VNs with Second-Person Narration?

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Katy133
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VNs with Second-Person Narration?

#1 Post by Katy133 »

Has anyone come across any visual novels that use second person narration? (Wherein the narrator refers to the reader as "You.")

It's so common in "Choose Your Own Adventure" books, yet I don't think I've ever come across a visual novel that has done it. Any recommendations?
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Re: VNs with Second-Person Narration?

#2 Post by parttimestorier »

I looked it up and there's a tag on VNDB for this (sorted by rating), although it's uncommon. Only 73 VNs are tagged with it, and interestingly the majority of them are English ones - maybe because some English VN writers are more influenced by choose-your-own-adventure books, which might not be as much of a thing in Japan, but that's just speculation. I've read a few on that list, such as A Day in the Life of a Slice of Bread and To Be Or Not to Be, which use 2nd person pretty well for comedy I think. It might not work quite as well in more serious stories where they want to develop the protagonist more instead of making it the player, but there are definitely some exceptions to that.
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Re: VNs with Second-Person Narration?

#3 Post by trooper6 »

My game is 2nd Person...though it isn't out yet. I'm hoping to finish it over the summer. I know I've played other VNs in second person. Note: I play almost exclusively OELVN's so I probably am more likely to come across them than people who mostly play OJLVNs.
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Re: VNs with Second-Person Narration?

#4 Post by Imperf3kt »

My main project (unannounced, possibly take me 2 - 3 years due to my life / other factors) is written in 2nd person. Well, its was originally a mixture of 1st and 3rd person in my draft, but when I started putting it into VN form, it just felt much better to be in 2nd person narrative.

I don't know of any other games that I've played that are in 2nd person though, at least, not fully.
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Re: VNs with Second-Person Narration?

#5 Post by Donmai »

Katy133 wrote:It's so common in "Choose Your Own Adventure" books
It was also mandatory in ye olde adventure games of my prehistoric computing times. :)
You are in your sitting room. There's a TV in a corner underneath a large window. The mantelpiece above the fireplace is in need of repair.
You can go south, west and up.

You see an Enfield rifle.
You see Sarah Derry.
The telephone is ringing.

What now? >
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Re: VNs with Second-Person Narration?

#6 Post by potouto »

Mhm, if I remember correctly, sonnet009's games have second person narrative.

Both Aloners and Wilder have really nice writing, I suggest you check them out if you'd like to check them out!
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Re: VNs with Second-Person Narration?

#7 Post by Kuiper »

I'm not sure if you'd count them as visual novels (they're not really "visual"), but most (all?) of the Choice of Games interactive novels that I've seen on Steam use second-person narration.
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