Coffee Talk Episode 2 was provided by Toge Productions for review. Thank you!
Start your coffee machine and get ready to talk with a cast of color characters in Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly. Get to know your patrons in this low stress game where all you do is get to know them, serve coffee or tea, and relax! Take their orders and brew the correct coffee/tea combination to influence the conversation and learn as much as you can and grow closer to the customers. You can also access your phone to check up on daily stories, posts, change music, and check recipes whenever you'd like.
After playing high-action games like Resident Evil 4 and Ghostwire Tokyo, Coffee Talk Episode 2 is such a nice change of pace. Being able to just chill in a lo-fi atmosphere and get to know people coming in is way too relaxing. I love the overall vibe of the game, the interesting stories each character tells, the atmosphere, and being able to make latte art on the surface! I can't design anything good as I have no artistic talent, but I love having the choice to make weird, white blobs.
I would recommend playing the first game in this series before this one to get more context on the returning characters, but once you do, this game feels amazing to dive back into the world. And thankfully, both games play extremely well on the Steam Deck!
There is no need to change any settings with this one, Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly runs near perfectly on the Deck without issue. The game drains around 7W - 8W of battery, giving close to 5-6 hours of gameplay!
With cloud saves and 1280x800 resolution support, it feels like a perfect fit for the device. It does also have controller support, but there is one small note I would like to make on it.
Before starting the game, you need to create a profile which includes putting in a name. The game will automatically bring up the virtual keyboard to put in the name, which is fantastic, but after the name is put in, you will need to use the touchscreen and tap the "Confirm" button. If you try to move or press anything on the controller, it will bring up the name inputting screen again.
Sometimes, it will show the gamepad buttons and you will be able to press A to confirm, but it is just easier to use your finger. This isn't a huge deal at all and doesn't detract from the experience and it is really the only issue I have found in my time with the game.
Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly is everything I would have wanted from a sequel in this series. The vibe is still there, the stories are interesting, the characters are wonderful, and that relaxing feeling I craved after having played such high-octane games recently is completely satisfied. On top of that, the game runs flawlessly on the Steam Deck, making it a well-deserved Best on Deck game! If you enjoyed the first game, pick this one up. If you haven't played the first one, I highly recommend getting both!
Our review is based on the PC version of this game.
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Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly is a fantastic continuation of this relaxing series where you make coffee and get to know the interesting lives of your patrons. And thankfully, the game has no issue running on the Steam Deck!
