Review | Zipp's Cafe - Like A Cup Of Hot Chocolate On A Cold Night
Zipp’s Cafe perfectly combines a Visual Novel and a cooking simulator to create something that is more than the sum of its parts. The game allows you to experiment with new recipes as you create them for all the fascinating characters that walk through your door, and uncover the story of your customers and Zipp themself.
Despite a good story and fun gameplay elements that make it exciting to mix bizarre drinks and cook meals for your customers, there are some mild issues when it comes to accessibility and the game's tutorialisation.
Becoming a Brewmaster
Whilst creating drinks and meals for customers is incredibly fun, it can be quite challenging to begin with. The tutorial explains the basics of how to make drinks, but some of the drinks don’t quite make sense when you are making them. I found this an issue when I made a drink for a customer named “Clawville on Fire.” The game asks you to put a drink in a mug and a drink in a glass but doesn’t let you combine the two, nor does it let put them on a tray together. This left the customer dissatisfied. While the game does allow you to try again and see if you can perfect it, I couldn’t see any feasible way to make the drink satisfying for the customer.
How is it these image of drinks have somehow made me hungry?
A lot of the drinks are self-explanatory, but it would be a better experience if the items were easier to interact with. Sometimes the game won’t let you progress your drink or meal unless you are hovering the item over in a specific area, and it isn’t always obvious what you must do.
That being said, fixing up all this food and drink is very relaxing, and it’s easy to get lost in without much thought.
Zipp’s Heart
As you progress through the days, you uncover more of Zipp’s story and his relationship with the customers. My favourite bit of storytelling has to be the relationship he develops with Melinda. She is a very sweet insect, whilst he is a raccoon, and they play off each other in an entertaining way. While a lot of Zipp’s Cafe is cute, the interactions between these two are adorable.
Man… even termites are more fashionable than me…
The interactions between Zipp and Mick are also hilarious, as it is very obvious that they are at odds with each other and have a hefty past. With Zipp turning his life around and wanting to live a quiet life as a Cafe owner, Mick is desperate to lure him back into his bad ways on the streets again, whether he likes it or not.
The unique character designs are fun and inviting, and lend a lot to their personalities, especially Sandor, who is a very tall bull. Sandor is very expressive, often beady-eyed with concern. He is one of my favourites to interact with, as he goes from stoic to terrified in seconds. It’s in these moments that Zipp’s Cafe is at its best - when you get to slowly untangle these characters' lives through their interactions and learn a little bit more about them.
Old World Blues
The game has a very specific art style that feels very old-worldy. It somewhat reminds me of the prohibition era, with how dated the items look and how the characters are dressed. I really enjoy the art style, and it fits the narrative of the game perfectly. That being said, the filter similar to that of a VHS, when you are making drinks or food, can be a bit disorienting as it adds a bit of a blur to everything. There is the option to play in black and white, which dulls the effect slightly. That being said, I would have liked it if there was an accessibility feature to turn the effect off entirely or be able to scale it down at the very least.
55 Bacon Sandwiches, 55 Black Coffees, 55 Hot Chocolates, etc., etc.
Even more frustratingly though is that some of the accessibility options that are here, don’t function as of writing. There is the option to get rid of the Film Grain and Chromatic Aberration in the menu, but despite clicking the button it does not change the settings at all.
Overall, Zipp’s Cafe is a tonne of fun, thanks to relaxing game mechanics when making food and drink, and an engrossing story courtesy of Zipp’s customers. Whether it be him flirting with Melinda, or having cruel banter with Mick, each interaction brings something new to the table and makes the experience enjoyable.
Additionally, the game is very short, with a playtime of only two and a half hours. This allows you to burst through the game very easily, but I do wish there was some form of “endless mode” that allowed you to cook and create drinks for customers with no story, as it is very relaxing.
The only downsides are some frustratingly lacking accessibility options, a short runtime, and some poor tutorials. However, once you fully get the hang of making those complicated drinks, it isn’t so bad, meaning that Zipp’s Cafe is still an easy recommendation.
