Visual Novel Basic Guide (Windows Edition)

Publish Date: 5 January 2026 Last update: 5 January 2026

Table of Content

Introduction
Where to buy Visual Novel (VN)
Installing/Download VN
1. Installing VN from Steam
2. Installing & Downloading VN from DLsite or Other platoforms
Patching Visual Novel
1. Dumb proof patch
2. Copying the file to the game folder
Before playing any Japanese-only VN
Conclusion

Note: Please use ctrl + F to go to the topic you are interested

Introduction

Are you new to the Visual Novel genre? In this guide, I am going to cover different topics ranging from buying VN, installing them, patching, and some of the common issues you might encounter.

Where to buy Visual Novel (VN)

Above are some of the platforms that you can buy a visual novel from. Of course, there are more platforms as well, but that is where I primarily get my VN from. By the way for FANZA and DLsite some of the NSFW content is hidden, if you have IP address that is outside of Japan which mostly due to pressure from VISA and Mastercard. Therefore, to access the full catalogue of content from these sites, you will need a VPN, and you might have to buy points from FANZA or DLsite to get the content you want.

Installing/Download VN

Below are some of the common scenarios or steps that you might encounter when downloading VN.

1. Installing VN from Steam

Steam is one of the most pain free experience you can get, just buy and click install that. Therefore, I am too lazy to demo it here. However, if you are interested in “intense content (NSFW)”, you will need to patch the game, which will be demonstrated in the later session.

2. Installing & Downloading VN from DLsite or Other platforms

Buying VN from a platform outside of Steam. You will likely encounter a split download, which means the game file is split into parts 1, 2, or however many they want. Below are some of the steps.

Step 1: Download all parts of the file from the platform

Step 2: Extract the file with the part 1.exe file

Step 3: Enjoy

Patching Visual Novel

Just realize the Steam version of VN doesn’t have an NSFW scene. I got you covered (✿˶’◡˘)♡. This can be solved by patching the game. Patching means a separate file that the publisher provided to unlock “those” content. Below are two types of patches you are most likely going to encounter.

1. Dumb proof patch

No offense, by the way. This means the publisher has created an installer for you to use, and all you have to do is click the exe only. However, some of the installers are really dumb, as they only recognize the game you have installed on the C drive.

Step 1: Click the exe and enjoy

2. Copying the file to the game folder

This means after you have downloaded the file from the publisher. Then all you have to do is extract and copy the file to the game folder. Below is a demonstration on how you can do it for steam game.

Step 1: Find the game folder

Step 2: Copy the file to the game folder

Before playing any Japanese-only VN

Um… let say you have just bought a Japanese-only novel but didn’t read any instructions. This is what you would like to get, and the game doesn’t launch. For whatever weird engine that the Japanese uses, you will need to set your region to Japan, and sometimes you may even need to change the display language to Japanese for the game to work, probably. Below is how.

Step 1: Open the Control Panel Clock & Region Region

Step 2: Change the system locale to Japan and restart the PC, then enjoy

Optional step: Change Windows display languages to Japanese, in case it still doesn’t launch

Conclusion

Hope you find the guide useful. Feel free to treat me a coffee. Happy reading.

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