Best Served Cold Reviews
Best Served Cold doesn’t revolutionise the genre, but it does tell an incredibly compelling story about class, power, and people desperately trying to find their way in a world that’s not that different from our own. It’s not perfect, but it’s valuable nonetheless.
With a strong narrative and investigative component, the game puts us behind the bar, mixing cocktails and confidences. Twenty-two characters, each with their own personality, branched dialogues, a noir atmosphere and an inspired artistic direction make the experience deep and engaging.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Best Served Cold is a digestif. A perfect palate cleanser to play after a larger more involved experience. Some elements don't quite compliment one another, and there is certainly work here to improve the recipe. But these characters and world are strong enough to carry those shortcomings. While it isn't a perfect cocktail, the writing and world elevate a mechanically simple experience into something narratively fulfilling. If you enjoy murder mysteries, and 1920s vibes, pull up a stool at the Nightcap - stay a while, and soak in the ambiance.
All in all, Best Served Cold delivers a unique blend of detective storytelling and bartending mechanics, creating an experience that is both engaging and thought-provoking. Its strategic approach to conversation and investigation challenges players to think critically, while its richly developed world provides a compelling backdrop for the unfolding mystery. The game’s noir aesthetic and atmospheric visuals enhance its immersive quality, making each interaction feel meaningful. While some pacing issues (in story and gameplay) and minor technical inconsistencies exist, the game succeeds in crafting a memorable journey through a world of secrets and deception.
I absolutely adored Best Served Cold, despite not normally enjoying visual novels. I find it hard to keep my attention focused on actually reading what the characters are saying, but this game really had me hooked. The characters are really well written, charming and (mostly) likeable. You can even meet some of them over the course of multiple cases! It is really nice to see their character development and watch them make friends with other patrons. The story is great and has some unexpected twists and turns that keep you on your toes. The game isn’t really difficult, but it doesn’t need to be to get you invested. If you enjoy this type of game, I definitely would not skip this one. Best Served Cold very much deserves the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Best Served Cold is an investigative visual novel which merges bartending detective work to create a novel cocktail.
If you like detective adventures with Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot style, you will definitely enjoy Best Served Cold. It offers quite interesting detective cases, even with a little drop of alcohol.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Overall, Best Served Cold is a must-play. Every second with this game has been nothing but a delight. The developers have clearly put a lot of effort into delivering a smooth experience, and you can see it everywhere in the game, from sprites to music to even the mini-games.
Best Served Cold has its merits as a story, but its poorly built gameplay keeps the title from being more than a mere curiosity. More time in the fridge would have made these fine drinks ice-cold — the final product, however, highlights its flaws more than anything else.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
If you like the detective genre (e.g. you loved franchises like Ace Attorney), give Best Served Cold a chance: you are the bartender of a ‘speakeasy’, an establishment that illegally offers alcohol during the prohibition era. Your job is to please the customers so you can loosen their tongues between cocktails... while solving murky murder cases. Combine clues from conversations and make your own deductions. The title has a good storyline and a nice, well-rendered art direction that makes you really feel like you're behind the bar of an illegal bar, among jazz music, smoke and ice clinking in the glasses. A must try.
Review in Italian | Read full review