VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action Reviews
VA-11 Hall-A offers no challenge. Its not a game you will remember for its controls or its multiplayer, but you will remember the experience, and if you ask me. That's worth it.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Behind meme humour and Lolita looks hides a game that tells deeply human stories with a simple but effective mechanic.
Review in German | Read full review
Despite VA-11 Hall-A’s commendable ability to create an elaborate, futuristic environment via a relatively simple medium, it’s ultimately a frustrating endeavor. The unique characters are not enough to overcome the exasperating surprises and a story that tapers off. As such, VA-11 Hall-A misses an opportunity to be an engaging, memorable experience.
VA-11 Hall-A is a unique experience that borrows some design elements from games in the past, such as Carmen Sandiego, that features solving problems through natural dialogue with ambiguous clues. The additional narrative to it is captivating at times, though some dialogue can get way too long in the tooth. The additional money-making motivation and customization options help to sell the experience a little further beyond its initial design.
Even when crammed into tiny handheld, VA-11 HALL-A is still an excellent game with an even better story about how everyone has a story.
VA-11 HALL-A is a brilliant point and drink adventure game with memorable characters, a superb soundtrack, and some of the best writing out there that has found a new home on the Vita.
In summation, VA-11 HALL-A was well worth the wait on my Vita. It drew me in much deeper than I would have thought possible, making me actually care about the lives of these characters. Kudos as well to Sukeban Games for subtly tying in themes of consciousness, sexual identity, depression, true friendship, love and much more. For $14.99, VA-11 HALL-A is a game every Vita fan should own. It’s full of heart, drama and hope. My only hope now is that the world of the game gets expanded in the future, as I would love a sequel or something similar from the developers. VA-11 HALL-A is the bar I desperately need in my own life, and after playing it, you’ll feel the same.
Despite the quantity of visual novels readily available for the PlayStation Vita, VA-11 HALL-A easily stands out among the rest for one simple reason: it is mundane. Yet that distinction is something unique and drives the relationships in the game — something you just won't want to rush through. Bolstered by an excellent soundtrack and stylistic art choices, VA-11 HALL-A should be a must-buy for indie lovers and VN junkies alike.
Give this game a try you won't regret it.
If you like choose-your-own-adventure style books and like to explore all the options, then VA-11 HALL-A is a perfect choice. You will be hard pressed to find a better narrative-driven form of entertainment this year.
It's certainly more than just a cyberpunk bartender action game.
Obscene, often vulgar, but, first and foremost, phenomenal and unbelievably stylish – that's VA-11 Hall-A. A must-have for every fan of cyberpunk and retro futuristic themes, and one of the best visual novel game on the market.
Review in Polish | Read full review
For a glimpse into something genuine, fascinating, and truly memorable, absolutely check out VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action.
Overall, VA-11 HALL-A on the Switch is a marvelous port that works far better than I ever expected it to. The new controls may take some getting used to, but after a few minutes tinkering with them I found they came pretty naturally, and overall the game has kept the charm and likeability that drew me to it back in 2016. Gameplay may get a bit stale after long sessions of play, but for small relaxing wind-down sessions at the end of the night, you'll find no better place to be than in Jill's head during yet another shift at the bar.
Overall, I enjoyed VA-11 HALL-A way more than I'd anticipated. It's a visual novel with a lot of heart, a heartwarming and emotional story, and some great aesthetics. It's also super cheap, so the relatively short play-time isn't so bad. I'd recommend giving it a go, even if you're not usually into VNs.
VA-11 Hall-A's fresh take on the visual novel genre makes the jump to consoles with relative ease. Those that don't mind the occasional bit of salty language will find a cyberpunk adventure that will captivate you to the very end.
Va-11 Hall-A is one of those games that comes out of nowhere and blindsides you with what it has to say. It beats the hearts and minds of the creators in special ways all while delivering a wonderful stylized world through its unique list of characters. Despite its few shortcomings and hefty reading, Va-11 Hall-A offers up something all its own rarely found in this industry.
VA-11 HALL-A is an exciting experiment that I hope can be built upon further with the sequel.
Despite having a story that is filled with cybernetically enhanced people trying to cope with their dystopian life that is blurred more than ever due to lifelike artificial intelligence, VA-11 Hall-A is remarkably human in its nature.
VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action is a unique take on the traditional visual novel that's greater than the sum of its parts