Are Visual Novels "Real Games?"

Over the years, there’s been a lot of debate about whether visual novels can be considered games. As visual novels mostly consist of text, images, and many clicks to progress the story, a lot of visual novel fans do not consider the media to be included in their definition of “video games”. In my opinion, to define whether or not a visual novel is a game, we must first determine what separates “games” from “novels” themselves.

Aside from the obvious addition of images, text boxes and sometimes voice acting, the player interaction is the change that matters the most in my opinion. For me, player interaction and immersion are what define story-based gaming. The entire reason that a lot of players choose video games over something such as a novel is purely for the interactive element, the choices you can make and the impact that you as a person can have on a story. If the aspects of a game make a difference to the story told or the effect on the player, then it counts as a game. 

My first examples are games that have obvious other gameplay mechanics, for example, AI: The Somnium Files or Danganronpa. These games have differing mechanics from your usual click-to-advance visual novel, including actions that can directly impact the story or using mechanics from another genre of game, such as Somnium Files’ exploration sections. This differs from regular novels as you are directly influencing the character’s movements, choices and behaviour. Since you have control over the character, it separates from the conventions of a novel, ultimately separating the two. Changing the media format of these games to be novels instead of games would have a drastic impact on the media itself, making the format of a “game” integral to the form. 

Another example would be a non-linear visual novel, or a visual novel with diverging routes. Take It Gets So Lonely Here or Gnosia, for example. Both of these games have options for dialogue and non-linear stories that can lead you into different routes. Once again, the format of a video game is something that allows them to achieve this. Funnily enough, they also introduce stories that carry on into new games. The option to control the main character’s thoughts into routes that ultimately affect you as a player is a crucial factor that differentiates the novel from the game. The aforementioned player interaction is an important part of the experience. If it were a different form of media, the consumer would lose out on that part of the story.

Finally, if the art, music or effects are crucial to the visual novel, I would classify them differently. For example, Z.A.T.O relies heavily on the effects of changing text and filling the screen with the aforementioned text to convey its point. It uses the art to tell the story in a way that impacts the player. If the art, music or effects can change the game for the players beyond aesthetic purposes, then it qualifies as a game. Games also use visual and auditory cues to change the perception of the story, registering them as crucial aspects of the game. Sometimes, even the effect of having a player progress dialogue manually can affect a story enough to classify it as its own category.

So, where does that leave linear games with art that doesn’t impact the story? Do they not qualify as games? Again, I think it depends on the game. A lot of visual novels could probably qualify better under the term “interactive fiction”, which is a very thin line between games and novels. However, I think that as long as the fact that it is a game and not a novel changes the story/way you consume it, then it qualifies enough as a game to count. Once again, this is mostly my opinion, and if you disagree, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this matter!