VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action Reviews
Despite VA-11 Hall-A’s commendable ability to create an elaborate, futuristic environment via a relatively simple medium, it’s ultimately a frustrating endeavor. The unique characters are not enough to overcome the exasperating surprises and a story that tapers off. As such, VA-11 Hall-A misses an opportunity to be an engaging, memorable experience.
An imperfect cocktail
There is a lot to dig while playing VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action.
What Valhalla is trying to do is interesting, but playing it is boring. The dialogue drags, the main bartending mechanic is tedious and the day-in, day-out repetition becomes frustrating quite early on.
It's certainly more than just a cyberpunk bartender action game.
For visual novel fans, VA-11 HALL-A is definitely refreshing and distinctive enough to be worth your time.
The gameplay, and some of the dialogue, could do with some refinement but this dystopian drinks-making game has some of the most interesting storytelling of the last few years.
Having never played a bartending game in my life before this year I find it unusual that I’m now reviewing my second one...
VA-11 HALL-A is an exciting experiment that I hope can be built upon further with the sequel.
It might be lacking the solid gameplay from other indie titles, but VA-11 Hall-A more than makes up for it with its great storytelling. This is for lovers of interesting fiction, and not for hardcore gamers.
Review in German | Read full review
Even for those who don't have a lot of love for visual novels, VA-11 HALL-A's varied gameplay, charming characters, and superior writing make it worth seeking out.
Sukeban did a fantastic job with building a cyberpunk world that feels organic, writing characters that are believable and (mostly) easy to love, and giving us a gameplay experience that would give those who are reluctant to the simple flow of visual novels a legitimate shot. I really enjoyed my time in Glitch City, and I think you will too.
At its core, VA-11 Hall-A is the rare cyberpunk story that has heart, and even goes so far as to give its female characters agency in their own lives. It’s a story where we, the player, take the backseat, and soak it all in. Just like a good book.
The kind of game that would surely earn the accolade of “cyberpunk bartending at its finest” if any other game had ever tried cyberpunk bartending. A character-rich visual novel that's as stylish as it is weirdly compelling.
VA-11 Hall-A's fresh take on the visual novel genre makes the jump to consoles with relative ease. Those that don't mind the occasional bit of salty language will find a cyberpunk adventure that will captivate you to the very end.
VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action is a unique take on the traditional visual novel that's greater than the sum of its parts
VA-11 Hall-A isn’t a game for everyone, and that’s fine. The simple mechanics, pixel-heavy look, and not-so-interactive story aren’t supposed to cater to every audience.
VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action excels through relatable characters and stories that are worth listening to, even if its gameplay aspects can appear to be non-existent or tedious.
VA-11 HALL-A is a very good visual novel, with strong th'mes, despites some problems due to it's genre. If you like reading, VA-AA HALL-A is a must have.
Review in French | Read full review
Va-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartending Action is precisely what is right about indie development right now. It's a really highly polished experience with a lot of secrets to be found, coupled with a story that pulls you along with strong characters. The drinks just happen to be a neat distraction.