I may have missed last year’s game jam, but I was determined to check out NaNoRenO 2021—and I am so glad I did. (Thank you, once again, to sakevisual for hosting!)

There are more than a few good-looking visual novels this year of all shapes and sizes. I know I won’t get to play them all (let’s face it, I might never work through the gaming backlog I already have), but I got to at least take a peek at some of the more intriguing entries. And now, below, I’ve compiled a quick list of some of the most promising ones.

And now, without further ado…

NaNoRenO 2021 Highlights

These are the NaNoRenO 2021 entries at the top of my to-play list, the ones I found the most exciting based both on their synopses and my first impressions during my (limited) experiences of each.

1. ‘Is Lupin Still Flirting?’

I have an awful confession to make. I have still not read or seen any version of Lupin III. I’ve been meaning to, but… well, it just hasn’t happened yet. Even so, this slashfic-turned-visual novel caught my eye right away. I am absolutely in love with the combination of lavish hand-painted watercolors and quirky adult humor. Are the characters in-character? I have no idea, but the demo alone made me want to find out.

2. ‘Monster Café’

This game had me at “mysterious and vaguely sinister.” The barista responsibilities seem like they’ll add just enough challenge to make things interesting, but what really got me were the characters. A café owner with a (full) teacup for a head? A gentle moth man easily distracted by pretty lights? What can I say—I’m drawn to this one like a moth to a flame.

3. ‘A New Don’

This is the first entry on this list I’m a little worried about. Not because of the presentation—it’s absolutely gorgeous—but because I have a terrible feeling this one might turn out to be a real heartbreaker. Pet pigs, soft hearts, and dangerous crime syndicates rarely go well together. (I do appreciate the creator’s assurances that there are no on-screen animal deaths, at least.)

4. ‘Pirated Code’

A much more lighthearted affair, Pirated Code has you playing as an advanced AI program accidentally installed on a smugglers’ ship. The art style is nice and there are a lot of lovely details that went into the design and animations, but what really rocketed this one to the top of my list (see what I did there) was the writing—this one got a few good chuckles from me in the first few minutes alone.

5. ‘Annulus Break’

Fans of The Southern Reach trilogy—or even just the Annihilation film adaptation—will get some strong Area X vibes from this sci-fi/horror visual novel set on a remote island where something has gone very wrong. The story starts off a little slow, but the dread factor quickly intensifies once you find the research station… and what remains of its original crew. This one’s not for the faint of heart.

More NaNoRenO Games to Check Out

Consider these games the “honorable mentions” of this list. While they don’t quite spark the same amount of joy that the ones listed above do, but still tickled my fancy and seem well worth a second, closer look. 

• Yoga Bear
• Yuki’s Palpitating, Passionate, Phenomenal, and Quite Frankly Proficient Quest for a Hot Girlfriend
• The Masterpiece
• Dream Team
• Catching Fairies
• A Pinch of Magic

Feel free to also check out my NaNoRenO 2021 collection on itch.io. There, you can browse through all of these games (and a few more interesting entries that didn’t quite make this list, for one reason or another) at your leisure.

As for my own NaNoRenO entry from years past… The Dragon’s Last Flight is still under development. The going has been quite slow due to numerous unhappy factors (not the least of which being, you know… a freaking pandemic), but progress continues to be made and I look forward very much to the day when I can announce the full game’s release. 

And who knows? Perhaps once it’s done, I’ll have time to participate in future game jams…

Kim Berkley is a fantasy author and narrative designer with a soft spot for branching narratives and character-driven storytelling. Her first interactive fiction novel, The Harbinger’s Head, is available to play now on the Hosted Games website. Or, check out the free demo of The Dragon’s Last Flight on itch.io.