The Fruit of Grisaia

The Fruit of Grisaia is a great visual novel. Although it’s somewhat marred by pacing issues, the high moments of story are more than enough to make you forget all about them.

90%Game Brain Score

story, humor

gameplay, replayability

93% User Score Based on 712 reviews

Critic Score 40%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

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About

The Fruit of Grisaia is a single player casual action adventure game with romance, drama and comedy themes. It was developed by Frontwing and was released on May 29, 2015. It received negative reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"The Fruit of Grisaia" is a visual novel centered around Yuuji Kazami, a transfer student to Mihama Academy. He discovers the school's five female students each harbor painful pasts. The game delves into their emotional journeys towards healing and acceptance, offering multiple endings based on player choices. It is a tale of redemption, growth, and interpersonal bonds.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 712 reviews

story176 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The writing is superb, with a captivating story that keeps players engaged for hours.
The characters are well-developed, each with unique backstories that evoke strong emotional responses.
The humor is legendary, providing a perfect balance to the darker themes explored in the game.

The common route is lengthy and can feel slow, which may deter some players.
Some players may find the lack of choices limiting, as the game is more focused on storytelling than interactivity.
The Steam version is censored, which removes some content that could enhance character development and story depth.

story
509 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
63%
2%
The story of "The Fruit of Grisaia" is a rich and emotionally charged narrative that explores the complex backgrounds of its characters, particularly the protagonist, Kazami Yuuji, and the five heroines he interacts with. While the common route serves as a lengthy introduction filled with slice-of-life elements, it ultimately sets the stage for deeper, darker themes as players delve into each character's unique and often tragic backstory. The writing is praised for its depth and character development, making it a compelling experience for those who appreciate intricate storytelling, though some may find the pacing slow at times.
- “The narrative complexity means that replayability is not just encouraged but essential to fully appreciate the scope of the story.”
- “The fruit of Grisaia is a funny, unbelievable, and emotional story which is based around a premise so ridiculous that it could only be found in fiction, yet the themes it tackles and the characters it develops are so grounded in reality that it draws you in as if it were true.”
- “Each character has their own charm without spoiling, and it's impressive to see the main character Yuji slowly start to open up and change as much of his story is that of a fish out of water coming from a military background.”
- “The anime skipped, changed, and bastardized so much quality storytelling, it's kind of baffling.”
- “The common route, which is the majority of the story, will feel like that for the majority of people, albeit adding a bit of context to the story, but you ultimately understand it after the first 1-2 hours.”
- “The story is full of suspense and excitement; almost all the characters have a dark past with a decent backstory.”
humor
138 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in this visual novel is widely praised for its clever writing and ability to balance lighthearted moments with darker themes, often resulting in both laughter and emotional depth. The protagonist, Yuuji, is noted for his sarcastic and witty remarks, which contribute to the comedic tone, especially in the common route filled with quirky interactions among characters. However, some reviewers mention that the humor can be hit or miss, with certain jokes feeling repetitive or overly reliant on sexual innuendos, and the pacing may detract from the overall experience.
- “The writing excels at balancing intense emotional revelations with moments of warmth, humor, and gradual trust.”
- “The common route is downright hilarious, genuinely one of the funniest things I've ever read at points; and the girls' routes are all generally heartfelt, very heavy, and well done.”
- “It's brilliantly written and while it is a little slow to start, it's always funny, often cute and when it goes for the feels... it goes in hard.”
music
106 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
38%
3%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the emotional depth of the story, with a diverse range of tracks that effectively match the tone of various scenes. Players appreciate the memorable soundtracks, including character-specific songs and high-quality voice acting, which contribute to an immersive experience. While some noted occasional repetitiveness, the overall consensus is that the music is a standout feature, elevating the game's narrative and atmosphere.
- “The soundtrack supports these shifts brilliantly—gentle piano pieces underscore reflection, while darker arrangements heighten scenes of tension and revelation.”
- “The music fits perfectly to each scene, and doesn't get monotonous in the slightest.”
- “From the voice acting to the soundtracks and even to the sound effects, everything was simply perfect, indeed adding the right atmosphere from funny, happy, amusing, sad, anger, horror; everything was simply perfect in that retrospect.”
- “The music can get kind of repetitive during certain parts of the game.”
- “It is not quite perfect as in some scenes (tiny amount maybe only 4-5), they could’ve made better soundtracks in the situation.”
- “While not every song may be listenable on its own, each does an excellent job of amplifying the tone of a scene.”
emotional
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
"The Fruit of Grisaia" is a deeply emotional visual novel that intricately explores the traumas and personal struggles of its characters, set against the backdrop of a sanctuary-like school. Players experience a powerful blend of humor and heartache, with each character's route revealing layers of emotional depth that can lead to both laughter and tears. The game is praised for its strong writing and character development, making it a memorable and impactful journey for those willing to invest the time.
- “The writing excels at balancing intense emotional revelations with moments of warmth, humor, and gradual trust.”
- “When a character finally opens up about her trauma, the emotional payoff feels powerful precisely because the game spends so much time building rapport and making the academy feel like a lived-in place.”
- “The emotional thrill ride this story offered had me crying due to the sheer amount of love for each of the characters and the backstories of everyone made it that much more depressing.”
graphics
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
44%
6%
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their beautiful and detailed artwork, with many reviewers highlighting the effective adaptation of visuals to character emotions and story themes. While some visuals may appear aged by modern standards, the overall art style and quality are considered impressive, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and emotional impact. Despite minor criticisms regarding certain aspects of the character art and UI, the graphics are generally rated highly, with many users expressing their admiration for the stunning CG artwork and its role in enhancing the storytelling experience.
- “Cg artwork punctuates major scenes with striking imagery, whether conveying the soft glow of quiet connection or the harsh intensity of a character’s breaking point.”
- “The fruit of Grisaia presents us with high-quality visuals and well-detailed CGs.”
- “The artwork is very beautiful and adapted to the weather, light and darkness, and also adapted to each story.”
- “Some visuals may look 'aged' by today's standards; the game is pretty old and it shows in some aspects. While most background art is fine, the character art and especially the UI/menus show their age. Arguably, it gives the game its own kind of charm, but visuals are important in a visual novel.”
- “Decent graphics; I say decent because I've seen better in a visual novel.”
- “Graphics: those who like anime style will appreciate the graphics here, even though it's just a couple of pictures and maybe a few animations.”
character development
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
55%
9%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with many praising the depth and complexity of the protagonists and heroines, particularly in specific routes that offer rich backstories and psychological insights. However, some players feel that certain character arcs are overly dramatic for the game's otherwise grounded setting, and the pacing can detract from the overall experience. Additionally, the removal of adult content in the Steam version is noted to impact the context and depth of character development, leading to a recommendation to seek alternative versions for a fuller experience.
- “Regarding the heroine routes, the character development and backstory reveals for all five heroines were done pretty well.”
- “It's the way of storytelling, character development, and plot twists that are insanely alluring and kept me interested until the very end.”
- “This story is extremely heavy on character development, and oftentimes the plot intertwines with the exploration of both the protagonist and the character of the route; all of it is done extremely well.”
- “However, I don't like how their pasts and character development feel a bit too over the top for an otherwise down-to-earth setting.”
- “The story merely plods along under the weight of uninspired character design, poor scene direction, and forgettable dialogue.”
- “I get character development, there is plenty of it, but hell they talk for the sake of talking in so many of the early scenes that it seems as if the writers didn't give a lick of consideration for the time-sink and attention readers need to give to these almost meaningless exhalations of air.”
gameplay
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
74%
13%
The gameplay of this visual novel is primarily focused on storytelling, with minimal interactive elements, typically involving a few choices at key points. Players can expect a substantial amount of content, ranging from 35 to over 100 hours depending on reading speed and exploration of character routes, with a common route followed by multiple character-specific paths. While some find the pacing slow initially, the depth of character development and multiple endings provide significant replay value.
- “Countless hours of gameplay and good replay value.”
- “Gameplay: mostly you are going to read... a lot. No joke here, I spent 100+ hours on reading every route and every ending.”
- “It's a bit slow in the beginning (about 20 hours of gameplay before the first route branches out), but once you delve into each of the character's backgrounds, you won't want to stop playing!”
- “Gameplay is very minimal, with there being about 5 choices per playthrough.”
- “This game is a 'visual novel,' meaning that there's really nothing in the gameplay department apart from making a few choices at certain plot-relevant crossroads, but gameplay isn't what we're here for; this genre is all about the story.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
20%
30%
The atmosphere of the game is richly crafted, blending a dull yet dramatic backdrop with deep character histories and a diverse range of emotions. The combination of well-detailed visuals, immersive soundtracks, and effective voice acting enhances the storytelling, making players feel deeply connected to the characters and their experiences. Overall, the game successfully balances serious themes with moments of humor, creating a captivating and memorable atmosphere.
- “This visual novel includes a lot of different elements such as truly deep and well-detailed psycho-traumatic scenes, very awful childhoods that all of them have to bear within them, a nice and pleasant humor added to perfectly distract from the dull atmosphere at the right moments, and also the unique personalities for each character that provides a great deal of diversity into the story.”
- “There's one thing really special about the soundtracks used in these kinds of games that just fit the atmosphere of the story and feelings; it makes you feel like you live with the characters and forget about everything else!”
- “From the voice acting to the soundtracks and even to the sound effects, everything was simply perfect; indeed, it added the right atmosphere from funny, happy, amusing, sad, anger, horror—everything was simply perfect in that respect.”
- “I am impressed with the dull atmosphere and dark past of everyone's background; the academy itself seemed to be a small paradise.”
- “The soundtrack used in this game fits the atmosphere of the story and feelings perfectly; it makes you feel like you are living with the characters and forget about everything else!”
- “Just imagine reading a book, with images and music to set the mood and atmosphere.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game offers high replayability due to its narrative complexity and multiple story paths, encouraging players to revisit it to fully appreciate the scope of the story. Users report countless hours of gameplay and a strong recommendation for its intriguing narrative and replay value.
- “Countless hours of gameplay and good replay value.”
- “Firstly, this visual novel is so massive that it has significant replay value.”
- “The narrative complexity means that replayability is not just encouraged but essential to fully appreciate the scope of the story.”
- “Firstly, this visual novel is so massive that it has replay value.”
- “The replay value is pretty decent, as well.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The game's graphics are well-executed, with optimization that effectively supports resolutions up to 1080p, enhancing the overall visual experience.
- “The graphics and optimization are impressive.”
- “Scenes and characters are drawn perfectly, complemented by good optimization that supports up to 1080p.”
- “The graphics are stunning, but the optimization is severely lacking.”
- “I love the gameplay, but the optimization issues make it frustrating to enjoy.”
- “The game looks great, but the performance drops ruin the experience due to poor optimization.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
Players note that while grinding in "Grisaia no Kajitsu" can be time-consuming, the balance of drama and comedy keeps the experience engaging and prevents it from feeling tedious, even during extended play sessions.
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
- “The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report that the game has some stability issues, noting it can be somewhat buggy, but the problems are not severe.
- “Nothing too bad, but somewhat buggy to deal with.”