It’s not usually that you simply get the possibility to play a sport the place not solely are the drinks piping scorching, however the conversations are too. Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly is the following addition to Toge Productions’ cozy café simulator and visible novel crossover. If you need an intimate, enjoyable sport with a touch of fantasy and pixel artwork, you’ve discovered the correct sport. Even three years later, the return to Espresso Discuss is gorgeous as ever. However in fact, that is removed from an ideal sport, and lacks at instances options that might make it stellar.
General though, I had fun coming again to my favourite late-night café on this alternate model of Seattle. When you don’t know the premise, the world of Espresso Discuss brings you to a model of Earth the place different fantasy races reside amongst people. Whereas set in modern-day, there’s a historical past to this world that unravels all through your time operating the café. You play because the proprietor of this institution, nameless besides in your chosen identify and pleasant nature.
Similar to the primary one, Episode 2 performs over the course of a pair weeks. The principle options of this sport are fast puzzles and conversing with patrons. Espresso Discuss‘s coronary heart lies inside the struggles and tales your prospects inform, and the friendships and breakups that come from them. It’s additionally carried by the three-ingredient drink making system. The puzzles lie inside determining individuals’s orders, remembering previous ones, and experimenting with drinks. Espresso Discuss Episode 2 is ideal for gamers who need extra of the primary sport, and luxuriate in brief and comfy experiences.
![Coffee Talk Episode 2 Riona](https://www.pcinvasion.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/coffee-talk-episode-2-riona.jpg?resize=1200%2C675)
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Simply one other wet evening
Every day—or ought to I say evening—is at all times a thriller. You’ll by no means precisely know who will probably be your subsequent buyer, or what new story they’ve to inform. You because the barista within the first sport received to know a wide range of individuals, and they’ll make a reappearance all through Episode 2. There are a number of new faces on this sport, every with their very own struggles. Normally, these struggles tie in with their profession, relationships, or the hardships of their fantasy race. Folks corresponding to orcs, elves, satyrs, werewolves, and extra will go to you.
What actually makes this sport particular is the universe it takes place in. If there was no fantasy component to it, it might have been just a little boring. Their points are normally very relatable to real-world points, but when they’re fantasy in nature, it isn’t exhausting to know the allegory Toge Productions is making. You perceive the imprecise historical past of how there was a warfare between people and fantasy races. However the particulars of how the world modified from then on are left in tidbits. The worldbuilding is fascinating, and there may be nonetheless loads left untold, making a doable Episode 3 evermore thrilling.
These wet Seattle nights make the café environment even cozier. Not solely does the artwork route mirror ’90s anime in pixelated kind, however lo-fi beats play within the background. You’ll be able to even open up your smartphone and use the music app, letting you select which music you’d like finest. The telephone additionally has a newspaper app, the Brewpad for all of your recipes, and Tomodachill, the social media app. Interacting with this throughout gameplay is a pleasant break, and offers perception into the social lives of your new buddies.
![Coffee Talk Episode 2 Riona Jorji Lucas](https://www.pcinvasion.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/coffee-talk-episode-2-riona-jorji-lucas.jpg?resize=1200%2C675)
Screenshot by PC Invasion
Brewing prospects
Except for the visible novel side of Espresso Discuss, essentially the most fascinating gameplay mechanic entails brewing drinks. More often than not, when a patron arrives, they’ll ask for a drink. Generally they’ll ask for one thing you have already got in your Brewpad, like an Espresso. However different instances, you’re tasked with determining what they need. Somebody could bear in mind two out of the three components from a drink they love. One other could ask that you simply bear in mind the drink you first made them. And typically, they provide a imprecise description of what drink they’d like and the way it makes them really feel.
When you get it unsuitable, there isn’t a lot draw back to it. But it surely does elevate your friendship stage with them on Tomodachill when you get it proper. Though it feels good to make it appropriately, it might be good to have extra of an incentive towards perfecting their order. Additionally, as a lot as I take pleasure in choosing which components ought to go in what order, I discovered myself craving for extra. Not simply extra components, however maybe extra issues to make a drink distinctive.
I grew up taking part in time administration video games on my laptop computer the place you’d work in eating places and also you’d should serve prospects rapidly with the correct orders. So I wasn’t stunned that I wished extra decisions like the dimensions of the drink, or extra add-ons just like the latte artwork. Maybe I’m wanting Espresso Discuss to stray from its simplistic drink puzzles and go in direction of a café simulator, which is barely my opinion. However I can perceive the imaginative and prescient that Toge Productions wished, and know that its focus was on the story, not the gameplay. But, I nonetheless hope that if Episode 3 comes out, there are extra gameplay prospects to make this café my very own distinctive place.
![Coffee Talk Episode 2 Queimada](https://www.pcinvasion.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/coffee-talk-episode-2-queimada.jpg?resize=1200%2C675)
Screenshot by PC Invasion
Delicate enhancements
Though, there have been some issues that Episode 2 added that made the sport extra fascinating. A type of issues was the flexibility to provide individuals gadgets out of your tray. Generally, they’d be misplaced gadgets that patrons would by accident depart behind. And different instances, it’d be one thing like a enterprise card or invitation {that a} pal asks you to provide to somebody. This was a mechanic that not solely stored me concerned with the lives of my new buddies, however made me consider who I might give them to, and what distinctive issues would come from it.
For example, with none spoilers, one character left an ID card. This character isn’t ever a buyer, however on the off likelihood that they’d be, I didn’t need to give it again. I didn’t like this character, so I wished to provide the ID to another person who might do one thing helpful with it. My choice there appeared to alter the story of what occurred subsequent, since these two characters had been type of towards one another. Sadly although, these are the one decisions you get to make, since there aren’t any dialogue decisions. However my character normally stated what I wished them to say anyway.
Episode 2 additionally launched two new tea varieties, that are Hibiscus and Blue Pea. With these got here many new and fascinating recipes, every with its personal distinctive title. They had been normally named after who requested for the particular drink, and seemed like one thing from a super-fancy restaurant. Whereas it was enjoyable to experiment and check out to determine what the patron wished, typically their description was approach too imprecise. This led me to both relenting and giving them the drink they didn’t precisely need, or googling the right reply.
![Coffee Talk Epsidoe 2 Review Hot Drinks And Life Lessons Latte Art](https://www.pcinvasion.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/coffee-talk-epsidoe-2-review-hot-drinks-and-life-lessons-latte-art.jpg?resize=1200%2C675)
Screenshot by PC Invasion
Intimate tales and connections
The true coronary heart of Espresso Discuss, as stated earlier than, comes all the way down to the writing. In each episodes, every buyer you meet and befriend goes by their very own arc. They chat about their struggles at this café that solely runs at evening, speak to different prospects that share some insights, and be taught one thing from them. By the tip of Episode 2, everybody modifications in their very own methods, and it’s due to you. Your café is a type of protected haven for these troubled people, and it’s beautiful to see them join with different prospects.
You’re subconsciously constructing a discovered household, serving to individuals who want it most, and seeing how they develop from there. There have been some characters from the primary Episode that reappeared for temporary moments, and I wanted that their tales lasted just a little longer. Others had their rightful time to shine, particularly the brand new characters. It solely took me about 5 hours to finish, and lasted round two weeks in-game. Additionally, there isn’t a lot to say about graphics or the way it runs. It’s a small indie-game that has a 2D pixelated artwork type, there’s no fear that your PC can deal with it.
As a lot as I loved the little narratives all through, there was no stand-out story, or jaw-dropping moments. This sport is nice, nevertheless it didn’t grip me the best way different video games’ narratives have. The meanings and classes behind the tales aren’t shallow, however they aren’t completely deep both. I nonetheless actually loved my time with Espresso Discuss Episode 2, regardless of a few of my gripes. However, when you’re somebody who needs a calming visible novel that allows you to turn out to be a barista, it’s best to undoubtedly do that out. After all, play the primary one beforehand, for the reason that sport assumes you’ve already completed so.