VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action Now Available on Nintendo Switch

-GeekyGamerGirl87-

Lately, I have been wanting a game that you can just sit back and relax and play. Nothing that makes you over think, nothing that asks to much of you. Just something you can relax and enjoy. I’ve always been a fan of visual novels, so when we were offered to cover and write a review for VA-11 HALL-A: A Cyberpunk Bartender Action for thedailygamepad.com; I was really welcoming to the game and it certainly was the change of pace I needed from some of the other games I have covered. With its awesome soundtrack and its great storyline, I was ready to dive right in. In fact, the game itself recommends that you sit back and have a nice drink while playing it, and who am I to turn down what the game has asked me to do. However, before I go into my review of VA-11 HALL-A: A Cyberpunk Bartender Action, I would like to thank the developers Lazy Bear Games and Uroboros Games, as well as the publisher tinyBuild for providing thedailygamepad.com with a free review copy of VA-11 HALL-A: A Cyberpunk Bartender Action for Nintendo Switch. It is due to their generosity that I was able to come across the awesome game and be able to write the review that you are reading here today.

VA-11 HALL-A: A Cyberpunk Bartender Action takes place in the fictional time of 207X A.D. In a fictional city known as Glitch City, a city that isn’t supposed to exist. Glitch City is a city where corporations and criminal empires are normal and have all the dominance. Humans have been infected with nanomachines to keep them under control and to make sure they don’t act out; the White Knights have been established to enforce the laws of the land.  Any type of brutality you can think of has now become normal. So, to escape the harsh reality of Glitch City many people turn to their jobs and family. While others choose to escape the realities of the world at VA-11 HALL-A, a bar that is simply known as Valhalla.

You take on the role of Jill, one of the two bartenders at Valhalla, who is just trying to make ends meet. If she doesn’t come up with the money for her apartment by the end of the month she will be evicted. You work alongside Gillian or Gil, who is a sassy bartender and probably one of Jill’s good friends, as he seems to care about her. Then there is Dana the boss of the bar who has a reputation as a lady you really don’t want to mess with.

The game is mellow and easy to play. Essentially, all you must do is make drinks for patrons, listen to their stories, and engage them in conversation. There is some strong language in the game and some mature themes. However, the game is pretty laid back and mellow. In fact, when you start the game; it tells you that this game is intended for you to sit back have fun and relax. If you can, grab yourself a drink of your choosing and just enjoy the game. One of the biggest things I enjoyed about the game was the fact of talking to the patrons and listening to their stories.  There is one thing that bothered me in the beginning, when they didn’t explain how to use the shaker when it comes to mixing and blending a drink. When you mix a drink, the shaker moves slowly. When you are blending a drink, the shaker moves rapidly. Although, they do tell you this when you learn to make blended drinks, so I just thought I would drop that earlier because I had a few drinks that were bad because I didn’t understand the shaker mechanic.

One of the biggest features that I love about this game is the game’s soundtrack. The game does a great job of incorporating and using the soundtrack. Before you start your nights at the bar, you have to set up the jukebox with 12 songs that play throughout your time at the bar.  I thought this was a brilliant feature of the game so that it not only shows off the game’s visuals but it’s soundtrack as well. In fact, because I really enjoy the music in the game, I spent quite a bit of time selecting the music for the jukebox. Remember this will be the songs you will listen to in the bar, so you want to make sure it’s going to be a musical selection that you enjoy.

Another good thing regarding the game’s soundtrack is that there are 12 pages to go through when it comes to selecting songs. Some of them come up as question marks which means they can be open later, but you do get a hefty list of songs to choose from starting out.  The songs are all again mellow and chill, and so you will find yourself wanting to have a drink and getting into the game. I can honestly say that I would buy the soundtrack just to listen to when I am writing or just want to mellow out.

I did want to take the time to discuss the controls for the Nintendo Switch, as the Switch version was the version we were given to review. I played this with the joy cons, but you can play with the joy cons attached in handheld mode, joy cons (separated), a wired controller, and Switch Pro Controller. Another cool feature that makes the game even easier and mellow is that you can play the game with the touch screen for those who enjoy using the touch screen of the Nintendo Switch.  So, if you are laying back in bed or sitting up in bed and just want something relaxing to play, then this is a great game for doing so.

VA-11 HALL-A: A Cyberpunk Bartender Action is available on PC, macOS, and Linux as well. If you get the game for Steam or on the steam client you will be glad to know that there are thirty-four Steam Achievements for you to collect. As this is a very chill game it will not take you long to collect the achievements. There is also steam trading cards for the game, as I was giving the Nintendo Switch version of the game; I am not sure how many trading cards there is for the game on Steam.

Overall, I can honestly say that I highly recommend VA-11 HALL-A: A Cyberpunk Bartender Action, as the game is beautifully done. If you are looking for something to play between games, that doesn’t require you to do much, then this game is going to be a great fit for you. If you are into Visual Novels and Simulation games this is a must have for your collection. If you would like to give VA-11 HALL-A: A Cyberpunk Bartender Action a try you have a few platforms you can try it on. You can play it on PC, macOS, or Linux and get it from the following platforms Steam, Humble Bundle,gog.com for 14.99 USD. You can also pick up the game on the Nintendo Switch for 14.99 USD on the  Nintendo eShop.