Tavern Talk Stories: Dreamwalker Review

Developed and published by Gentle Troll Entertainment, Tavern Talk Stories: Dreamwalker is a standalone prequel set 35 years before the original entry, Tavern Talk. I came across it back when the first game was announced, though I originally backed down from playing it due to the content warning about death and grief, which I'm grateful they added! This time, I braved the anxiety of my thanatophobia and jumped into the sequel.

There is a lot that makes the franchise stand out as a visual novel because the experience is inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, and players won't embody any character of importance. Quite the opposite: the protagonist is a simple tavern keeper, watching as adventurers' lives unfold, and helping them (or hurting them) by giving them magical drinks.

There are eight characters to meet in Dreamwalker, and they will slowly unveil their personality and backstory as they visit the tavern throughout the game. As the player listens to their stories and engages with them, they also pick up on rumours that can be turned into quests for them to take.

This feature made me anxious at first because I thought it was going to be prominent; I imagined we could somehow mess up the rumour and get them killed. The reality is that it advances the main plot, which means it's kinetic: you don't really have control over it, and it's not that commonplace.

Although relieving, I was a tad disappointed because I thought it would be a core gameplay mechanic. It would've been a good way to introduce some side characters whom we occasionally see in the background taking quests. At times, just seeing the main cast come and go made the immersion of being a tavern keeper hard to maintain, though I understand it might be heavy on the budget.

Since I had played the original game's demo, I already expected the nice backdrop of the tavern and its atmosphere, especially because that is the only thing (aside from the kitchen) that we are exposed to as the protagonist. Dreamwalker's was no exception — the area is beautiful and alive with details, such as little cracks between the wood planks that let in light or tiny motes of dust flying about. I got lost admiring it throughout the entire game.

As you get to meet the characters, they offer gifts from their adventures. These can be used to decorate the backdrop further, and for those who want even more customisation, there are also the DLC options. The base game comes with a few items, including crossovers with other titles, such as Trash Goblin and Collector's Cove!

I was genuinely surprised at the detailed animations of the tavern, especially towards the end of the game, where there are some new ones deriving from the rising narrative tension. I can't say I ever got tired of seeing it, though there was a small complaint my wife had, who joined me in my adventure because she loves visual novels.

Since the playable character is bound to their job as the tavern keeper, we never get to see anything else; the only way to experience the narrative is through the stories that the characters tell. While they do a fantastic job at hooking you with details, my wife mentioned there could be some room for an image of two depicting what was happening.

This addition could look something like what is seen in Fate/stay night — simple drawings that help players who have aphantasia, a phenomenon that makes the sufferer unable to visualise things in their imagination. I wouldn't mind having those, even as someone who does have a mind's eye.

Aside from the lack of imagery from the characters, I thought the delivery of the stories was fantastic. Each adventurer had their way of telling stories, and some of them were phenomenal at being gripping and highly entertaining while doing so! You'll probably know who I mean if you play it.

Despite how much I love so much of Dreamwalker, the highlight was the wonderful cast of characters; I adore them! Obviously, the first thing that caught my attention was their stunning designs. It nearly outdid the backdrop, with various species, expressions, colours, and styles.

Even after a 20-hour journey in Phesoa, I was still gawking at the details at the end of the experience. The team did an amazing job at creating memorable aesthetics that made it hard to forget we were in a fantastical world.

Thankfully, their personalities were just as colourful. Each character feels unique and different from the others, and I was chuffed to see them interact with one another; this was especially true whenever they'd go outside of their cliques and meet others!

As a queer person, I was grateful to see such smooth LGBTQ+ representation: different pronouns and same-sex couples existed as if it were as normal as Aegeus' tail. As it should be in real life! It was another highlight — one that I hope to see in even more games in the future.

The cast's chemistry was delightful to watch unfold as they hung out with each other, and I was especially happy that they could even fall in love. However, while I did love hearing them yap and goof off, I felt like the narrative was interrupted because I was a bartender.

What I mean by this is that whenever the player isn't chatting with the adventurers, they'll be mixing beverages for them. Once the brew is decided, it gets drawn on the board, and there is a set of drinks to mix to the right that are used to match what is displayed.

While it wasn't too difficult (except for a handful of times), I did wish there had been a skip button because it felt disruptive to the flow. A lot of the time, I was locked into the story and had to be left on a cliffhanger to go make someone a drink. It became more frustrating the more complex the mixes became, especially because the rising tension in the story would make me fumble due to my impatience to see what happened.

Perhaps the ability to prepare drinks in advance while closing the tavern would still allow players to feel the bartender experience without being disrupted in stressful moments. A skip button would work, too, so we can have more control over when we want to partake in the mini-game or not!

The only other complaint I have is that, during the two endings I unlocked, I felt like it was a bit rushed to say goodbye to the adventurers. I didn't get to see much of my favourites at that point, which was disappointing. This is especially true after the stressful events of the main story: I wanted to say my goodbyes to everyone.

Although it wouldn’t have been perfect (because I would’ve missed talking to them), a good way to fix that sudden emptiness would’ve been to give us information about what happened to everyone afterwards. There were a few things left up in the air, such as relationships between them and what they did with their lives afterwards; a great example of this is Rune (or Nael, as they end) and Quasar.

Coming out the other side of a nearly 20-hour run with the characters and their stories, I am deeply satisfied with the experience; I began feeling genuinely sad as the game reached its end because there are so many characters that are too distinctive to find elsewhere. They are the type to stay with you past the credits.

Tavern Talk Stories: Dreamwalker delivers an incredible fantasy experience that truly makes you feel the joys and stressors of being a bartender to a bunch of adventurers you end up caring about. The aesthetic is exquisite, the music is phenomenal, and I could go on about everything they aced, but the review must end somewhere. I'm glad I faced my fears, and I highly recommend you try it out too.