Wanderstop Reviews
Check out Wanderstop Review Scores from trusted Critics below. With 33 reviews on CriticDB, Wanderstop has a score of:
Wanderstop won't win any awards for its deliberately thin gameplay mechanics, but over its 10-15 hours you'll be reminded how a simple act of kindness can change lives and that just slowing things down and taking time for yourself away from the stresses and white noise of daily life is perhaps just what the doctor ordered.
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Alta is a fighter. She’s trained her whole life to be the very best, forging a bloody path through a sea of enemies. As soon as she becomes the best… well, someone else soon comes along, and it turns out that now they’re the best. Video games don’t tend to spend much time on the psychological state of a warrior who’s lost everything, but Wanderstop deals in the spiral of self-loathing and failure that Alta suffers, showcasing her battle with the mental and physical pain she’s put herself through, and continues to do so.
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In Wanderstop, you play as Alta, a renowned sword fighter who finds herself collapsed in the middle of a strange forest. How did she get there and why the heck is everyone asking for tea?
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Digging into the memory banks of my game-playing career, I don’t know that I have ever felt so directly called out by a video game. I am not a successful fighter like protagonist Alta, nor do I have her personally destructive focus on success at all costs. But I know exactly how she feels, both as a generally anxious person who doesn’t truly know how to relax and as a gamer who doesn’t like cozy games who suddenly found themselves inside one. Wanderstop has technical shortcomings that s...
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Doing small tasks can still bring a sense of peace and fulfillment, especially when doing it in a stunning world that is more like watching a sunset. That’s where Wanderstop stands out from other cozy games by truly making the player feel relaxed. Like what Boro is doing with Alta, Wanderstop helps players look within themselves. This makes Wanderstop a one-of-a-kind experience that fans of the cozy game genre need to play.
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Wanderstop perfectly executes its intention: to pull players away from the fast-paced nature of life and immerse them in simple, meditative tasks. Its story unfolds in a relatable way, leaving you pondering its themes long after the credits roll. While the narrative shines, the gameplay, which focuses on farming-style tasks, feels more tedious than engaging. It succeeds in creating a peaceful atmosphere, but it never truly captivated me. Fans of cozy, narrative-driven experiences will likely find a lot to love, but those seeking more dynamic gameplay may not be as enthralled.
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Far from just another “cozy” game, Wanderstop invites you into a colorful world filled with quirky characters and bizarrely flavored tea at the price of some uncomfortably insightful introspection.
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You’re no good to the fight if you can’t even currently take the time to look after yourself.
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Wanderstop is more a visual novel that uses making tea as a narrative break versus a shop management game.
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Warm-hearted, funny, and never less than sincere, Wanderstop is a pleasant place to while away the time, though less successful as a vehicle for mindfulness in itself.
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Unlike many cozy games, Wanderstop is not about wish fulfillment. Alta cannot bootstrap herself into newfound strength by brewing the perfect cup of tea, and she cannot heroically swoop in and fix everyone else’s problems, either. She must accept loss — of the fights, and of who she thought she was — and whatever transformation that may bring in its wake.
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Davey Wreden is the name that will probably garner the most attention for Wanderstop. As one of the two creative minds behind The Stanley Parable and the dude behind The Beginner’s Guide, it’s a safe bet that whatever he does, at the bare minimum, will be fascinating. It doesn’t seem fair to call this latest his game, though, seeing as it is coming from Ivy Road, the new studio he founded along with Karla Zimonja and audio guru C418. The fresh blood is immediately apparent, leading to a cozy title that combines the humor of The Stanley Parable with the...
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Wanderstop doesn’t tell a brand-new story, rather it has a unique way of showing it. Mechanically, you are obligated to complete the tasks at hand, but you aren’t time. You do it at your own pace, let the mind wander, so to speak.
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A meticulous exploration of the cozy game genre that weaves its story of burnout and trauma into every aspect, but might have just a little bit too much to do.
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With a core message about the importance of being aware of burnout and self-care, Ivy Roads’ debut game works both as an approachable tea shop simulator where you can switch you brain off too — along with interweaving a hard-hitting narrative that regularly has you both on the edge of your seat and smiling from ear to ear. Achieving that balance is an insanely difficult feat that any dev team should be commended for.
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Wanderstop is like Spiritfarer for burnout sufferers and overachievers. The central focus is meaningful and expertly executed in its own right. However, it's the attention to detail in every other area that makes Wanderstop feel special, to the point where anything, even just planting flowers, enriches everything else. Ivy Road just gets it.
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Ivy Road has made a game that has impact and one that doesn’t change its protagonist, but you, the player, too. Wanderstop is monumental because it provides comfort by simply giving us all permission to slow down.
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Wanderstop is a relaxing and yet deep experience exploring change. Interesting gameplay mechanics and good performance on the Steam Deck make this one to watch.
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A fascinating cosy experiment, packed with memorable characters and sharp writing, but which occasionally stumbles in the execution.
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A satisfying farming and tea-shop sim inside a well-written adventure with meaningful themes.
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Wanderstop is a narrative-driven game by Ivy Road that follows Alta as she helps Boro run a tea shop in the middle of a mysterious forest. There's much of what you would expect from a cozy game: colorful plants, adorable creatures, and eccentric customers in desperate need of a cup of tea. After a while, however, it becomes clear that you are there to experience more than just serving tea.
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A cosy and whimsical game that reminds us to take a break and take care of ourselves once in a while, Wanderstop is an utter joy to play. While its tasks occasionally feel like busywork, its excellently-written and consistently funny dialogue makes it hard to mind too much.
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I believe there are many people who will love and identify with Wanderstop! I just found it clunky, broken on PS5, and far from cozy.
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I had just spent a year fighting to push back a spreading political ideology that threatened to hurt my loved ones and countless more. Every day felt like a battle against a rising tide of hatred. The constant effort culminated in crushing defeat at the ballot box. By the time January rolled around, I was despondent. There was no fight left in me and it felt like there never would be again.
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Wanderstop has officially pulled me into the cozy game genre and is a beautifully moving game which realistically portrays the long and difficult journey of burnout recovery, while also being as hilarious as you would expect from the creator of The Stanley Parable.
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Wanderstop's gorgeous visuals, solid character writing, and relaxing workaday gameplay routine brew up a wonderful experience.
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On first appearance, Wanderstop looks like your average wholesome, low-stakes indie game with easy-going objectives and enjoyable, soothing tasks to perform. While the game is exactly that, it layers on top a story that hones in on the central character's mental state, and it's an effective combination.
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Wanderstop is endlessly charming and necessary. It is a game as much about making tea as it is about finding yourself.
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Whereas it is a worthy experiment and a cozy game deserving of a recommendation, Wanderstop ultimately struggles to live up to its creators’ illustrious reputations.
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Alta's reluctance to be in her own cozy game brings a tender and sometimes sharp flavor to an otherwise calming brew of farming and cafe management. Wanderstop is a beautiful and balanced combination of sweet and savoury on the palate of the overworked, exalting the transformative power of tea.
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The future I dream of isn’t one without friction, but one that ensures a slower, happier life for my community, even if that means doing the work. Wanderstop feels the most meaningful when it focuses on that.
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Sharing too much about Wanderstop’s narrative would be doing it a disservice, but it contained more surprises than expected in a game that seemed from the start to be on the more simplistic side. This isn't a title for everyone, but it's impossible not to recommend it to everyone. A dozen hours is a small price to pay for a little sanity and quiet, and even those who prefer more active and demanding titles can take something valuable from spending time in this little tea shop. Sometimes, grinding isn't the answer.
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