What was the first visual novel you played?

[Vegeluxia]

Fatal Hearts.

At the time was entirely unaware of what a VN was, but I enjoyed it. Eeh, I don’t quite remember how long ago it was...Maybe like 4/5 years ago? My cousin bought it for herself and said I’d probably like it, and I did. I remember I used to spend forever looking for more games like that, but it was a pain since I didn’t know what they were called.

But then I found out, and went a little crazy with the downloading and the playing. XD

[alpine]

probably Professor Layton or Ace Attorney.
The games that made me want to start making my own were Digital: A Love Story and Hatoful Boyfriend, I think.

The first one I ever heard of was Higurashi, because of the adaptations, but I never (and still haven't, actually) played it.

[dreamingdaze]

Narcissus--phenomenal writing and introduction to visual novels. It uses minimalistic art and writing style, but to maximum effect. I just had to read more visual novels after that one. I stumbled on that after a friend recommended it to me and I haven't looked back since.

[azureXtwilight]

Ever17. It was... A piece of art.

[chirale]

School Days WTF. The worst English I've ever read from an automagically translator. Finally, I get Clannad (loved it) and start to dig into Key's titles, all so long. I loved Kana too, but I see there are so much fans above. Definitely, I'm a "nakige" / slice of life reader.

[pucedragonlord]

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. A friend of mine had an uncle or something with a connection to Capcom so he was given it as a gift right as it came out, and lent it to me once he finished. Played every Phoenix Wright game since.

Decided to start making one after playing Cristine Love's "Don't Take it Personally," which is also great.

[SilverxBlue]

My first VN was one of these three, True Remembrance, Katawa Shoujo or Fatal Hearts... I can't remember. D:

[Arelune]

My first one must have been one of zeiva's on deviantart, Imaginary Realm I think. That was long before I even knew the term VN. Didn't even really understand what it was that I was supposed to do.

Narcissu is the one that really pulled me in VNs, even though I didn't really like it that much.

[Destiny]

Laugh about it all you want, but it was Enzai.
It's a brutal yaoi VN with lots of rape, murders and stuff.

A friend just shoved me in front of it and wanted me to play.
It was so traumatic, I didn't touch VN for three years after that xD
But then I played Gakuen Heaven and Clannad and I realized, there are also nice games of that genre

From Ren'Py...
I think, it was "(P)lanets - the life of normalcy has ended!", right followed by Re:Ailstair.

[Guerin78]

Would have been one of the late 90's-early 2000's eroge, though I can't be sure which one. (In hindsight, most of the games of that era, especially the handful available in English, were pretty interchangeable.)

After getting disenchanted with them (which didn't take long) I rediscovered the scene in 2011, when I read Katawa Shoujo Act One, Brass Restoration, and True Remembrance all in the space of about a month. (I believe Brass Restoration was first of the three, but I wouldn't swear to it.)

[Flying Cat]

Gyakuten Saiban--yup, Phoenix Wright 1 in Japanese. There were many headaches to be had.

[Kuroneko_rg]

My first VN was Wanko to Kurasou like one year ago. I really enjoyed the story and almost cried at some points.
I think however it had way too much sex scenes. Does anyone else thinks the same?

[Duendain]

My first VN was Wanko to Kurasou like one year ago. I really enjoyed the story and almost cried at some points.
I think however it had way too much sex scenes. Does anyone else thinks the same?

Isn't it a story about a Male escort? Isn't it natural with a lot of sex scenes? :p. Well , I havn't played it. Parhaps it's good. Going to search for it.

[Kuroneko_rg]

My first VN was Wanko to Kurasou like one year ago. I really enjoyed the story and almost cried at some points.
I think however it had way too much sex scenes. Does anyone else thinks the same?

Isn't it a story about a Male escort? Isn't it natural with a lot of sex scenes? :p. Well , I havn't played it. Parhaps it's good. Going to search for it.

Yes it is about a male escort. However, the story begins in a very emotional way and I really liked it. Later on, you have sex
scenes one after the other making a high contrast with how the plot begins.
The story is very good and touching and the art is very nice to look at. I hope you can find it.

[Obscura]

Last year I played my first VN: Shall we Date, Konkatsu for Marriage for iOS.

I was so dismayed by the relationship choices and by the protagonist's behavior, it has essentially led me to make my own VN. So I will always be grateful for Konkatsu for Marriage...

The earliest game that I've played that reminds me of a VN was about a zillion years ago on some really old computer I had. It was some adventure game called Laura Bow: The Dagger of Amon Ra, and some other title (probably Sierra) that featured some Indiana-Jonesish type guy and a train and a search for god knows what. I wish I could remember the name of it. I really enjoyed it, even though it probably wasn't that great of a game.