Bear's Restaurant ~ RIEview
Bear’s Restaurant is a visual novel that takes a spin on the afterlife. If memory serves me correctly, I got into this game after Tasokare Hotel. A hint: It is different from the themes seen in Tasokare Hotel. How different is it? Read on to find out!
Game Plot
The story revolves around “Bear” and “Cat”, both running an afterlife restaurant where “Bear” is the chef and “Cat” assists by taking orders from the customers. Taking orders in the afterlife is unique, where “Cat” dives into the customer’s memory to see their favourite dish. While everyone has a favourite dish, “Cat” doesn’t – in fact, “Cat” doesn’t have memories, so by default not knowing the favourite dish either.
Verdict (5/5)
The plot sounds similar to Tasokare Hotel, where the protagonists are amnesiac and the plot the journey for them to regain their memories. While Neko finds out pretty early on, in Bear’s Restaurant “Cat” only finds out near the end of the story. In addition, though the game is free-to-play (while being supported by ads), there is a sequel behind the paywall that solves to tie up loose ends about the fate of “Bear” and “Cat”.
The plot is heartwarming, and can be a tearjerker depending on your emotional tolerance in the first place. It really teaches us that not all is fixed in stone, and anything can happen just by one person deciding to make the difference.
Character Diversity & Personality
While the story explores mainly “Bear” and “Cat”’s point of view, the other characters that you encounter are equally mysterious. As you delve into their memories with “Cat”, you also get the opportunity to see how they got to the afterlife in the first place.
Verdict (4.5/5)
I really like how diverse the characters are, and how they came to the restaurant in the first place. How and why the dead die range from tragic to horrifying as more characters come to the restaurant. Just a heads up that some content can be distressing, so proceed with caution. I won’t give any spoilers, but how “Cat” came to the restaurant is definitely one of the tragic ones, so I’m glad that “Cat” and “Bear” met.
Game & CG Art
Pixel art style, similar to that of ‘7 Years from Now’, but more complex found here than in ‘7 Years from Now’. Definitely more detail can be seen here, with the tone varying depending on the setting at the time of the plot.
Verdict (4.5/5)
By the time I discover this game I’m more open to pixel art. Yes, I cannot compare it to the stylish modern art style, but as I’ve mentioned in ‘7 Years from Now’, the artist(s) have put in hard work in creating a masterpiece that should be more appreciated.
Game Mechanics
Bear’s Restaurant is a visual novel with simple choices to be made. Players can move characters by selecting an area on the screen, but other than that most of the time is reading the dialogues to progress through the story.
Verdict (5/5)
Simple mechanics that doesn't take away from the main feature of the game – the plot. So sit back, and read through at your leisure!
In-Game Events
N/A
If you’re looking for a visual novel with a solid, heartwarming plot, look no further than Bear’s Restaurant. Sure, there’s not much to do except moving your character around the area and choose a response during conversations. But if your main focus is less on the mechanics and more on the plot, then this is the game for you.
What do you think? Comment below your thoughts!
Happy Gaming!
~ RieRie
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