if - Invitations from Fantastic stories

IF, widely known among Chinese retro players as Ai Zhi Wu Yu, is a classic DOS visual novel adventure game developed by Active Software and published in 1993 by Taiwan’s Ton Ton Nerw Information. An FM Towns version was also released. The game uses first-person storytelling, mixing school life and fantasy adventure with multiple branching narratives. Players control the male protagonist who meets several young girls on campus. Dialogue choices change plot routes and unlock different endings. It features 256-color DOS pixel art and anime-style character portraits. Scenarios cover school campus, wilderness and ancient ruins. The story unfolds via text paragraphs and static CG images. It is one of the famous old bishoujo adventure games for DOS in the Chinese-speaking region and was distributed on retro DOS game compilation CDs.

These games get the keyboard directly — the controls are whatever the game itself defines, usually in its own help or options screen. Gamepads are detected automatically. On phones you get on-screen buttons.