Necrobarista Reviews
The narrative dawdles around and fails to achieve much, and it doesn't run that well on the Switch either. The appeal here is in its visuals and soundtrack; otherwise, Necrobarista- Final Pour simply wasn't a captivating visual novel.
Experience a visual novel with a Venti-sized portion of snark, melancholy, and style in Route 59's Necrobarista: Final Pour. Excellent writing and cinematography help tell its coffee and death-themed story, but technical flaws leave a slightly bitter taste.
Necrobarista is what a good cup of coffee should be: warm, a little nutty and exactly what you crave. It leaves a lasting impression. Its characters are lovable and relatable; its story covers a deeply complicated topic with humour and charm; and the world is so well-crafted and intriguing that it could easily tell a thousand more stories.
Necrobarista is an eclectic mix of things. It’s a character-driven musing on life and death. It’s a deeply Australian story written by Australians. It’s both funny and sincere. It’s one of those games that will stay with you long after it’s done, and it’s the kind of culturally-relevant artefact that gives it value beyond its scope as an entertainment product (though it’s certainly entertaining too).
Necrobarista is easily one of the best games so far this year and one of the greatest visual novels I've ever played.
Compared to most visual novels Necrobarista is, without a doubt, a breath of fresh air… but sadly only concept wise, because the execution doesn't follow suit. Filled with dialogue whose only purpose seems to be to stretch the overall duration, and with the whole experience leaning heavily towards repetitive character encounters, it becomes increasingly hard to remain interested in this, otherwise, very original and exciting look on the subject of death. Long story short, this cup of coffee looks great, and has an inviting aroma, but the taste is decent at best.
Even with the DLC content the staff and patrons of the Terminal are so lovable that I still wanted more after the credits had rolled. The studio mode has complicated unfettered access to the game's engine which is both fascinating but almost impenetrable. I understand that visual novels are a high barrier for entry but the charm and style in Necrobarista are worth the effort.
Necrobarista: Final Pour is a going to bring a lot of new fans to the visual novel genre once it's fascinating concept is made known to the mainstream. If this is a first experience, it's a great introduction and one that will set the benchmark for others. The story is engaging and looks great on the Switch, and any chance to explore is rewarded with world building insights that frame the main plot. Don't expect any earth-shattering revelations, but instead cosy up for a very human tale with a relaxing narrative and engaging characters. Except Ashley. She sucks.
Overall, Necrobarista is just a plain wonderful experience. The story is entertaining with powerful moments, the characters feel fleshed out and realistic (or as realistic as the plot allows for), and the presentation is stunning (although the character design may not be attractive to some).
For as heavy as Necrobarista is, its tale of death and letting go is ultimately one worth seeing.
Necrobarista is certainly an interesting take on the visual novel genre. The dialogue is amazing and the story is certainly worth experiencing. It could perhaps be priced a bit lower considering how short it is and it does have some minor technical issues. Still, overall I enjoyed it.
In terms of gameplay, I’m left wanting a little more (those in-between portions weren’t my favorite), but the stories and emotional connections conveyed are bar-none the strongest I’ve read all year.
There is very little in this world that’s better than a good story that’s told well, and Necrobarista is a beautiful story told perfectly. Its cast of charming characters, great audio and visual design and the very Melbourne aesthetic all weave together to make something you shouldn’t miss.
There is beauty to be found in darkness, and Necrobarista shines a gentle, heartfelt light on it. It is one of those games that I wish I could erase from my memory to have the opportunity to experience it again for the first time.
Necrobarista as a game embodies many of the qualities you find in the game’s characters. It’s brash, it’s snappy and clever, it’s also more than a little sly, but it’s got an unbreakable emotional core that you can’t forget. If this is the future of visual novels, then pour me another one.
Overall, Necrobarista is something I desperately wanted to enjoy much more than I did. The graphics were great, the animations well done, the soundtrack was lovely, and most of the characters were great, but the story just felt way too choppy, like someone ripped a bunch of pages out of the middle of a book. Yeah, it's still readable, and yes you can still understand what's going on, but it certainly doesn't feel complete. If anything, I'd wait until this goes on sale to pick up, because you'll pretty much be left just wanting more by the end, which isn't something I can justify picking up for a full novel experience. That being said, what was there was excellent, it just needs a bit more...fleshing out (necromancy puns, heh).
Necrobarista is a visual novel, true, but I mean this as a compliment: it made me wish it were something more than that. And the next time I manage to go out for coffee, whenever that may be, I guarantee you I’ll be thinking about Terminal.
Necrobarista’s focus on death is approached in such a unique way that you can’t help but immerse yourself in its setting. You begin to feel as if you are a part of the group, which makes the idea of letting go so much harder. This is a visual novel experience that transcends traditional systems within the medium and is definitely worth your time. Some of the dialogue might go over your head, but this is an easy recommendation from me.
Necrobarista is a stylish and engaging journey through a cafe where the living and the dead coexist. The experience is dynamic thanks to the use of 3D and accessible thanks to the use of Portuguese (despite its problems). It is certainly worth checking out for those who like Japanese animations and are interested in the genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review