A review copy of Coffee Talk Tokyo was provided by the publisher.
In Wim Wenders’ seminal 2023 film Perfect Days, protagonist Hirayama navigates a sun-soaked Tokyo as a structure-preserving toilet cleaner by day, and an observationalist nomad by night. He frequents the book stores, the restaurants and the bathhouses to soak himself in the conversation, to gossip and to find respite from the meanders of his day job. Chorus Worldwide Games, the developers of this now-trilogy of Coffee Talk titles, have reified and morphed this feeling into their unique barista-led visual novel craft, now set in a spin-off entry amid the hustle and bustle of Tokyo nightlife.
Much alike the previous two titles, this ostensibly normal city of neon, noise and J-Pop sensations set in the very not-so-distant future of August 2026 is inhabited by eccentric ghosts, yōkai and kappas to name a few; each of which bring their own fascinating and relatable ontologies about the outside world to the barstool for you to discuss alongside a brew of their choice. The multiplicity of species is never just window dressing: ghosts will flicker the overhead lights instead of triggering the doorbell, and kappas may drink their orders through the cavity atop their head known as the sara — their source of power in Japanese mythos.
The titular coffee-making simulations are a bit of a secondary mechanic compared to the visual novel elements, but are done through a simple and fun mix-and-match system where you must work off clues given in their order to discern the recipe. Do it right, and customers may open up to you a little more, alongside earning yourself a sweet upgrade to your friendship status with them on Tomodachill: Coffee Talk‘s humourously-named Twitter.
While some may find the sidelining infrequence of whipping up a cup to be a disappointment, there is an adjunct and surprising level of depth to the recipes at play, allowing you to dabble with stencil latte art, brewing hot or cold, and ultimately making some true splendour for any customer deciding to give you their night. All the brews certainly look great, motivating you to immerse yourself in the bar a little more if not solely for the reason of wishing you could sip on your creations yourself. Spritework is great, delightfully indie if a touch too simple, but fitting perfectly into the leisurely intimacy of this transportive world.
This evening atmosphere — the jazzy lo-fi beats, the chestnut serenity of the bar — is the perfect backdrop for these folks to open up to you, creating an experience which champions the importance of relatable, honest stories and adult sensibilities. Particular favourites include the transpiring story of Kenji the Kappa, struggling to find meaning amid his newfound retirement, or the saga of Ayame and Fuku: the former a ghost, the latter trying to solve the case of how she became so, thus sucking a vast array of other characters into the quest. There’s always a variety of faces, both literally and emotionally, to keep the 20 minutes per level engaging and to your taste, with fast-forward options nonetheless provided for anyone who might find a particular day a little sedative. These bitesized episodes also make the game a rewarding grab on Switch or Steam Deck consoles, perfect for a ‘pick up and play’ attitude.
As alluded to, there’s always a wider story at play with Coffee Talk, both referring to the game itself as well as the name of this in-universe cafe franchise. Guests will frequently comment on the times — particularly local weather, news, or the ongoing dilemma of Japanese superstar singer Jun — and Tweet about their feelings beyond the shop on Tomodachill, which can be a genuinely useful read for learning new recipes that might be requested by a character the next day. It can also be exciting to keep up with client antics through their social media stories, most of which become relevant talking points the next time they turn up for a drink.
Cast size remains large enough for variety to occur, while narrow enough to allow for your favourites to show up on a near-nightly basis, helped by the bar seating – which allows around four folks to show up each evening. Occasionally this sample size can become too much, with the odd guest fading into brief conversational obscurity as the topic develops, but they are always slotted back into the plotline somehow, or sent on a heartwarming farewell to catch a train and cap off the night.
Coffee Talk Tokyo also introduces Vin, a sort of deuteragonist role in the story as your personal assistant. Their story and difficult past is one of the more emotionally resonant to watch unfold over a hojicha or summer-swatting float, as are their interactions with other guests, which largely occur more often than your own character’s input into the Coffee Talk milieu. Relatedly, it often feels as though the cafe is a main character itself, bustling with rich, infectious lo-fi tunes from returning composer AJ so effective and tranquilising that you almost don’t notice the change in track, sucked so deliberately into the surrounding conversation.
With that, Coffee Talk Tokyo establishes itself as a delightful mainstay in the indie visual novel gallery, and a treat for new or returning fans alike. Manoeuvring the franchise to Tokyo brings a fresh and ridiculously effective new setting to the table to keep the fans of the Seattle duology engaged, while new players can discover the magic of the series for the first time. Perhaps the game ironically has a little too much ‘Talk’ and not so much ‘Coffee’, with the concoctions at times feeling like fluttering backdrops, but the writing is strong enough to help that imbalance wash over you completely. You’re nonetheless always excited to help these learn-to-love faces drink off the staining burden of a long day at the height of Tokyo summer, simultaneously helping yourself to de-stress too, even if it’s by simulating working.
Coffee Talk Tokyo is out now on Playstation 5, Steam, Nintendo Switch and Xbox.
