Va-11 Hall-a is a cyberpunk bartending simulator. This game is all about making drinks and talking to people who come into the bar. There are a bunch of eccentric folks who make their way into this somewhat seedy bar, and it is up to the player to concoct drinks.
This game has a fantastic cyberpunk element. The game itself is set in the future, where robots are everywhere and space travel is a common thing. The world might have changed a lot but there are always things that stay the same. Players will interact with the world through the player’s in-game phone and see how things have changed in the past century.
The drink making system is a rather simple one, as all of the recipes are always available to look at. Sometimes players will have to jump in blindly by picking a certain type of drink but more often than not the answers are in the recipe book. This book is always available to peruse, but soon enough players should be able to memorize the recipes.
Players will need to mix regular drinks and large drinks. Most of the ingredients will make the drink larger except for the alcohol portion which will just make the drink more intoxicating. It is good to always think the drink through so the player will learn how to make it big if they need to. If a drink has ten or more parts than it will automatically be considered a large drink.
There is something so peaceful about bartending in this game. There’s nothing to clean up so the player can simply restart the process if they make a mistake. It is often easy to make a mistake as sometimes the player will miscount. But with practice and a little forethought drinks should come out perfect every time.
This game has quite the list of beverages. They don’t even have to be alcoholic if the player forgoes the alcohol, which they might need to do. I enjoyed seeing the names and descriptions for these drinks. They are often slightly punny or odd. It does become easy to also memorize the mixes as sometimes many characters will end up asking for the same drink. Players will also become accustomed to making similar drinks and will be able to make them on the fly.
This game is an interesting one as there are actually branching storylines all dependent on your drink making. These weird characters will come into this bar with stories to tell, and the only reason they are really there is to drink. Make the best drinks to change their lives, it might seem like a strange system but it works. This game wants to prove how important bartending and a good drink can truly be.
The characters themselves also all have their own ideas and thoughts. Players will have to listen to stories of their day, and thoughts on what is going on in the world. They might not always be right but they often become more amicable as they drink themselves into a stupor. Players will also get to the know the rest of the workers at Valhalla.
The rest of the workers at Valhalla are an odd bunch. They don’t necessarily work behind the bar but they often get into their own shenanigans. The boss is a weird one, who will at one point bring a girl in from the streets. This leads to a comical scene where she is confused as to how she got here. It’s great to see the stories begin to unfold as the player makes drinks and just talks to people.
Players will also get paid for their services and will need to spend the money. They can decorate the player character’s room if they have extra funds, but they will also need to pay rent. There are quite a few items to decorate the room with but it is always necessary to remember that rent is due every month. The better the player does at their job, the more money they will make so it’s good to be proficient.
The game itself is in an old school pc style. It looks amazing and meshes nicely with the anime aesthetic. I wouldn’t have expected that but something about this game shines because these two parts work so nicely together. There are of course some modern upgrades to the base style that make this game shine. All in all a modern old school anime style is something that I’d gladly see in a game again.
The music is also superb and it is great to listen to. There is something about making a playlist and letting it play in the background that is so relaxing. Players can mix and match songs and change the bar’s atmosphere for the better or worse. Sometimes the characters will even talk the player about the music and critique the music choice. I wasn’t expecting this, but it makes choosing a playlist all the more important.
Va-11 Hall-a is a true cyberpunk bartending game and is a type of game that I never imagined I’d play. There is something so magical about providing alcohol to people and seeing their worries fade away. The characters are interesting, the world is filled with life, and the drinks are often fun to think about. While it might not be for everyone if making drinks sounds fun, it might be worth picking up. There’s a large number of clients making their way to Vall Halla, will the player make the drinks to save their lives?
*A code was given for purposes of Review