How do you play VN

I play my VNs fully translated and try to avoid using a guide unless I miss the good ending from what feels like 1 mistake that I can't seem to find on my own.

Fully translated and only certain character routes. I almost never get completion unless it unlocks stuff. I use a walkthrough if I see it because i'm scared of failure. /is flaccid.

Me looking through a walkthrough happens but only if the heroine is worth it. I usually play without walkthrough.

Anyways I take sound-effects and music down to zero but keep their voices up to 50% (if they talk) and then start listening to music throughout the entire visual novel.

Well, the only real VNs I've played would be Katawa Shoujo and Wanko to Kurasou, so there was no issue with a language barrier. Gameplay-wise, you'd probably find me researching extensively on the background and routes on the game, but not enough to where I know the choices for each route. I'd aim for a route depending on whatever was gathered from background knowledge or from in-game. Maybe after 1-2 playthroughs (and if there were many routes) I would go pull up a guide just to avoid doing the same routes again.

I'll go either way, depending on the game. For Koihime, for example, I'll play it either way, since I already know the basic story, and actually playing the game is easy enough. For something like, say... though older, and now translated, Tsukihime... Better yet, maybe Umineko, I wait for the translation, because I like to know what's going on when I read something.

Also, no walkthroughs unless I get really, really stuck somewhere. They I just do it out of frustration. Those moments are far and few inbetween, however.