Love's Sweet Garnish
- September 7, 2018
- Canvas+Garden
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"Love's Sweet Garnish" is a visual novel about Ogisawa Asaki, a new student at Hanao Usaka academy, who decides to reopen his grandmother's closed café as a way to cheer her up during her hospitalization. With the help of his childhood friend, Chisato Komada, Asaki renovates the café and prepares new menus, all while forming bonds with the town's residents. The game features charming mascot characters and allows players to experience a heartwarming story of friendship, growth, and sweet confections.
Reviews
- The game features adorable character designs and a relaxing atmosphere, making it a comfy visual novel experience.
- Both character routes are enjoyable, with a cute and light-hearted story that appeals to fans of slice-of-life narratives.
- The art and music are well-crafted, enhancing the overall charm of the game and providing a pleasant backdrop to the story.
- The game is quite short, with only two routes available, which may disappoint players expecting more content and choices.
- The pacing can be slow, leading to moments of boredom as the story focuses heavily on mundane cafe management activities.
- There are noticeable translation issues and some awkward character interactions that detract from the overall experience.
- story87 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally described as simple, cute, and laid-back, focusing on the daily life of a boy working in a café alongside several female characters. While some players appreciate its charm and relaxing pace, others find it predictable and lacking in depth, with rushed character development and minimal drama. Overall, the narrative is seen as enjoyable for those seeking a light-hearted experience, but may not satisfy players looking for a more engaging or complex storyline.
“This is such a beautiful story, please give it a try <3”
“The story is short, but well written and simple to understand and follow since it only has two routes, the CGs are beautifully crafted and the music puts you in the right vibe.”
“The charm of the story was enough to make me lower my guard and actually enjoy it to the point where I was involuntarily reacting to everything that was happening like I was there with the characters - something I personally haven't been able to do in ages.”
“The story is not worth playing if you want to save your precious time; it's a predictable story with poor character attachment. The game is around 8-10 hours, so I think overall it's all right, 6.5/10.”
“Halfway through, the story really drags on and on.”
“If you're searching for a story that will make you cry, laugh, and get attached... you won't get any of it, really.”
- music10 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the visual novel is highly praised for its quality and suitability, enhancing the overall experience without overshadowing the narrative. Reviewers note that the soundtrack is both comforting and well-composed, fitting seamlessly with the scenes and contributing to the game's charming atmosphere. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, making it an excellent entry point for newcomers to the genre.
“The story is short, but well written and simple to understand and follow since it only has two routes, the CGs are beautifully crafted and the music puts you in the right vibe.”
“The music was composed with this game in mind; it fits the scenes perfectly and doesn't interfere with the scene being presented. It's also interesting enough to not be the kind of music that's there just because there has to be music.”
“For people who are new to the VN genre of games, this is an excellent starting point as the story is easily read and easy to immerse yourself into, and the music is really gentle and isn't mismatched to the intentions of the scene.”
“Somehow the soundtrack used for the H scenes actually isn't over the top, unlike other visual novels I've played, so that's a huge plus.”
“For people who are new to the visual novel genre of games, this is an excellent starting point as the story is easily read and easy to immerse yourself into, and the music is really gentle and isn't mismatched to the intentions of the scene.”
“Decent music.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics of the visual novel are widely praised for their beautiful and cute art style, with clean and professionally drawn sprites that enhance the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the effective use of visuals in conveying emotions and storytelling, making it a standout feature of the game. Overall, the graphics receive high marks, with many users rating them as exceptional.
“I really enjoyed this visual novel, the characters were super cute and the art style was absolutely beautiful!”
“If you like cute things, this is definitely the visual novel for you, because the two main heroines (as well as most of the side characters) are extremely cute (as you can already tell from the artwork).”
“[b]Graphics/art:[/b] [i]10/10[/i] I can't complain here, the sprites were cleanly and professionally drawn, the expressions were accurate and well executed, and even the special scenes held no real detracting factors I could find.”
“Almost all visual novels do not require a graphics card to run the game; a processor is more than enough. However, let's not exaggerate, 2000s PCs are not going to run the game.”
“The art style was so cute and the atmosphere was very relaxing, but the drama was unnecessary and felt out of place.”
“If you like cute things, this is definitely the visual novel for you, because the two main heroines (as well as most of the side characters) are extremely cute, as you can already tell from the artwork.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its wholesome and heartwarming narrative, featuring likeable characters and touching moments that foster a sense of closeness. While the story may be simple and somewhat mundane, it effectively evokes feelings of warmth and sweetness, making for a relaxing and enjoyable experience.
“The girls are so likeable, and there are quite a few emotional moments later on that really make you feel close to them.”
“It was very wholesome and sweet.”
“Characters are cute, the setting is relaxing, and overall it's just a short heartwarming story.”
- character development5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is noted for its potential to create tension and drama, particularly in romantic routes, but can feel abrupt and jarring, leading to mixed feelings about certain characters. While some players appreciate the depth and personality of the characters, others find the sudden shifts in character roles—such as a beloved character becoming an antagonist—frustrating and detrimental to their overall enjoyment.
“I think the drama introduced when you're on the route of whichever girl felt incredibly jarring with how suddenly it was introduced; the character development as a result was fine, but it felt pretty cruel to the girl(s) because it felt like 'hey suddenly this character you were talking to yeah they're the antagonist for now' and it just made me have a dislike for the character because of it.”
“The story is good with good character designs and great personalities.”
“I'm not too big on the tired trope of unresolved sexual tension ramping up, especially when the specific girl's route started. It drove me crazy sometimes when I wanted to yell at the screen 'it's so obvious' or 'spit it out', although I will excuse that for some cases due to character development.”
“I'm not too fond of the tired trope of unresolved sexual tension, especially when the specific girl's route started. It drove me crazy sometimes when I wanted to yell at the screen, 'It's so obvious' or 'Spit it out.' Although I will excuse that for some cases due to character development.”
“I think the drama introduced when you're on the route of whichever girl felt incredibly jarring with how suddenly it was introduced. The character development as a result was fine, but it felt pretty cruel to the girl(s) because it felt like 'Hey, suddenly this character you were talking to? Yeah, they're the antagonist for now,' and it just made me dislike the character because of it.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as inconsistent, with some players finding it cute and funny, while others feel it is minimal and contributes to a sense of boredom, ultimately leading to disengagement.
“Cute and funny visual novel! 😭”
“The humor adds a delightful touch to the experience.”
“The witty dialogue and playful scenarios kept me laughing throughout.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The gameplay in the visual novel is minimal, primarily consisting of clicking through the narrative with little to no interactive elements.
“In a visual novel, there is no gameplay to speak of other than clicking.”
“The gameplay feels repetitive and lacks any real challenge.”
“I found the mechanics to be clunky and unresponsive, which made the experience frustrating.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect tedious, as it lacks meaningful connection and engagement, leading to a monotonous experience.
“Grinding becomes tedious as there is no meaningful connection to the gameplay.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes it feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
“After a while, the grinding feels more like a time sink than a rewarding part of the game.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its ability to foster a strong emotional connection to the characters, enhanced by effective character design and storytelling elements.
“We really get attached to the characters thanks to the character design and the atmosphere of the story.”
