Shaun Munro reviews Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly…
Coffee Talk is a game that arrived at just the right time back in 2020. Released mere weeks before the pandemic shut down coffee shops around the world, the charming visual novel’s cosy aesthetic, witty banter, and sneaky supernatural flavour made it just the diversion so many were craving during a period of unique existential uncertainty.
There is however an undeniably bittersweet element to the release of Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly, which lands barely a year after the original game’s creator, Mohammad Fahmi, passed away at just 32 years of age. Yet this follow-up still cannily appreciates that a bigger, more ambitious Coffee Talk game probably isn’t what most people wanted, and while largely offering more of the same, proves why that doesn’t need to be a huge negative.
Hibiscus & Butterfly takes place in September 2023 and once again thrusts players into the shoes of the barista-owner of the titular night-time coffee shop, as they chit-chat and serve brews to the diverse characters who frequent the Seattle-set establishment. Many characters from the first game return, such as police officer Jorji, game developers Aqua and Myrtle, succubus-elf couple Lua and Baileys, and of course, fan favourite alien astronaut Neil, now stepping out of the suit and going by the name Silver.
They’re joined by a bevy of new customers, like Lucas, a lifestyle reviewer who also happens to be a horned, elf-eared satyr; banshee Riona, who wishes to become a singer; and Neil’s similarly suited-up alien friend Amanda.
While both Coffee Talk games are low on overarching plot, Hibiscus & Butterfly does pepper in spicings of a wider context. For one, there’s a mystery involving an unknown individual who is letting the air out of people’s tyres in the area, and on a macro level, there are mentions of developing legislation to better recognise “non-sapient” entities within this bustling world of fantastical creatures.
More than anything, this is a homey hangout game which won’t tax your brain or cause you anything close to discomfort at any point. It is, to invoke a cliche, a warm cup of cocoa in game form; a stroll through 15 days in the lives of these characters that, at around three hours in length, makes for a pleasant, undemanding afternoon playthrough.
If some would call this sequel an unambitious iteration on what came before, it nevertheless understands why people flocked to the original Coffee Talk in the first place; the outstanding writing, an area where this sequel similarly excels. Through conversations with your patrons, Hibiscus & Butterfly broaches a wide range of subjects from the corrosive potential of social media to the crushing nature of games development, online dating, prejudice against supernatural folk, mortality, loneliness, anxiety, fast fashion, marriage, and depression.
If that might not sound like the foundation for a chill, relaxing game, the dialogue never gets close to feeling prosaic or preachy; there’s a matter-of-factness to the chatter that, no matter the race of the characters you’re talking to, feels near-universal. In even its most downtrodden moments, this is a game about hope and human connection, and culminates in a rather glorious celebration of both.
Beyond the banter, there is of course the coffee-making mini-game, where a customer will ask for a drink and you’ll be tasked with making it with the correct ingredients to their desired temperature, sweetness, and bitterness. It’s certainly not challenging – and the game offers no substantial penalty for screwing up, anyway – but crafting these digital brews is a quite hypnotic, relaxing experience all of its own. It’s also great fun discovering weird new recipes when customers give you the latitude to experiment – though these experiments won’t necessarily produce a yummy drink. And of course, you can add a cute personal touch to the orders by drawing latte art on the foam.
As with its predecessor this doesn’t make for a hugely active experience, even with the added occasional opportunity to hand key items to certain characters – or not, if you like. Some branching dialogue might be a nice addition to future entries, yet at the same time, it’s tough to imagine many curled up on the sofa on a rainy Saturday complaining about the game’s relatively linear path.
Outside of the story, there’s an Endless Mode where you can brew as much coffee as you want in an attempt to unlock each of the game’s 50+ drinks, and even try to brew as many drinks as possible within a 90-second time limit. It’s certainly a fun way to learn extra drinks and build your repertoire, and feels built for completionists keen to track down every last recipe.
It won’t surprise anyone who played the first game that Hibiscus & Butterfly is a similarly gorgeous visual novel, its evocative pixel art aesthetic accentuating the palpable atmosphere of the rainstorm shellacking the world outside the coffee shop. The music meanwhile consists of fittingly laid-back lo-fi beats and jazzy lounge-style tracks from returning composer Andrew Jeremy, only further emphasising how this is a game to sit back and lose yourself in while the wider world melts away.
All in all Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly is a fundamentally more-of-the-same experience – a charming and very welcome dive back into this world, even if it doesn’t add much new to the formula. Nevertheless, hopefully we’ll be checking back in with these characters soon enough.
Pros:
+ A consistent follow-up to the first game.
+ Gorgeous art-style.
+ Witty, heartfelt writing.
+ Coffee-making is addictive.
+ Great music.
Cons:
– Some may find it too short.
– Doesn’t iterate on its predecessor in a substantial way.
Rating: 7/10
Reviewed on PC (also available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch).
A review code was provided by the publisher.
Shaun Munro – Follow me on Twitter for more video game rambling, or e-mail me here.
