The Fruit of Grisaia
- May 29, 2015
- Frontwing
- 40h median play time
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.
"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.
Reviews
- Incredible character writing and development, making each heroine's story engaging and emotional.
- The game features a captivating story that balances humor and serious themes, providing a rollercoaster of emotions.
- High-quality visuals and a great soundtrack enhance the overall experience.
- The story progression is slow, especially in the common route, which may bore some players.
- The Steam version lacks 18+ content, which some players feel detracts from the overall experience.
- Some routes may feel less impactful compared to others, leading to a mixed experience.
- story468 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of this visual novel is widely praised for its depth, emotional impact, and character development, with many reviewers highlighting the unique and tragic backstories of each heroine. While the pacing can be slow, particularly in the common route, the intricate storytelling and well-crafted narratives keep players engaged, often evoking a range of emotions from laughter to tears. However, some players note that the censored version may lack certain plot-relevant content, which could affect the overall experience.
“A truly captivating story about a man who calls himself 'trash' trying to live out his days peacefully as a student.”
“The story, characters, music - it's all top tier.”
“The overall plot is well-crafted and will have you go through a whole spectrum of emotions, including sadness, laughter, joy, anger, suspense, fear, and everything in-between.”
“The story is freaking long-winded.”
“Steam version cuts out too many plot-relevant contents.”
“The anime version skips and rushes important story developments and scenes which ends up making the important events of the story irrelevant and boring.”
- humor118 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in this visual novel is a standout feature, blending clever dialogue, dark comedy, and absurd situations that often elicit genuine laughter. While the comedic elements can sometimes feel repetitive or overshadowed by the more serious themes, the interactions between well-developed characters provide a rich tapestry of humor that balances the emotional weight of their backstories. Overall, the game successfully combines light-hearted moments with deeper, poignant narratives, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking.
“Great game, characters are well designed and the comedy is pretty funny too.”
“The chemistry between them feels genuine and their interactions are utterly hilarious.”
“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.”
- music98 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and memorability, with many users highlighting the diverse and fitting soundtracks that enhance the storytelling and emotional depth. Tracks like "Holograph" and "Orange Sunshine" are particularly noted as favorites, while the overall composition is described as top-tier, contributing significantly to the immersive experience. However, some players mention occasional repetitiveness in the music, suggesting a desire for more variety in certain sections.
“The music fits perfectly to each scene and doesn't get monotonous in the slightest.”
“The soundtrack is just magnificent; it will always fit into the scenes you read.”
“From its appealing visuals and music to its deep and emotionally-driven storytelling, this has gone down in my book as one of, if not the best visual novel I have read to date.”
“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 I feel that some of the loops could have been handled a bit better, otherwise, I have no complaints.”
- emotional82 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "The Fruit of Grisaia" is widely praised for its ability to evoke a range of feelings, from laughter to deep sadness, as players navigate the complex backstories of its characters. Many reviewers highlight the intense emotional journeys each heroine undergoes, often leading to heart-wrenching moments that resonate long after the game ends. While some routes may lack cohesive plot structures, the overall emotional impact and character development are considered profound and engaging, making it a memorable experience for players seeking an emotional narrative.
“It's a story that made me laugh hysterically and weep uncontrollably and feel incredible emotional warmth.”
“This is a touching and great visual novel.”
“The fruit of Grisaia is a masterpiece; I have only just finished one of the endings and it made me feel more than I am capable of feeling.”
- graphics48 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their beautiful artwork and well-detailed character designs, contributing to an atmospheric experience. While some visuals may appear aged by modern standards, the art style remains impressive and charming, enhancing the storytelling. Overall, the visuals are considered a highlight, with many reviewers noting their emotional impact and aesthetic appeal.
“The art style is fantastic; I loved every bit of the art.”
“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.”
“There's obvious polish in visuals, voicing, and direction, but the substance of the story itself lacks sufficient appeal to me.”
“While mature content visuals have been edited or removed, much of the themes explored in the individual story routes and overall character development is still very much of an adult nature.”
- character development31 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally praised for its depth and intricacy, with many reviewers highlighting the strong personal growth of both the protagonist and the heroines throughout various routes. However, some players noted that the removal of adult content in the Steam version detracts from the context and richness of character arcs, while others criticized certain scenes for being overly verbose and lacking substance. Overall, the game is recommended for those seeking a narrative rich in character exploration, despite some pacing issues.
“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.”
“Great character development, amazing story, and unique characters.”
“The story merely plods along under the weight of uninspired character design, poor scene direction, and forgettable dialogue.”
“It also cuts out several of the scenes from the visual novel that add no value to plot progression and character development, which made me not want to continue the visual novel more and more as I progressed.”
“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.”
- gameplay18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this visual novel is primarily story-driven, featuring minimal interactive elements with around five choices per playthrough. Players can expect approximately 60+ hours of content, with a significant portion dedicated to character introductions and multiple routes, making it appealing for those who enjoy deep narratives. While the gameplay is limited, it is well-received for its engaging story and character development.
“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!”
“Great gameplay with a visual novel that offers a total of approximately 60+ hours of gameplay, with half of it being a common route to introduce you to the characters and the other half dedicated to each of the 5 girls' routes, each with two endings.”
“If you're looking for an outstanding visual novel that will last you over 50 hours of gameplay, this is the one!”
“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, so what sets this apart from others in the genre?”
“Like most visual novel genre, it lacks gameplay (story oriented).”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the visual novel is characterized by a blend of a dull, dark backdrop and moments of levity, creating a unique contrast that enhances the storytelling. The detailed character backgrounds and diverse personalities contribute to a rich emotional landscape, while the evocative soundtrack immerses players in the experience, making them feel connected to the characters. Overall, the combination of visuals, music, and narrative elements creates a compelling and atmospheric reading experience.
“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 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!”
“I am impressed with the dull atmosphere and dark past of everyone's background; the academy itself seemed to be a small paradise.”
“Just imagine reading a book, with images and music to set the mood and atmosphere.”
“The main character and side characters are good, helping to keep every hour you are reading enjoyable, even during early segments that build atmosphere and character relationships through slice of life.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers high replayability due to its intriguing story and multiple paths, making it a substantial experience that encourages players to revisit it. Overall, users find the replay value to be decent to high, enhancing the game's appeal.
“But overall, the game has a very intriguing story and many paths for replayability, so I would definitely recommend it!”
“Firstly, this visual novel is so massive that it has significant replay value.”
“The replay value is pretty decent as well.”
“Firstly, this visual novel is so massive that it has replay value.”
“The replay value is pretty decent, as well.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
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 over extended play sessions.
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding, as it allows you to unlock powerful abilities and gear.”
“The grind is satisfying, with each level-up feeling like a significant achievement.”
“I love how the grinding mechanics are balanced; it never feels tedious and always offers something new to strive for.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are well-executed, and the optimization allows for smooth performance at 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, leading to frequent frame drops.”
“Despite the beautiful visuals, the game struggles to run smoothly on mid-range hardware due to poor optimization.”
“I love the gameplay, but the optimization issues make it nearly unplayable on my system.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game has some stability issues, noting it can be somewhat buggy, but nothing excessively problematic.
“Nothing too bad, but somewhat buggy to deal with.”