raise their max values by progressing the story for each character.
The two stats in question are Intimacy and Lewdness, which you can raise through obvious means.
Your MC also has two main stats to be concerned with.
Strength and Focus. The max value for these also is increased as you advance the story. To improve Strength, you need to work out or train with Naomi, and to improve Focus you need to study in the library (when it is unlocked) or train with Rae. Strength relates to your physical capabilities, and raising it will help with some of the scenes (such as catching someone if they fall, or moving stuff around in the house), and Focus relates to all things Magic, and so far training in this is your main objective.
There are, however, no clear time constraints. You can spend as long as you want working on this, and once you've gotten the first three girls into the house (Rae, Naomi, and Cait), as far as I've seen nothing is time-locked anymore. Everything can, and will, be unlocked at your own pace, additionally, all of the unlocked scenes are repeatable in-game, with only a few exceptions.

Characters
All of the characters so far have been fairly well-developed, though the most recent additions to the roster do not have the same amount of content that the first four do, as they have been part of the game for a far longer amount of time.
Currently the cast consists of the following lovely ladies.

• Rae
• Naomi
• Cait
• Lyriel
• Yona
• Blair

There are a number of other supporting characters as well, but these are the main ladies of the harem, and they have quite the following. Each of them is unique and has a refreshingly authentic personality and their interactions in the house have been quite enjoyable. I've got my personal favorites (Rae and Cait) from the beginning, but have to admit Lyriel's growth has been endearing and she has become a personal favorite character, even if she isn't quite my...type.

 

[Ghost2529]

Harem Hotel

Current Version (v0.16.2)

Note: This is the first game from here that I've played, and it will forever be one of my favorites.

Synopsis
The game begins with your character inheriting a hotel from his grandfather. In the beginning you have only one resident in the hotel, which you get to name along with the male MC.
This kind of thing is pretty common for the genre (Male MC comes into a position of influence through some inheritance and gradually builds a harem of loyal women) but the approach Runey took here is definitely worth noting as unique.
The depth of the world-building and background lore of the game's setting is something that I haven't really seen from a game like this (with only one exception).
When you begin, your hotel has one tenant, a receptionist, and one slave/maid, all of whom you are introduced to very early on, then gradually as you progress the character-driven story more girls show up at the hotel, and you get to explore their stories as well.

Gameplay
The basics of the gameplay are sandbox exploration of your hotel (visiting the city/town has been an addition only recently added so there isn't much to do or see there...yet). You get hints early on about how to progress the character-driven stories, and there are some events that have to be triggered before you can progress certain story elements. (These events are triggered in one of four places in the hotel; The Lobby, The Kitchen, The Laundry Room, or the Spa, and all of them are accessed through the lobby, and triggered during the Morning.)
There is an income element to the game, and it provides you with the funds you need to buy the stuff for the girls. For the most part, it is self-sustaining once you finish upgrading the bar. Just keep the most expensive advertisements going and you'll soon be making more money than you can spend. It really doesn't take any effort or work. Just takes a bit of time to get things started since the girls don't provide you with much income.

Characters
Harem Hotel has one of the widest and most diverse groups of characters I've seen included in a game of this genre so far, even more so when the side-characters are also included.

• Kali
• Luci
• Ashley
• Maria
• Felicity
• Emma
• Autumn
• Lin
• Android
• The Elves

I'm listing 'The Elves' as a group here with the main characters due to their direct involvement in a number of main story elements, and the option to progress two distinct storylines for two of the group.

 

[Ghost2529]

My New Family

Current Version (0.23)

Note: I am very behind on playing this one. The last version that I played was for Chapters 1-9. The information here is based on what I can remember from the last version of the game that I played, and may be different from what is currently in the game. As for why I haven't been playing this one recently, that is a personal decision and not relevant to the game itself, and I do intend to give it another try when I have time. Life has been...hectic...for me recently.

Synopsis
You begin this game when your male MC moves into the home of his estranged mother and her two other children after having been away from them for a number of years.
The story progresses gradually from there as the girls start to develop feelings for your male MC in a fairly original approach to the harem genre. What really stands out for me in this one, is how the dev, Killer, chose to approach including a nekomimi (cat-girl) character in the game. It was a very realistic and scientific approach to explaining her, while also including the challenges and hardships she likely would have had to face growing up.

Gameplay
The gameplay here is pretty linear, like with most visual novels on the market. Click, read text, click again. Make the occasional choice as it comes up, rinse and repeat.
In what I've played of this game, there wasn't much more than this in terms of 'Gameplay' to make it feel like a game as opposed to a story with pictures. That said, there is nothing wrong with this approach.

Characters
This one has a fairly wide selection of characters, including a choice few who are, shall we say, my weakness. As it has been quite a long time since I've last played, I can't remember most of their names, all I can say on this is that Lucy, was one of my favorites for more than just her red hair and cat ears.

 

[Ghost2529]

Reluctant Archon

Current Version: Ch4
Status: Abandoned

Seeing this game abandoned hurt in ways that I'm still having trouble putting into words. It was such a gem with a new and original story, original and memorable characters, a great story, and everything that made the visual novel genre into one of my favorite game genres.

Overview
This game still has a fair amount of content and is one of the best examples of a combination of Modern era and Fantasy elements that I've seen in any of the games that I've played, and this includes the high-budget console and PC releases in recent years as well.
I'm truly upset to see this gem get abandoned after the dev went MIA.
If anyone were to take up the mantle, and attempt to continue this game, or to take the concept of it and remake it, I would be willing to help out during my free time.

 

[Ghost2529]

WVM

Current Version: Season 2 (Chapter 1: Episode 8)

Synopsis
The basic premise of this one is that your male MC is being given a full-ride sports scholarship to attend the college that the game takes place at for his skill in basketball, and over the course of the game he builds up what amounts to a harem of loyal women who are completely okay with him fucking other women. Your MC has fame and influence in the college from the start and the hardest part is juggling all of the demands on his time from the various women to his basketball career.

Gameplay
The gameplay for this one is fairly simple and direct. In essence, it is no different from any other choice-driven visual novel on here without any other mini-game elements added in. Given the type of game that this is, though, this is exactly what can be expected from the genre as it is focused more on storytelling and the characters than it is on any game mechanics. While this one could certainly benefit from having some mini-game elements added in later, it is fine as it is.

Characters
The characters in this one are reasonably believable given the type of game it is, and all of them have been very well developed. It's been a long time since I've played this one and I can't remember all of their names, but can say that I don't have any complaints about the exceedingly diverse cast of characters here.

 

[Ghost2529]

Radiant

Current Version: v0.5a

Note: The last version of this game that I played was v0.1.2, and it is currently up to v0.5a so I have a lot of catching up to do. I am planning to update this post again as soon as I've finished playing through the most recent version of the game.

Synopsis
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Gameplay
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Characters
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I'll begin by saying what's currently available (at the time of me writing this) isn't that much. The game is only on version 0.1.2 right now at the time that I'm writing this post.
However, what is available, was masterfully executed. While the subject matter isn't something that I tend to enjoy too much, the way this game's story is presented in its opening moments, and how everything continues from there, it was amazingly well done.

Brilliantly executed, and overall, one that I found myself hooked on before I had even finished what was currently playable, so there was no way to not include it here as well.

If you're in the mood for a story that will tease you a bit in the beginning before taking hold and dragging you in, this is definitely the game for you.

 

[Ghost2529]

Lilith's Throne
~By Innoxia
(No Fan Signature)
Current Version: 0.4.7.5 PR

Synopsis
Lilith's Throne is a text-based game built using Java, and while I know it won't be for everyone, the amount of options available to players between vanilla and the excessive number of mods available on the LT discord server, there is a little something for everyone in this fully customizable gaming experience.
The story is pretty interesting so far, but the real value of this game comes in the freedom and mod capabilities.

Gameplay
The game begins with you going through the character-creation process, and once you've created your character and finish the initial event (inciting incident) you are more or less free to explore the world you woke up in at your own discretion.
Gameplay features a map-based exploration system in a grid, an elegantly simple combat system for battles, and as much, or as little, sexual content as you want.

Characters
The amount of different NPC's that you can interact with is nearly limitless, from the story-based NPC's (many of which have character art on their info pages), to the randomly generated NPC's that you can encounter while exploring.
The characters are also fairly well developed (story characters, not random-generated ones), and many of them are quite interesting.

 

[Ghost2529]

Being a DIK

Current Version: Season 3-Chapter 9 (v0.9.1)

Synopsis
Being a DIK is another college-based, slice-of-life game that takes the genre to an entirely new level of detail and depth. Complete with a very diverse and interesting cast of characters, you play as a male MC who is starting life at a new college as he begins a new phase of his life.
This game does its best to accurately represent the college experience in a choice-driven game where your decisions and choices actually do matter in the long term.

Gameplay
Being a DIK is a choice-driven visual novel with a number of optional mini-game elements added in, and thus far I've found all of them to be enjoyable. Not too difficult, and they don't take away from the game itself. Additionally, they are entirely optional.
There is also an economy system employed in the game that is simple and practical so it doesn't pull your focus away from what matters. The story.

Characters
There is a huge cast of characters, and while I have my forever-favorites (Sage & Jilly-Bean), there are characters who will appeal to all sorts in the game, and each one is portrayed in a realistic and believable way.

All in all, I will always recommend this one for anyone looking for a great story, and a fun game.
DIK for Life ^,.,^

 

[Ghost2529]

Halfway House

I'll start off by saying a new update for this one just recently came out (Episode 7), and I've only finished up to Episode 6 at the time of writing this.
That said, I found the game to be entertaining with some hard burns thrown in. Don't worry about those though, you'll probably spend more time laughing than burning the images from your eyes with real bleach, and burning them from your mind with brain-bleach (aka alcohol).

Personally, I think the character design for the MC was a bit over the top, but hey, I'm not playing these games to stare at the MC in a mirror. Instead, I prefer to focus on the cast of lovely ladies in games like these, and this one's got a few very, each with very...unique...personalities.

It's on my list here though, so needless to say, it comes with my highest recommendations.

 

[Ghost2529]

Polarity

Status: Abandoned

Polarity was an interesting game, and certainly had a fair amount of potential with its unique storyline and approach to the genre.
It is admittedly sad to see that it was abandoned by the Dev, in favor of some other project(s).

There was still a fair amount of content available, so I'm leaving this post here, and leaving it in the list for those who might want to check it out.

Overview
You're playing this one as a martial artist who recently won the lottery and moved to a new city to start fresh in a place where nobody new you. Things don't really go entirely as planned moving forward, but they are certainly interesting.

The MC here ends up making a business contract with the head of what I can only guess is an all-girls High School, since the kids in your class are all young high-school girls.

There is another plot to this game as well, but I can't go into detail on that because of spoilers, so rather than doing that, I'll simply say that I love the way the story has developed and the numerous twists that have been thrown in already. I'm also really looking forward to seeing where things go next, that last update I played ended on quite the cliffhanger.

 

[Ghost2529]

Offcuts

Status: Abandoned

Another game with a lot of potential that ended up being abandoned. The characters were certainly interesting and the story had potential. It's sad to see how too often gems like this end up getting abandoned.

There was a reasonable amount of content available before the game was abandoned so I'm leaving it here for anyone who might be interested in giving it a try.

Overview
I'll admit the art style for this game took a bit of getting used to, and at times it can still look a bit weird to me. That said though, the story was amazing, and it certainly deserves to be listed here among all the others.

It has been too long since the last time I've played through this one, but I can still clearly remember a number of interesting and entertaining moments in the story. The only reason I'm not sharing them here is because they contain massive spoilers for the different characters in the story, and I don't want to ruin those moments for you.

My advice, take the time to get used to the art style, it is definitely worth playing through at least once, if not more so.

 

[Ghost2529]

Bad Memories
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[Ghost2529]

Thirty Days
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[Ghost2529]

Ataegina
(Placeholder)

 

[Ghost2529]

Price of Power

Current Version: Ch 16

Note: I'm currently behind on playing this one, the last version that I played was only up to Chapter 10 and there have been several updates since then. At current, this is based entirely on the last version of the game that I played.

Synopsis
(I'm refraining from sharing some details here to avoid spoilers for the story)
This game starts off with you playing a male MC in what feels like a generic medieval fantasy setting who runs into a childhood friend years after something happened to cause them to go their separate ways.
Things quickly develop from there as you start your adventure with your childhood friend, revealing that the world isn't entirely as it first appears. This one is definitely more of a slow-burn game as far as the romance aspect goes, and it is extremely well done.
Where I left off, there was a major reveal for the plot that presented a serious problem that your MC was in a position to try and help solve, thanks in part, to things that happened previously.

Gameplay
Gameplay for this one isn't far-removed from the traditional choice-driven visual novel, as one would expect. I haven't encountered any additional gameplay elements, but that isn't exactly a downfall here. The game plays exactly as one would expect from a visual novel, and is expertly presented to focus on the characters and the story. While it could certainly have benefitted from the inclusion of some simple gameplay elements during a few of the story beats that I played through, the lack of additional gameplay elements and minigames doesn't detract from the game itself.

Characters
So far there have been three major characters introduced (as of chapter 10) that you, as the player, get to name, and one additional 'character' that you don't. Since you get to name most of the main characters, and the only one you don't get to name is part of a story element, I'm going to be leaving their names out here.
What I will say, is that they are all very well developed and each character brings their own unique personality and traits to the story to help drive it forward.

 

[Ghost2529]

Love of Magic

Current Version: Book 3

Note: At the time of writing this, I have only played up to the conclusion of Book 1, so all information here is based upon that. I am, however, certain that the story's depth has developed substantially since then, but most of the core gameplay elements have remained consistent, or have been further refined and improved upon.

Synopsis
You begin this game believing your MC is just an average person until the inciting incident fairly early in the story after you arrive in the city. The inclusion of magic and other fantasy elements here all ties back into Arthurian legend, and I have to admit this is a major interest of mine, so it played no small part in pulling me into this game's story.
There is a lot more going on in the story as well, and I'm going to refrain from going into detail to avoid possible spoilers. All I'll say is that it is definitely worth the time investment.

Gameplay
For reference: My old PC used to have seizures trying to run Honey Select: Unlimited, and even some simple Ren'Py visual novels used to give it trouble during more demanding animated sequences. Additionally it was more than a few years old when this game came out, and was not a gaming PC by any definition. At present, most modern PC's especially gaming PC's should be able to run this game without issue.

The only drawback I saw with with the two playthroughs I did on this game was that it requires a higher-end machine to be able to run smoothly. The first playthrough was buggy and the animation was very rigid and laggy on my older machine, which admittedly was not a gaming rig by any sense of the word.
After I got myself a gaming PC, I gave the game another try and saw a clear and distinct difference. The animation was flawless and there was no lag in anything that was going on in-game.
The issues here, by extension, were not in the game itself, but in the operational specs of my PC.
Since my gaming rig wasn't a high-end custom rig, and it ran the game just fine, I'm confident in saying that most, if not all, modern gaming PC's should be able to run this game without any issue.
As for the core gameplay elements, it plays like your typical choice-driven visual novel with a fair amount of free-roam / sandboxing thrown in, along with a unique approach to combat in the form of a poker-themed match-game, where you need to match poker hands on a grid to attack your enemies.
Admittedly, Poker isn't my thing and I had some issues with this in the beginning, the battles aren't exactly hard, and from what I've been told, there are only 8 unavoidable fights, all of which are easy to win.
Personal feelings aside, the game mechanics play well, and are most definitely an interesting and original take on the visual novel genre, and they do quite a lot to add to the overall depth of the game, so if your PC can handle the game here, then I would definitely recommend giving it a try.

Characters
The characters for this game have all been very well developed, and as it has been quite some time since I've last played it, I can't remember all of their names, so I'm not listing them here.
I do distinctly remember my favorites (one of which is in the fan-sig image here), and loved the way the different characters interacted with each other and with the MC.
They all had distinct and unique personalities, and the dynamics between them were flawlessly executed from a story-telling perspective.
I honestly don't have anything to critique on the characters for this one. They were all diverse, and it was clear a LOT of thought and effort went into their creation.