Platform(s): PC (version reviewed), Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Genre: Adventure, Simulation, Cozy

InKONBINI is the easiest and gentlest adventure game to recommend just by its homely concept and execution alone. You play as Makoto, a college student who is working a summer job at a convenience store called Honki Ponki during the nightshift. The shop is in a rural town of a Japanese countryside hub, so you’ll see the same faces popping by.

This adventure game from indie dev team Nagai Industries is part management sim and part storytelling, but it’s all cozy with its tranquil 90s time period and relaxing music that’s part old-school synth and classic guitarworks. Throughout your day-to-day task of keeping the shelves filled with goods, ordering more items, cleaning up the place, and rearranging stock, you also help out customers whenever they call you. The ones who pop up in your store will be coming down more often during your 7-day work spree, but they have their own tales to tell and quirks you have to get around.

And that’s all I can say because they do share a lot of introspection and insight, while your character dishes out some advice and suggestions on what course they’re taking in their lives. And they’re all great to experience. From a young child with an entrepreneur mindset to a young journalist who loves her coffee, your character can pick dialogue options and even store item suggestions to influence parts of the ending.

The Not-So-Wild 90s

But you’re not playing InKONBINI to wrap it up quick; the game’s methodical and slow-paced atmosphere and movement -Makoto isn’t the fastest character to move around in the shop- is purposefully designed so that you take a chill pill and just do your relaxing nightstore job. No muss, no fuss; there’s no time limit or impatient prompts when you’re keeping the store in order.

You’ll get the usual post-it notes that tell you about what’s hidden and what needs to be done to keep the place proper; clean up the wet spot that’s dripping from the ceiling, stack up the Special Offer shelf with soda drinks people like, the works. There is no real consequence in doing some of these optional bits save for achievements, though there isn’t a chapter select for you to go back to if you miss a couple. If you want to get the equivalent of a Platinum Trophy, you will need to play from scratch.

Despite those minor control issues, InKONBINI is a gem to play because it blends its 90s aesthetics and vibes, cozy simulation gameplay, and story beats meticulously well like fine cup ramen with seaweed and cold Boss canned coffee. Most of us can relate to being young and doing summer jobs once, while also thinking about future life choices and how it all pans out. InKONBINI represents the famous Japanese term “natsukashii (????)” in interactive video game form, perfectly capturing that part of the 90s in a subsection of Japanese culture while also putting you in the shoes of someone in that era to a tee. While not a challenging title, it makes up for it in just giving you the best vibes possible with its narrative and aesthetic.

Final Score: 80/100

Review copy provided by publisher.