Cafe of Roses

Great spinoff of Cage of Roses ! Plus we get to see more screentime from side characters we didn't get to see much in the original. Especially with[spoiler]Christel, I loved her cute CGs I just wanted to squish her cheeks. I'll also consider this vn as her good ending.[/spoiler]

A fun retread of Cage of Roses in a modern setting. On the overall, I think it's quite good and cute, but the last chapter fumbles a little. I read the notes (I quite like reading ebi-hime's notes) and I saw that the heart of this story was intended to be the relationship between [spoiler]Magdalena and Christel[/spoiler] but I'm not sure how well it works. I really do like the relationship between these two characters quite a lot and I think the core of it worked quite well, but it just sort of comes in too late. 75% of this VN focuses on Meike and Magdalena and the last chapter ends up feeling like it very suddenly changes direction while glossing over important scenes between the two romantic leads. It makes the story's landing feel a little unsatisfying and wobbly compared to Cage of Roses, which I would certainly consider to be a much stronger story. It does, however, touch on some things from Cage of Roses that we didn't get to see, some of which are quite satisfying. All in all, it works well as a fun companion piece to the original. As an addendum, the notes also mentions the reasons for why this story takes place in the early to mid-90's instead of the 2020's, to which I can only say: [i]good call.[/i] I am personally of the opinion that there's just no romance at all in our current day and that the existence of smartphones and social media completely ruins the sense of urgency and tension in many situations in movies and books. The 90's is the perfect decade for modern storytelling because it's where modernity and romance sort of meets in the middle. Oh and one final thing. I don't know if this is possible with the Ren'py engine, but please look into the option of having an FPS cap. Despite just being a VN, the lack of a cap means having a high framerate monitor causes the VN to run the GPU absolutely ragged to get as many frames per second as possible. Running this VN at 360FPS is probably a bit overkill but there's just nothing stopping it from trying.

Oh to be a maid in a cafe with such an easily flustered patron~ But really, this story was so lovely. So many absolutely cute moments ^^

I thought it was a sweet story, even if my memory of what happened in Cage of Roses is kind of fuzzy. It's nice to see the characters get fleshed out in this different setting.

Café of Roses is a really fun alternate-universe spin-off of the original game, Cage of Roses. It makes references to its originator while also standing extremely well on its own; I actually prefer this story slightly more due to the deep involvement of side characters within the main story! Walter and Christel have more involved roles in this story than they do in Cage of Roses. Despite the cold, autumn setting (it was suprisingly jarring to read during the springtime haha), this story is really cozy. Meike's life isn't easy, but her library job and her friendships with Henny and Magdelena are comforts to her, and I took comfort in reading about them, too. I don't have too much else to say about the story since it's not particularly complex, but that's not at all a bad thing! It was just what I needed for a little bit of relaxation. The art here is also pretty special to me; the artist, Chegovia, was the illustrator of one of the first VNs I ever read over a decade ago. Their art is comfortingly nostalgic for me, not to mention gorgeous - I love the rainy CG and the [spoiler]Cage of Roses setting CS[/spoiler] in particular. Overall, a very polished VN with a relaxing story and setting. This story makes reference to the events and characters of Cage of Roses, but you do not need to have read it to understand and enjoy Café of Roses! Which one you would like to play first is completely up to your preference.

I'm not actually a big fan of yuri unless it's NSFW (and this is very worksafe from what I've played, no booba), but I see a ebi-hime release, I buy it and leave a positive review, simple as. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣤⣤⣤⣶⣤⣤⣀⣀⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣶⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠋⠉⠛⠛⠛⠿⣿⠿⠿⢿⣇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡀⢀⣽⣷⣆⡀⠙⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢰⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⠶⠋⠀⠀⣠⣤⣤⣉⣉⣿⠙⣿⠀⢸⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠁⠀⠀⠴⡟⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣶⣿⣦⡀⣇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢨⠟⡿⠻⣿⠃⠀⠀⠀⠻⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠏⢹⣿⣿⣿⢿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⣼⣷⡶⣿⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢉⣿⣿⣿⡿⠀⠸⣿⣿⡿⣷⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢻⡿⣦⢀⣿⣿⣄⡀⣀⣰⠾⠛⣻⣿⣿⣟⣲⡀⢸⡿⡟⠹⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢰⠞⣾⣿⡛⣿⣿⣿⣿⣰⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⢰⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⠀⣿⡽⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⠿⣍⣿⣧⡏⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⣷⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣮⣽⣿⣷⣙⣿⡟⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟⣹⡿⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠛⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡧⣦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠻⣿⣿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡶⠏⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣠⣤⡴⠞⠛⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠚⣿⣿⣿⠿⣿⣿⠿⠟⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢀⣠⣤⠶⠚⠉⠉⠀⢀⡴⠂⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⠀⠀⢀⣿⣿⠁⠀⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠞⠋⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⣴⡿⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣾⠀⠀⣾⣿⠋⠀⢠⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⡀⠀⠀⢀⣷⣶⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⣆⣼⣿⠁⢠⠃⠈⠓⠦⣄⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣿⣿⡛⠛⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⢷⣦⣤⣤⣤⣦⣄⣀⣀⠀⢀⣿⣿⠻⣿⣰⠻⠀⠸⣧⡀⠀⠉⠳⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠛⢿⣿⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠉⠉⠙⠛⠿⣦⣼⡏⢻⣿⣿⠇⠀⠁⠀⠻⣿⠙⣶⣄⠈⠳⣄⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠈⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠁⣐⠀⠀⠀⠈⠳⡘⣿⡟⣀⡠⠿⠶⠒⠟⠓⠀⠹⡄⢴⣬⣍⣑⠢⢤⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⢀⣀⠐⠲⠤⠁⢘⣠⣿⣷⣦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⢿⣿⣏⠉⠉⠂⠉⠉⠓⠒⠦⣄⡀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⣿⣿⣷⣯⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠻⢦⣷⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠲⣄⠀ ⠠⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⢦⠀⢹⣿⣏⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⢻⣷⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠳ ⠀⠀⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠁⣸⣿⣿⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⣽⡟⢶⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠯⠀⠀⠀⠒⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢻⣿⣿⣷⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⡄⠈⠳⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢀⣀⣀⡀⣼⣤⡟⣬⣿⣷⣤⣀⣄⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⣿⣿⡄⣉⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⣿⣄⠀⣀⣀⡀⠀

Game feels too much like bla bla bla instead of telling story or having anything happening. It was just explaining after explaining.

Quite a nice Visual Novel - an Alternate Universe of ''Cage of Roses'', one of the developer's earlier works. Reading that is not strictly necessary, as the story stands on its own quite well, but I enjoyed seeing the characters again in a modern setting. Overall, a decent short story paired with great art make this a definite recommendation from me. Visit the café!

Coming from Studio Èlan, this was a great story with a great storyline and some really good characters. I did feel like the story dragged in some aspects but it wasn’t enough to take me out of the story. I will definitely be playing more of their VNs. Solid 9/10

I really enjoyed it! Very cute story, and the open ending is interesting. Certainly leaves the possibilities open for another game, tho personally I would much rather a direct sequel to Cage of Roses, as I am so fond of it. My main complaint is that while the art style is lovely, it's very different from the original and doesn't have the same vibe to me. Magdalena in particular just does not look like Magdalena at all to me which is a shame. She's also [spoiler]not a vampire[/spoiler], which is a bit of a shame, but she's still very enjoyable. I do feel that the last chapter was rushed. It was a little disappointing not getting to see them properly confess to each other, or the long-awaited first time Magdalena visited Meike's apartment. I agree with another comment that [spoiler]Christel[/spoiler] should've been introduced earlier, and I honestly wish Mag was [spoiler]a bit older[/spoiler] too, even by a year or so. While you [i]could[/i] play this game without playing the original, I think most of its appeal and what makes it unique is seeing all the characters return and the suspense of if they're supernaturals or not. There are also direct flashbacks to the original game, so I feel that those would be confusing, unimpactful, and potentially even spoilery without playing it first. I realise a lot of what I'm saying comes off as negative, but if you go into this with low expectations for a cute AU story, you will definitely enjoy it. It doesn't hold a candle to Cage of Roses, but it isn't really designed to imo. You're not going to get a spicy vampire story here, but you will get a very well thought out AU with a lot of character depth and some silliness that's very enjoyable.