VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action Reviews
Check out VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action Review Scores from trusted Critics below. With 13 reviews on CriticDB, VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action has a score of:
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Endlessly stylish, emotionally gripping and deceptively addictive, VA-11 HALL-A is the pure essence of a visual novel: a digital page-turner filled with unforgettable characters and set in an infectious cyberpunk noir that will live in your head for weeks after you've put the game down.
When all's said and done Valhalla left us really satisfied after we put it down, and it offers something unique in the visual novel space. It's not really about bartending in the strictest sense of the word, as the serving of drinks is more of a side order to the main course which is the conversational nature of your role, talking to all of the characters who you help and who help you. It's a great story that's perfect for the Switch, and now all that's left to do is wait for the sequel N1RV Ann-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action to roll around.
It’s the year 207X A.D. and corporations rule Glitch City. A city that shouldn’t exist. A tax haven where corporations and criminal empires reign supreme. Word is the mayor of Glitch City is just a puppet ruler with no real power, having been set up by Zaibatsu Corp. to avert attention from whatever underhanded dealings they have at the moment. But this review isn’t about that. VA-11 Hall-A (pronounced Valhalla) is a visual novel mixed with a bartending simulator. Initially released in North America in 2017 on the PlayStation Vita, VA-11 Hall-A transports you to a cyberpunk world with a cast of unforgettable characters, great storytelling, and a chill experience. You play as Jill who is a bartender at VA-11 Hall-A who always tried to give her best effort at work. She talks with her clients and is always nice even with the most annoying people. She always starts her job saying “Time to mix drinks and change lives.”
Even when crammed into tiny handheld, VA-11 HALL-A is still an excellent game with an even better story about how everyone has a story.
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action is an adventure simulation game from Sukeban Games and Ysbrd Games. The title may not seem captivating at first but the
Overall, VA-11 HALL-A on the Switch is a marvelous port that works far better than I ever expected it to. The new controls may take some getting used to, but after a few minutes tinkering with them I found they came pretty naturally, and overall the game has kept the charm and likeability that drew me to it back in 2016. Gameplay may get a bit stale after long sessions of play, but for small relaxing wind-down sessions at the end of the night, you’ll find no better place to be than in Jill’s head during yet another shift at the bar.
You'd be forgiven for not knowing this is actually the second time VA-11 HALL-A has graced a PlayStation platform. It released to relatively little fanfare on the PS Vita – and only the PS Vita – but now, at long last, it's found a new home on the PlayStation 4. Venezuelan developer Sukeban Games’ marvelous visual novel is here, and it’s here to stay.
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
I really like a lot of what VA-11 HALL-A is doing. I think changing up the choice mechanic, taking control away from you, and putting the focus merely on dialogue and not one character’s story are all fantastic, but a lot of the ideas sound better on paper to me. Glitch City is a fascinating world, and Sukeban Games have created something truly unique that has inspired many. VA-11 HALL-A deserves its large fan following, but it’s not mixed quite right for me to love everything on offer.
Seven years on from its release there are still few games that capture the feel of a real workplace like VA-LL Hall-A does. Ash Schofield reflects on mixing drinks and changing lives in the game and real life.
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.