What are VNs and ADVs?

What are VNs and ADVs?

Written by Olivia S.

Usually when I tell people I am working on producing my own independent VN or ADV, I am often asked "what in the heck does that mean?" So I've decided to do a blog about it. This blog is going to be more informative than fun, so please bear with me!
VNs and ADVs are one of my passions, so I'm going to do my best to explain this in the most efficient way as possible.

Many anime and manga have been inspired by or are adaptations of ADVs or VNs, a very popular form of storytelling created by the Japanese.

An example of artwork in a VN.

VN, or Visual Novel, is a storytelling format that consists of animestyled static images with the occasional piece of animated footage. Most Visual Novels feature voice acting, so essentially, it's an interactive graphic novel with voice acting. Most Visual Novels are sold as PC programs, the way you download a PC game to play it on your computer. Popular Visual Novels are sometimes available for game consoles.

More artwork from the same VN.

ADVs, or Adventure Games, are pretty much like Visual Novels but with more gameplay, problem solving, and relationship building involved. Typically, Visual Novels are less interactive, and are more of a linear experience, while ADVs are known for having multiple endings and varying paths you can follow. Hence the term “Adventure Games.” It's pretty much up to you where the story goes!

Adventure Games are not the same as RPGs. While they have a lot in common with RPGs, you are unable to choose a party, level-grind, explore, or any of the other things usually associated with RPGs. Adventure Games are, in essence, Visual Novels with heavy gameplay aspects. They feature the same static images or graphics, and voice acting. The gameplay of Adventure Games has been equated to Choose Your Own Adventure books by western fans.

Example artwork from an upcoming ADV, rated 18+ for explicit content.

While there are many family friendly ADV and VN companies that produce games for people of all ages (companies such as KID and Key), the majority of ADVs are for adults. A large majority of these are 18+ due to violence and sexual content. They are mature storylines meant for older audiences, the same way many Hollywood movies are rated R. They are not pornography, per se, but rather they don’t pull any punches when spelling the story out for you. There are, however, exceptions.

VNs and ADVs that are released on consoles usually have all the adult content removed, or reduced greatly, in order to reach a bigger audience.

Air, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, Clannad, Hakuouki Shinsengumi Kitan, Umineko no Naku Koro ni, Kanon, Togainu no Chi and To Heart are all examples of VNs and ADVs that have been adapted into successful anime series.

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The Ace Attorney video game series now popular in North America is an ADV, and so is the critically acclaimed Professor Layton series. Persona 3 and P3P are sometimes considered ADVs, but lean more toward an RPG-like style; they’re like RPG/ADV hybrids.

 

All right, well, I hope that clears things up a bit for those of you who were in the dark about all of this! I'm sure some of you have already played quite a few and didn't even know it! Every day they're getting increasingly more popular worldwide.

As for my own VN, I'm currently working out all the concept art and basic programming. I am also considering making an ADV version once I have the canon story down and programmed!

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