VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action Reviews
For a glimpse into something genuine, fascinating, and truly memorable, absolutely check out VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action.
A charming visual novel about tending a cyberpunk bar, VA-11 HALL-A is a genuinely fantastic title. A focused, neon-drenched art direction, paired with incredible music and razor-sharp writing, the game is great if you're new to, or curious about, visual novels. The writing's deft handling of darker or more taboo subjects makes for a compelling title with a varied cast of characters that each bring something unique.
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.
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 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 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 is a unique take on the traditional visual novel that's greater than the sum of its parts
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
VA-11 HALL-A is an exciting experiment that I hope can be built upon further with the sequel.
Having never played a bartending game in my life before this year I find it unusual that I’m now reviewing my second one...
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.
For visual novel fans, VA-11 HALL-A is definitely refreshing and distinctive enough to be worth your time.
It's certainly more than just a cyberpunk bartender action game.
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.
There is a lot to dig while playing VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action.