*Note: I received a game code for the Nintendo Switch for my honest review of the game. Thank you to Ratalaika Games for the game code.
Strawberry Vinegar is a visual novel that introduces us to the main character Rie Sakuraba and her parents. Right away, I noticed how cute and colorful the artwork is. Rie explains a lot about her family and she comes across as a bit cynical which is a little surprising considering she's a ten year old kid, but it works well with the flow of the story. Rie's parents seem to be opposites and yet their dynamic works and the story shows a beautiful love between the two. As we get to know Rie, she narrates and explains that she's very much an introvert. Rie doesn't really talk to her classmates and doesn't seem to be friends with anyone and Rie insists that she likes it that way, but it seems there may be more to it than that and this may be a way of Rie protecting herself from disappointment and hurt.
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| Rie's parents. |
It isn't long before the story introduces Licia, a little demon girl who appears in the family kitchen eating the cookies Rie just baked. Licia really likes human food and demands that Rie keep feeding her delicious food for a week or she'll reap her soul. This brings up a funny conversation with Rie not believing Licia at first and a debate about how much a soul is actually worth. Even funnier is how Rie's parents just accept all of this at face value and somehow convince themselves that Licia is from Norway.
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| Licia and Rie meet. |
The story is a nice slice of life slow burn and it also celebrates eating food together. The artwork for the food is incredible. Each dish looks beautiful and tasty. Rie's description of the food complements how amazing all of it looks. There were a few favorites of mine in there and it definitely made me hungry. That storytelling of how food can bring us together and how it tastes better when we share it with the people we love and care about.
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| All the yummy food! |
I love the interactions between Rie and Licia because it shows quite well how the two girls are so different and yet find common ground through food. Licia is trying these dishes for the first time and Rie finds herself actually having fun and discovering the power of friendship and love.
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| Licia and Rie at a festival. |
The other locations shown in the game like a festival are done really well and very pretty. The artwork for the whole of the game is vibrant, cute, and really brings this visual novel to life. Each area shows off the different dishes and that is where the artwork really shines. It brought back my own happy memories of sharing food with my family and friends.
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| Delicious dango. |
The music for the game is nice and sets the mood for each scene. While Rie does heavily narrate which can cause the story to drag a little in places, I didn't mind because the main characters and side characters are likable and charming. There's wonderful bits of humor and heartwarming moments that add to the layers of the story beautifully.
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| Delicious omurice. |
Ultimately the story is about Rie and Licia and how their friendship blossoms and becomes something more. I love that it happens slowly and organically and in a way that is age appropriate for both girls. The story and art shows a lot of love for the characters which I really appreciated. I loved them all and found myself smiling often at all the lovely moments they had with each other and enjoying every bit of the story itself. Strawberry Vinegar is a cute story about friendship, love, and good food that is absolutely worth your time if you love visual novels and a great first visual novel for first timers.
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| Licia and Rie having a cute moment. |
*Strawberry Vinegar is available to play on the following platforms: Steam, Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, and Xbox One
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