Highway Blossoms

About

Highway Blossoms is a single player action game with a romance theme. It was developed by Studio Élan and was released on June 17, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

The gold rush has struck the west for a second time. Highway Blossoms is the story of Amber, a girl trying her best to be alone on the road until she stumbles upon a young hitchhiker and the journal of a prospector from long ago.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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94%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,461 reviews

story578 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The characters are well-developed and relatable, making the emotional journey impactful.
The story is heartwarming and engaging, blending humor with deeper themes of grief and love.
The voice acting and soundtrack enhance the overall experience, making it immersive and enjoyable.

The pacing can be slow at times, particularly in the beginning, which may deter some players.
There are no choices or branching paths, making it feel more like a story than a game.
Some plot points and character actions may feel unrealistic or forced, leading to moments of frustration.

story
1,609 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
62%
2%
The story of "Highway Blossoms" is a heartfelt and engaging narrative centered around two young women, Amber and Marina, who embark on a treasure hunt across the American Southwest while navigating their budding romance and personal struggles with grief and loss. While the plot can feel predictable and occasionally relies on convenient storytelling, the character development and emotional depth resonate strongly with players, making it a touching exploration of love and healing. The game is presented as a kinetic visual novel, meaning there are no choices to influence the story, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the narrative experience.
- “Highway Blossoms is a sometimes cute, sometimes emotionally uncomfortable yuri story about two young women treasure hunting across the American Southwest.”
- “The story is engaging, the voice acting and characters are superb, and the art is fantastic.”
- “The story is so good, though there isn't much you can do in the game or options to use and which path to choose, but if you are into reading, reading books, novels, and stuff.”
- “Every single character's core trait is exaggerated to a point where they don't feel like characters; they feel like vessels for drama and excuses for things happening just to progress the story or create more drama.”
- “The narrative is linear, so it's a story rather than a game.”
- “The story is predictable, riddled with plot holes, badly written, and unnecessarily drawn out.”
music
453 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
46%
1%
The music in "Highway Blossoms" is widely praised for its atmospheric quality and emotional resonance, effectively enhancing the game's narrative and setting. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke the feeling of a road trip through the American southwest, with many expressing a desire to purchase the soundtrack for personal enjoyment. While some noted minor issues with repetition and sound editing, the overall consensus is that the music significantly contributes to the game's charm and emotional depth.
- “The soundtrack is amazing, providing a strong variety of tunes in the background and even tying some of that into the narrative.”
- “The music is fitting to the scenario, although it's not to my tastes.”
- “The music effectively evokes the setting of the southwest, occasionally using a harmonica for that western kind of feel, but mostly using lighter tones coupled with guitars to give a feeling evocative of the open road.”
- “The only complaint I would have is that there were a great number of times where the background music was simply stopped for silence, often when characters were not interacting which left a lot of quiet in my headphones.”
- “The music editing isn't the best, cutting in and out mid-song.”
- “The songs would occasionally die out and then not start up for a few minutes which left it feeling empty, if that makes sense.”
emotional
332 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Highway Blossoms is widely praised for its emotional depth, offering a heartfelt and touching narrative that resonates with players. Many reviewers express that the story evokes a range of emotions, from laughter to tears, as it explores themes of love, loss, and personal growth through the relationship between its two main characters. The writing, voice acting, and soundtrack contribute significantly to the emotional experience, making it a standout visual novel for those seeking a genuine and engaging romantic story.
- “This game made me cry and laugh, and these are the best things a game can do to you.”
- “I honestly don't have the words necessary to express the emotions this game makes me feel, from the gorgeous soundtrack I could listen to for hours on repeat, to the heartfelt story of loss and grief and love.”
- “Highway Blossoms is a short but sweet and heartfelt visual novel about a road trip of self-discovery.”
- “Boring story, unlikable characters; don't waste your life here.”
graphics
161 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
40%
2%
The graphics of "Highway Blossoms" have received widespread praise for their beautiful artwork and immersive visuals, effectively capturing the game's American desert setting. While many reviewers noted the inconsistency in art styles and some distracting visual contradictions, the overall quality of character designs and backgrounds was highlighted as a significant strength, enhancing the storytelling experience. The combination of stunning visuals, emotive character expressions, and a fitting soundtrack contributes to the game's appeal, making it a standout in the visual novel genre.
- “The visuals were incredible.”
- “The artwork is fantastic.”
- “The graphics are beautiful and the music fits perfectly, without seeming too repetitive nor getting old.”
- “I did find the visuals distracting, though, because of the way they kept contradicting the text: a toothless person with a 'gummy smile' against a picture of someone with an almost full set of teeth, a diner so full they have trouble finding a table against a picture of an empty diner, a stack of pancakes almost a foot high against a picture of two pancakes on a plate, them waiting to get into a festival against a picture of them by an empty mainstage.”
- “The only critique I have is that the CGs were a bit inconsistent with the rest of the artwork.”
- “The discontinuity between the art style and the western setting can be jarring at first, but you'll have plenty of time to adapt after you get sucked into the plot.”
humor
119 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing and engaging character interactions, particularly between the main duo, Amber and Marina, whose banter adds a delightful layer to the narrative. Players appreciate the balance of humor with emotional depth, noting that the game successfully elicits laughter while also delivering heartfelt moments. Additionally, the inclusion of modes like "goofball mode" enhances replayability and provides extra comedic content, making the overall experience both entertaining and memorable.
- “Amber and Marina make for a great, banterful duo, and also find themselves in a rivalry with another group of treasure hunters, with whom they have many hilarious interactions.”
- “The writing is beautiful and the humor's great too!”
- “Highway Blossoms isn't a game about getting turned on; it's a game about laughing, crying, and maybe even yelling at the screen in frustration as you travel along a beautiful journey.”
character development
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
50%
6%
Character development in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating the gradual growth of the main characters, particularly Amber and Marina, whose interactions leave a lasting impression. While the pacing of character arcs is mostly praised, some reviewers noted that side characters could benefit from more depth. Overall, the character development is seen as a strong aspect of the narrative, contributing positively to the emotional experience of the game.
- “Even if not shipping the main two, seeing growth in friendships and character development is a pleasant, positive experience.”
- “The character development that goes on throughout Amber and Marina's interactions leaves you with a sense of familiarity that sticks around well after you've completed the game, and I'm sure I'll revisit it at some point as a result.”
- “They did a fantastic job of not revealing everything at once, interspersing a nice mix of character development through sorrow and joy, as well as levity that didn't feel forced via humor.”
- “The character development makes no sense; the dynamic between the two main characters is dumb, the antagonist is predictable in their actions, there seems to be no conflict at all, and everything just magically works in the favor of the main character.”
- “Character development felt spotty, but it's there; don't worry, they do change gradually.”
- “The lack of character development of the three side characters, Mariah, Tess, and Joseph, is disappointing.”
gameplay
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
76%
8%
The gameplay aspect of this visual novel is characterized by a complete lack of interactive elements, with no choices or mechanics beyond advancing the text. While many players typically prefer more engaging gameplay, several reviews highlight that the captivating story and strong voice acting compensate for the absence of traditional gameplay, making it an enjoyable experience for those who appreciate narrative-driven content. Overall, the game is described as a linear reading experience, with some users noting that the story's quality can outweigh the minimal gameplay.
- “Very fun visual novel with decent voice acting and a ton of gameplay to go through.”
- “Despite the well-done story, which also features way more gameplay time than the average visual novel (took me about 8 hours to complete), the game also has some beautiful CG scenes, several of them even animated with little light effects.”
- “Personally, I would say there are other visual novels out there with much more polished gameplay, animations, and voice, but I believe what the devs did here was perfectly fine for me and all around this continues to be probably the best visual novel I have read so far.”
- “It's a visual novel without any choices or gameplay, and when that's the case the story has really got to grab me, and it just didn't.”
- “Well, I would say that the original price is a bit too high because this isn't really a 'game', there's no gameplay nor even dialog choices to make.”
- “This is a kinetic visual novel, so there are no choices or gameplay whatsoever.”
atmosphere
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
31%
16%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its atmospheric music and art direction, which effectively capture the essence of a romantic American road trip. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a significant contributor to the immersive experience, enhancing the emotional depth of the story and characters. While some find the plot somewhat clichéd, the overall ambiance and setting are described as engaging and evocative, making it a memorable aspect of the game.
- “The atmospheric soundtrack and art direction perfectly capture the romance of the American road trip as you get swept up in a tale of treasure hunting, soul-searching, and the blooming of a beautiful relationship.”
- “With an appropriately desolate, yet plucky, soundtrack reiterating a barren desert sprinkled with life, I often had to pause to appreciate the atmosphere of a scene before letting the story continue.”
- “An adorable romance, good comedy-drama balance, lovely soundtrack, and an accurate, atmospheric portrayal of the great American southwest combine to make quite the experience.”
- “The endless inner monologue about her grandfather, and the way she constantly mentions him in conversation kills the atmosphere.”
- “Then I quickly got bored with those treasure hunting things, so I just dropped it early in the story despite actually being hooked by the atmosphere.”
- “However, the plot is primarily just a framework to present the atmosphere and the characters, so it never prevented me from enjoying the game.”
replayability
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The game has limited replayability due to its linear story and lack of choices, typically taking around six hours to complete. However, it offers some replay value through modes like "goofball mode" and "new game +1," which introduce humor and alternative experiences after finishing the main story. While these additions provide a slight incentive to revisit the game, the overall replayability remains minimal.
- “Offers some replayability by having goofball mode after beating the story.”
- “Once you beat the game, you unlock goofball mode which is the game with jokes thrown about every now and then; the jokes are often a bit sparse and far between, but they're usually very funny and add a bit of replayability to the game once you've gone through it once.”
- “The game offers replay value in the form of new game +1 versions; ezmode (a satire version which packs the main story into 8 minutes), and goofball mode (the original version but with fourth wall breaking jokes added throughout).”
- “Lacks any choices or multiple endings, so it doesn't have replayability in my opinion.”
- “All in all, I can only recommend this around 6-hour long visual novel, especially if you can get it on sale since it isn't that long and doesn't really have any replay value.”
- “Pretty short kinetic novel (meaning no choices), took me about 6 hours to finish reading it; since it's kinetic, there's not really any replay value.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The optimization of voice acting in the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the impactful performances of the voice actresses that enhance characterizations and overall immersion. Every character is fully voiced, contributing significantly to the game's emotional depth and player experience.
- “I love the vocal performances that stay true to the characterizations and American-ness.”
- “You will not be disappointed in their performance.”
- “Every character is fully voiced (even the ones you don't see) and the actors really knock it out with their performances.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a mixed sentiment towards grinding, often viewing it as a necessary but tedious aspect of gameplay, particularly in mobile games like Priconne and GFL. While some find it a suitable way to pass the time, others feel it can lead to burnout and frustration. Overall, grinding is seen as a common yet polarizing element in the gaming experience.
- “I would, without a doubt, recommend it to anyone who bothered clicking on the store page, but this review reflects my frustration from grinding those tedious mobile games.”
- “Grinding in this game feels like an endless chore, draining the fun out of the experience.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay engaged; it often feels like a time sink with little reward.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been criticized due to bugs and a lack of communication from the developers regarding promised features, leading to a negative impression among players. While some aspects like character design and music are appreciated, occasional glitches detract from the overall experience.
- “Having a buggy game is one thing, but the radio silence on a feature promised to players feels disrespectful to me, so I'm afraid I can't recommend this game or anything by these developers.”
- “The character design is great, the music is very fitting (though it sometimes glitches a bit).”

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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

Review: Highway Blossoms
Hardcoregamer.com
80%

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5h Median play time

17h Average play time

5-13h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Highway Blossoms is a action game with romance theme.

Highway Blossoms is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 17 hours playing Highway Blossoms.

Highway Blossoms was released on June 17, 2016.

Highway Blossoms was developed by Studio Élan.

Highway Blossoms has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

Highway Blossoms is a single player game.

Similar games include Kindred Spirits on the Roof, Heart of the Woods, Love Ribbon, First Snow, Please Be Happy and others.

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