VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action

Visual novels are not my usual foray, so its odd that this is one of my favorite games ever. I guess that's a testament to it.

a very relaxing vn with excellent dialogue made even better by its unique and very interesting cast of characters
not much more you can ask for

if you can look up the 24/7 tiddy jokes its pretty dam good. doesnt surprise me that the devs a complete perv on twitter. the mixing is a really fun experience but gets a bit repetitive after the first couple days, most regulars a.k.a. the interesting customers usually get the same thing everytime. games an amazing experience though with some spotify in the back with do not disturb on at 3am.

I just 100% this game and good god is it peak.. lesbian bartenders for life!

This game had me stressed about making the fake in-game video game rent while listening to some of the best songs I've heard in ages and experiencing the full range of human emotion over the various characters. Can't recommend it enough

Amazing game. I really love VA-11 Hall-A's depiction of a futuristic dystopian society. The thought to have Lilim, AI that is so advanced to the point where they are basically like humans and integrated in society, is a great addition to the cyberpunk feel of the game. All the characters have their own unique personalities and backgrounds that it is both easy and hard to choose a favorite character. Fantastic world building all together. This is probably my new favorite game.

cult classic. top-tier lovable characters / soundtrack / art-style.
best of the bartending / service style games

A story of little people in a big world. A nonsense setting of hellish cruelty and rampant exploitation, that nevertheless oozes the humanity of the people within it.

10/10.

very fun game, lore heavy and a good way to pass the time and get lost in the universe

Good game, mixing drinks and changing lives.

*Kira*Miki is the goat, that is all, play the game it's fun.
9/10

The story managed to leave me feeling things even though nothing major or emotional happens most of the time and that's saying a lot about the quality of the dialogue in this game, simply wonderful. Honestly a must-play for any cyberpunk fan out there. I hope we get the sequel in the next years.

I was browsing and buying a lot of games to distract myself after my father died exactly two months ago. I discovered and bought this game last month; I went through the motions trying to make my money's worth when it delved into the topic of grief. The line that hit me like a truck was:

"Having such regrets with the dead is a hollow effort."

which entirely shifted how I grieve my father's death.

I can tell the creators put their love and dedication to this craft, which I believe is what makes VA-11 HALL-A a terrific game that aims to comfort and relate to its players.

This game is VERY chill-- like a game you can play with one hand type of chill. I appreciate the mundane yapping that entirely consumed the game-play even though I got a bit bored in between, because it fleshed out the characters gracefully. The soundtrack is 10/10.
But there are some aspects in the story that left me confused or maybe I missed it entirely... Regardless, it was an enjoyable simulation on how to run a comfortable, run-off-the-mill bar in a dystopian society (we are getting there)

Even after being on and off with this game since November I finally finished it 6 months later. Planning to 100% during December as the game intended. Also, might have to become a bartender after this game, maybe even might have to buy the 9 inch Jill Stingray figurine




Oh god not the lesbians again

After many, many years I finally finished this game. I really enjoyed and I confess that until this last month the main reason I didn't play it before it was available time. It's a narrative game and a bartending game with a click and drag mechanic that is pretty simple to get used to. The interactions are quite interesting. Some are fun, some are sad, some are weird?, but the general feeling you get after finishing the story is... woah. That's it. I hope y'all give it a time. You will surely enjoy. And, as Jill says, time to mix drinks and change lives.

I usually do not like these types of games because the majority (if not literally every other) bartender visual novels have strange graphics/art style. This particular pixilized style hits a great chord for me and every mechanic of the game (minus exploring the extra routes myself) was engaging enough for me to read the wiki to figure out which drinks each character likes. I know we hear Jill the most in this game, but I wish I got to see her more- she's so cute.
The story/world happening outside of the bar is not the main focus of the game, but still isn't very interesting either. It's nice to know since it can sometimes provide context to the problems/background stories of each character but I think I could do without it. Maybe having the choice is the appeal.
This niche recommendation goes to those who like the pixilized art style and those who like attractive girls with pessimistic outlooks in life.

I'm already enjoying VA-11 Hall-A so far! The game has this unique charm and artstyle to it that it makes me want to play more of it! The characters are also witty and charming that it makes me want to get to know them more! I definitely recommend it if you have nothing to do or just want to chill and relax to with its amazing music tracks and OST!

I liked this game, but I didn't love it. The same goes for the characters. While I enjoyed some of the stories, I found myself cringing at much of the dialogue. I bought this game after loving the Coffee Talk series, but it felt much rougher, and the pacing seemed off. I enjoyed playing it while having a beer, but I would find it hard to recommend, as a lot of the dialogue felt immature and unrealistic. I love the concept, and I think it could really shine with better writing. I would recommend it, but only just.

Played this game through 3 times, 2 of which were done all the way through, over the course of about a year cuz i was playing a lot of other games at the time. Every time I played this game I greatly enjoyed every second of it (unless Donovan was on my screen fuck that guy)

The aesthetic and soundtrack kind of go without saying, but they are really enjoyable and fun and really immerses you into the world surprisingly well given the limited physical perspective of the game, which is also something the game plays around very well.

Overall the characters are not only very enjoyable and well designed, but very well written and personable, to the point that it sometimes genuinely feels like talking to a real person and understanding their life and their struggles. The story is kind of loose, and bounces between characters to focus on, but is extremely deep and riveting and really gets you to feel for these characters.

just finished my first play through of the game and all i can say is not many games endings give you goosebumps, but this ones did. easily the best visual novel ive ever played and (from visual novels ive played) the best in the genre. funny enough i found out about this game through reviews on Coffee Talk, which is a less popular game then this, at least i think. but everyone was saying that coffee talk is just a worse version of this, and i think id have to agree. I like coffee talk but this game is definitely better. but anyways yeah best visual novel ive played, blah blah blah. 10/10 game

edit: just beat that stupid minigame. it sucks, but i did it!

I just want to say that visual novels are something I normally do not play. They are just not games that intrigue me and really that is just a personal thing. That being said, this game is genuinely great.

The story is very cool, it takes the world of cyberpunk and does its own lore and setting that seems very neat and honestly feels like it would fit right into the usual world of 2077. It doesn't do anything crazy and if you read a synopsis would read as basic, but taking time with the characters and enjoying the vibe allows you to really enjoy all that it offers and really take a liking to all the characters it shows. Never did I really hate a character, they all have their unique charms and even the one character that I thought I would hate still grew on me to enjoy them. Additionally, learning about the world through the perspective of a bartender is a very cool idea. Learning how bars operate in the setting and learn how robots and some medical issues are dealt with is neat so if you like world building this game also has you covered.

The gameplay is very simple. You simply click through the dialogue and you make drinks that you always have access to the recipes without issue. If you remember the tutorial then you will understand the whole game. However, the option at certain moments in the game to give people a different drink than they order and get completely different dialogue and added content to your run rewards you for paying attention to the characters and their likes. The in-between shifts stuff is neat as well, managing your purchases and your bills adds another layer to the gameplay and once again rewards you for giving people correct orders. If you don't purchase items or pay your bills, Jill will get distracted and not remind you on what people order so it makes for a very neat penalty.

The aesthetic is awesome and I didn't really have any negatives. Like my only issues I had were that one of the minigames you need to complete for an achievement is very very difficult but its completely optional and you can still cheese it. The other one I thought would be a negative was that the game was very horny in its writing but honestly thinking back to 2077 that had a lot of those moments as well which makes it the authentic cyberpunk experience. I think my genuine only critique is that the game should have something for you to figure out the secret drink without needing to look outside the game, but again that's extra content. So honestly none of these gripes should take away from the experience of the game.

TLDR: I'd highly recommend checking it out if you are into visual novels or if you want to give one of these kinds of games a try. Especially if you like world building or just the idea of a cyberpunk bartender.

Chill bartender simulator about serving drinks to various types of customers and slowly unraveling the dystopian cyberpunk setting the game takes place in.

The gameplay's simple, a customer comes in, makes a drink request, you add the necessary components, mix and serve but it's in the dialogue and writing that the real "meat" of the game, per se, lies in, instead of expositing the story and the characters in a mundane and dull fashion, you come to learn about both by offhand comments and dialogue between Jill (the protagonist) and the customers she finds herself serving. The dialogue and the characters are very well designed and in every interaction I found myself connecting with their struggles and the various facets of their lives, funny stories, regrets, routines, etc. The game also features a splendid presentation, the pixel art looks nice, the tracks available to play while you're serving customers are easily one of the best parts of the whole experience and small details like mouth movement animations accompanied by appropriate sound effects make the experience much more immersive.

If I had to discuss what I didn't like about the game, I'd say my main pet peeves are that, for one, the game doesn't tell you of some additional controls typical of visual novels (i. e. Tab or mouse scroll shows you the transcript of previous dialogue, CTRL skips dialogue and V disables / enables dialogue sfx) and that, although mentioned in the store page, different drinks don't affect the story in all that of a grandiose manner, certain drinks to certain characters may unlock new endings and you can also get characters drunk faster via a certain meachanic, as the game mentions in the tutorial, but it only unlocks some additional dialogue from the few NPCs that it works on. Additionally, while not really a problem or issue with the game, it should be mentioned that, as the +18 rating may indicate, there is quite a bit of dialogue surrounding sexual relations, sex jokes, innuendos, prostitution, etc. so if that's not your cup of tea it may be a good idea to skip this one.

VA-11 Hall-A doesn't have a story that will blow your mind nor super iconic characters but it's a good game for those looking to sit back, relax and partake in a much more laidback experience with a few standout moments here and there.

This game single-handedly made me appreciate life and the people around me even more, I only regret not buying it even sooner

Great Game. Definitely do your first playthrough without spoilers or looking at a guide if you can, and save each day in a new slot so you can go back later to grab achievements or explore other dialogue, there's plenty of save slots.
One piece of advice is that if you get tired of drag and dropping you can use QWERT for the ingredients, AS for ice/age, and space to start/stop/serve.
The artstyle and music are both a vibe.

Love this game. Great world development, characters, humour. Art style and music are lovely.

This for me is how you are supposed to do LGBT themes. We all know they exist okay. You don't need to throw that shit down our throats every second.

In other games the dialogue just HAS to remind you that you are talking to a gay, trans, android, whatever. You don't NEED to say it. Just make the character!

In this a lady turns up with cat ears and a cyber-eye thing. No one even mentions it. They just have a normal adult conversation. THEN later on you find out from a piece of dialogue that she's a Cat Boomer etc etc.

Write them into the story like an adult and let us figure it out for ourselves. They don't need a sign around their neck.

This game does that perfectly and I love every character in it.

I'm a sucker for the setting and the characters were well written and believable.
Overall a good visual novel.

good vibes, good storytelling, good characters; story ends a lot earlier than i expected unfortunately

An inebriating journey.

Set on a cyberpunk dystopian future, one that seems not so distant anymore, we acompany Jill Stingray, a bartender by trade, on her nightly run-ins with the colorful cast of characters that inhabit Glitch City, listen to their stories, help them unravel mysteries, aid them to escape the chaos of the bustling city life, or make ammends with their past; all enabled by the drinks we mix and tailor for them.

If you enjoy inmersive stories where paying attention to all interactions is key, and a chill vibe with retro inspired tunes and graphics, mixing drinks and changing lives; this is your game.

This game is an absolute gem. It offers a cosy experience that at least to me is unparalleled by any game I've played. I spent a good two weeks every morning playing this game with a coffee in hand and it was truly a treat. This game doesn't have intense cyberpunk violence or any exhilarating high-octane game play. What it does have is an incredibly grounded perspective of a bartender in a cyberpunk city, memorable characters and a beautiful story that will ABSOLUTELY stick with you. Its everything one could want from a grounded cyberpunk narrative, there is even a lot of tid-bits about the world you can discover through reading the newspaper at the start of each day before work. Overall this game is a 10/10 for me, I'm truly grateful for being able to experience this game and I'm excited to see what Sukeban does next.

Overall I think the game is well worth the twenty dollars and even more so if it is on sale, this game will surprise you with how much pizaz it has in a grounded bartender visual novel. The characters feel alive and real, they're engaging and interesting down to the very last one. This game is truly a treat and even has some replay-ability with a NG+ mode. If anyone is reading my review wondering if this game is worth it, it absolutely is IF this is up your alley.

Anyways for those who pulled the trigger and bought the game, have a wonderful time with this game. :)

Sometimes I play games after seeing a glowing recommendation from a random person online. That was the case with Valhalla, but unfortunately, it wasn't a match made in heaven. To tell the truth, I don’t particularly enjoy visual novels, but I keep finding myself drawn back to the genre because of its focus on storytelling.

Valhalla didn’t resonate with me at all. The main protagonist wasn't even remotely relatable. Although the game has a diverse cast of characters, playing it felt like watching paint dry. By the end, I was bored out of my mind and only finished it through sheer force of will.

73%. A stylized visual novel with un-timed bartending and a mature story. Top 10 OSTs ever (and I've heard hundreds of OSTs).

Conversations are usually grounded and interesting, though they often teeter into feeling unnatural as if the writer wanted to cram in as many snappy, sarcastic jokes as possible without considering whether people talk like that.

My favorite thing about the game (besides the soundtrack) is character progression. The game takes many cliched types of bar regulars, combines that with the cyberpunk aesthetic, and creates interesting characters, such as a thoughtful cyborg hitman and a self-aware sex robot.

When first served, the regulars tend to be flat characters, but on repeat visits, they become more well-rounded as they give more insight into their lives. By the end of the game, it feels as if Jill is genuinely friends with many of them.

An extremely interesting novel, I really liked that there is no obvious choice from the ready-made options. A great gaming experience with interesting characters. If only working behind the bar was as easy as playing this game.

score ! drinks and lesbians ! jane is so me
ost is good i like the characters so realistic and enjoyable

Very comfy gameplay making drinks. Also really enjoyed the music and achievement hunting was fun! It did touch on some interesting/sensitive topics that are directed towards mature players, and was overall a great game!

Game with characters that feel real and have to learn about in order to serve the right drinks with amazing music and art which just leaves you wanting more after it finishes to continue to mix drinks and change lives.

This game found me in a very rough and stressful period, and while I'm still stressed, it's both helped me feel way more comfortable about my life as well as having a brighter outlook on the future. This decade old game really feels like one of its kind, and I truly treasure and cherish it for that.

One of the best looking and sounding visual novels I've had the pleasure to play.

It does a great job at setting up this colorful cast of silly little characters and, while the sci-fi dystopian background is interesting, the story itself is decisively character driven.

Overall its main appeal is still the massive amount of style the game oozes from every pore.
So if you like what you see/hear in the trailer, I'd say just buy it for any price and get ready for an extremely comfy and relaxing ride in VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action.

a probabilidade de voce gostar desse jogo é bem alta se vc tem tendencias alcoólicas

An absolute gem of a game. Everything from the soundtrack, to the characters, to the dystopian city, this game does it all so well. You can tell there is a lot of passion behind all who were involved with this game.

If you want a chill gaming experience while getting wrapped up in an unassumingly deep story, this is the game for you. This game is more about the journey, than the destination. The game doesn't hit you over the head with pretentious themes or anything like that; it just tells its story naturally. And a beautiful story it is.

I look forward to the next time I play this game, and the next installment of this series. Cheers to the dev's. You guys made something special.

I've had a strange relationship with this game. I bought it back in Nov 2020 and have only now, 4 years later, finished it. Why did it take me so long? Well first off I played it in real time, one in-game night for every irl night. And of course I had to always have a drink. Because of that it morphed into a ritual game that I had to be in a very specific mood for. As time went on and I got more attached to the characters and the world I took longer breaks between playing, until there were months between sessions. Eventually it became so rare and special for me to play it that I feared it ending, that I'd have to move on.

So I neglected it for like 2 years, forgot the plot and had a excuse to restart after completing 3/5ths of the game. I have so many screenshots of lines from this game, I've listened to Garoad's OST thousands of times, this game is a massive reason I worked at a hole in the wall cocktail bar when I moved to London; I went through severe anxiety and PTSD incidents and this game was one of the few things that just got me when I needed it most.

It's had such a comforting, cathartic and reassuring impact on me during the formative years of my young adulthood. And I couldn't have asked for a better source of all that.

Now that I've finally finished it, it feels like I've grown up. I can let the story end and a new one begin.

Overall, it's not a perfect game but it's a amazing one nonetheless. Play it, learn from it, laugh with it.
Mix drinks and change lives

I've played both Coffee Talk games and Red Strings Club as far as visual novel bartenders go and I have to say this one is my favorite. The cyberpunk vibes are incredible, and the characters are enticing. What sets this game apart for me is the narrative. It sucked me in so quickly. Jill is a character I can place myself in so easily and the rest of the cast are so well written I got attached to them quickly. All in all a great game to play after work with a drink and a blanket :3

Half a century later and amongst neon lights and neoliberal hellscapes, not letting our close ones know how much we love them is still the biggest tragedy.

also talking dog with hawaiian shirt and sunglasses

Very fun! I'm a huge fan of the bartending game play and as a generally nosy person, i had so much fun learning about the characters. ended up being a super touching story, i really liked it

Highly recommended it super vibe and alot of story really touching and meaningfull really enjoying it : D !

Good music, simple gameplay, good writing. Grab a drink and make sure to remember what everyone likes to order. ;)

Absolutely worth the price, on or off sale. Phenomenal writing for the setting and characters. The setting was easy to understand, the characters were easy to love(some sooner than others). They felt relatable and all had pretty realistic stories, which made getting attached to them much easier. Writing was really nice too. It contains mature themes which were handled well, which was a huge plus.

10/10 game, got me emotional, and will recommend.

So fun, very replayable and chill. The world is gorgeous and thoughtful.

玩了很久了甚至不记得很多剧情，但一直会觉得是个好游戏

Really chill game with nice pixel art and an engaging story.
Every character is unique and funny (except for Donovan). All of them actually feel like they belong in the world they are set in. Every dialogue, every scene and interaction really sells that. Characters vary from a douchebag boss to a tough-looking but innocent and upstanding girl (and her cat-girl best friend).
Memorable MC and good storyline won't let you forget this game for a long time. MC has some problems of her own, like having to pay for rent, electricity, and porn. But also one deep problem that eats her from the inside out.
The music in this game is top-notch and some of the best I've heard for a long time.
Chill game for chill people. The really slow pacing of this game is not for everyone.
If you want a game to wind down after work, then this game is for you.

Very good game. Has plenty of varying topics and issues presented throughout. Worth the money 4 SURE. 10/10 would bartend again. (Also, music is a vibe)

Storyline is great and the art is fantastic
Obtaining drink mixing maestry makes it a masterpiece lol