Strawberry Vinegar

About Strawberry Vinegar

Strawberry Vinegar is a single player casual role playing game with fantasy, romance, comedy and anime themes. It was developed by ebi-hime and was released on January 5, 2016. It received positive reviews from players.

"Feed me, or I'll reap your soul!"And with those ridiculous words, my whole life was turned upside down. Sakuraba Rie, aged nine, is a cynical and grumpy girl who cares little for her fellow classmates, and does not have a single friend.That is, until a self-proclaimed demon from the deepest, darkest pits of Hell suddenly appears in Rie's kitchen and steals a tray of cookies.What will happen betwe…

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Reviews

81%Audience ScoreBased on 167 reviews

story43 positive mentions

character development3 negative mentions

Adorable and charming art style with beautifully detailed character sprites and mouthwatering food illustrations that enhance the story.
Heartwarming and lighthearted story focusing on friendship, food, and emotional growth with multiple endings that offer variety.
The game has a soothing soundtrack, humorous and clever dialogue, and offers a relaxing, feel-good experience with cute characters and wholesome romance.

The main characters being nine years old creates discomfort due to mature themes and innuendos present in the writing, which some players found inappropriate.
Writing quality is inconsistent, sometimes feeling amateurish or overly mature for the characters’ ages, with awkward dialogue and pacing issues.
Limited gameplay interaction and repetitive scenes make the visual novel feel slow and sometimes tedious, with some players citing lack of depth and engagement.

story
135 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32% positive mentions, 64% neutral mentions, 4% negative mentions
Strawberry Vinegar offers a sweet, lighthearted, and heartwarming story centered on the friendship and blossoming romance between two young girls, entwined with the charm of food and slice-of-life moments. While praised for its adorable characters, beautiful art, and multiple endings, the story is brief, simple, and occasionally criticized for tonal inconsistencies and some inappropriate content that may not suit all players. Overall, it appeals to those seeking a cozy, emotionally authentic visual novel without heavy drama or complexity.
- “Strawberry vinegar, developed and published by ebi-hime, is a heartwarming and introspective visual novel that blends elements of slice-of-life storytelling, humor, and fantasy into a single, cozy experience.”
- “These small decisions influence the tone of the story and the outcome of Rie and Licia’s relationship, leading to multiple possible endings that range from humorous to sentimental and bittersweet.”
- “What might have been a simple “cute slice-of-life” story instead becomes a quiet meditation on kindness, isolation, and the transformative power of sharing something as simple as food.”
- “From the thumbnail I did think 'wow the characters look really young', but I had already gotten the game from a bundle in the past, so I ended up playing it anyway... what I did not anticipate is a love story between two 9-year-olds, with many innuendos, unnecessary dirty talk from their parents, and aged-up dirty talk near the ending.”
- “The story is crowded off by (spoiler) when Rie and her demon friend Licia are aged up to 18 and within the first 4-5 dialogues coming up, they're dirty talking and talking about their breasts, revealing outfits, kissing passionately and all that?”
- “The premise was interesting and could have made for a fun story, but it was so mundane and just not fun to read at all.”
graphics
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63% positive mentions, 31% neutral mentions, 6% negative mentions
The game's graphics are widely praised for their adorable, charming, and highly detailed art style, with vibrant, pastel-colored visuals that effectively bring characters and food to life. Many reviewers highlight the appealing aesthetics and unique artwork by artist Silly Selly, noting it enhances the lighthearted, romantic atmosphere. While a few found the art style inconsistent or not to their taste, most agree the visuals significantly elevate the overall experience.
- “Such an adorable wlw game <3 I adore all the characters and strawberry romance x3 art style is perfection and makes you hungry with the realistic food kekeke.”
- “The visual elements are probably the most distinctive feature in this particular visual novel. I absolutely love the artwork and art style by Silly Selly, the artist of Strawberry Vinegar. The art is beautifully detailed, and it is very expressive which is very different than most visual novels out there.”
- “Through some strange circumstances Licia ends up staying with Rie's family for a week, learning about human customs and eating lots of food, described in exquisite detail, accompanied with amazing artwork by Silly Selly.”
- “Art style is not that good (imo) and inconsistent between CG.”
- “Writing is mediocre at best and I don't like the art style of the game.”
- “So while I cannot speak on the other ending, the rest of writing, or any other artwork in the game, I can speak on what parts I did see within my twelve minutes of play time (partially because I read very fast).”
humor
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 3% negative mentions
The humor in this game is quirky, lighthearted, and often centered around character interactions and food-related jokes, appealing to those who enjoy relaxed, cute, and tropey comedy. While many find the humor charming and funny, some critics feel it can be forced, overly reliant on unrealistic character dialogue, or inconsistent in tone. Overall, the humor balances well with the game's sincerity, making it enjoyable for fans of wholesome, character-driven stories.
- “Ebi-hime’s writing manages to balance humor and sincerity, infusing ordinary domestic moments with surprising emotional depth.”
- “The writing was really good, no grammatical mistakes (a lot of visual novels have bad writing/translation so this game was a huge improvement), and I found the humor funny, which I also find to be lacking in many games.”
- “All of the main characters are hilarious in their own ways.”
emotional
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
Strawberry Vinegar delivers a heartfelt, wholesome visual novel experience centered on themes of emotional growth, empathy, and connection through charming domestic moments and the shared enjoyment of food. Its blend of humor, sincerity, and subtle social commentary creates an emotionally authentic and cozy atmosphere, though its brevity may leave some players wanting more depth. Overall, it’s a sweet, warm story with adorable characters that resonates emotionally, especially for fans of light, introspective narratives.
- “What begins as a simple tale of annoyance and reluctant hospitality gradually blossoms into a touching exploration of empathy, companionship, and emotional growth.”
- “Rather than emphasizing mechanics, the game invites the player to slow down, observe, and reflect—mirroring the emotional themes it so carefully weaves into its writing.”
- “In the end, Strawberry Vinegar succeeds as a heartfelt and beautifully crafted narrative about connection, food, and emotional growth.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33% positive mentions, 54% neutral mentions, 13% negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for complementing the story's mood with gentle, relaxing piano and acoustic melodies that enhance the atmosphere, though some find the soundtrack forgettable or repetitive over time. While it fits scenes well and adds emotional depth, it rarely stands out and occasional mismatches occur. Overall, the soundtrack is appreciated but considered a minor weakness compared to other aspects like art and story.
- “The soundtrack follows a similar approach, with gentle piano and acoustic melodies that enhance the game’s comforting, domestic atmosphere.”
- “Each musical cue feels intentionally placed, shifting between playful lightness during Licia’s antics and tender melancholy during Rie’s quieter moments of introspection.”
- “All of the CGs are wonderfully drawn, all of the music fits the mood perfectly, and the story writing flows so well that I never found the urge to skip through any internal monologues or character dialogues for the sake of moving the plot along.”
- “The soundtrack gets annoying after a while.”
- “The soundtrack is pretty forgettable too.”
- “Some of the soundtracks don’t even fit particular scenes.”
character development
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25% positive mentions, 37% neutral mentions, 38% negative mentions
The character development is simple and cute, with charming designs and a lighthearted story focused on everyday life and affection between two girls. However, the narrative is fast-paced and lacks depth, making it less suitable for those seeking detailed or lengthy character growth. The artwork and unique motifs enhance the overall appeal despite the straightforward development.
- “Overall, the novel shows us a story of two girls who show love and affection to each other as the visual novel progresses and it portrays their everyday life and personal character development.”
- “But in terms of depth, this visual novel has really fast pacing and quick character development, so if you want a long, in-depth story, this might not be the best fit.”
- “Good humor, although I would have preferred more depth to the story and character development.”
- “But in terms of 'in depth story' it doesn’t go far and long; in fact, this visual novel has really fast pacing and really quick character development, so if you wanted a long, in depth story visual novel, sadly this is not for you.”
- “Decently written, cute, simple story with cute, simple character development.”
gameplay
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29% positive mentions, 28% neutral mentions, 43% negative mentions
The gameplay in Strawberry Vinegar is centered on interactive narrative and player choice but lacks complex mechanics, focusing instead on reflection and emotional themes. While it offers multiple choices and endings typical of a visual novel, its gameplay is basic and mainly involves reading and clicking through dialogue, which some found poorly written. Overall, the gameplay is simple but effective for its narrative-driven experience.
- “Rather than emphasizing mechanics, the game invites the player to slow down, observe, and reflect—mirroring the emotional themes it so carefully weaves into its writing.”
- “As for gameplay, it's a visual novel that has many choices and branches, along with six endings.”
- “As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which poses the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
- “Overall, it only offers basic options and gameplay aspects.”
- “At its core, Strawberry Vinegar is an interactive narrative that relies heavily on player choice, though not in the conventional sense of grand branching paths or complex gameplay systems.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
Grinding in the game is slow-paced and offers few meaningful choices, making progression feel tedious and drawn out. The gameplay often resembles a slow-reading visual novel, with repetitive actions like frequent clicking that can diminish player engagement. Card farming is a primary time sink, further contributing to the feeling of monotonous grinding.
- “It just moves along slower than half frozen molasses and there's not very many choices to be made - maybe a new choice you as the player can make every 30-40 minutes on average without mass skipping or speeding things up - which if you're like me means that it doesn't really do all that great at keeping your attention and can feel a bit tedious to play through due to the pacing.”
- “Visual novels/e-books are tedious at best... imagine the best novel you ever read, be that Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or 2001: A Space Odyssey or Twilight (if you have terrible taste in literature), but then translate that to a format where the words dribble out and you have to click your mouse every time you want to read the next sentence, instead of just turning the pages.”
- “Play time is from card farming.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The atmosphere is warmly comforting and sincere, enriched by gentle piano and acoustic melodies that create a domestic, reflective mood throughout the game. Despite its brevity, the experience feels rich and emotionally engaging.
- “The soundtrack follows a similar approach, with gentle piano and acoustic melodies that enhance the game’s comforting, domestic atmosphere.”
- “It may be a short experience, but it is rich in atmosphere and sincerity, offering both comfort and reflection in equal measure.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
The game demonstrates excellent stability, running smoothly without any technical issues, glitches, or unnecessary effects.

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Play Times

5h Median play time

5h Average play time

3-6h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Strawberry Vinegar is a casual role playing game with fantasy, romance, comedy and anime themes. Common tags for Strawberry Vinegar include demons, indie, lgbtq+, trading, family friendly and others.

Strawberry Vinegar is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS, PlayStation 4 and others.

On average players spend around 5 hours playing Strawberry Vinegar.

Strawberry Vinegar was released on January 5, 2016.

Strawberry Vinegar was developed by ebi-hime.

Strawberry Vinegar has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked Strawberry Vinegar for its story but disliked it for its character development.

Strawberry Vinegar is a single player game.

Similar games include Always The Same Blue Sky..., A Kiss For The Petals - Remembering How We Met, The Sad Story of Emmeline Burns, Vampires' Melody, AIdol and others.

Strawberry Vinegar

Platforms

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Reviews

story

graphics

humor

emotional

music

character development

gameplay

grinding

atmosphere

stability

Critic Reviews

rapidreviewsuk.com Review

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