It’s a gloomy, rainy day here in the Midwest. I sit here drinking coffee in isolation, at my desk, writing little news stories for you to consume. But with just the click of a button, I could be half-way around the world, in a cute little coffee shop with thought-provoking conversation all around me, enjoying handcrafted coffee and tea. Chrous, developer of Coffee Talk and Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly, is celebrating their 11th birthday with the free demo release of the third installment of their Coffee Talk series, Coffee Talk Tokyo.
The demo trailer opens up with the classic Coffee Talk perspective of a bar top with both ecclectic and relevant curios lining the back wall. A familiar face takes a seat at the bar top and a wave of comfort washes over me. Hello Hendry. Coffee Talk Tokyo is Chorus’ first time at bat with the Coffee Talk franchise. Though Chorus Worldwide have published dozens of games, their goal is generally to guide indie developers to market. Leading development on a title may not be new for the team at Chrous but it’s not common for Chorus Worldwide Games.
This will also be the first Coffee Talk release without input from the original creator, Mohammad Fahmi. Tragically passing at age 32 in 2022, Fahmi was extremely influential on both Coffee Talk as well as the game Afterlove EP that released earlier this year.
Never fear though, as Chrous is working with the support of Toge Productions, the original developers of Coffee Talk and Coffee Talk Episode 2. Likewise, it’s made very clear that Coffee Talk Tokyo acts as more of a spin-off than a sequential title in the series. New cafe, new city, new (and old) customers.
Coffee Talk, as a series, has you take the role of a barista lending a sympathetic ear to local denizens and far-off travelers in an alternate timeline where humans and fantasy people live in tandem. As a barista, players will listen to the problems of their customers, offer advice, and brew up some tasty beverages to help their customers open up. Shintaro Kanaoya, CEO of Chrous Worldwide had this to say about development.
Our team has been working hard to bring this first taste of Coffee Talk Tokyo to fans everywhere. We’re excited for players to come back to the Coffee Talk world in this new way and we hope it whets everyone’s appetites for the full game later in 2025.
Well alright. 2025 release date confirmed there. The demo will feature some of the new characters appearing in the full game including Vin, an assistant barista learning to cope after a terrible accident. Jun, a successful musician struggling with creative block (I guess we know why he’s talking to Hendry,) and Ayame, a ghost former it-girl trying to figure out her life as well as her afterlife. Spooky. In regards to Chorus Worldwide taking the development reins for this title, Kris Antoni Hadiputra, CEO of Toge Productions had this to say;
The whole team at Toge Productions are so happy to see Coffee Talk Tokyo’s demo launch today. The Chorus team has done an amazing job of faithfully recreating the Coffee Talk vibes while creating a new world and new customers to engage with. We can’t wait to hear what players think.
Coffee Talk Tokyo Key Features
- New Cafe, New Customers – Coffee Talk Tokyo once again places you behind the counter of a chill coffee shop. But while the feeling is familiar, the customers and their stories are new.
- Lo-fi Beats Soundtrack by Andrew “”AJ”” Jeremy – The composer for Coffee Talk and Coffee Talk Episode 2, AJ, returns once again with new tracks to set the lo-fi soundscape and chill atmosphere.
- Stay cool in the Summer heat – Brew iced drinks for your customers, or let them indulge in a hot hojicha if they’d rather keep it toasty.
- Say it with Stencils – Elevate your latte art with sprinkle stencils. Easily create beautiful latte art by sprinkling a powdery design on a customer’s drink, then make it your own by adding milk and etching.
- Master of Tomodachill – Engage with your customers on the social network Tomodachill. Learn more about their stories and help them discover the truth they’re seeking or make life-changing connections.
Coffee Talk Tokyo has a planned release date of sometime in 2025 for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. Currently the demo is only available on the Coffee Talk Tokyo Steam Page but will be available on consoles soon. Stay tuned to MonsterVine for more coverage of Toge Productions games, Chorus Worldwide Games, and Coffee Talk Tokyo.
