We Should Talk Reviews
We should talk says a lot with a little.
Insatiable Cycle's zeal in tackling dialogue choices is something to appreciate. But that can only go so far when the script is tacky, the game design is clumsy, and the retail price is terribly overvalued.
We Should Talk is a great game that was fun to play through. As you dissect your various relationships, you are in for a treat. The overall story is unique—more than I expected it to be. I also felt the balance between text and the actual conversation was very well balanced and well done. The asking price of $6.99 is well worth it.
With its bugs, loading issues, extremely short playthroughs, limited cast and predictable outcomes, We Should Talk feels more like a demo than a complete, polished game.
We Should Talk is an interesting first effort from the small team at Insatiable Cycle, but it feels more like a beta than a finished product. There's just not enough content here to justify taking the time to check out this narrative adventure.
We should talk. is definitely an interesting entry in the visual novel genre. While the main concept remains untouched, the fact that each answer can be created based on a variety of words opens up the door for a more realistic feel of control over the path and end of the game. Even though some answers don’t fully match your selected answers, We should talk. is one of the most enjoyable and entertaining visual novels I’ve had the chance of playing. If you’re a fan of the genre, or hell even a newcomer to the genre, We should talk. is a must-play.
We Should Talk is a linear narrative game that centres around the philosophy ‘It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it’. The game allows players to communicate with characters in the game by creating their very own sentences from a variety of options. But what’s the point? We Should Talk follows an unnamed character and the interactions they have with certain people throughout a night – and ultimately, what relationships you will (or won’t) continue with. The game begins with you seemingly entering a bar and talking to the bartender, ordering a drink. You are able to choose your combination of drink and also how you speak to the bartender – do you want to be flirty or straight to the point? The choice is yours.
Whilst We should talk picked some interesting topics to discuss (cheating, codependency, abuse, etc) regarding relationships, it doesn’t do a particularly good job of exploring them. It’s clear that the potential is there and yet it feels like it has mostly been squandered in a very average visual novel.
I could have forgiven We should talk.’s narrative if it weren’t for the length. I could have forgiven We should talk.’s length if it weren’t for the narrative. The game could be short. The game could push a specific philosophy in relationships. But it couldn’t be both and still get high marks unless you absolutely already 100% agree with the developer’s stance on relationships.
I wanted to give this game a higher score because the concept is genuinely interesting, but it feels like an unfinished project. You only get a chance to scratch the surface before the story is over.
The exploration on how words can change the way people receive you — or in this case, how an evening at the bar can go, is interesting, even if there’s not quite enough going on behind the scenes to make nine playthroughs feel necessary.