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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: Wanderstop is a narrative-centric cozy game about change and tea. Playing as a fallen fighter named Alta, you’ll manage a tea shop within a magical forest and tend to the customers who pass through. But Alta does not want to be here. And if she gets her way, the tea shop will be nothing butWanderstop is a narrative-centric cozy game about change and tea. Playing as a fallen fighter named Alta, you’ll manage a tea shop within a magical forest and tend to the customers who pass through. But Alta does not want to be here. And if she gets her way, the tea shop will be nothing but a brief and painful memory.

    Grow and harvest the ingredients needed for tea, and then mix them together in an unusual tea-making contraption. Along the way, speak with the many travelers who pass through the shop, learn their stories and make tea that’s just right for them.
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 20
  2. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. May 17, 2025
    100
    I enjoyed every second of playing Wanderstop. The music is charming and the tea making process – and the various steps involved – are all incredibly cleverly constructed.
  2. Mar 11, 2025
    90
    It’s important not to let the mild criticisms get in the way, as Wanderstop is a beautiful title with something to say about overwork, determination and letting go. It explores these potentially depressing topics with a ton of humor and relaxing gameplay, resulting in a thoughtful, unique title that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Stepping away from the game, I have fond memories of the characters Alta meets, particularly Boro, Gerald and Monster. It’s a chill time that wants the player to spend as much or as little with it as they would like, while also being deep but unpretentious.
  3. Apr 23, 2025
    90
    Wanderstop captivates with its masterfully written dialogues, which, beneath their absurdity, reveal common struggles that everyone can relate to. The excellent storytelling is complemented by a relaxing soundtrack and stunning visuals. When indie scene stars come together, something truly special is born.
  4. Mar 10, 2025
    80
    It's a clever mix of genre and story, because it provides a cosy space to immerse yourself in while also highlighting the reasons why people play things like this in the first place — to unwind, to take a break with something relaxing. Alta is forced to slow down and reflect on her issues, and through conversations and moments of introspection, the game delivers a thoughtful, emotive tale that may well hit home for many.
  5. Mar 11, 2025
    80
    With its mixture of serious story and relaxed gameplay, Wanderstop shows how important it is to shift down a gear sometimes.
  6. Mar 14, 2025
    75
    Wanderstop offers an original blend of management and narrative, highlighted by its artistic design and aimed at conveying a lesson about the importance of taking care of our well-being. It would have been more effective without emphasizing its message so much, but that doesn’t take away from its overall merit.
  7. Mar 10, 2025
    60
    Wanderstop tells a fascinating story and very much captures the stress, anxiety, and pressures that come from being trying to meet all these expectations and not fail. Especially when you try to stop doing that. However, I often found myself wishing this was a short animated series or movie, rather than a game. Alta’s journey and many of the characters around her are fascinating, and I love watching them. But this ended up being an unexpectedly stressful, inconvenient, and broken sim at some times, and that got in the way of my enjoying everything. I believe there are many people who will love and identify with Wanderstop! I just found it clunky, broken on the PS5 at launch, and far from cozy.

See all 21 Critic Reviews