Him, the Smile & bloom is a narrative-driven otome game where four heroines navigate romance, heartbreak, and the language of flowers across multiple story routes. Read our review to see what it did well, what it didn't do well, and if it's worth buying.

Him, the Smile & bloom Review Overview

What is Him, the Smile & bloom?

Him, the Smile & bloom is an otome visual novel where players experience the intertwining love stories of four different female protagonists, each tied to a distinct romance route. Unlike many traditional otome games that follow a single main character pursuing different love interests, this game provides unique perspectives through four different heroines, offering more variety in storytelling. Set around a charming flower shop, the narrative deeply incorporates the language of flowers as a recurring theme, symbolizing emotions, relationships, and personal growth.

Him, the Smile & bloom features:

　⚫︎　Four Unique Female Leads
　⚫︎　Deeply Integrated Flower Motif
　⚫︎　14 Chapters Per Route, Three Different Endings + A Special Ending
　⚫︎　Gorgeous Anime-Inspired Artwork
　⚫︎　CG Illustrations, Music Tracks, and a Flower Encyclopedia

For more gameplay details, read everything we know about Him, the Smile & bloom's gameplay and story.

Digital Storefronts
Steam			Nintendo
Price		$29.99

Him, the Smile & bloom Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Multiple Story Routes Embraces the Language of Flowers Certain Endings Provide Strong Emotional Payoffs	Choices Can Have Unpredictable Consequences No Clear or Reliable Save System Lacks Any Real Gameplay Mechanics

Him, the Smile & bloom Overall Score - 64/100

While Him, The Smile & Bloom has moments of charm, it struggles to stand out among other otome titles. The lack of meaningful gameplay and frustrating character writing hold it back, despite a well-integrated flower motif and a beautiful aesthetic. The price also feels steep for what’s offered, making it hard to recommend at full price.

Him, the Smile & bloom Story - 7/10

The story itself is engaging, and there are plenty of routes to explore, but the leads are frustratingly one-dimensional for most of the game. Their motivations feel shallow, with romance often kicking off too quickly without enough development. However, the later chapters do flesh out the characters, making the emotional payoffs worth it if you can push through.

Him, the Smile & bloom Gameplay - 4/10

This is a pure visual novel experience, with minimal player interaction beyond occasional choices that drastically shift the ending. The lack of additional mechanics or immersive elements makes the game feel passive, especially compared to other otome titles that incorporate puzzles, minigames, or interactive features. The choice system is also inconsistent, sometimes offering multiple branching paths and other times barely impacting the story at all.

Him, the Smile & bloom Visuals - 8/10

The game leans into an anime-inspired art style, and while it’s not groundbreaking, it’s polished and pleasant to look at. The character designs are expressive, though some side characters arguably look more interesting than the main love interests. The opening sequence is beautifully done, feeling like an anime OP and setting the tone for the game’s romance-heavy themes.

Him, the Smile & bloom Audio - 7/10

The OST is one of the game’s strongest points, featuring soft, emotional tracks that enhance key moments. There are times when the music perfectly signals an upcoming emotional shift, adding much-needed weight to certain scenes. However, while the soundtrack is pleasant, it isn’t particularly memorable outside of the game.

Him, the Smile & bloom Value for Money - 6/10

At $29.99, the lack of gameplay depth makes it difficult to justify the price, especially when other otome games offer more interactivity for the same cost. The game does offer multiple endings, but replayability suffers due to tedious progression and no proper save files. While the game isn’t a complete waste of money, it’s best picked up on sale rather than at full price.

Him, the Smile & bloom Review: A Love That Wilts Before It Blooms

We are at an interesting point in time when people seem to prefer the comfort of pixelated characters. There’s something oddly reassuring about seeing emotions rendered in careful pixels, where a tilt of the head or a shift in color can speak louder than a thousand words. In this digital age, where otome games seem to pop up faster than we can play them, standing out isn’t just a challenge—it’s a necessity. Love and Deepspace has already nailed the formula, giving us not just satisfying gameplay but deeply nuanced characters that capture not only our hearts but also our wallets.

So, where does Him, the Smile & bloom fit into all of this? How does it carve out a space for itself in an increasingly saturated market? Well, for one, it takes a rather bold step by changing a fundamental aspect of the typical otome experience: instead of one protagonist, we get four different female leads. That means no more repeatedly re-enacting the same story beats with different male leads, pretending a shared scene is somehow new just because the person on the other end of the conversation has changed. Instead, each relationship in Him, the Smile & bloom is unique, existing within its own world, with its own trajectory, giving players a much-needed breath of fresh air in a genre that can sometimes feel like a glorified copy-paste.

And then there’s the setting. A flower shop isn’t just a charming backdrop—it’s woven into the very core of the story. Flowers aren’t just props; they’re a language, a thread tying the protagonists’ lives together. I’ve always had a soft spot for the language of flowers, and it’s rare to find a game that doesn’t just use it as aesthetic dressing but actually integrates it into the narrative. Here, flowers hold meaning beyond their beauty; they whisper secrets, serve as unspoken confessions, and become symbols of love and longing.

But, of course, what would an otome game be without its love interests? Him, the Smile & bloom offers four distinct romance routes, each representing a familiar (but beloved) trope. There’s Wataru, the younger guy with that mix of enthusiasm and inexperience; Ginnosuke, the charming yet two-faced prince-type who keeps you guessing; Tenya, the quiet classmate whose every action speaks volumes; and Hokuto, the dependable childhood best friend, the one who’s been there all along. Each female lead, in turn, is represented by a flower: Tweedia, Mimosa, Nandina, and Anemone, adding another layer of symbolism to the storytelling.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into the review.

Gameplay, Or Rather, the Lack of It

Let’s get straight to the point: Him, the Smile & bloom is an otome game stripped down to its barest form—pure narrative, with an occasional dialogue choice sprinkled in like a garnish rather than an actual mechanic. If you’re coming into this expecting some level of interactivity, some form of engaging gameplay that goes beyond reading, you might want to lower those expectations right now.

Other otome games have managed to integrate different mechanics to keep the experience from feeling like a glorified digital novel—whether it’s minigames, point-and-click exploration, or even just a simple relationship stat system that makes you feel like your choices matter. But here? No such thing. Him, the Smile & bloom commits fully to being a visual novel in the most traditional sense: 14 chapters per storyline, three possible endings, and hours upon hours of reading.

And oh, will you feel those hours.

Most of your time will be spent experiencing the emotional rollercoaster that is this game—reading, cringing, disagreeing, gasping, muttering under your breath, and occasionally yelling at the protagonist to just get up off the floor already. It’s a testament to how engaging the writing is (for better or worse) that even with minimal gameplay elements, you still find yourself invested. But let’s be real, "investment" doesn’t always mean enjoyment.

Emotional Landmines

Of course, since there are multiple endings, there are dialogue options. But here’s the thing—there are so few of them that entire chapters go by without a single choice. And when they do show up? They have this absolutely unhinged ability to blindside you.

I cannot stress this enough: Some of these choices make no sense in how they lead to their respective consequences. One moment, you’re just trying to have a reasonable conversation with your love interest, and the next thing you know, you're on the main screen after getting a bad ending that feels like it came out of nowhere.

There were times when I thought I was picking the obvious "right" choice—something reasonable, something mature—only to be met with an outcome so wildly disproportionate that I had to sit there and process what had just happened. How was I supposed to know that a simple question or concern would spiral into catastrophe?

Him, the Smile & bloom isn’t just about romance—it’s about navigating an unpredictable emotional minefield where one wrong step can send your love story plummeting into an abyss.

Just Vibes and a Mini-Game Behind a DLC Paywall

For a game that is entirely story-driven, you’d think they’d throw in some mechanics to at least make it feel like we’re participating in the experience. But nope. No minigames, no exploration, no special features to make it feel like you’re contributing to the narrative in any meaningful way. It’s just… reading.

Unless, of course, you’re willing to pay extra for minigames in a DLC. Yep. You heard that right. Minigames exist—but they’re locked behind a paywall.

And the worst part? There are SO MANY missed opportunities where interactive mechanics could’ve made the experience better.

There’s one moment in Ginnosuke’s route where the female lead—an interior designer—is tasked with refurbishing the flower shop. This was screaming for a fun little customization mechanic. Imagine getting to choose color schemes, furniture, or even just picking between three design options. But nope. Instead, we just read about her choices. We don’t get to actually do anything. And that’s a running theme throughout the entire game.

Small Consolation Prize

Now, to be fair, Him, the Smile & bloom does give you something to collect, even if it happens passively.

There’s the flower book, which fills up with flower meanings as you progress through the game. I personally loved this because, as I mentioned before, I have a deep appreciation for the language of flowers. It’s one of the few features that actually adds an extra layer to the narrative. There are CG images to collect—your standard otome game reward for reaching key romantic moments. And, of course, there’s a music library that unlocks tracks as you progress.

It’s all nice, but let’s be real—it’s nothing revolutionary. It’s just stuff that happens as a byproduct of playing the game. You’re not actively working towards these collectibles, they just unlock as you go along.

The Save System That Might Not Exist

Now, let’s talk about replaying routes—because if you’re going for 100% completion, you’ll need to. But the way Him, the Smile & bloom handles replayability is… frustrating.

You can replay chapters, but only individually. This doesn’t mean you can start a new game from, say, Chapter 7—it just means you can revisit it as a standalone segment. So if you get an early ending, meaning you miss out on Chapters 10–14? Well, too bad! You’ll have to start over from the very beginning just to experience the full story.

And don’t even get me started on the save system, because I genuinely don’t know where my quick saves are going.

Yes, there’s a quick save feature, but when I tried reloading from the game’s menu, my save wasn’t there. Completely empty. Vanished into the void. Maybe it only works within an active session? Maybe I missed some obscure method of retrieving it? Either way, if a save system confuses players this much, that’s already a huge problem.

A Romance That’s… Debatable

Since Him, the Smile & bloom is a visual novel, its story is the main attraction. There are no fancy mechanics or action-packed gameplay sequences to distract from the writing—it lives and dies by its narrative. And on paper, it certainly seems promising: Four distinct routes, each with three possible endings plus a special ending. That’s a potential 12 full playthroughs, which sounds like a dream for anyone who loves diving into different romantic arcs.

But the problem isn’t the quantity of the stories. It’s the quality of the characters.

Torturous Dynamics

The childhood best friend trope has long been a staple in romance stories, and for good reason. There’s something undeniably charming about two people growing up side by side, slowly realizing that what they have might be more than just friendship. When done right, it can deliver some of the most heartfelt and rewarding love stories—built on trust, history, and a deep understanding that newer relationships can’t always match.

However, there’s also a fine line between a slow-burn romance and an imbalanced dynamic where one character is left waiting endlessly for the other to catch up. Some stories lean too far into this imbalance, turning what should be a gradual emotional shift into a frustrating cycle of unreciprocated feelings. Instead of watching two people slowly come together, you’re left watching one character repeatedly push forward while the other holds them at arm’s length, often with the dreaded "You’re like a sibling to me" barrier looming overhead.

What made this even more jarring was that in the opening sequence, the game explicitly told me that these stories would recount "bittersweet days with men who shower their beloved with affection." Excuse me, but where? Where is this showering of affection? Because all I see is a girl hopelessly pining for a man who refuses to take her seriously.

In Him: The Smile & Bloom, this trope plays out in ways that can feel more agonizing than endearing. Rather than a natural progression toward romance, the protagonist was caught in an exhausting loop of longing, self-doubt, and endless pining. While this can be emotionally engaging for those who enjoy a love story with a bit of angst, it also risks becoming more frustrating than fulfilling, especially when the balance of affection feels one-sided for too long.

First Impressions vs. Reality

After my first playthrough, I played the trope where both parties have never experienced true love before. There's a special kind of magic in seeing two characters start as strangers, slowly peel back their layers, and build a connection that feels real and earned. The best love stories don’t just tell us that two people are drawn to each other—they show us why, through shared moments, meaningful conversations, and gradual emotional shifts that make every romantic development feel satisfying.

Unfortunately, Him, the Smile & bloom takes a shortcut, skipping the foundation-building entirely and diving straight into infatuation. Instead of a dynamic where the characters get to know each other, you’re suddenly watching one character fall head over heels for the other with little to no explanation. The emotional weight that should come from a developing romance is lost when the protagonist is immediately consumed by feelings before the relationship has had any real chance to take shape.

This can be especially frustrating when the love interest’s behavior doesn’t exactly warrant such intense devotion early on. If a romance is going to feel compelling, there needs to be something there—a spark, an intriguing dynamic, or at the very least, a reason for the protagonist’s emotions to escalate so quickly. Without that, what could have been an emotionally rich story instead feels like a rushed infatuation that struggles to justify itself.

And that’s really the core issue with the storytelling in Him, the Smile & bloom. It leans way too hard on the idea that the audience will just accept that these women are deeply in love, without actually giving us moments that make that love feel earned.

Flat at First, but Redeemable Leads

I will say that while everyone here, the female leads and their counterparts, may start out one-dimensional but there is redemption toward the later parts of each route. As the story unfolds, they do start to show more personality, more agency, and more emotional depth. But here’s the thing, you have to stick it out until the end to get there.

For a visual novel where the main appeal is the romance, I shouldn’t have to wait until the final act to feel like the relationships are meaningful. The emotional development needs to feel gradual and engaging from the start, not something that only clicks into place when the game decides it’s time for the dramatic climax.

Irony of the Best Characters

Now, let’s talk about the real tragedy of this game: My favorite characters? Not even romanceable. Enter Kozue Arisawa and Rei Karakusa, two side characters who managed to steal the spotlight in the small amount of time they were given.

Kozue Arisawa, the woman you are, every single time she was on screen, she treated me better than the love interests did. It was almost hilarious how the brief interactions with her had more warmth, charm, and genuine connection than the hours I spent struggling through the main romances.

And Rei Karakusa? Easily the best character design in the game. The moment I saw him, I thought, "Spectacular, give me 14 of them right now" But nope. He’s your boyfriend’s boss, you can’t have him. And that, my friends, is a serious red flag for an otome game. When the most compelling characters aren’t even dateable, it begs the question—what does that say about the actual love interests?

If the game had given me the option to romance either of these characters, I would have dropped everything to go down their routes in a heartbeat. Instead, I was stuck navigating frustrating relationship dynamics while wondering why the game didn’t just let me date the people who actually seemed to respect me.

At its core, Him, the Smile & bloom wants to be an emotional and bittersweet love story. And in some ways, it succeeds—but only if you’re willing to push through the rough starts, the forced pining on the protagonist’s side, and the frustratingly slow development of the male leads.

The good news? If you stick it out, the endings do give each relationship some closure, and there are moments of genuine warmth and connection. But the bad news? The journey to get there isn’t always fun.

Would I say the narrative is terrible? No. It has its moments. But does it live up to the grand, sweeping romance it promises in the opening? Also no. Because at the end of the day, the biggest thing this game made me feel was that the best characters weren’t even the love interests.

Is Him, the Smile & bloom Worth It?

Wait Until The Flowers Bloom

So, after all of that—after the frustratingly sparse gameplay, the occasionally painful writing, and the romanceable characters that made me question my life choices—is Him, the Smile & bloom actually worth picking up? Well, that depends.

This is a visual novel in the purest sense. If you love reading and don’t care about interactivity, this might be fine. But if you’re expecting mechanics that make you feel involved in the story, you’ll be disappointed. The dialogue choices are sparse (and sometimes outright illogical), the lack of gameplay mechanics is noticeable, and replaying routes can be frustrating without proper save states. The stories do eventually develop into something more compelling, the endings can be rewarding, and if you’re a sucker for flower symbolism like I am, there’s an added layer of enjoyment to be found.

But for a visual novel priced at $29.99, I expected more. More depth to the romance, more meaningful choices, more interactive elements, something to make it stand out from the countless other otome titles available at a similar (or even lower) price point. If you’re a die-hard otome fan who’s just looking for another story to sink into, you might get some enjoyment out of it. But for anyone else—especially those new to the genre or those who expect more interactivity from their games—this one might be better saved for a sale.

Digital Storefronts
Steam			Nintendo
Price		$29.99

Him, the Smile & bloom FAQ

Who Are the Main Female and Male Leads in Him, the Smile & bloom?

　⚫︎　Wataru Tori
　⚫︎　Serina Aoki a.k.a Tweeda

　⚫︎　Ginnosuke Sugawa
　⚫︎　Ami Akashi a.k.a Mimosa

　⚫︎　Hokuto Ichige
　⚫︎　Fuka Haruyoshi a.k.a Anemone

　⚫︎　Tenya Minami
　⚫︎　Miku Yukihirafrom a.k.a Nandina

Game8 Reviews

You may also like...

	Urban Myth Dissolution Center Review Visual Novel, Psychological Horror
	Afterlove EP Review Visual Novel, Dating Sim
	Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog Review Visual Novel, Indie
	Phoenix Springs Review Mystery, Point-and-Click, Puzzle

Him, the Smile & bloom Product Information

Title	HIM, THE SMILE AND BLOOM
Release Date	August 8, 2024 (Japan) February 27, 2025 (Worldwide)
Developer	MintLip
Publisher	EDIA (JP) PQube (Worldwide)
Supported Platforms	PC (Steam), Switch
Genre	Simulation, Visual Novel, Otome
Number of Players	1
ESRB Rating	T
Official Website	Him, the Smile & bloom Website

Allisandra Reyes

I find joy in the adrenaline rush of horror games, but my thrill-seeking doesn't stop there. Beyond the digital realm, I like to take on the role of designated GM in TTRPGs.