Americano with soy milk, please… for the calories
Do you remember last year’s Coffee Talk? the chilled-out visual novel from Indonesian studio Toge Productions? Well, it seems that those in need of a fresh caffeine fix will be able to quaff another mug of the delicious black stuff come 2022, when Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly launches on PC via Steam.
As a brief reminder, Coffee Talk sees the player manage a small, cozy cafe in a familiar but fantasy Seattle. As head barista, it is the player’s duty to chat with a regular rotation of patrons, chat with them about their life worries and, of course, serve them the correct drink brewed in its finest form. Coffee Talk Episode 2 will see familiar faces return from the first game, including executive succubus Lua and game dev orc Myrtle, along with brand new characters eager to test your barista abilities.
As referenced in my review, I very much found Coffee Talk‘s characters, world, and coffee-making mechanics attractive and engaging, though I struggled hard with its writing, which took on the meaty task of tackling an enormous list of very important social issues and, as a result, spread itself far too thinly across each and every one of them.
A lot of potential lay in its universe, however, and the calming visual novel did succeed in delivering a charming and pleasant atmosphere. Hopefully, Toge Productions will deliver another delicious blend (pun fully intended) of drama, comedy, romance, and monster musings when Coffee Talk Episode 2 is finally ready to pour… Besides, I’ve really missed Myrtle.
