When do you call a Visual Novel a video game?

[Graves Ruinwalker]

I would say that it is and isnt a videogame .

It depends what the visual novel brings to the table to be more a videogame or more as audio-visual book .

Is there alot of interactions and decisions inbetween to interact with the game-world than it is a videogame. But if its just a story to be more passively taken with decisions that alters the situation of the story then its just like a more storytelling form .

I think it is a genre that isnt overall resulting to be a videogame but can be one .

 

[TallGrass]

I think for something to be a game, there has to be a "win" condition and a "lose" condition.

So Tetris isn't a game, since you can't win?

 

[nathman]

So Tetris isn't a game, since you can't win?

You can win in Tetris by getting the highest score.

 

[Ikagura]

So Tetris isn't a game, since you can't win?

You can technically reach the maximum level in various modes.

In arcade games it was you vs the Hi-Score.

 

[Morgan Katarn]

When do I call a Visual novel a game ? Well when it has actual game play mechanics. Take the Rance games heavy text base visual novels with RPG elements or Like Sengoku rance which is a Turn based game.

So I call it a game when it has more than just text and simple response box. Visual novels are more like does chose your adventure books so I call them interactive books. And I call them games when they have game play mechanics.

 

[RestoredaftrLostv2]

So Tetris isn't a game, since you can't win?

Some tetris games DO have an ending.

 

[Ikagura]

Some Tetris games DO have an ending.

And I think that the ability to have a game over and a high score is the basis of many arcade games.

 

[RestoredaftrLostv2]

And I think that the ability to have a game over and a high score is the basis of many arcade games.

Tetris the Grandmaster is one of the first video games you can still play during the end credits. That only slighting mindblowing except when Namco had a play games during the "now loading" screen trademark which would been great especially during the ps1 era.

 

[Ikagura]

Tetris the Grandmaster is one of the first video games you can still play during the end credits.

I remember that in that crazy video of the guy playing in the hardest mode.

There was a similar thing with Meteos on the DS as you could play on a giant board during the credits.

That only slighting mindblowing except when Namco had a play games during the "now loading" screen trademark which would been great especially during the ps1 era.

I think this is a bit different but I agree.

 

[Ezri_Muldoon]

Easy, when it has multiple dialogue options.
That's something you can only do within the medium of video games.

I've honestly never seen a visual novel that didn't feature player input, and some have a lot more than certain games which brandish the "walking simulator" tag.
I enjoy walking simulators, but I recognise the difference between having the illusion of free choice (Ohh I can walk around in-between the next dialogue triggers) and the deliberate acts of actively affecting a visuals novels outcome.

Whilst a visual novel doesn't have traditional failure states for incorrect inputs, you can absolutely fail at obtaining the ending you desire or loose access to side content as you play.

Any one who considers a VN "Just reading" are the same people who looked at Asuras wrath and called it "Just QTE's". Player input is needed to complete the game.