Platform: PC (version reviewed), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series
Genre: Adventure, Visual Novel, Contemporary, Fantasy, Wholesome

Ever since 2020, Indonesian-made visual novel Coffee Talk takes the drink service simulation aspects similar to VA-11 Hall-A, but dial its vibes down a notch so that it’s less hyper and more “chillax” (chill + relax = chillax). It made indie waves about Southeast Asia and inspired a ton of game developers in that region to hit those highs with their own slew of visual novels.

Two entries later, and the series is still the benchmark for wholesome story-driven gaming with some drinks-serving and special endings-unlocking-for-replayability’s-sake  mechanics. Will the third game, Coffee Talk Tokyo, shake up the formula? Of course not, but why fix what isn’t broken?

Hokkaido Hot Pour

You play as a barista in a coffee shop in Tokyo where your aim is to listen in to the conversations of your regulars (and also assistant Vin) while also serving them the correct drinks. This entry features fresh new faces and, sticking to its modern day-slash-fantasy setting where humans and mythical creatures live and work together as a normal society- you’ll be friends with a businessman kappa, a white snow lady who runs a food place opposite yours, and a ghost.

During the nighttime hours of your shift, you’ll be waylaid with a ton of insightful conversations and introspections on love, loss, identity crises, and guilt. Don’t let its pixelated colourful art style fool you; Coffee Talk Tokyo has a lot of narrative layers you want to peel off bit by bit until the very end of its 8 to 10 hour story journey.

The gameplay revolves around you getting your patron’s orders right. You can refer to coffee/tea/milk/miscellaneous recipes through your Brew App, but you also need to use your Tomodachi (the world’s social media app) on your tablet to find for recipes amidst the hashtags and random posts from your acquaintances. You not only serve hot drinks, but also cold ones and even gain access to putting on ice cream and whip cream on any drink you want. You can even top up your special coffee lattes with latte art if you so choose. If you need practice serving drinks and getting some recipes down pat, you can experiment with the game’s Endless Mode.

But really, the big draw here is the story mode which has you going through the aforementioned patrons’ problems and a chance to unlock their unique endings if you give them the right drinks and pick the right conversation options. If you flub it up, no problem; just reload from your past day(s) and fast-forward through the same conversations until you reach the proverbial crossroad. As you keep on trucking, you’ll definitely find a patron or two you’re rooting for. Personally, I have been fond of the game’s ghost character and the businessperson kappa as shades of their predicament and personality mirror parts of my own. You’re sure to find someone you can relate to.

Osaka Old-Fashioned

While still retaining the same gameplay formula, its stories and new setting alongside fresh context to the fantasy-modern hybrid atmosphere does make for a refreshing brew of an experience. Newbies will love the chillax atmosphere and lo-fi visual novel experience, while veterans will appreciate some of the cameos and new additions to the drink-making portions.

Coffee Talk Tokyo is a familiar yet comforting kind of story-laced text-heavy adventure title, much like your favourite non-branded cuppa joe. Its passive gameplay may not be anybody’s cup of tea, but if you just came out of an action title that’s breaking your metaphorical balls, Coffee Talk Tokyo might be that remedy for your throat and thirst for wholesome titles.

Final Score: 70/100

Review copy provided by publisher.