A series of strange disappearances occurs in Zeroshiki Department Store, one of the largest shopping malls in Japan. The management is concerned and unwilling to involve the authorities. For an unknown reason they turn to one of their salesmen, a young man named Kuniharu Shitaku, requesting him to investigate the case and find out who or what is behind these disappearances. Kuniharu must explore the mall and gather information by talking to shop managers and staff, most of which are attractive young women who may not be what they seem at first glance.

Ryōki no Ori is a detective mystery adventure with visual novel elements. Much of the gameplay consists of visiting different locations in the shopping mall, which contains six floors with various establishments (shops, offices, etc.) each. Navigation is done by selecting a location from a map, and individual areas are represented by still anime-style first-person screens. There is no interaction with the game world besides choosing locations and occasionally making choices. The latter influence the course of the investigation and the protagonist's relationships with the various female characters he encounters, leading the game's plot to different endings.