Coffee Talk vs. Coffee Talk Tokyo

Most people find coffee soothing and relaxing, making it easier to open up about their thoughts and feelings. This is the concept behind Coffee Talk, a visual novel game that sees you play as a barista working in a busy coffee shop. However, the coffee shop patrons are not your everyday coffee drinkers. The game got a positive reception when it launched in 2020 and left many players longing for more exciting and engaging conversations with diverse personalities.

Fortunately, the game’s developers have lined up more intriguing conversations and fun barista activities in Coffee Talk Tokyo, the next installment in the series. While the game is still under development, its official announcement included detailed information about its features. Here is a comprehensive comparison of Coffee Talk versus Coffee Talk Tokyo.

What is Coffee Talk?

Coffee Talk is a visual novel that follows the life of a barista working at a coffee shop in an alternate version of Seattle. The barista makes coffee for her patrons while listening to their stories about their lives, relationships, work, and other issues. Interestingly, the game is mainly inspired by a Japanese TV show called Midnight Diner.

The game’s alternate version of Seattle features a mixed population of humans and other intelligent creatures, such as elves, orcs, vampires, aliens, mermaids, werewolves, and harpies. The diverse species and races co-exist peacefully. Moreover, they all drink coffee and have unique personalities and background stories.

Toge Productions, an Indonesian indie studio, developed the game. It launched in 2020 to a mixed but mostly positive reception. Moreover, the developers released a sequel named Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly in 2023. The sequel retained most of the original game’s features and added a few new ones. The new features include new tea blends, a cat that pops in and out occasionally, and a lost-and-found drawer. Moreover, it follows up on the characters’ stories and their new experiences, creating more engaging stories.

What is Coffee Talk Tokyo?

Coffee Talk Tokyo is the third installment in the Coffee Talk series. It maintains the series’ concept, whereby a barista serves patrons coffee and other beverages while lending them a sympathetic ear. However, it introduces several major changes and new features. Most notably, it changes locations from rainy Seattle to sunny Tokyo. Additionally, it introduces several new characters with new stories. It also features new beverages, recipes, and complex latte art mechanics.

The game is still under development and will launch in 2025. Interestingly, Toge Productions has partnered with Chorus Worldwide to develop and publish the new game.

Story

Coffee Talk comprises many stories, such as Coffee Talk Tokyo. The main story revolves around the unnamed barista, who prepares beverages for her patrons and listens to their stories. Moreover, each patron has a unique and dynamic story to tell. For example, Rachel, a character in Coffee Talk, is a former member of a girl band trying to branch out as a solo musician. In contrast, Kenji, a character in Coffee Talk Tokyo, is a retired kappa salaryman trying to find a new meaning in his life. Notably, storytelling is the game’s overall best and most significant aspect since it is a visual novel.

Character

The nameless barista is the main character in both games. Interestingly, besides being female, the game doesn’t share any notable attributes about the barista, maintaining a curious mystery around her identity and personality.

Besides the barista, both games feature other characters who visit the coffee shop regularly or occasionally. For example, the most noticeable characters in Coffee Talk include Freya, Rachel, Jorji, and Neil. Notably, Coffee Talk Tokyo will feature an all-new cast of characters, including Kenji, Vin, and Ayame. Each character has a unique personality and background story.

Gameplay

As visual novels, both games’ gameplay mainly involves reading dialogues of conversations between the barista and the coffee shop’s patrons. The conversations can be long or short, and each patron has a unique story. Interestingly, the dialogues can change direction slightly if you get the patrons’ orders wrong or brew them terrible beverages.

Notably, Coffee Talk sees you start each day by scanning the local newspaper for news related to your patrons’ stories. Interestingly, the local newspaper also features intriguing and entertaining fiction stories you can read alone. Moreover, both games feature a social network where you can learn more about your patrons’ lives through their social media profiles.

In addition to engaging storytelling, both games offer interactive mini-games where you take on the role of a barista, brewing coffee, tea, and other beverages for your patrons. These mini-games add a personal touch to the experience, as some customers provide specific drink orders. In contrast, others leave the choice up to you, depending on how well you understand their preferences.

You can combine three ingredients to craft various beverages, creating unique flavor profiles. You have access to a well-stocked shelf filled with essential ingredients like milk, sugar, coffee, cocoa, and various types of tea. As you experiment with different combinations, you can collect, record, and store various recipes on your in-game smartphone. This feature allows for quick and convenient referencing whenever a customer requests a drink, streamlining the brewing process and enhancing your overall efficiency.

Notably, Coffee Talk Tokyo features more brewing mechanics and options than Coffee Talk. It introduces sprinkle stencils that you can use to make charming latte art styles, such as flowers and smiley faces. Moreover, it features more ingredients and beverages than the latter.

Finally, both games feature charming and relaxing Jazzy and lo-fi music, making the game more immersive and engaging. Moreover, you can select and play diverse tunes via your smartphone.

Verdict

Coffee Talk is charming, relaxing, and engaging. Similarly, Coffee Talk Tokyo promises to be all that and more by introducing new, more intriguing characters and stories. Moreover, it features more beverages, recipes, and brewing options to make the mini-games more fun. Ultimately, both games are fun. As such, try Coffee Talk if you haven’t already, and remember to look out for the upcoming launch of Coffee Talk Tokyo.

So, what’s your take on our comparison of Coffee Talk versus Coffee Talk Tokyo? Let us know on our socials here or in the comments below.