Let’s Look at the Upcoming Tavern Talk
Recently I talked about one Kickstarter project I was looking forward to. Right after that, I stumbled upon what appears to be another gem to be excited about in 2024. Introducing Tavern Talk by Gentle Troll Entertainment!
Tavern Talk is a visual novel with light simulation elements. It very much follows in the footsteps of games like Va-ha11-A and Coffee Talk. The big difference here is the setting. Tavern Talk is a fantasy TTRPG-inspired take on the formula where players play as an innkeeper. Mix drinks, create quests, and try to keep the heroes alive.
From the demo, it’s obvious a lot of love and passion has gone into this game. The visuals are vibrant and gorgeous, with the devs self-describing it as a cluttercore vibe brought to life with a warm color palette. My favorite quality is the expressive and cartoony expressions of the tavern’s customers. Given that most of the game is talking to these characters, it’s important they be fun to interact with. Here the game succeeds.
The writing is really engaging as well. Most of the demo focused on a cowardly ranger elf named Fable. Fable wants to go on adventures and live an exciting life. Unfortunately for her, she is also an indecisive coward. It’s up to the Innkeeper to give her the gentle nudge she needs to become a hero. Players can also decide what actions she takes, and whether she succeeds on her mission. How? Through the beverages she drinks and the dialogue with the character.
While the game has a very lighthearted and somewhat silly vibe, I found Fable’s story interesting. I ended up way more emotionally involved than I thought I would be with this concept. With strong writing and a beautiful aesthetic, the Tavern Talk demo was a memorable experience that left me wanting more.
Gentle Troll Entertainment gives the game a projected release date of Q2 2024. The Kickstarter is live for about five more days. Tavern Talk has already met its funding goal so here’s to hopefully playing it later next year!
