When DMing a game of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), one of my favorite NPCs is the tavernkeeper. I love pretending to dry off a tankard and shooting the breeze with my players. It is fun, but unfortunately, life gets in the way, and I cannot always play D&D. So, I need to get my tavernkeeper fix elsewhere. This is where Tavern Talk comes into play.

Tavern Talk‘s Story

In the middle of Asteria, just south of Zenyth, lies the cozy Wayfarer’s Inn. On the surface, it appears like any other tavern in the middle of nowhere. However, a glorious secret is held within. You play as the Innkeeper, a trusted shoulder to lean on, and the best bartender in all the realms. As the Innkeeper, you have a talent for listening to the stories of your patrons, learning rumors about daring quests, and influencing fate itself. You are no ordinary innkeeper but one with magical capabilities to create enchanted beverages. However, it is not all fun and games. As business booms, a long-forgotten evil looms on the horizon. A web of quests and rumors weaves into the world’s fate and your past. Tavern Talk is full of mystery, and you have the best seat at the bar.

Unique Features in Tavern Talk

  • Create a safe haven where everyone is welcome.
  • Serve magical drinks that will alter the fate of your patrons.
  • Gather rumors and use them to create quests for adventurers.
    • Uncover clues about an ancient evil threatening the lands.
  • Adventurers will bring you back souvenirs from their quests.
    • Use these to decorate your tavern.
  • This is a visual novel with three official endings.
    • The devs also hint at a hidden ending.
  • There are currently 15 unique characters to meet in the game.
    • In the hour-long demo, we get to meet five of them.
      • Each has their own stories and personalities.
  • You also get to craft your brews with Andu!
    • They are a cute, plump dragon friend there to offer emotional support.
    • And drink your mistakes away.
  • Original soundtrack composed by Filippo Beck Peccoz.
  • And more we have yet to discover.

Thoughts on Tavern Talk

I randomly found Tavern Talk while scrolling through Kickstarter and was immediately intrigued. I have not played a log of visual novel games. However, I knew I was interested when I saw the graphics and plot. From this blurb on Kickstarter, it seemed like a lot of lore was involved in this title. I am a certified lore whore, so when I saw a demo, I quickly downloaded it. Armed with a cup of tea and donning my favorite sweatpants, I was ready to live out my tavernkeeper dreams.

The game begins with us speaking with the Fable, the Wood Elf. They reminded me a lot of myself, anxious about the world. As I was listening to their story, I could not help but fall in love with the writing. It feels like the creators cared greatly about making Fable a unique individual. Then I was hit with the music; it was jaunty and relaxing. I am interested in buying the soundtrack if it becomes available.

After chatting it up with Fable, it was time to make my first drink. This is where I met Andu, the cutest round friend I have ever seen. I adore them and will guard them with my life. Creating my first drink was a little tricky. Each drink has a specific radar chart assigned to it. We mix dexterity, intelligence, defense, strength, and charisma liquids to get a particular shape. However, it became a fun challenge once I got the hang of it. Overall, this snippet shown in the demo is a beautiful starting point, and I cannot wait to play more.

Odds & Ends

Do you want to know more about Tavern Talk? Well, head on down to the Steam page. The devs are hoping for a quarter-two 2024 release date and aim to have a Nintendo Switch port. If you want another visual novel, I recommend my Cooking Companions article. Ultimately, I look forward to living out my innkeeper fantasy in Tavern Talk.