Visual Novels With Horror Elements

Summary

• Some visual novels focus on horror elements and storytelling, like
  Slay the Princess.
• Doki Doki Literature Club
  surprises players with horror themes after appearing as a typical visual novel.
• Needy Streamer Overload
  explores the dark side of fame and mental health in a unique visual novel.

Visual novels can be rather laid back as players lose themselves in detailed worlds full of memorable characters. VNs can tackle several genres, with their storytelling chops being so strong that some of the best visual novels around end up being adapted into popular anime that most fans have probably heard of.

However, there are some visual novels that prefer to scare players out of their wits with sublime visual design and storytelling. Players who want to immerse themselves in unique horror experiences should give these visual novels a shot.

Many of these visual novels deal with themes of self-harm, anxiety, violence, and mental health.

8 Slay The Princess

A Game That Plays On The Damsel-In-Distress Trope To Shock Players

Slay the Princess burst onto the scene as one of the scariest visual novels with a tantalizing premise. Players are thrust into a scenario where a princess that they would usually protect ends up being the very monster that a valiant knight must take down by any means necessary.

This is easier said than done, especially when the true extent of this princess’ monstrous nature comes to light. Slay the Princess is an incredible visual novel that keeps its cards close to the chest before slowly showing players the depth of its amazing narrative.

7 Doki Doki Literature Club!

A Visual Novel That Went Viral After Revealing A Horror Element That Took Players By Surprise

Doki Doki Literature Club! looks like a run-of-the-mill visual novel with dating sim elements. However, it’s only after players spend a few hours in this title that its horror inclination reveals itself.

With themes of self-harm rife throughout this title, it’s easy to see why Doki Doki Literature Club! can be hard to stomach for some players. However, powering through this experience lets players enjoy a sublime horror-focused visual novel that isn’t afraid to throw a curveball at gamers with its disturbing content.

6 Milk Outside A Bag Of Milk Outside A Bag Of Milk

A Sequel That Explores What It’s Like To Live With Crippling Social Anxiety And Psychosis

• Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch
• Release Date: August 26, 2020
• Developer: Nikita Kryukov

Most people can only imagine what it’s like to live with crippling trauma and psychosis, but Milk Outside a Bag of Milk Outside a Bag of Milk does a great job of depicting just how harrowing this condition can be. It’s a hit sequel to the first game that is bigger and bolder in every way.

The simple act of going to a grocery store and completing basic actions becomes a nightmare with these crippling afflictions. The protagonist’s challenges become something that players can relate to by the end of this unnerving visual novel.

5 Higurashi When They Cry

A Murder-Mystery Visual Novel That Can Be Chilling

• Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
• Release Date: August 17, 2014
• Developer: 07th Expansion

A disturbing visual novel that seems perfectly normal in the early going, it doesn’t take long for Higurashi When They Cry to show just how messed up it is. Players who are squeamish when it comes to violence should give this game a pass.

The story takes place in a small village called Hinamizawa where numerous horrifying incidents take place. From fatal infections to bloody murders, Higurashi is full of disturbing imagery and plot twists that make it an effective visual novel with elements of the horror genre.

4 Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

The Twisted Murder Game Becomes Darker And Darker With Every Death

Danganronpa is one of the best murder-mystery visual novels players can get their hands on, especially if they love the Ace Attorney series. However, there’s no denying that Danganronpa is more twisted, with a group of special high school students being forced to participate in a killing game.

Uncovering murders and witnessing the trauma caused by seeing these bodies is unnerving and compels the player to solve every case by any means necessary. To make things worse, the final revelation of Trigger Happy Havoc injects a sense of hopelessness into its characters, showing just how messed up the world of Danganronpa is.

3 Zero Escape: The Nonary Games

The Nonary Games Are Twisted And Lead To Some Horrifying Story Moments

Zero Escape houses two amazing visual novels with escape room gameplay where players are thrust into the twisted Nonary Games. The characters must figure their way around certain challenges if they want to keep their lives intact, which makes for a disturbing premise.

To make things worse, the story becomes even darker as players slowly uncover it, making the experience scarier than it has any right to be. Solving every puzzle in the game is critical for players who want to edge closer to the truth, with the series being notorious for having the most complicated steps that players must somehow figure out to unlock additional endings.

2 Corpse Party

This Horror Game Structures Itself As A Visual Novel With Its Lengthy Conversations

Corpse Party may structure itself as an adventure game, but the lengthy dialogue and cutscenes are so abundant that players have comfortably labeled this title as a horror game. A group of students conduct a ritual that transports them to a haunted version of their school populated with numerous dangers.

The game’s unnerving atmosphere makes some of its shocking plot developments harder to stomach. Players who don’t mind their fair share of supernatural spookiness and horrific deaths will love what Corpse Party brings to the table.

1 Needy Streamer Overload

A Visual Novel Where Players Manage An Idol Disconnected From Life

A unique visual novel with management elements, Needy Streamer Overload lets players dictate the life of an introverted girl named Ame who takes on an alternate persona when she streams to her growing number of followers. It may seem relatively chirpy, only for Ame’s mental state to slowly start deteriorating as her need for fame overpowers everything else.

Players can witness some truly disturbing scenes if her fragile mental state starts cracking, leading to moments where Ame starts harming herself. Relying on pills and substances may alleviate her stress, it’s still far from an ideal solution for someone who is this detached from reality.