Yaoi Game Jam 2019: A TAVERN FOR TEA

“A TAVERN FOR TEA” by npckc & sdhizumi.

“[A] visual novel [and] little tea-making simulator. [Play] as the owner of a fantasy tavern and help him serve the tea that his customers [did not] know they needed.”


Two interesting gameplay trends can be observed in interactive or visual novel games over the past few years. On the one hand, there is this mechanic where players progress in the story by not only handing out items to other characters, but also by producing those objects to apply to the needs of a character. Just take “The Red Strings Club”, “VA-11 Hall-A” or “Coffee Talk” as examples: In all those indie titles you mix up drinks, often to change the mood of the characters so that you can discover another route or to reach a specific point of the narration.

The other trend is to progress by re-playing the game or at least sections of it, often explained with a time loop or with supernatural, magical scenarios. Just take a look at “Order A Pizza” or “Prison of Lies” for that matter. Sometimes just a small detail changes, but it can have a huge impact on the whole story.

So it is amazing to see a jam entry like “A TAVERN FOR TEA” to combine both concepts into one game. The sequel to “A HERO AND A GARDEN” continues to tell the story of the adventurer Cyrus, but has a larger focus on his relationship to the demon lord Horns. Both of them would love to have a talk with each other, but they also have pretty stubborn personalities. So it is no wonder that neither of them wants to start an actual conversation. But in your position as the keeper of this excellent tea tavern, you could maybe just fix the right drink at the right time and everything will work out? Just grab your favorite hot beverage and enjoy this cozy game! [PLAY]