We could all use a breather right now, couldn’t we? Just some time to sit down, collect our thoughts, and take in a mug of our warm beverage of choice. There’s nothing quite like the ambiance of a café and the camaraderie of a familiar barista. Failing that at the moment, there’s always Coffee Talk.
Coffee Talk is an indie game hailing from Toge Productions, with a ’90s anime aesthetic and an overall chill atmosphere. You play as a barista in an alternate present day, where humans are just one of many races wandering the world. Elves, orcs, succubi, vampires, and werewolves (to name a few) all exist here, and all pop in at least once to your character’s late-night, Seattle-based coffee shop.
The point of the game is… well… to make coffee and listen. Like many visual novels out there, it’s not choice-based and there aren’t multiple endings (well, not technically—but we’ll come back to that). The worst you can do is mess up someone’s drink order, and even then they’ll only be a little peeved. Each night you fill orders, getting to know your clientele and their respective issues. Always present is Freya, your writer buddy working her way up from freelance journalist to hopeful novelist.
Several storylines converge at your shop, all of them familiar in their own way. Lovers coming to terms with their very different, very traditional families. A young star trying to make her way, and her father trying to protect her. Lonely opposites attracting. And a few other things that should be seen with your own eyes. (You’ll love Neil. Trust me. That’s all I’ll say.)
Not every story is calming. Some are sad and difficult. Some are a bit scary. And in all cases, your job is to make the coffee and listen. Fortunately, your patrons have different enough experiences that they can often give each other the advice they most need. And all of it becomes inspiration for Freya’s upcoming novel… though she’ll change the important stuff, she promises.
Besides the main story, the UI is pretty straightforward. Your handy smartphone has four functions: a playlist of chill tunes, a collection of drink recipes you’ve unlocked, social media app “Tomodachill” (where you can read up on your regulars), and a new daily story by Freya courtesy of in-game newspaper The Daily Whispers. The latter two of these are especially enlightening. The former features bonus art and trivia about the characters. The latter gives you a look at Freya’s writing, including her bold decision to write fiction in an alternate human-only universe.
The business end of the game is the coffee machine. Customers will generally tip you off to what they’re looking for, and you mix three items off the shelf (including bases and, later, seasonings) to make their order. You can also do freehand art on lattes, though messing it up won’t count against you. In fact, there’s really only one time that this function is performed “under duress,” and you’ll have had plenty of practice making that drink beforehand.
But just when you think you’re done, there’s one more surprise in store…
For context, I first encountered this game during a series of Twitch streams with my friend SymPhoenix. And no one was ready for the “New Game Plus” we encountered upon completion. Because as much as we learn about all our patrons, there’s one character who remains very mysterious indeed. But once you’ve completed the story, you’ll get the clues you need to search for the last piece of the puzzle and… well, let’s just say it threw us all for a loop. That’s all I’ll say; it’s much more rewarding to get there yourself.
Coffee Talk is a strangely comfortable game. You’re likely to find at least one character in it that’s very “you” (Freya is practically a personal call-out in my case), the stories are real and engaging, and you get very attached to the characters very quickly. The retro aesthetic will especially appeal to fans of vintage anime, but it’s a good look no matter what you’re into. Plus, when you’re done, there are free-play modes where you can test your skills at making drinks for your regulars.
There aren’t many games that are “comfortable” in the purest sense of the word, but Coffee Talk gets there. It’s a pleasant oasis in the midst of uncertainty, and—most of all—an encouragement to stop and listen as we navigate the problems in our own lives.
Comments are closed.