The protagonist, Seejay, can’t see these holograms and is “blind”: useless and cut off from the world. Set in a near future where illusory holograms are the new reality, The Blind of the New World is a story about people and perspective. The Blind of the New World flew under the radar, which is a shame because it’s a gripping sci-fi with a lot to say.
Add in an emotional story with a touching message about treasuring connections, and you have a recipe for one of my favorite visual novels of 2021.Ī full review of Aquadine can be found here.
Robin’s not the only one hiding his burdens though, and if he’s willing to open his heart to the friends around him, he might find he’s not as alone as he thinks.Įvery piece of Aquadine, from a vivid setting inspired by folklore to endearing characters who radiate kindness and warmth, is brought to life with lush, beautiful art just as striking as that of many big-studio visual novels with ten times the budget of this independently produced original English language work. Ciel’s unfaltering smile pays the mounting medical bills, but if it came out that Ciel was really the aloof and cynical Robin, it could all collapse in an instant. Robin, a high school boy struggling to care for his sick mother, secretly works as a gondolier under the alias Ciel. 4 – AquadineĪquadine is a heartfelt tale of myth, friendship, and love. Olympia Soiree is a complete package and one of my 2021 highlights.Ī full review of Olympia Soiree can be found here. Through their shared struggles, Olympia can build exciting romances with a fun selection of love interests, and Olympia Soiree brings everything to life with stunning art and a memorable soundtrack. Olympia and her friends face complex challenges in their journey to build a better society, and those who oppose them might be wrong, but they’re not blindly evil. Likewise, the characters are incredibly human. Olympia Soiree tackles difficult topics and leans heavily on its worldbuilding, but does so without losing its sense of pace. Facing the secrets that shaped Tenguu Island won’t be easy, but luckily she’ll have help from some very handsome and eligible bachelors along the way. While Olympia stands apart from the color system, she sees the injustices it causes and aspires to change the world. Olympia, the last woman of the color white and servant of the sun goddess Amaterasu, sets out to find a husband, continue her bloodline, and fulfill her mother’s wish that she find true love. Each individual on Tenguu Island is born with one or more colors, and a color-coded caste system shapes every facet of life and society. Olympia Soiree paints a kaleidoscopic world filled with vivid colors, yet also one where many people can only see beauty in those like themselves.
It may be updated to add in a few more titles, particularly for the later releases of 2021 that we haven’t completed yet.įeel free to let us know your choices for the best visual novels of 2022 by pinging us on Twitter or our Discord.
KuroKairin, Wes Playfair, and myself (Thomas Knight) have worked together to put together a number of the top visual novels of 2021 and chosen some we’re looking forward to in 2022.Īs always for these types of lists, they are both subjective and based on the games that we have personally played. As we roll over into 2022, we’d like to take a look back. We’ve seen some surprisingly good indie releases too. Shiravune has made a big splash by dropping repeated surprise releases. We’ve had a ton of great ones released in English. 2021 has been a great year for visual novels.