A visual novel is an interactive storytelling in that it has written narratives infused with visual and audio content. Hailing from Japan, the medium later trickled out to be quite a popular tool used for telling immersive stories, thereby keeping players engaged within a plot through text, choices, and dialogue. Unlike novels, it would have illustrations, animations, background music, and even voice acting for a more multimedia feel.

Key Features of Visual Novels

1. Text-Only Story

The plot is shown as on-screen text; however, it is often intermingled with character portraits and backgrounds appropriate to the context.

2. Branching Storyline

Many visual novels are accompanied by choices of players' choices that later influence changes in the story resulting in multiple endings or directions in which characters may lead to.

3. Art and Design

Visual novels are defined by their style of arts, which are mostly in anime or manga style, and the works of the characters' art along with their backgrounds.

4. Sound and Music 

Sound and music effects enhance the atmosphere and feeling to the storyline. 

Genres 

1. Romance: 

Dealing with relationships and character building.

2. Mystery/Thriller: 

Deals with playing mystery or trying to solve complex storylines.

3. Fantasy/Sci-Fi: 

This is the creation of imaginary worlds.

4. Horror: 

It is basically the creation of suspense and fear through a scaring storyline and pictures.

Some Popular Visual Novels Examples

1. Steins Gate

   Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller

Storyline: Several close friends by accident create a messaging device that sends messages back in time, and from there, strange things begin to happen.

- Significance: The elaborate time travel mechanisms coupled with deep emotions make one of the most fantastic visual novels ever.

2. Clannad

Genres: Romance, Drama

Story involves about a high school delinquent and his establishment of major bonds of connection wherein he discovers the need for a family and love.

Significance: The tale is immensely heartwarming, considering its humongous popularity and fan culture in real life have inspired an anime version of the series.

3. Doki Doki Literature Club

Genre: Psychological Horror

Plot: From a dating game, it soon becomes a subversion of audience expectation through the twisty and nauseating plot.  

Implication: Famous for novel storytelling techniques and breaking of the fourth wall. 

4. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney  

  Genre: Mystery, Legal Drama

- Story: In this game, it works like a role of defense attorney; players have to investigate cases, cross-examine the witnesses in order to know about the truth behind every case.

This is very interactive, especially as visual novel elements meld together with mechanics.

5. Higurashi: When They Cry

Genre- Horror, Mystery

Story: The seemingly utopian village holds dark secrets, and the story gradually unwinds in the passage of time.

Significance: It is a cult classic, because of its strong story-line and eerie setting.