Fruitbus

About

Fruitbus is a culinary adventure game set in a vibrant, open world. Traverse the Gustum archipelago, discovering new fruits, vegetables, and recipes on each island. Customize your Fruitbus, gather ingredients, and cook meals that will delight customers and unlock new stories.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 344 reviews

story44 positive mentions

stability48 negative mentions

The game features a charming and heartwarming story about a grandchild's love for their grandmother, making it an emotional experience.
Gameplay is relaxing and enjoyable, allowing players to explore, gather ingredients, and cook without the pressure of timers or strict objectives.
The art style is cute and colorful, with fun character designs and a whimsical atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.

The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with saving progress, items disappearing, and NPCs getting stuck.
Performance can be inconsistent, with lag spikes and frame drops occurring, especially in certain areas of the game.
Some mechanics and quest requirements are not clearly explained, leading to confusion and frustration for players trying to progress.

story
154 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
69%
2%
The story of "Fruitbus" is a heartwarming and emotional journey centered around themes of love, loss, and connection, particularly through the lens of a grandchild's relationship with their grandmother. Players engage with charming characters, each with their own narratives and side quests, while the gameplay intertwines cooking and exploration, creating a cozy atmosphere. Despite some technical issues and bugs that can hinder progress, the overall narrative is praised for its depth and ability to evoke strong feelings, making it a memorable experience for many players.
- “Fruitbus is a gem of a game that effortlessly combines coziness with a touching story about a grandchild’s love for their grandmother.”
- “The story is heartwarming, silly, and has a slight taste of melancholy.”
- “The story starts wholesome, and turns it into a somber journey of reconnection, regret, and healing.”
- “The worst of all was reaching the end of the game for the big event (of which I had my tissues in hand, ready to cry) only for the dialog not to load because the annoying/long potato radio story had prompted again just before I entered the story event which removes your ability to talk to other characters until you clear it.”
- “Overall I would say if you are playing the game for the story alone, there's not enough there to really make it worth it in my opinion.”
- “I would love to enjoy the story, but I am met with a lot of roadblocks keeping me from enjoying this game.”
gameplay
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
50%
6%
The gameplay of "Fruitbus" is characterized by its simple yet satisfying cooking and driving mechanics, complemented by a charming art style and engaging story. While players appreciate the cozy and enjoyable experience, many report technical issues such as glitches and unclear mechanics that can disrupt the flow of gameplay. Overall, the game offers a fun and relaxing experience, though some players may find the repetitive nature and bugs detract from its potential.
- “The gameplay focuses on exploration and resource management, with players making decisions about routes and which fruits to gather.”
- “The cooking mechanics are simple, but satisfying, especially when you are crafting custom dishes at the end of the game.”
- “The gameplay loop is fantastic!”
- “As far as the gameplay goes, I have only one minor complaint: Fruitbus is a somewhat glitchy game; glitchy enough that I noticed several issues, but not to the point where it made the game unplayable or unenjoyable, with the exception of a few places in the game that dropped my FPS quite a bit.”
- “It's a bit rough around the edges with objects sometimes vanishing, customers requesting dishes with 7(!) ingredients, and some things not being explained properly. It took several attempts at trying to fulfill a request before I realized one of the ingredients needed to be cooked in the oven first—a mechanic that's only mentioned once in passing and easy to forget.”
- “There are several bugs that make the gameplay quite annoying at times.”
emotional
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Fruitbus" is widely praised for its heartwarming and touching narrative, centered around themes of family, nostalgia, and love, particularly the bond with a grandmother. Players appreciate the game's ability to blend cozy gameplay with profound emotional moments, often leading to tears by the end. Overall, it is recommended for those seeking a wholesome and emotionally resonant gaming experience.
- “Fruitbus' story, in many ways, while very lighthearted and filled with joy and humor, was also surprisingly deep and quite emotional to me, in a beautiful way that I did not expect it to be at first.”
- “The emotional core of the game is centered around our grandmother, whose presence adds such a great layer of nostalgia, love, and family bonds.”
- “The characters are so well written that each interaction feels meaningful; the end of the game was especially touching and brought me to tears, highlighting just how much Fruitbus became a heartfelt journey.”
stability
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The game currently suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, leading to a frustrating experience for some players, with issues such as game freezes, disappearing items, and collision problems. While many users find the game enjoyable despite these stability issues, they recommend waiting for patches and updates before purchasing, as it feels more like an early access title than a polished full release. Overall, while the game has potential, its current state requires significant improvement in stability.
- “It runs great on my PC (2K, max settings) and my Steam Deck (native, medium settings, 60 FPS, 11-19W consumption).”
- “The game is way too buggy and I cannot recommend it unless they get it all fixed.”
- “Currently it is buggy to the point of frustration and the content to price ratio feels off (especially when you consider the numerous and obvious bugs in a full release game.)”
- “I want to love this game so bad, and when it works I guess it works, but it's so buggy currently (lost 2 hours of data because the save button doesn't work, the bus was spinning by itself when I exited it, the tools don't work after the bus bug) and I don't see anywhere that it's early access... for something to release in this state, also at $25 with no launch discount, it's kinda bad.”
graphics
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
49%
6%
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their cute and colorful art style, which creates an inviting and cozy atmosphere. Players appreciate the charming animations and vibrant visuals, although some have reported minor graphical glitches and performance issues in certain areas. Overall, the aesthetic is considered a strong point of the game, enhancing the relaxing gameplay experience.
- “I enjoy the cartoony art style of the game, and I love the different color palettes, the different types of animals that you meet, and the scenery.”
- “The graphics are wonderfully cute and colorful, creating a world that feels alive and inviting.”
- “I absolutely love the art style and the way the characters move; it adds a lovely charm to the game I haven't come across before.”
- “I've even tried lowering the graphics, and nothing has helped.”
- “Played this game for 15 hours, was really enjoying it, but when I got to the final island everything really started to fall apart for the game from graphical glitches to wrong dialog to a complete soft lock of my save, so I can't recommend unless it's fixed.”
- “It's pretty difficult to play long without finding a graphical or audio glitch, whether that be shimmering or two audio clips playing over each other; nothing game-breaking but annoying nonetheless.”
music
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
47%
9%
The music in the game is widely praised for its quirky, cozy, and fun nature, perfectly complementing the game's whimsical world and enhancing the overall relaxing experience. While the soundtrack is enjoyable and features a variety of catchy tunes, some players noted that it can become repetitive due to a limited selection of songs. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's charm, creating an immersive atmosphere that players find delightful and engaging.
- “The soundtrack is perfectly cozy, setting the tone for a relaxing gaming experience that allows you to unwind.”
- “The adventure, the story, the music, and the visuals work in perfect harmony.”
- “The music is fun, the animations are adorable, and every villager added their own flair to the game.”
- “The music in the game is done very well although it can get quite repetitive at times because there's only a handful of songs that play repeatedly throughout the game.”
- “Apart from that, the music is very relaxing too; I sometimes would fall asleep to the music in the bus and wake up to a loud crash 20 seconds later.”
- “The radio yelling out shoutouts, and soundtracks that are so unique they have been playing on loop in my head or having me hum them for the entirety of the game.”
optimization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
50%
29%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, including low frame rates and stuttering, even on capable hardware. While some users report smooth performance on devices like the Steam Deck, the consensus is that the game requires substantial bug fixes and performance improvements to reach its full potential. Overall, while there are minor issues, the development team is actively addressing these concerns, leading to a hopeful outlook for future updates.
- “Overall, Fruitbus is a lovely game with a lot of potential, but it really needs some bug fixes and performance improvements to truly shine.”
- “I’ve encountered only minor performance issues that haven’t really impacted my gameplay, and knowing the team is working on them, I’d 100% recommend this game.”
- “There are a few minor bugs/performance issues, but nothing that has kept me from playing the game.”
- “The performance was also very disappointing - I was getting intense hitches and only around 50fps on low settings on a 3060, which in no way, shape or form should be happening in a simple game like this.”
- “Loooooooots of bugs that aren't fixed by pressing unstuck and terrible optimization.”
- “Heavily un-optimized, wait till patched.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in Fruitbus is described as lighthearted and heartwarming, effectively blending joy with deeper emotional themes. Players appreciate the game's funny sound effects, quirky bugs, and the charming personalities of its characters, which contribute to an immersive and enjoyable experience. Overall, the humor is characterized by a mix of sweetness, tongue-in-cheek wit, and relatable moments that enhance the game's narrative.
- “Fruitbus' story, in many ways, while very lighthearted and filled with joy and humor, was also surprisingly deep and quite emotional to me, in a beautiful way that I did not expect it to be at first.”
- “The story is really sweet, heartwarming, and funny.”
- “The devs really put their heart and soul into this game, creating a beautiful and fun world filled with unique and funny characters.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while foraging for ingredients can become tedious, especially when traveling between islands, the overall process of collecting and cooking is enjoyable and allows for experimentation. Some users appreciate the lack of complex missions, while others note that the constant back-and-forth can feel grindy, suggesting that it may require a significant time investment.
- “Sometimes it gets too tedious to stock up your items, especially when you're early in the game.”
- “Driving back and forth on the current island can get a little tedious as well when completing quests.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its cozy and calming vibe, enhanced by immersive music that allows players to engage deeply with the world. However, some users feel that adding more character could make the environment even more engaging. Overall, the colorful world and peaceful exploration contribute to a warm and enjoyable experience.
- “I don't play indie games a lot, but this one is amazing! They have done a great job; I love the atmosphere and the warm vibe I get from playing it. It's just great.”
- “Music is important to me: here, it creates a calming atmosphere, allowing players to get fully immersed in the story and world without feeling rushed.”
- “The world has a cozy atmosphere, but I wish the developers added more character to it to make it feel more engaging somehow.”
- “You get to explore a colorful world, run a little fruit bus business, and just vibe with the peaceful atmosphere.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in Fruitbus is highlighted by its engaging story and charming character designs, which contribute to an overall delightful experience. Players appreciate the fun mechanics that enhance the connection to the characters, making them feel more relatable and endearing.
- “Fruitbus is a charming game with fun mechanics, an engaging story, and adorable character designs.”
- “The music and the character design are so sweet!”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
Reviews on replayability are mixed; while some players appreciate the freedom in designing unique dishes that encourages experimentation, others feel the game lacks sufficient replay value to warrant returning after completion.
- “The game has very good replayability, and the freedom of designing the best dish has my mind thinking about what monstrosities I can cook up.”
- “I wish it had more replay value, but I don't think I'll pick it up again.”
- “The game lacks the depth needed to make me want to replay it.”
- “Once you've completed it, there's little incentive to go back.”