Problem: As we've seen, visual novels can often afford players the same amount of depth as traditional novels with the added bonus of voice-acting (sometimes, this is more apparent in next week's genres), background images, and animated characters sprites. Because of the fact that they often include branching storylines, an incredible amount of interactivity made the genre enticing to fans of complex stories.
Q1. Why do you think visual novels are still relatively niche in the west?
Q2. Are visual novels closer in definition to novels (like choose-your-own-adventure novels) or video games?
Q3. Can visual novels be considered "literature"?
Q4. How do games like Higurashi benefit from being made in this text-heavy genre?
Q5. How does the article on Higurashi discuss the relationship between the content of a video game and how players consume it?
Q6. How can these narratives reflect our larger cultural beliefs, if at all?