Hakuōki SSL: Sweet School Life

Chizuru Yukimura is currently beginning her first year of high school at Hakuō Academy. She enrolls at the suggestion of her childhood friend and neighbor, Heisuke Tōdō, a second year at the school who has attended since it was an all-boys' school. However, despite opening its doors to co-education, Chizuru remains the only female in attendance at Hakuō Academy. A spin-off of the Hakuoki series, Sweet School Life replaces the typical historical setting of previous entries with a modern high school setting. With a greater focus on romance, dramatic battles and historical events are replaced in favor of a calm, "slice of life" environment. Endings can be obtained for all previous love interests in the series, albeit with modern twists to accommodate their ages: homeroom teacher and disciplinarian adviser Toshizō Hijikata, health and physical education teacher Sanosuke Harada, third year student Chikage Kazama, and second year students Sōji Okita, Hajime Saitō, and Heisuke Tōdō. Additional, non-romantic endings may also be unlocked for side characters.

Aside from the branching routes typical of a visual novel, Hakuōki SSL: Sweet School Life features mini-games as an integral part of gameplay. Appearing occasionally throughout the story, Chizuru may perform various tasks such as answering questions in a classroom or taking on the role of a waitress which leads into a simple mini-game. Obtaining high scores on these games gives the player points, allowing them to purchase items such as pictures and short stories at the shop. Another prominent feature, introduced to accentuate the modern setting, is Chizuru's cellphone. The player is given complete access to it during the story, and is able to reply to mail sent by other characters in an attempt to increase their affection.