There was a time when visual novels were a rare thing in the West, particularly on consoles. Steins;Gate, from 2009, was one of the pioneers in changing that. Brought to the West on PS3 and Vita, it turned heads by proving to a wide and mainstream audience that it was possible for a game to be compelling while being almost entirely narrative-focused. Not a hybrid narrative/puzzle game like Phoenix Wright, mind you. Like a book. Steins;Gate proved that gamers like to read, too. The visual novel was such a hit that it has already had an anime and one remake…