This article gives you all the information you need to see if you should play Coffee Talk.
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Let’s imagine for a moment that you live in Seattle, Washington in the year 2020. This is probably not a stretch for you especially if you’re from America or, God forbid, even Seattle. Now let’s add to that and say that you run a coffee shop in the urban part of the city that only opens at night. Lastly, let’s imagine that this version of Seattle, Washington in the year 2020 takes place in another world where fantasy creatures live in urban society.
Have I lost you yet? I hope not because things just got good.
Coffee Talk is an interesting take on the fantasy genre with a modernized twist. As you aforementioned coffee shop you are given the opportunity to serve drinks to some very interesting characters while you learn about their lives.
Orcs who are game designers, succubi who attend business meetings, and merpeople who give lectures. This well written array of NPCs is the heart and soul of this game as regulars come back night after night for a good time and a good cup of coffee.
This visual novel style game has been gaining popularity amongst the cozy gaming community for quite some time now due to its being filled with a lot of heart and a lot of caffeine. But is this pixelated take on urban Seattle the game for you? Keep on reading to see if you should play Coffee Talk.
Story
In this game you play as a faceless coffee shop owner in a reimagined version of Seattle, Washington in the year 2020. Your coffee shop opens with the setting of the sun as you serve a strange array of night owls their evening caffeine intake.
Common takes on different DND style races such as orcs and elves are given a 21st century makeover as many of them work through relational barriers, job problems, social climates, and the ultimate debacle of trying to decide what to order at a coffee shop.
This version of the world we know marries together common fantasy tropes with an urban modern flair. Much of the story revolves around those who come in to order a drink as you learn about their lives and individual struggles.
Despite this game’s simplicity the stories that you are shown within its plot are fascinating and very well written. Many of the characters in the game have a lot of fantasy elements that are framed in a way that makes them feel relatable the everyday person.
For example, you’ll find that the many different types of fantasy creatures in this game deal with a lot of social issues or aspects of life that we do in our own reality. Races such as demons and elves hold animosity towards each other causing Romeo and Juliet style rifts between lovers. Vampires struggle to uphold a vegan lifestyle by trying to find blood alternatives. Werewolves who search for ways to soothe their monthly change and the many stereotypes that revolve around them.
The game sheds some interesting light on common issues by putting them in a different light and making the fantastical relatable. If you’re someone who enjoys games that incorporate modern day topics and themes through interesting twists than you should check out this game.
Gameplay
This game is fairly simple in terms of gameplay and brings you along for the ride most of the time. Basically, what you will be doing is trying to find the right drinks for the person ordering and then making them. Sometimes they will give you an outright order but a lot of the time you will have to figure out what to give them based on the description.
While serving the proper drinks does have an effect on the characters’ stories you don’t need to stress too much about how to go about it. Each drink will have a base ingredient, a primary ingredient, and a secondary ingredient.
The order you plug these ingredients in does matter but you should be able to glean most of what you need from the description. Be particular about reading what each characters says and in what order to be able to make their drink.
As an added word of caution, this game does not give you any form of a tutorial so you will be stumbling through some of the mechanics a bit. The game cites your phone as a good source for figuring out recipes, and it can be some of the time, but there is a good chance there will be times when you get lost. Just be sure to take your time and read things closely. There’s also no shame in looking things up, though, just be wary of any spoilers that may come your way.
Pros
- Interesting characters.
- Unique and genuine story telling.
- Calming atmosphere.
- Relaxing gameplay.
Cons
- Lacking in tutorials
- This is a visual novel style game so no big game mechanics will be found here.
Conclusion
There’s a good portion of books, movies, and games that try to utilize modern topics within their stories. This can be hard to do in a way that is genuine but thankfully Coffee Talk has done this well. Though the game does lack in the tutorial department this aspect does not hinder the game’s core elements.
If you’re someone who does not like stumbling through a game or visual novels then you may not enjoy Coffee Talk. However, if you are looking for a calming yet intriguingly written story with well thought out characters and coffee driven gameplay then you should play Coffee Talk.
Ready to add more caffeine to your gaming library? You can snag Coffee Talk here: