10/6/2023 0 Comments Robot bartender visual novel![]() My biggest complaint would be the writing. Those positives being noted, I felt there was missed potential. I like the concept of a bartender simulator. I'm somewhat sad to give this game a negative review, as it genuinely has charm to it. It’s a very unique and special time to be a fan of visual novels again.I completed this game and while there are positive and negative aspects to this game, I will have to give it a thumbs down. PRO WRESTLING.Įarlier in June I declared on Twitter that 2016 would be “The year of the visual novel invasion.” There are so many re-releases and localisations of popular visual novels on Steam ( Muv-Luv, Steins Gate, Umineko), combined with cool and original releases like VA-11 Hall-A. A videogame from a niche genre that dares to be different, and created with a lot of love and attention by the developers. One Steam reviewer even called it a GOTY contender and I find it very difficult to argue against that claim. Just like the best drinks or cocktails, VA-11 Hall-A is a surprisingly perfect blend of many smaller ingredients: Memorable characters, witty writing, excellent artwork, stunning music, and pro wrestling. I would love to have a badass, former-pro-wrestler boss like Dana who randomly suplexes her employees at work. Remember Volition, the developers of Saints Row: The Third and Saints Row IV? It’s clear that Sukeban Games are big fans of pro wrestling too. There’s even a reference to Jushin Thunder Liger, Sting, and New Japan Pro Wrestling’s annual Wrestle Kingdom event at Tokyo Dome (an event that I’m attending live this coming 4 January). I was totally not expecting the repetition of pro wrestling references and memes in VA-11 Hall-A. ![]() I have blogged in the past about how pro wrestling automatically makes anything better. I don’t know a thing about bartending or mixing drinks, but I can emphatise with the flaws and character traits that Jill has. Yet at the same time, Jill laughs at dirty jokes, she smokes on her bed, and can be very cynical to strangers who don’t give a good first impression. ![]() She’s a loyal friend to those closest to her she’s unsure of what her future holds and whether she’ll continue to be a bartender she likes cats. She just has to continue with her daily motions of life, and find a way to move on from her mistakes while earning her paycheck and paying her bills. Yes, there is a “story” going on around Jill outside the bar - greedy corporations, politics, and an uprising in a bank - but it’s all presented in a slice-of-life manner as part of Jill’s daily routine.Īnd I’m sure everyone can relate to Jill’s relationship problems, on how she painfully regrets a past decision that she made, but can no longer make amends for. Unlike many other visual novels, there’s no exposition, no heroic character development, no mystery to be solved, and no evil villain that must be defeated. Everything in this visual novel was told naturally though your daily dialogue with Jill’s co-workers and customers, and from reading the daily newspaper articles and online updates from Jill’s apartment. What I liked about VA-11 Hall-A as I continued playing was how “natural” it felt. It’s very relaxing, uplifting, and totally in-sync with the bartender setting. One of the hallmark traits of cyberpunk are self-aware sentient robots, a dystopia setting, and a futuristic neo-retro soundtrack (think Blade Runner), all of which VA-11 Hall-A nailed perfectly. VA-11 Hall-A labels itself as a “Cyberpunk Bartender Action” game. Playing as Jill, the game’s protagonist, even as an outsider watching events unfold through her eyes, gave me some fascinating insight into the world of bartending, cocktails, and socialising over drinks. I play videogames for escapism, to experience things that I will never get to do in the real world. Which is why I was really hooked by VA-11 Hall-A’s premise within five minutes of booting up the game. We even had a law passed in Singapore recently that prohibits alcohol from being sold (but not from being consumed) after 10pm. Mainly because of my alcohol allergy, and that alcohol is really expensive here in Singapore compared to other countries (most of my friends prefer to drink when they travel to Japan - alcohol there is way cheaper). I don’t drink in real-life, and I very rarely visit bars or clubs.
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