Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly

Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly is a refreshing visual novel filled with relatable characters and amazing intertwining stories. The controls are simple, with fun, minimal gameplay. The music and sound effects fit in well with the coffee shop ambiance.

It is rare for me to pre-order the limited edition of a game I’ve gotten for review 2 minutes into playing it for the first time, but here we are. Coffee Talk Episode 2 isn’t a huge change or upgrade from the original, but it didn’t need to be one. It is an easy recommendation if you enjoy relaxing games, coffee, and want to brew up some for interesting characters. I hope we get more from this world in a few years in a potential third entry. For now, it is time to mix dri.. I mean brew coffee and change lives.

Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly refuses to fix what isn’t broken, and it adds a few new mechanics that freshen up the gameplay just enough. While elements of its narrative aren’t quite as strong as those of the first Coffee Talk, it remains an incredibly chill and peaceful experience, and I’d gladly play through as many episodes as the developers choose to bless us with. Catching up with old friends is one of my favorite pastimes, and being able to do it in video game form is something I can definitely raise a glass to.

While Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly didn't live up to my hopes, I still enjoyed it. If you want a chill game about coffee and fascinating strangers, check out the original Coffee Talk. And if you want more after that, Episode 2 has its charms.

Coffee Talk Episode 2 brings us back to our familiar haunt in stormy Seattle, where friends both old and new need an ear to hear out their problems and a warm drink to soothe their souls. There are new teas on the menu to compliment the changing tastes of your mythical mates.

What you need to know now is that despite the elevator pitch for this one being all sorts of I’m Sorry What, Arcade Paradise is hugely compelling. Lunchtimes, evenings, sneaking a virtual day’s work in when the real job’s demands are left to the side: I’ve become completely wrapped up in its spin cycle of weirdly rewarding menial labour and magical multi-game good times. It really won’t be for everyone, and perhaps my own lived-through-the-’90s experience is a factor in my enjoyment here, but if you’re after something that’s really unlike any other game you’ll play in 2022 - or, y’know, ever - Arcade Paradise is as much of a no-brainer as breaking down that first wall into the neighbouring storage space and covering it in puke-concealingly colourful carpet.

Just as with the original, Coffee Talk Episode 2 can be played through a second time to unearth new secrets and earn new achievements, offering a great deal of value for its small price tag. At its core, this title is more of an experience than a game, with small bursts of brewing peppered throughout a visual novel. Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly won't satisfy all styles of player, but it's perfect for those who enjoyed the original and any fan of cozy games looking for a rich new narrative.

Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly is steeped in the same lo-fi chill atmosphere as its predecessor. Light touch gameplay gives way to heady and heartfelt conversations full of flavour, and despite little in the way of invention, it never lets the milk curdle. Savour it like a nice warm beverage, until you have to say that bittersweet farewell.

Overall, Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly is a great game to lose yourself in for a few hours, but ultimately one that ends up feeling more like an extension of the first game in the series rather than a sequel.