Zipp's Café

Today I felt like playing one of the Z titles hanging out at the bottom of ye olde Steam list. Zipp's Cafe gave me the ol' noir routine. "Psst! Hey, toots! Take a gander over in my neck o' the woods if you catch my drift!" So I stopped in for a bit. Apparently this is part of the Chicken Police universe. I don't think I realized that everything this developer does is to beef out Clawville and the world they are building within all these games. I personally think that's really cool but if you're not really into that type of thing, this might come across as flat and uninteresting. But I liked it well enough. Just a lightly noir, peek into a particular corner of the world. Personally, I didn't think it needed 2 full play throughs for 2 different endings. Could have easily been a checkpoint as it's linear and the choice to see the good or bad ending story is the first choice you make all game. Kudos for a skip dialogue function though so you can tell there was some thought into how to navigate that issue. I did appreciate a codex to read through when blue words showed up. Gave you even more insight to what the ♥♥♥♥ was going on and I like when you get separate lore sometimes like that especially if you haven't played through the founding story yet. As for game mechanics, the recipe making wasn't interesting enough to warrant egregious "make this X amount of times" achievements but you can cheese them by failing at the recipes on purpose. Just serve and then hit retry and it counts toward the goal. I did it with some of the easier recipes so I didn't have to hate myself for too long. This game did hurt me so keep that in mind if you're trying to be speedy about it. Kind of rolled my eyes when none of the stuff I set up stuck around. Like for instance, filling the water or coffee machine up so when next you make a drink, you have all that ready to go. So I guess this is a lukewarm thumb's up from me because if was fun enough that if you don't give a ♥♥♥♥ about achievements, it's a pretty bite sized story that seems to fulfill its purpose of being a bridge between the game before and the one that came after. Like a placeholder to give people something to look forward to. I personally think that makes it ok especially at its price point.

坏消息是这也太短了，好消息是很便宜，打完甚至可以退款。 画风美术都很不错的小品游戏，不过这部作买完才发现是令一个系列作品的过渡作品，而我对这种那个系列作的题材不感兴趣。个人不太推荐非系列粉丝购买，因为看不太懂这个故事具体的世界观和游戏内的每日新闻再说什么。抛开游戏背景可能在暗示的那部分，这个故事蛮简单甚至有些简陋。 不过作为一个打发时间的休闲游戏也蛮不错的。 咖啡永流传，而我不会。

Всем советую

Short and sweet. Thinking about trying some of the coffee recipes but, of course, without the catnip and meat powder. Like Melinda said: coffee should be taken very seriously.

"Coffee is like life. Bitter and dark, but it's up to you how well you sweeten it." Recommended only if you’re familiar with or enjoy the Chicken Police games; otherwise, the game might seem a bit dull. If you like the games, it’s quite interesting to see the supporting characters and expand the lore. The game is more thoughtful and serious than the originals, and the gameplay is like one of those café simulators that seem to be all the rage in the indie scene at the moment. It’s entertaining enough, but do pick it up on sale because it’s very short.

Zipp’s Café, developed and published by The Wild Gentlemen, is a narrative-driven café simulation that blends slice-of-life management mechanics with a moody, noir-inspired storytelling approach. Set within the same anthropomorphic universe as the studio’s earlier works, the game follows Zipp, a raccoon with a questionable past who is trying to leave behind a life of crime by opening and running a small café. Rather than focusing on large-scale management systems or competitive business growth, the experience centers on character interactions, atmosphere, and quiet introspection. The premise revolves around redemption and second chances. Zipp’s decision to operate a café represents more than just a career change—it is an attempt to redefine his identity. Over the course of the game’s short but focused narrative, players meet a cast of recurring patrons, each bringing their own personal stories, conflicts, and emotional baggage into the café. Through dialogue choices and repeated interactions, relationships deepen, and bits of worldbuilding unfold naturally. The game’s writing leans into noir sensibilities, blending dry humor with moments of vulnerability and moral ambiguity. Gameplay alternates between conversational storytelling and café operations. Serving customers involves preparing drinks and food through simple interactive sequences. Players select ingredients, assemble beverages step by step, and occasionally manage light cooking tasks. The mechanics are deliberately relaxed—there are no harsh time limits, and mistakes rarely result in severe penalties. This creates a laid-back rhythm that complements the narrative tone. Instead of stressing over efficiency or profits, players are encouraged to focus on listening to customers and engaging with their stories. While the management aspect is accessible and intuitive, it remains intentionally shallow. There are no complex upgrade trees, resource balancing systems, or competitive challenges. The café does not evolve dramatically over time, and progression is primarily narrative-driven rather than mechanically expansive. For some players, this simplicity reinforces the cozy atmosphere; for others, it may limit replayability. The core appeal lies less in simulation depth and more in immersion within the characters’ lives. Visually, Zipp’s Café stands out through its stylized art direction. Character portraits are expressive and detailed, conveying personality through subtle animation and design choices. The café environment itself is intimate, with carefully placed background elements that hint at Zipp’s past and the broader world. An optional noir mode renders the game in stark black and white, reinforcing its crime-fiction roots and enhancing mood. This stylistic flexibility allows players to experience the narrative through different visual lenses. Sound design further strengthens the ambiance. A jazz-inspired soundtrack underscores the contemplative tone, echoing classic detective stories while maintaining a cozy café vibe. Ambient audio cues, such as clinking cups and subtle background noise, enhance immersion. The combination of music and environmental sound creates a space that feels lived-in and emotionally textured rather than static. The pacing of Zipp’s Café reflects its compact scope. A single playthrough can be completed in just a few hours, making it a concise narrative experience. Multiple character routes and dialogue choices provide some replay value, encouraging players to explore different relational outcomes. However, the overall structure remains contained, favoring depth of character over breadth of gameplay systems. Ultimately, Zipp’s Café is less about mastering business strategy and more about exploring themes of trust, regret, and connection within a stylized noir world. Its strength lies in atmosphere, writing, and character-driven storytelling rather than mechanical complexity. For players who appreciate narrative-rich indie titles and relaxed gameplay loops, it offers a thoughtful and immersive experience. Those seeking a deep management simulator may find it modest in scope, but as a character-focused café story with a distinctive tone, Zipp’s Café succeeds in crafting a memorable and intimate slice of life. Rating: 8/10

指引太拉，玩不下去

To be honest, this is just a boring game. The story is not very interesting, and the game playing has literally no technique. Nothing to create, few menu is given, and even no punishments. NOT TO MENTION you need to replay this entire boring thing multiple times just to achive certain achievements...

完美的公鸡神探衍生作品，2小时的流程紧凑流畅，期待未来荒野世界更多的作品。好好扩展这个世界观。

I am amazed how the developers of Chicken Police find innovative ways to offer us a more complete image of Clawville. Not only do we play as a secondary character, the lovable Zipp, but we enter a new aesthetic and gameplay dimension. Zipp is one of my favorite characters in the Chicken Police games and thus I feel gratitude to the developers' idea to enrich his character with his own game. So, if you were glad to discover the world of the Rooster Coppers then may I advice you to enter the perspective of the amazing trash panda?