A visual novel engine refers to engines such as Ren'Py, NaniNovel, or VNMaker, which are focused around the creation of visual novels or visual novel adjacent games. The engine must support text narrative, character-attributed dialogue, branching storylines, images, and character sprites. Engines that are built for narrative design but require another engine to create a visual novel are listed separately provided it is possible to create a visual novel with them. General purpose game engines such as Gamemaker, Unity or Godot are not listed.
Popular Engines
Other engines
| Name |
Last Update |
Platforms |
Access
|
| BASS |
|
Web |
Gated
|
| Belle |
2017 |
Web |
Open Source
|
| CatSystem2 |
2016 |
Windows |
Free/Commercial
|
| CloudNovel |
|
Web |
Gated
|
| Dorian |
2023 |
iOS, Android |
Gated
|
| jStory |
|
|
Gated
|
| KiriKiri Z |
2017 |
Windows, Android (Kirikiroid2) |
Open Source
|
| Kocho |
2021 |
iOS, Android |
Free
|
| libnpengine |
2019 |
|
|
| Light.vn |
2024 |
Windows, Web, iOS, Android |
Free
|
| LiveMaker |
2018 |
Windows |
Free
|
| Monogatari |
2022 |
Web |
Open Source
|
| Novelty |
2010 |
Windows |
Free
|
| nScripter |
2018 |
Windows
|
| NVList |
2022 |
Multiple |
Open Source
|
| Om3ga Visual Novel Engine |
2018 |
|
Free
|
| RenJS |
2022 |
Web |
Free
|
| RichCast |
2023 |
Windows, macOS |
|
| SEEVN 2 |
2021 |
Windows, macOS, Linux |
Free
|
| Suika2 |
2023 |
Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
Open Source
|
| Talefab.com |
2021 |
Web |
Free
|
| Tuesday JS visual novel engine |
2023 |
Multiple |
Open Source
|
| VNgen |
2020 |
|
Commercial
|
| WebStory Engine |
2017 |
Web |
Open Source
|
| Narrat |
2024 |
Windows, macOS, Linux |
Free
|
Narrative Engines & Middleware
| Name |
Last Update |
Platforms |
Access
|
| Inky |
2023 |
Web |
Free
|
| Twine |
2023 |
Windows, macOS, Linux |
Open Source
|
| March22-Unity |
2019 |
Unity |
Open Source
|
Defunct engines
Guides
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