VA-11 HALL-A contains nonlinear gameplay, and the game's plotline is influenced by the drinks the player makes and how the customers react to them.
There are no dialogue options in the game, with making different drinks being the sole way to influence the direction of the story.
VA-11 HALL-A features a diverse cast of characters that have been described as "average non-heroes", with developers noting how they were based on side characters that were never truly fleshed out in movies.