Coffee Talk Review – Warm and Comforting like a Shai Adeni

There aren’t very many games like Coffee Talk, the new “talking simulator” from Indonesian studio Toge Productions. The year is 2020, and the protagonist is a barista in a Seattle coffee shop. As you brew various drinks such as coffee and various teas, customers arrive and interact with you and other patrons in conversation. 

Coffee Talk
Developer: TOGE Productions
Price: $13 USD
Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch (reviewed), Playstation 4, Xbox One
MonsterVine was supplied with Switch code for review

Coffee Talk uses a fantasy setting to brew discussions on our real-life society

In addition to this contemporary setting, there are also facets of urban fantasy. The world of Coffee Talk is filled with various creatures such as werewolves, vampires, and fairies. They live rather comfortably with the humans in the world, while newspapers and the discussions you have with others speak on the greater societal issues that everyone is facing. With great effort, Coffee Talk makes the world outside its small and cozy coffee shop feel large and intricately thought-out. 

Despite there not being a great deal of interactivity, there is still satisfaction from brewing and seeing how the story unfolds. There are many different drinks you can create with the ingredients at your disposal. Brainstorming and experimenting with different combinations make up a significant portion of the gameplay. It’s enjoyable while also remaining authentic, as some requests had me scouring brewing resources on the internet. The other aspect of interactivity that comes with creating a beverage is the opportunity to make lattè art. The given tools are enough to make some elaborate pieces, but they were mostly squandered on my lack of artistic abilities. 

I had no clue what a Masala Chai was, and now I can make it in my own home

Rather than having any dialogue choices in Coffee Talk. The plot is instead influenced by what drinks you end up serving. Depending on what kind of beverages you make (and whether or not they are made to the liking of patrons) the story will go in divergent paths. This is another attribute that allows you to relax while soaking in the narrative since you aren’t anticipating or stressing over what the protagonist should be saying. 

Coffee Talk wears a lot of its inspirations (mostly pixel-art Japanese visual novels from the 90s) on its shoulder, with large character sprites that properly showcase the talents of pixel-artist Dio Mahesa. It’s quite gorgeous and doesn’t clash with the other aspects of the art design. Yet, Coffee Talk also stands out with contemplative and thoughtful writing. While the airy style may take some getting used to, the dialogue comes across as very laid-back. With all of these facets of placidity and a soundtrack that has a heavy focus on soothing beats, Coffee Talk places players in a specific place. The perfect headspace one would want to be in order to destress through reading. 

Coffee Talk has an atmosphere I wish more games had

Coffee Talk utilizes all of its aspects of relaxing atmosphere to tell a meaningful narrative. From the dialogue on the interpersonal issues characters are facing, to the short stories which are created by Freya, the writing is overall excellent. Characters go through meaningful arcs that are measured eloquently. Even though you don’t choose what your barista says, when they help someone out it is still immensely satisfying.

The Final Word
Overall, there should really be more games like this latest effort from Toge Productions. They’re a reprieve from both the sensory overload of games that dominate big-budget titles and independent games that try to be something larger than they need to be. The stories in Coffee Talk find comfort and more meaning in being personal, and the presentation is executed in ways that only enhance this storytelling.

– MonsterVine Rating: 4.5 out of 5 – Great