Coffee Talk Tokyo

Coffee Talk Tokyo may lean into the refreshed stylings of its new, titular locale, but the series’ foundation of listening to deep conversations about the complexities of life while brewing a host of delicious drinks is still intact and just as enjoyable as ever. The issues this eclectic cast of pixies, ghosts, and other creatures face are ironically some of the most human you’ll find in any visual novel out there — and you might just be surprised at how much you take away from their journeys of hardship and self-discovery. It definitely falls more on the iterative side of sequels as far as its gameplay systems go, but there’s still plenty of substance to satisfy regulars and, perhaps, bring in a whole host of new customers as well.

I love this series and many more games like it, but I am also hyper aware of the niche that they fit into. Visual novels are always a hurdle, but when the gameplay is mostly second hand dealing with sometimes sensitive topics, that can be another hurdle. Coffee Talk has never steered away from such things as trans identity, work life balance, racism and existential dread. Essentially, if you were not interested in any of these types of games before, this one isn’t going to change your mind. There's no new mechanics and it’s still a passive experience, but for my money, I am living and dying with every new endearing character. I am deciding on what ingredient goes into a Jahe Tubruk and I am waking up in the morning, before my child wakes up, making myself a nice warm cup of coffee and spending time seeing what my friends have been up to since we last talked. This brew may not be for everyone, but it's a special blend, specifically for me.