Birb Café

I get the gist of the game but at the same time I feel conflicted. It's like I want to recommend it but at the same time I can't. The first ten days are alright. No problems there. You can figure things out with educated guesses and re-reading the log entries. It also helps if you know what their fantasy role is (fighter, mage, paladin) but having a picture next to the name would have helped a bit more. But what's the issue? After 15th day I just felt bit bored when the gameplay loop was the same. To me making a different brew of coffee is not as exciting and figuring what drink I had to serve felt weird. It's very punishing first time when you need to know things ahead of time and even with all the clues and tools you are given you can still make the wrong guess at the end. The orders after 20th day felt boring and I just served the same easy coffee to get on the final day. It really didn't matter what I did as I had no clue what the game wanted me to do so I stopped caring. So for me this game would have felt better if there was a buddy giving hints. Like a companion that would be there for first ten days helping you to run the coffee shop. The player could show the coffee to them and the companion would tell the player if their assumption was correct or not. The devs could have used the shop feature to call the companion back after the 10th day for aid and help them to progress. But as the game is now it's pretty a much a game that you shouldn't get full price and wait until it's on sale.

I really want to like this game and I'll probably keep pushing myself to play it until i either finish it or ultimately give up on it, but regardless it feels hard to recommend this game. Its cute and simple with a story that isnt complicated but the basic gameplay loops is tedious and confusing. It's interesting to see that each character has their own sort of story route that you can alter based on the kinds of coffee you serve them and the stats they boost, although it seems more like perfect coffee for the perfect story while lesser coffees will have different outcomes. Although the problem with this is that the guests dont really hint very well at what they need and you'll often times use logic to guess what would help them out only to be told you were wrong with no reason why. You have to worry about the type of coffee, the main stat, the sub stat, and optional effects all together while fumbling around with a relatively tedious work station. Some coffee is as simple as grinding some beans and putting them in hot water and pouring them out. Some require both steamed and frothed milk that requires multiple steps that could have been streamlined into fewer steps but just weren't. All this combined with the fact that you cant redo an order until you beat the game basically gives off the experience that you're supposed to fail most of your orders because the game plays out like you're supposed to know the answers the second time around, or that after beating the game you have the right to mess up orders as much as you want until you find the exact right one that works. Right out the gate you're told someone is going to a poison needle forest only to be told that it doesnt exist and its actually paralyzing nettles but you're still faulted for not knowing that the first time around. At some point you meet someone who seems to be a regular or has a history with Chelly and basically asks for their usual to which how would you possibly know? Personally not a fan of games that make you feel like you should know things ahead of time when there's no possible way you would. I could see potential in a second game but it would require a lot more polishing and better planning and dialogue to craft a better experience.

This has been a memorable journey, thank you for this experience! Never thought being a barista can help save lives too! (Or as an NPC -v-) The simple yet immersive mechanics of the game was intriguing, though it did sometimes feel like most coffees were rarely brewed, while other coffees were brewed more often. Nonetheless, it's been a great time, 9/10! P.S. It would be great to have either a new game, or a paid DLC expansion, with either of the ideas: - Chelly can continue her barista journey in the south, with a new cast of characters to meet and aid with brand new quests - Chelly returns from The Great Migration and begins a new barista journey with old and new characters - August takes over The Feathered Cup as a (temporary) barista while Chelly is away Purely suggestions, but seriously, I really enjoyed my time here. :>

Made coffee how it told me to. Got told both customers were wrong but not why. The tutorial is front-loaded as heck, instead of introducing things through story line as they're needed. I don't know anything about coffee so all the terminology was lost on me. Not a fun experience.

Brirb

Cute little game, nothing fantastic, but it works. You have to guess what type of coffee best fits the situations thrown at you based on the dialog... and that's it! The story is basic, but it can change depending on how well your coffee makes a difference (yeah I know, weird).

really cute cozy game! i love the realism of the coffee making in this game and the diverse characters!! also the D&D vibes of it!