Make drinks for magical creatures in this cozy Coffee Talk and D&D-inspired visual novel

Gentle Giant Entertainment has revealed its brand-new visual novel Tavern Talk, which lets you make all sorts of beverages for magical creatures.

The indie studio announced its upcoming game alongside a new trailer showcasing its stunning 2D art style and diverse cast of characters, set in a fantasy tavern called Wayfarer’s Inn in the world of Asteria. 

Inspired by Toge Productions’ Coffee Talk and tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons, players will be able to listen to “stories of glory and failure”, brew and serve magic-infused beverages that can influence your patrons’ fate, and help adventurers on their quests.

The visual novel also has three alternate endings – along with one hidden one – depending on the players’ choices, and as adventurers return from their quests you’ll earn trinkets that can be displayed in your tavern. 

Alongside taking care of customers as the innkeeper, you’re also tasked with piecing together fragments in your study in order to uncover the secrets of an ancient evil threatening the land of Asteria.

The game doesn’t have a release date just yet, but Gentle Giant has released a free demo on Steam where players can experience one hour of the game’s 10-hour total playtime and meet five characters from the cast.

Gentle Giant has set up a Kickstarter campaign that will help polish Tavern Talk, and hopes to eventually bring the game to Nintendo Switch if it is able to beat one of its early stretch goals.

The threshold required for the Nintendo Switch port is €40,000 (roughly $42,271/ £34,809), and at the time of writing, it’s almost surpassed that. After overtaking the €30,000 (about $31,714 / £26,109) mark, players can look forward to an additional character to join the cast, called Jade.

The campaign already has 756 backers has beaten its original goal of €20,000 (around $21,135 / £17,371) and is currently sitting at €35,696 (about $37,722 / £31,005), so it looks like the game is already seeing tremendous support. 

For more, check out our list of the best indie games, as well as our picks for the best PC games you can play in 2023.