History and Allure of Interactive Visual Novels

Häftad, Engelska, 2025

Av Mark Kretzschmar, Sara Raffel, USA) Kretzschmar, Dr. Mark (University of Wyoming, USA) Raffel, Dr. Sara (University of Central Florida

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Visual novels (VNs), a ludic video game genre that pairs textual fiction stories with anime-like images and varying degrees of interactivity, have increased in popularity among Western audiences in recent years. Despite originating in Japan, these stories have made their way into global culture as a genre accessible for both play and creation with wide-ranging themes from horror and loneliness to sexuality.The History and Allure of Interactive Visual Novels begins with a comprehensive overview of the visual novel genre and the cultural evolution that led to its rise, then explains the tropes and appeal of subgenres like bishojo (cute girl games), detective games, horror, and eroge (erotic games). Finally, the book explores the future of the genre in both user-generated games and games from other genres that liberally borrow both narrative and ludological themes from visual novels.Whether you’re a long-standing fan of the genre or a newcomer looking for a fresh experience, The History and Allure of Interactive Visual Novels will provide an accessible and critically engaging overview of a genre that is rich in storytelling yet often overlooked.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2025-01-23
Mått138 x 214 x 20 mm
Vikt340 g
FormatHäftad
SpråkEngelska
SerieApproaches to Digital Game Studies
Antal sidor272
FörlagBloomsbury Publishing Plc
ISBN9781501370472

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Media och underhållning inom Ekonomi och ledarskap

PART 1: History and Interactivity 1. Introduction: The Ludic Genre Devoted to Stories Meets Postmodernism 2. Digital Books of the Rising Sun: Cultural and Technological Factors Leading to the Remediation of Manga and Anime 3. Assembling the Nest: Cultural Vehicles that Incubated Visual Novels PART 2: Subgenres and Tropes 4. The Aesthetics and Functions of Kawaii (Cute)Culture and Dating Simulators 5. Detective Stories, Labyrinthian Puzzles, and Supernatural Horror (Oh, My!): The Rising Popularity of Mystery Visual Novels and Japanese Adventure Games 6. Intimacy, Uncensored Pixels, and Groundhog Day Porn Loops: Erotic Visual Novels and Adult Content PART 3: Fan-Creators, Open-Source Software, and Genre-Melding? 7. Rise of the Fan/Gamer/Creator: How Open-Source Software Influences a New Generation of Visual Novel 8. Conclusion: The Future of Visual Novels: How Genre-Melders Keep the Dream Alive Appendix A: The Visual Novel-Adventure Game Starter Kit Ludography Index

In this essential volume for scholars of narrative play, Mark Kretzschmar and Sara Raffel take on the complexity of the form of visual novels, exploring well-known exemplars such as dating simulators alongside hybrids and even less-studied erotic works. Offering this comprehensive survey alongside a detailed ludography of suggested works for play spanning the last several decades, this wide-ranging overview can serve as a guide for exploring these works and the growing significance of visual novels as a global form.