Halloween is fast approaching, and following our list of Halloween anime recommendations we have a collection of Halloween visual novels for you to play during the scariest of seasonal festivities. Once again we have titles to suit all preferences. We’ve got visual novels that are downright devilish, but also some that are frightfully funny. Whatever your persuasion, you should be able to find a great pick for your Halloween night (and presumably some early November nights too, many of these are quite lengthy experiences).
Sabbat Of The Witch (Sanoba Witch)
Release Date: 10/26/2018
Price: $26.99 (JAST) / $29.95 (MangaGamer) / $29.99 (Steam/Denpasoft)
Purchase: JAST / MangaGamer / Denpasoft
When I first started thinking about good Halloween visual novels, Sanoba Witch sprang to mind almost immediately. The common route leads up to a Halloween party, and there are plenty of supernatural elements to maintain the seasonal vibe into each girl’s route. There’s no horror element to this one, it’s a straightforward romantic comedy with just a hint of drama. The story follows Shuuji, a student with a strange power. Shuuji can perceive the emotions of others through taste. He struggles in social settings because of his ability, but things begin to turn around when he befriends Ayachi Nene, a girl with an equally bizarre secret. If you’d like to know more about Sanoba Witch, I recommend checking out our review.
Saya No Uta ~ The Song Of Saya
Release Date: 05/05/2013
Price: $17.99 (JAST)
On Sale: $8.99 (50% Off @ JAST)
Purchase: JAST
I can’t put together a list of Halloween visual novels and not recommend Gen Urobuchi’s horror masterwork, Saya No Uta. Our protagonist, Fuminori, undergoes invasive brain surgery to save his life following a devastating accident. After the surgery, Fuminori’s perception of the world is twisted. He sees the world as a mass of viscera. All of his senses now severely distorted, he’s contemplating suicide when a girl, the titular Saya, appears before him. She’s the only thing in the world he can perceive normally. Saya is looking for someone, and Fuminori is determined to help her despite his ailing mental health. This one’s not for the faint of heart, you can expect plenty of skin crawling horror if you decide to take the plunge.
The Shell Part I: Inferno
Release Date: 07/28/2023
Price: $17.99 (JAST) / $19.95 (MangaGamer) / $19.99 (Steam)
On Sale: $13.85 (23% Off @ JAST) / $15.99 (20% Off @ Steam)
Purchase: JAST / MangaGamer
If you’re looking for a more grounded, human, horror story, The Shell won’t disappoint. The story takes place in postwar Japan, and follows a private detective, Reiji Tokisaka. A series of gruesome murders is unfolding, and Reiji ends up right in the center of the case. The Shell is the kind of horror that lingers even after you put it down. This is another of our Halloween visual novels that comes with a warning, you should be ready to stomach some pretty cruel visuals and themes if you decide to pick this one up. For a deeper dive into The Shell, you can read our review, which takes a closer look at the narrative and themes without any serious spoilers.
Gore Screaming Show
Release Date: 11/11/2022
Price: $26.99 (JAST) / $29.99 (Steam)
On Sale: $21.59 (20% Off @ JAST)
Purchase: JAST
If the title didn’t give it away, this is a gruesome one. I’d like to offer an all-encompassing content warning, Gore Screaming Show is a recommendation for those with a strong stomach and no one else. This visual novel follows Jinno Kyoji as he returns to his peaceful hometown. Nothing feels quite the same as it did before in town, but Kyoji gets by just fine. Things change when he meets a mysterious girl, Yuka, who is always shadowed by a monstrous man known as Gore Screaming Show (hell of a name). As you might imagine, things get violent and brutal from here on, and Kyoji is in for a rough time. If you’d like to be comprehensively traumatized this Halloween this is the pick for you.
The Ditzy Demons Are In Love With Me
Release Date: 10/26/2018
Price: $34.99 (Denpasoft)
Purchase: Denpasoft
We’ve had a few pretty heavy recommendations, so let’s lighten things up a bit. Next on our list of Halloween visual novels, The Ditzy Demons Are In Love With Me. If you’re looking for stimulation, but not scares, this might be the pick for you. Ditzy Demons is a comedic nukige that follows Ren, a student who finds himself in a sticky situation in his school’s special dormitory. In the dormitory he’s surrounded by a harem of demon girls who are having trouble living up to their demonic archetypes. We have a claustrophobic mummy, an immodest angel, a virgin succubus, and more. There are plenty of thrills to be found in Ditzy Demons if you’ve got some time to yourself this Halloween. We have a review of Ditzy Demons that you can check out if you want to know a bit more before you pick it up.
Nope Nope Nurses
Release Date: 01/14/2022
Price: $17.99 (JAST) / $19.95 (MangaGamer) / $19.99 (Steam)
On Sale: $7.19 (60% Off @ JAST)
Purchase: JAST / MangaGamer
If you prefer heroines of a more cruel and unusual variety, Nope Nope Nurses should suit your fancy just fine. The story follows Yamada, a man with a strange affliction that means he must relieve himself every three hours or face horrendous pain. When Yamada breaks both his hands and lands himself in hospital, he’s in a spot of bother. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your persuasions), the nurses on staff at the hospital are ready to lend a helping hand. They’re no saviors though. They’re sadists, ready to make Yamada’s inpatient experience both harrowing and humiliating. Nope Nope Nurses isn’t scary in the traditional sense, but scary nonetheless.
Higurashi When They Cry Hou – Question Arc
Release Date: 09/16/2016
Price: $19.95 (MangaGamer)
On Sale: $9.97 (50% Off @ MangaGamer)
Purchase: MangaGamer
This is a recommendation for the entire Higurashi series really, but the Question Arc bundle on MangaGamer is the perfect entry point. The Question Arc includes the first four chapters of Higurashi, and with a 50% discount for Halloween season it’s the perfect time to dive in. Higurashi is pretty well known by now, with two anime adaptations and a slew of memes attached to it. For those who aren’t aware though, this is a horror visual novel set in a remote village called Hinamizawa. The protagonist, Keiichi, moves to Hinamizawa and settles in nicely with a new group of friends, but there is something insidious lurking beneath the surface of this peaceful village. Keiichi and the player are in for plenty of frights as they unravel the mysteries of Hinamizawa.
The House In Fata Morgana
Release Date: 05/13/2016
Price: $24.95 (MangaGamer) / $24.99 (Steam)
On Sale: $16.21 (35% Off @ MangaGamer) / $16.24 (35% Off @ Steam)
Purchase: MangaGamer
At the outset of The House in Fata Morgana, you find yourself in a mansion, you have no memories or identity, and you’re greeted by a maid who tells you that you are the master of the house. The maid guides you through the mansion, and invites you to bear witness to the myriad misfortunes of its former residents. This is of course a list of Halloween visual novels, but The House in Fata Morgana isn’t strictly a horror title. This is a slow burn suspense visual novel. Not a good bet for heart-pounding horror, but a great bet for slow, creeping tension, and a phenomenal narrative.
Nanairo Reincarnation
Release Date: 09/27/2019
Price: $26.99 (JAST) / $29.99 (Denpasoft/Steam)
On Sale: $18.89 (30% Off @ JAST)
Purchase: JAST / Denpasoft
Another more laidback pick now, Nanairo Reincarnation gets the Halloween nod on its aesthetic and vibe, not on horror. The story follows Kagami Makoto, a 3rd year college student who has inherited his grandfather’s estate. As he’s settling into his newly inherited home, his childhood friend Iyo appears, but there’s something off. Iyo hasn’t changed at all since they were children. Turns out she’s a zashiki-warashi, and his peaceful future plans are about to be upended. There are a bunch of ghosts knocking about town, causing all kinds of trouble, and Makoto, joined by a cast of charming companions, are going to have to deal with them. Nanairo Reincarnation is a fun romcom romp that will give you plenty of laughs if you pick it up this Halloween.
YOU And ME And HER: A Love Story
Release Date: 05/25/2020
Price: $31.49 (JAST)
On Sale: $18.89 (40% Off @ JAST)
Purchase: JAST
To round out our list of Halloween visual novels, here’s something a little bit different. Whenever YOU And ME And HER is recommended it comes with a specific instruction, play it through blind. With that in mind, I’m not going to tell you too much about how this plays out. You can assume from this recommendation that there are surprises in store, that there is something hidden beneath the surface of this romance visual novel, and you should go discover it for yourself. If you need a bit more information before diving in, we’ve got a spoiler-free review you can take a look at.
More Visual Novel Recommendations
Had enough scares and just want to play some great visual novels? Why don’t you take a look through our Top Visual Novel lists? Perhaps starting with our 2019 list.
A man described by critics as “pretty normal” and “memorable in the abstract”. He has committed his life to the consumption of anime and games, against the advice and wishes of his family and friends. Now writing about his passions, hopefully for your enjoyment.
