Hibiscus & Butterfly [Game Review]

Coffee is something appreciated worldwide for its ability to not only keep us awake when a deadline is due but for the feeling one gets when drinking a warm cup. It’s why it is a universal drink that comes in a variety of flavors, can be served hot/cold and just brings a warm feeling to the drinker. Okay, our love for coffee aside, Coffee Talk is an indie darling that was released three years ago and was met with nothing but praise due to its simple gameplay setup, immersive story, deep characters, and wonderful art design. We had always hoped Toge Production—the amazing developer behind Coffee Talk—would release a sequel and the Gods above must have heard our wish…it has arrived.

Titled Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly, this newest entry in the series seems to pick up not too long after the first one but it begs a major question. Is another brew of Coffee Talk going to appease us or is this drink best served once and never again? Of course, we find out in our review of Coffee Talk 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly for the PS4!

Though Coffee Talk Episode 2 assumes you played the original, we won’t and give you a rundown of what you can expect. You play as a barista—gender/name not identified to allow players to insert themselves into the role—who is the owner of Coffee Talk, a little coffee shop in a futuristic parallel Seattle where humans and demi-humans intermingle and coexist. Your job is simple: serve up a cup of joe or various other coffee creations to your patrons to ease their minds/spirits as they unwind and unload their various troubles with you and the other patrons.

Coffee Talk Episode 2 keeps that theme running and once more is more of the same now with some newly added drinks to craft, new characters, and various new stories to overhear. Honestly, even if you have never played the first—though you’ll be missing out on one of the best surprise endings ever—Coffee Talk Episode 2 doesn’t really need much knowledge of the first to play. Again though, playing the first is helpful as Coffee Talk Episode 2 does introduce some old faces that may not appeal to new players.

The beauty of Coffee Talk and its sequel is the sheer simplicity but depth of this title. The whole premise isn’t about saving the world—well you do kind of save the world in the first one—but about offering joy to people and seeing how said joy leads to trust and revelations. Each patron will order various drinks and making it right will earn you their trust and more of the story. Making it wrong, will alter their tales and you may find yourself not learning everything about the person and/or changing their story.

Honestly, it seems silly that a person’s fate rests on a cup of cappuccino with latte art on it being served correctly but think about it…isn’t that kind of how many of us are? Haven’t we all had days where a bad cup of coffee or tea kind of made our days follow in stride? It seems silly but that’s why Coffee Talk Episode 2 kind of just makes sense that your little night coffee spot can alter the world around it for those who enter its doors.

Despite being a sequel, Coffee Talk Episode 2 doesn’t just reuse every single asset from the original. New characters will walk into your shop and honestly, we loved all of them and their various outlooks on life/real-world themes. From a Soprano dealing with their image to an influencer who wants a rebranding, Coffee Talk Episode 2 is filled with several new characters that are interesting and oddly relatable. We won’t spoil all of the faces entering the shop—half the excitement is from seeing them—but be ready for some truly eye-opening narratives that may tug at you more than you’re ready for!

Part of us worried that Coffee Talk 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly would be too much like the original and yet we are kind of glad it kept things similar. Yes, some new features have been added here and there such as new drinks, a new item offering system, more emphasis on social media systems in-game, and new tunes but the majority of Coffee Talk 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly is basically the first one and that is okay in our books.

This game is telling a story, well stories and that is the prime focus! If Coffee Talk 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly had added too much…it could have ruined the narrative experience and equally made us dislike the newer direction. Luckily, Toge Productions knew what to do and made for a similar experience with just enough new to not feel repetitive but feel familiar in a good way!