[Matan]

Finally got around to playing "Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney" and I fell in love with it.

Now I got curious in general about the japanese adventure game genre. I know almost nothing about it. There was a time I tried playing some Hentai games, after reading some recommendation somewhere that some of them are interesting. I liked the "style" of those games, in a way similar to the style of Phoenix Wright, but in the end they had a pretty bad plot, and almost no gameplay (all gameplay consisted of guessing where's the next location you're supposed to be at to get the plot to advance). It was about 5 years ago so I don't remember the actual games I played.

My question - does anyone know more about japanese adventure games? Are there other such adventure games which aren't hentai games? If so have any of them been translated to English? Maybe there are hentai games which are nevertheless worth playing because they contain actual plot and gameplay elements?

[PolloDiablo]

If you have a PS2, check out Glass Rose and Shadow of Destiny. If you don't mind a bit of action, there's also the Clock Tower series and Haunting Ground. There's probably more, but these are the first few I could think of. Not sure all of these are typically Japanese though...

[Jannik]

If you wan't gameplay (as in puzzles etc.), I wouldn't go with Glass Rose. There are not many puzzles in that one (I haven't completed it though).

I haven't played many japanese adventure games, so the only one I can recommend is Another Code for Nintendo DS. It's not a first-person game though, like Phoenix Whright.

And maybe you'll like Zack & Wiki for the Nintendo Wii. But that too isn't a first-person game.

EDIT: I haven't played Zack & Wiki, I just mentioned it, because it has generally received good reviews

[Jacques l'aliéné]

Is 'Hotel Dusk' (DS game), of Japanese origin? It's supposed to be really good. Review here perhaps? I haven't looked.

[annaluna]

if you want a pc game you could try shadow of destiny , a true adventure game
anna

[Dale Baldwin]

Originally Posted by Jacques l'aliéné

Is 'Hotel Dusk' (DS game), of Japanese origin?

Yes, it is, and our review is here.

[JKR]

I have Zack and Wiki for the Wii and it's really fun! But unlike many AG, you can die on pretty much every stage (and do, often) so it's a little different.

[Terramax]

Unfortunatly pretty much all Japanese titles are action-adventure orientated.
Apart from Clocktower 3 which is just consistantly running, there will be fighting or shooting elements in all of them.

If you like games with incredible stories, checkout Silent Hill 2. It's gotta have one of the more involving stories of any game. And there are multiple puzzle hardness settings too for your liking, and they're not all item based puzzles either. If you don't like action, it's possible to avoid all monsters bar the bosses with a lil' skill in movement.

If you have a Dreamcast, or Dreamcast PC emulator there's Shenmue I & II (or the second on the Xbox, but I think it's imperative you play the first one).

I've been told it's an adventure but I'm somewhat sceptable, but the Gregory Horror Show for the PS2? This seems to have that cartoony feel you're on about.

I've played one 'hentai' game. I was told it was one of the best ever. It regarded a young boy with a terminally ill sister and was about how they pretty much become more than bro and sis.

I didn't get far enough to see any of the more notorious elements of hentai games but I endured enough to understand it was complete with senseless, mind numbingly boring, long winded dialog and making decisions that didn't add any depth to the gameplay, if you could say it had any.

And this was considered cream of the crop, so I wouldn't waste your time nor money on 'em.

Last but defo not least, this is not an adventure in the slightest, but if you like the style of Phoenix Wright, I seriously suggest looking up 'Disgaea: Hour of Darkness'. This game is full of humour that puts many of the best comedy adventures to shame, and later it has quite a touching story. Visually you'd be at home with the anime style characters.

Downside, no puzzles. It's a tactical RPG. But if that makes you feel iffy, I'd suggest playing, even if using cheats to skim through for the story alone.

[papillon]

well, rather obviously, for japanese style, non-hentai adventure, there is:

Fatal Hearts


There are also a couple of big Japanese games that are mostly visual novel but have a tiny, tiny bit of adventure-puzzle in them too.

Ever 17 has a GREAT story, very complex, but it's almost all reading and making choices. There's only, I think, one actual puzzle in the whole thing. Still, if you like plot it's worth it.

Anima Mundi - this is an occult/goth story with a handful of minigames/puzzles. I don't personally like the art style, though.

I didn't get far enough to see any of the more notorious elements of hentai games but I endured enough to understand it was complete with senseless, mind numbingly boring, long winded dialog and making decisions that didn't add any depth to the gameplay, if you could say it had any.

And this was considered cream of the crop, so I wouldn't waste your time nor money on 'em.

I know what game you're talking about. I haven't played it, though.

In the genre's defense, all I can say is that if you get that sort of game expecting fast action or "gameplay", you're barking up the wrong tree entirely. You don't buy Tetris because you love first-person shooters.

The idea of the average visual novel is to READ. Read a LOT. Read while things happen fairly slowly, over time, so that you can gain an understanding of the world you're in and the characters around you.

Take Ever 17, which as I've said I absolutely love, it's a great story. There's a huge mystery going on. Do you think you're going to get to solve it in the first in-game day? Do you think you're going to get anywhere NEAR solving it? NO choice that you make can POSSIBLY cause you to solve the mystery and escape the situation at that point. So maybe, from your perspective, that makes the choices pointless.

You're going to spend a lot of time getting to know the other people you're trapped with. Like you would if you were actually there. You're going to talk about your feelings. You're going to occasionally try to come up with plans for escape. The choices you make will mostly determine how you interact with those other people. The choices you make will not include 'Manufacture bomb with can opener and whipped cream'.

If the idea of hanging around and conversing with characters about their feelings rather than spending every waking minute examining panels and diagrams and objects looking for a solution to your predicament bores you to tears, then yes - this is the wrong genre for you. Don't play.

[XXJ]

Originally Posted by Matan

Are there other such adventure games which aren't hentai games? If so have any of them been translated to English?

Phoenix Wright style English version of japanese adventure game...
DS
Another Code and Hotel Dusk: Room 215 from CING

Touch Detective and Touch Detective 2½ from SUCCESS

Maybe there are hentai games which are nevertheless worth playing because they contain actual plot and gameplay elements?

Honestly, I don't like hentai games. Because that kind of games usually playd by limited people.
But, YES,there are some hentai games which are nevertheless worth playing. but I think none of them have ever translated to English.

If you are over 20 years old and have chance to meet japanese language game, try YU-NO.

[Jacques l'aliéné]

Two that I'm surprised nobody has mentioned...

S.O.S.: The Final Escape - A PS2 survival adventure, with NO combat, just lots of puzzles to help you survive the city earthquake. Very much an Adventure game. Inventory too! I've played some of it. Known as Disaster Report in the U.S..

Cosmology of Kyoto - The collectible, and expensive, excellent Adventure telling some of the history, and culture, of ancient Japan during the Heian Millennium.

[XXJ]

Originally Posted by Jacques l'aliéné

Known as Disaster Report in the U.S..

Oh! Disaster Report is great game!
and at June 19, 2007 , Raw Danger is also released.

Cosmology of Kyoto

I want to play Cosmology of Kyoto!!!

How about Snatcher (Sega CD/Mega CD)?
Great adventure game from Hideo Kojima of MGS.

[tsa]

Did anyone mention this one already?

Edit: Oops, that's not from Japan but from Texas. I always thought it was from Japan.

[TFeldt]

Maybe one of you guys can help me with a conundrum. Several years ago I played a SNES game that revolved around a murder. I believe you either played as a police officer or a private eye. Unfortunately I've forgotten the title of the game and googling for relevant keywords only seems to lead me to a spirit detective game for the GBA. The only additional details I can offer is that the first murder took place at either a harbor or a canal of some sort. I have a vivid memory of that particular scene since it struck me as the complete opposite of other SNES games.

The reason why I'd like another stab at the game is because it seemed to break the nintendo mold. There were very few games that dealt with real life, raw issues like murder on the nintendo platforms back in the day. The worst part is that I'm not entirely certain if the game was ever released in the west or if what I played was a fan translated rom.

[Matan]

Originally Posted by XXJ

But, YES,there are some hentai games which are nevertheless worth playing. but I think none of them have ever translated to English.

If you are over 20 years old and have chance to meet japanese language game, try YU-NO.

Wow, I'm really intrigued by that japanese wikipedia page you linked to! It had to be one of the weirdest pages... Of course I can only make out the pictures and the parts written in english (the rest appears us question marks - ????PC-98???). It looks like many of it really is game info, but then it has all those complicated graphs and differential equations... WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

Well, obviously I don't know any japanese and couldn't play games in the japanese language. I also have a notion of japanese being a very hard and practically impossible-to-learn language. Is this true?

I still am curious about the japanese adventure game genre. How popular are these "visual novel" games there?

[Matan]

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

I've decided to start with the following three:
1. Ever 17 - I ordered it online, so it might take a while until I start playing
2. Snatcher for Sega CD
3. Kana Little Sister - I guess that's the hentai game Terramax talked about. I read some very warm recommendations for it, so I'm going to try it anyway.

I can't play any Playstation, Wii or NDS titles as I don't have any of those... (Although I'm going to buy an NDS soon... just as soon as I find out if there's anywhere around where I can buy games for it). I'll report back after I play them to tell you what I thought.

[Terramax]

Originally Posted by Matan

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

I've decided to start with the following three:
1. Ever 17 - I ordered it online, so it might take a while until I start playing
2. Snatcher for Sega CD
3. Kana Little Sister - I guess that's the hentai game Terramax talked about. I read some very warm recommendations for it, so I'm going to try it anyway.

I can't play any Playstation, Wii or NDS titles as I don't have any of those... (Although I'm going to buy an NDS soon... just as soon as I find out if there's anywhere around where I can buy games for it). I'll report back after I play them to tell you what I thought.

WHOA! Dont' try buying Snatcher for the Sega CD. The actual copy of the game starts at something like £60! (at least $100). EDIT: I know technically roms are illegal depending who owns the rights, but considering the game has not been published for over 15 years and not re-released any time since, as I've checked, I think it's ok to mention this option. Forgive me if I'm wrong.

I'd suggest downloading an emulator and rom for the game. If you're interested in that decision, PM and I may be able to help.

Kana Little Sister is the one I was on about. Good luck with Kana. If you like reading books, you'll enjoy it. It's just I'm more a visualist (a.k.a. I don't have an imagination of my own )

[XXJ]

Originally Posted by TFeldt

SNES game that revolved around a murder.

Clue
1,SNES game that revolved around a murder.
2,played as a police officer or a private eye.
3,the first murder took place at either a harbor or a canal of some sort.
4,it seemed to break the nintendo mold.
5,released in the west or fan translated rom

humm.....is this really SNES game? not NES?
as for japanese SNES game...
夜光虫(a noctiluca)　http://www.athena-game.co.jp/yakogb/ygb.html this is a gameboy transplanted screenshot.

[TiAgUh]

Originally Posted by XXJ

How about Snatcher (Sega CD/Mega CD)?
Great adventure game from Hideo Kojima of MGS.

Loved that game

I would like to try Policenauts but it never has been translated to English, right? .. how is it? better then Snatcher?

[Draco2.5]

Originally Posted by Terramax

I've played one 'hentai' game. I was told it was one of the best ever. It regarded a young boy with a terminally ill sister and was about how they pretty much become more than bro and sis.

I didn't get far enough to see any of the more notorious elements of hentai games but I endured enough to understand it was complete with senseless, mind numbingly boring, long winded dialog and making decisions that didn't add any depth to the gameplay, if you could say it had any.

Kana: Little Sister, Ugh ... not sure what was worse, the disgusting sex scenes or the <-bash you over the head mellowdrama.

A supposedly better game that's kinda like Kana only without the incest and sex (as far as I know) is one called Narcissu, supposed to be good I dunno. If you're looking for something that has actual gameplay you might want to check out Famicom Detective Club Part II or Snatcher.