The third high school year is about to begin, and Takashi Kurosaki decides that it should be a memorable year - at least from the point of view of romantic adventures. His best friend asks Takashi to help him win the heart of Rie, a girl whom Takashi liked in junior high school but hasn't seen much since. However, when Takashi meets Rie, he begins to realize that he may have feelings for her, and is torn between friendship and romance.

Love Escalator is a visual novel with light dating simulation elements. Most of the game consists of anime-style pictures accompanied by text. The game is divided into days; every day, the player can choose dating activities for the protagonist. There are three main heroines, and the player can choose which one to take on a date. Depending on the concrete choice of activities, the girl's fondness of the protagonist will increase or decrease. It is possible to go to cinema, art gallery, bar, or a "love hotel", where the girl may agree to have sex with the protagonist if she likes him well enough. Most of the explicit sex scenes offer additional menu-based interactivity (choice of sexual positions) and are animated.