Free VNs on Steam.

I'll review free steam visual novels. I will update this with more free steam VNs as I play them.

VNs are pretty great, ngl. Visual novels can provide a dense and tonal narrative that can be engaging and well produced by even small studios, giving interesting and creative writers an engaging platform. Also, they have cute anime waifus. So, fantastic medium. 

I'll be rating visual novels not on a traditional scale, but instead of recommendation. Many of these may not be fully fledged enough to be on the scale of paid VNs, but have enough intrigue to merit recommendation. 👍👍 for a definite recommendation, exceptional and very notable in storytelling. 👍 for anything that I feel has merit, and still could be an engaging experience. ❌ for anything I felt was actively "bad" but still had some intrigue. ❌❌ for anything I felt just completely wasn't worth my time. 👍❌ is anything that I feel is not exeptional, but I don't really want to give a ❌. This is my opinion, however, and if you feel a VN is perfect for your aesthetic sense, or you might enjoy it more than me, go try it! Free visual novels are free, and don't cost you anything. 

It is still worth it to buy paid VNs though. I love Chaos;Child from the Sci;Adv series and Highway Blossoms, just to name some examples; still need to finish Danganronpa though.

Let's start with something actually good. 

Narcissu 1st and 2nd. 

Narcissu is a 2005 free visual novel from the doujin group Stage-Nana. Narcissu is an oddly presented kinetic novel, with an extremely long window(probably like 3.5:1) near the top, and a NVL type thing in the bottom section of the screen. The visual novel is extremely tonal and emotional, following characters with terminal illness. The scoring and presentation help create a constant thick tone of helplessness, loneliness and distance. The writing is very grounded, and without anime fluff or tropes. The art in the extremely long aspect ratio allows for very effective images, with a large impression. 

I've been trying to be technical, but there really is no way of expressing the shear weight of the tone in this visual novel. When opening the visual novel months after I had last played it, when the music and the stark white background of the hospital appeared, I could feel the impact my first read had on me. This visual novel really is something exceptional. Don't spoil yourself. 

Waifu Pick: Literally the only choice in Narcissu 1 is Setsumi. Setsumi's pretty great tho.

Recommended: 👍👍

Wander No More

Wander No More is this samurai times short kinetic novel. Interesting character art and concept, but the writing is pretty lacking. Seriously, the prose is not particularly engaging. I can appreciate the sentiment and actions but like huh?? Theres also like 3 poses for each character, and the bg art is weird? ehh, still getting 👍❌ for the plot and sentiment.

Waifu Pick: nah.

Not recommended: 👍❌

Lucid9

Mystery bishoujo visual novel. Interesting cast, interesting plot. Solving murders is fun, main character is delusional, murders, murders, did I mention murders? Pretty good! Choices are fun, thinking is fun, MURDER IS FUN!!!!!!! 

Engaging but not like super deep narrative, but tries too hard at being a bishoujo, which slightly undermines the plot.

Waifu Pick: Shigure. Super cute

Recommended: 👍

Update: Heroine Prologues
The heroine prologues for Lucid9 were added as an update recently, and honestly they aren't good, not as much as the original VN. I guess this isn't a fair comparison though, as it isn't really meant to be an individual narrative.
Fallstreak

Fallstreak is an utterly fantastic short fantasy VN. The entire cast is filled with charming and interesting characters, that play off each other well. The atmosphere and tonality of the VN is also great, feeling very nostalgic and lonely. The world is utterly enthralling, furthering the isolating tone of the VN. The story is engaging and tonal, with great writing.
Waifu Pick: Adelise
Recommended:👍👍

The Sad Story of Emmeline Burns

The Sad Story of Emmeline Burns is a short and sweet yuri visual novel, written for like Gamejam or something. It has good art and acceptable writing, and nice atmosphere. Not extremely notable, but still recommended
Waifu Pick: idk ill think about it later
Recommended: 👍

One Thousand Lies

I was quite surprised by this visual novel. From the first moment to the last, I was completely enthralled by this work. Characters are compelling and play off each other well, the scenario writing was great, comedy hit well. Art is good, characters have distinct and interesting designs, and backgrounds are acceptable. The tone was also extremely well controlled, with every scene radiating a sense of loneliness and nostalgia. Aside from the slightly odd and heavy handed ending, this story is fantastic and definite recommendation.
Waifu Pick: Luce! Not usually my style, but really liked Ciaran's interactions with her. Ziva is a close second.
Recommended: 👍👍

Will keep updating. Will write reviews of Chusingura46 + 1 S when I get to finishing that. I have a couple other VNs downloaded, like Dies irae ~amantes amentes~, DoraKone, Evening Suprise, Everlasting Summer, Fare Thee Well, Humanity Must Perish, Invisible Apartment, Magical Otoge Ciel, missed messages., Once on a windswept night, Palinurus, PRICE, Sepia Teats, Six Days of Snow, Sounds of Her Love, Summer Nightmare, Sunrider: Mask of Arcadius, Trick and Treat, Voices from the sea, Fausts Alptraum, Flowers in Dark, and Trick & Treat(???). These are just downloaded, and I haven't gotten engaged in any of these yet, but many of these I haven't touched. I've read SC2VN, the Esports one, and I plan on writing a review. Oh yeah, and DDLC. Oh yeah, and KFC dating sim.