Hey. Hope everyone is fine.

Any recommendations for good Visual Novels on GOG, or, well, elsewhere, with:

- Real choice consequences (Multiple endings based on NPCs interactions)
- Good voice acting (Not mandatory, but preferable)
- Good artstyle (Not lazy copy pasted anime style, preferable original art)
- Good story with branching themes and topics (Any topic or theme, but preferable Sci-Fi, Horror or Psychological themes, excluding VNs focused on adult / sexual / nudity only - but feel free to list all VNs you enjoy if you want, giving at least a summary of what is it about, please, if you will)
- Not necessarily big series (Preferable 1 good packed game, or 2, at most.)

https://www.gog.com/en/game/slay_the_princess

- It takes choices & consequences to another level, and attention to details is mind-blowing. The most insignificant things often result in completely new course of events.
- Fully voice acted by incredibly talented actors.
- Every single frame is hand-drawn (by a single person).
- Overall story is good, but it's brilliantly witty writing that makes it shine. Tonally it's often described as psychological horror but it's understatement because it features a whole lot of genres and moods depending on which branch you go with. From depressingly sad, through creepy, serious or epic, to hilariously funny.
- It has ton of content if you want to explore everything, and it will get free update this year which will add even more and rework some of the old (so may be worth to wait for it).

I consider it one of the best, and certainly most impressive, games I ever played and I don't even like visual novels very much. The art, the music, voice acting, attention to details - it's just next freakin' level.

Well the only visual novel I've played is "Slay The Princess". It is very good. It is a cross between Lovecraftian Horror and Romance with an excellent voice over by the 2 main actors. Highly recommend. Plus there's a new update for it coming out in a few days with even more content so that's cool.

Steins;Gate? great story, memorable characters, lots of choices.
Yu-No, it's "mom" of some sorts. has a time travelling at will mechanics.
Saya no Uta. only few choices, ero content, but great story and characters.
to name few...

https://www.gog.com/en/game/higurashi_when_they_cry_hou_ch1_onikakushi

Start with this, and work your way up to CH8.
CH1 is free.

It may not have half of the stuff you mentioned in the OP, but it is a beloved visual novel for a reason - I highly recommend you play CH1 and if you like what you're seeing, you will just keep going until CH8 (and to the side stuff) on your own.



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Also I remembered, yes. How could I forget?
https://ddlc.moe/

You can download the original version from the itch.io download box in the middle of the page. I think you might enjoy it, but then again, you might not.

I suggest the Ren'Py visual novel catalogue.
You may need to sift or filter though it.

Umineko no naku koro ni is peak locked room mystery with the best soundtrack you'll ever hear, you can patch in the voices from the PS3 version if you want

Flowers is a fantastic coming-of-age story, with mystery, choices and the best art you'll ever see, but the first chapter (printemps) is pretty mid

Both are big series tho, but just read them at your own pace, there's no hurry

If you want a single package then I can recommend Kindred Spirits on the Roof

To me it sounds like you want to play Blade Runner.
The only problem with that is that it's not a visual novel...

Unless you are looking specifically visual novel game mechanics, I think you might like Blade Runner.

If you love the universe of Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition, I would recommend Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York :-)

In my opinion the sequel, Vampire: The Masquerade - Shadows of New York, tells a better story despite being more linear and having less interesting characters.

But the best VN I played in the World of Darkness universe is not a Vampire one, it’s Werewolf: the Apocalypse - Heart of the Forest. Unlike the Vampire games, this one felt like your choices really are impactful (I have not played it multiple times, so it might be a well-designed illusion).

Thanks very much everyone for the recommendations!