Synonyms
Definition
A visual novel is a form of digital entertainment that consists of text accompanied by mostly static graphics. The reader advances the text, usually by clicking, and is occasionally presented with choices, which may or may not affect the outcome of the story. Despite originating from Japan, visual novels have gained some international recognition, although it remains debatable whether or not they should be classified as video games.
Overview
“Visual novel” is a term that is more popular in the West than in Japan where the genre originates from. In Japan, visual novels are often called noberugēmu (“novel game,” short for “visual novel game”) and, occasionally, saundonoberu(sound novels), the latter being a term introduced by game company Chunsoft, which in the early 1990s developed a series of such games for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Prior to that, visual novels were developed almost exclusively for the personal computer,...
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References
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Fiadotau, M. (2023). Visual Novel. In: Lee, N. (eds) Encyclopedia of Computer Graphics and Games. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08234-9_193-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08234-9_193-1
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