A tea shop is an excellent setting for a cozy game, which is often understated. All the herbs can be mixed into a soothing blend that will let you forget your problems. The old lady reminisces about her past and why she decided to open her business, as the game delves into problems that come with this age. The game really handles these vibes well, although it may not be as strong gameplay-wise.
Tea and Poetry go well together, and if you are fond of literature, you are going to enjoy this game as much as you like to go to a book cafe to read some sonnets. The game’s writing style resembles that of a novel, considering how well the feelings of characters are explained for better immersion in the plot.
There are several characters you will meet, and you will try to listen to and solve their issues. You need to push them towards their goals by saying the right thing to them. It’s worth seeing their growth and your contribution throughout the game. You are also expected to remember what they said exactly, so you can continue the conversation where you left off last time. They feel at home in this tea shop, and Miss Meadows treats them like family.
The game may feel cozy, but it has very emotional elements. In fact, it may make you teary-eyed while the woman seems to become weaker with age. The game has excellent quotes that can make you ponder life and death. Its exploration of these themes is the title’s strongest point.
The old lady, Miss Meadows, had an adventurous life as she visited several cities, and she became a journalist after writing prose and practising poetry. There are several posters in the room to reflect that. Sips and Sonnets does a good job at setting up the right environment. She loved to travel in her youth, so she owns many trinkets from various regions. You can also discuss these artefacts with your customers.
Do not expect any complex mechanics here. Sips and Sonnets isn’t about the depth of gameplay, but places more focus on the vibe. It really works here, considering that the entry is going for a cozy experience. It’s as simple as listening to your customers and selecting the right tea. To know how strong it needs to be, you will be consulting your notebook. Later down the line, the customers will expect flavor profiles, which will require you to read the tea notebook. It contains several tea facts which you might appreciate if you are a tea lover.
At the end of the day, you will express your feelings in the form of words. Miss Meadows gets to her desk and expresses what she feels about the customers. So not only do her words inspire them, but the chat you had with them during the day also acts as inspiration for the old lady. After selecting the feeling, words will be presented to you. These can be inserted in the blanks between the lines of the poem, where you think they are most suitable.
There is also some haunting imagery, for example, the dream with the faceless woman. These bother the old lady a lot, on top of the ailments she suffers from her age. She is afraid of looking at her own reflection in the mirror and also seems to be suppressing her memories. There is a lot of uncertainty about how long she will even live or if she will reunite with her childhood friend Esmee.
Not everyone is as nice to this old woman. There is a nurse who visits her daily, who has a rather cold attitude, but Miss Meadows wishes to befriend her anyway. The gameplay focus here is to give the lady the correct dose of her medicine. The synergy between the two individuals with opposite personalities is handled throughout the title in each chapter. While she may not like tea, the old lady is as warm to her as to other customers.
The game can have a different ending depending on what dialogue choices you made during your conversations. This adds much more replayability to the game as you strive to see different plot events. We won’t be spoiling you about any ending, but you can expect it to be emotional like the rest of the game.
Sips and Sonnets feels like a laid-back game which you can play to relax after a busy day. You can complete it in one go if you are immersed enough, but you can also treat it like a slow burn. Despite its calming nature, the game handles the philosophy of life and death quite well. When you are done with it, the game will leave you wishing for more.
Rabiya played Sips and Sonnets on PC with a provided review key.
