Wanderstop Reviews
I believe there are many people who will love and identify with Wanderstop! I just found it clunky, broken on PS5, and far from cozy.
Ivy Road brings up the question “is something wrong with me”, something we all might ask ourselves at one point. You’re probably narcissistic if not. It’s a question lots of stories ask and, for many, said stories never really answer the question in any satisfactory way. Wanderstop instead opts to do what we all do when faced with questions like this—trudge about, skirt the line, use lots of adverbs. And for what it’s worth, it’s a refreshingly grounded take on the matter. Yes, something might just be wrong with me and will likely be the death of me. Can something be done about? Maybe. A bit of self-awareness never hurts, though.
Wanderstop is delightfully relaxing. The story about Alta and her life contains some serious notes, but that doesn't change the fact that this is one of the most enjoyable "cozy" games I've played in a while. The intricacies of making tea and interacting with your customers are interesting and engaging, and I'm glad I got the chance to have this experience. To top it all off, the game runs great on the Steam Deck. You can adjust the graphics to aim for visual quality or battery life, the controls work perfectly well, and the Deck's native resolution is supported.
Wanderstop, the video game, is one of the most important works of our time. The way it succinctly portrays burnout unlike any other piece of media is exceptional.
Wanderstop's gorgeous visuals, solid character writing, and relaxing workaday gameplay routine brew up a wonderful experience.
Wanderstop is endlessly charming and necessary. It is a game as much about making tea as it is about finding yourself.
Wanderstop has officially pulled me into the cozy game genre and is a beautifully moving game which realistically portrays the long and difficult journey of burnout recovery, while also being as hilarious as you would expect from the creator of The Stanley Parable.