Winter Worm, Summer Grass

Winter Worm, Summer Grass is a quite enjoyable little folk horror tale that I'd definitely recommend to fans of the genre. It's not a masterpiece, but it achieves what it sets out to do quite effectively. Just be aware that there is some HEAVY stuff in this game. There is no "romance" or similar content that isn't at least a little messed up and some of it gets real bad. Make sure you're in the right headspace for that. In terms of criticisms, I'd say that the systems (such as the save feature) needed more work, but since the game is free and short enough to play in one sitting it wasn't a dealbreaker for me.

I remember playing this a while back. Enjoyed the artstyle and some concepts, but the overall plot felt a bit lackling. Still, I recommend it for beautiful artstyle alone. (P.S. avoid my playtime, I most probably played it during offline time. But I have gotten all three endings in case you are wondering).

"Winter Worm, Summer Grass" isn't a game. It's an e-book dumped on Steam masquerading as a game. As a visual novel/e-book/fan-fiction, this has no notable gameplay. It's just clicking through badly written dialogue that would never be accepted in print by an actual professional publisher. How did something this badly written end up on Steam? When someone can't get published in print, they spend $100 and dump their high school fan-fiction onto Steam Direct under the guise of a game. This e-book from Japan is badly translated, and I gotta say, cringe high school anime fan-fictions get worse when they're mangled by Google Translate. Of course this story is about the author and their imaginary boyfriend in historical Japan. It's themed horror, and the horror is how bad and how cringey the writing is, and then the thought someone would actually try to publish it where other people might see it. Visual novels are tedious at best. Imagine the best novel you ever read, be that Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy or Twilight (kidding), but translate it to a format where you've to click your mouse for every single sentence instead of just turning pages. You'd think it was garbage. Now take …

Игра 'Winter Worm, Summer Grass' — это трогательное и медитативное приключение, которое цепляет не сложным геймплеем, а своей атмосферой и глубоким посылом. Визуально игра выполнена в минималистичном, но очень красивом пиксель-арте, создавая ощущение уюта и спокойствия. Сюжет, хотя и не перегружен деталями, рассказывает о цикличности жизни и важности принятия перемен. Через взаимодействие с окружающим миром и другими персонажами, игрок постепенно осознает хрупкость и красоту каждого момента. Отдельно стоит отметить прекрасное звуковое сопровождение, которое идеально дополняет визуальную составляющую и усиливает эмоциональный эффект. Геймплей довольно прост и заключается в исследовании мира, сборе ресурсов и выполнении небольших заданий. Однако, именно эта простота позволяет полностью погрузиться в атмосферу игры и прочувствовать ее настроение. 'Winter Worm, Summer Grass' — это не игра, чтобы развлекаться в традиционном понимании, а скорее интерактивное произведение искусства, которое оставляет после себя долгое послевкусие и заставляет задуматься о важных вещах. Рекомендую всем, кто ищет нечто большее, чем просто развлечение.

Deeply emotional and beautifully written otome game that stands out for its poetic storytelling and introspective themes. It’s not just a romance — it’s a story about healing, growth, and the quiet moments that shape relationships over time. The writing is elegant and heartfelt, drawing you into a world where every conversation and choice carries emotional weight. The characters are complex and realistic, each with their own vulnerabilities and arcs that unfold naturally as the story progresses. The relationships feel genuine and mature, with a slow-burn quality that makes the emotional payoff deeply satisfying. The art style is soft and atmospheric, perfectly matching the game’s reflective tone, while the music subtly enhances the emotional experience. If there’s one drawback, it’s that the pacing can feel deliberately slow — which might not appeal to players who prefer more dramatic or fast-paced stories. But for those who appreciate character-driven narratives and thoughtful writing, Winter Worm, Summer Grass is a beautiful, lingering experience that stays with you long after the credits roll. 🍂💫

This is a pretty decent horror visual novel. I wished there was more we could see to the relationship between Aoi and the male leads Arahitogami and Nazuna, as I think it could have made certain story points more emotional, but what was there was intriguing. Had great execution with atmosphere. A depressing tale.