Itโs been a rough week in the specialty coffee world. A lot has happened. A lot is still happening. You would be forgiven for wanting to get away for a bit, maybe into a good book or something like it. Might I suggest Necrobarista, a 3D digital novel from Australian indie game studio Route 59.
โWhat is a 3D digital novel?โ you ask. In an article by PC Gamer, a 3D visual novel is described as a mix between a video game and a traditional digital novel, with the main difference being that โunlike most visual novels it’s not presented as static backdrops that 2D characters slide in front of while blocks of text appear,โ and that โeach space is 3D, and between story scenes you’re free to explore them.โ
As the name suggests, Necrobarista is set in a cafe and revolves around baristas and ghosts. But youโre not really sure who is dead and who is alive, and according to game designer Kevin Chen, โit’s rude to ask who’s alive or who’s dead.โ
The story follows characters through a series of vignettes inside a coffee shop in Melbourne. After each vignette, players are able to explore the room to learn more from the secondary characters or about the space itself to give a more complete understanding of the world the story exists in.
A version of Necrobarista was playable at the Tokyo Game Show in September, and according to Route 59, it will be available on Steam and Nintendo Switch in early 2018.
There is still no word if there is going to be some sort of Game Genie-like cheat code that allows you to play as Michelle Johnson. I wouldn’t be opposed to it is all I’m saying.
Zac Cadwaladerย is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas.ย Read more Zac Cadwaladerย on Sprudge.
*all media via Route 59
