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Quite possibly the closest thing to a mainstream visual novel on this list. This visual novel was developed by Dan Salvato, a developer of Project M and competitive player in Super Smash Bros Melee. It is also the only Original English Developed Visual Novel on this list. Every other one was originally developed by a Japanese company. If you're following GameFAQs Character Battle X, Monika from this VN is in there.



You are an unnamed protagonist in high school who gets invited to a Literature Club by your childhood friend Sayori. In each chapter, you create a poem based around twenty words selected by the player, which the girls will comment on and compare to previous poems, allowing your bonds to grow stronger with the different club members.



This VN starts very lighthearted, with you as the protagonist slowly getting to know the characters more. There is a certain... twist to this VN that made it the classic that it's known as today. I won't spoil what it is, but don't let the slow beginning turn you off. Once the twist hits, the visual novel turns into something very engaging and unique.



There are two important warnings that show when the VN starts that should give you an idea what to expect: "This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed." and "Individuals suffering from anxiety or depression may not have a safe experience playing this game."



The presentation of the visual novel is average. It has very typical bright designs for the 4 main anime-inspired girls. Lots of the soundtrack towards the VN is fairly unmemorable but later on gets much better and more fitting given the events that happen.



The visual novel also isn't very long compared to the other ones on this list (between 4-10 hours) so you can potentially read this first if you haven't read a visual novel before.