Grimm & Tonic is a visual novel mixed with a light bartender simulator. The premise of the game is that you have died without having a soul, which means that Death/Grim Reaper cannot decide if you should go to heaven or hell. This results in you becoming a bartender in a purgatory-esque bar.

The game starts off promising, but once the setting has been established and the bartending begins, the game becomes unbelievably repetitive. Maybe this is intentional and is meant to invoke what purgatory might feel like, but it is still a chore to play. Every customer interaction is the same, with them telling you what kind of drink they want, you clicking the drink they want on your drink list, and then them leaving. The game’s writing, even early in the game, is hit or miss. It often feels stilted and awkward, as if it was translated too literally from a different language. It gets extremely formulaic in the bartending sections as well.

Overall, it’s a game with a strong idea that is executed in an awful way. It would need a complete overhaul for it to become playable for more than 15 minutes.