Demetrios - The BIG Cynical Adventure
Developed by Fabrice Breton Published by COWCAT
Released for Xbox One (8/2/2017)
Also on Linux/Mac/PC/PS4/Switch/Vita
Demetrios - The BIG Cynical Adventure was funded via Kickstarter and developed using the Game Maker Studio engine. Coded by a single French developer and published by COWCAT, Demetrios is an interesting blend of both the point 'n click and visual novel genres. There are tons of things to interact with and puzzles to solve, but at the same time there are thousands of lines of dialog to read. With the subtitle of the BIG Cynical Adventure, the game lives up to its name featuring some really wacky dialog that will make it hard to keep a straight face while playing.
Gameplay in Demetrios, as previously stated, is a mixture of the point 'n click and visual novel genres. Consisting of 6 chapters, you'll be given a few different locations in each chapter to explore. There are lots of people and objects to interact with along your journey. While engaging in a conversation with another person there are typically several dialogue options to select from. Like most point 'n click games, some of the puzzles can be real head scratchers, but there is a sense of satisfaction once you figure them out. For players going in blind, you can expect to get a solid 10-15 hours out of Demetrios before it's over, which is a good length for a game of this nature. Even those playing through the game with a guide can expect to blow around 8-10 hours, so if there's one thing you can't hold against the game it's being too short as this is a decent length for a point & click/visual novel game.
Coffee Talk
Developed by Toge Productions
Published by Chorus Worldwide
Released for Xbox One (1/31/2020)
Also on Mac/PC/PS4/Switch
Coffee Talk is a visual-novel game where you play as a barista at a coffee bar, serving up beverages to an interesting cast of characters. The setting is in Seattle, which grounds the game in reality somewhat, but the characters are completely far out. You'll encounter a vampire, werewolf, mermaid, and a cat-lady among other strange patrons, each with their own story to tell. I can't really say I've played anything quite like Coffee Talk on the Xbox One before, so if you're looking for something different this just might be it...
The bulk of your time with Coffee Talk will be spent playing the main story, which will last somewhere between 3-5 hours, depending on how fast you read and if you skip text or not. The majority of gameplay just consists of reading the dialogue between characters, with the occasional chance to brew a drink for your patron. This should inform you right off the bat if this is going to be a game for you, as I know how so many people can't stand reading, especially when it comes to video games. This alone makes Coffee Talk a niche title, but there's nothing wrong with that and there's more than enough room in the gaming marketplace for titles that cater to a smaller audience. The customers you'll serve are an interesting bunch and the writers did a great job giving each of them unique personalities. Occasionally you'll be requested to serve up a certain kind of drink and you'll have to select the proper ingredients to mix it. These sequences do a good job keeping the player involved without being too challenging.
Three Fourths Home: Extended Edition
Developed by [bracket]games
Published by Digerati Distribution
Released for Xbox One (11/27/2015)
Also on Linux/Mac/PC/PS4/Switch/Vita
Originally released for PC & Mac in August 2014, Three Fourths Home was developed by [bracket]games. In late 2015, the game would a receive a release with added content called the Extended Edition for PlayStation 4, Vita and Xbox One. Three Fourths Home is a visual novel where you'll have to make dialogue choices to progress the story. Since the story is really all there is to Three Fourths Home, I found it near impossible to write this review without some degree of spoilers in it. I won't ruin everything, but just wanted to give a heads up if you don't wish to know, as I'll delve into the ending of the main story briefly in this review.
Three Fourths Home features a very minimal graphical presentation, with everything colored in black, white and grey. The objects are simple but discernible and the visual display only takes up a small portion of the top part of the screen with the bottom section reserved for text. The main story has you playing as a young woman named Kelly, who is driving home in a rainstorm while speaking to her mother on the phone. You'll have to hold the right trigger to drive and releasing it will stop the car and conversation, so it's a way of pausing the game. You can also press the Y button to toggle the radio if everything is too quiet for you.
Kelly's conversation revolves around how long she's been away from home, had a recent fallout with her partner (lover or friend is never really specified) and various problems at home with the family. The story is only presented in text and while it is well written, spoken dialogue would have helped the game feel a bit more engaging. Three Fourths Home will consist of talking with various family members over the phone while driving and occasionally selecting from a few dialogue choices, with the scenery changing up occasionally as you cruise. The ending of the story leads you to believe tragedy has struck at home, as there have been storm sirens going off warning of tornado activity while you were on the phone.
There's a bit of stuff to do post-main game, giving Three Fourths Home a little replay value. The main story will take around an hour to complete and afterwards you'll unlock the epilogue. In the epilogue you're in a snowstorm, waiting at a bus stop, with the choice to either call mom or just wait for the bus. If you call mom, you get to go through a lengthy conversation with dialogue choices. This conversation is a bit more harsh than the one in the main story and Kelly really spills her guts to her mother here. You can walk to the right while having the conversation, but you're not required to keep moving like in the main story. After you've completed the epilogue and main story, there are a few extras you can view. Kelly's brother, Ben, who reads you one of his stories in the main game, has some additional stories that you can read through. You can also view Kelly's photo project, which was a college assignment that is mentioned in the epilogue. Last but not least, you can also listen to the radio which will play the game's soundtrack.
Three Fourths Home: Extended Edition isn't a bad game, but it will certainly not appeal to everyone. There's not much gameplay to speak of, other than holding the right trigger while reading and selecting dialogue decisions. The visual presentation is very minimal and there are no recorded voices, so you'll have to do quite a bit of reading, though the entire game with the main story and epilogue shouldn't take any longer than 2 hours. Due to the shortness of the game, I'd recommend picking it up sale if you're interested, as the game is a bit light on content for the $9.99 asking price. Overall, Three Fourths Home isn't bad for what it is, just be aware there's not much for graphics and gameplay, but the game does come through in the story department. If you can relate to feeling distant from those closest to you, this one might hit close to home.
Final Verdict:Three Fourths Home is a visual novel with a minimalist graphical style where you drive home while having a phone conversation with several family members. If you like these types of games, this one's not bad but it is a bit short so I'd advise grabbing it on a sale.
