Wanderstop Is Already One of the Cozy Gaming Greats [Review]

That said, the issue with inventory management is a meager one in the grand scheme of things as you’re getting immersed in what Wanderstop does best: its narrative.

The story is progressed by meeting and serving a cast of well-designed eccentric characters, soon arriving as samples of this extraordinary part of the world.

For instance, the larger-than-life Gerald the Knight — whose moments involving showing pictures of him with his un-enthused teenage son — are some of the game’s funniest, surprising you with literal laugh-out-loud-levels of absurd moments. Still, there are subtle hints of dark humor that add extra chuckles without being too overbearing.

Each tea request further each customer’s own story with completion, building up additional intriguing narratives along with Alta’s. While dialogue options give you chances to make conversations as brief as possible, each character is so likeable in their own way, it’s easy to want to indulge them as much as possible to learn more about them all. 

Nevertheless, as immersive the charm and whimsy can be, Wanderstop isn’t afraid to get right into the real issues of what self-loathing, obsession, and refusing can take care of self can do to one’s wellbeing — which Ivy Road realizes how damaging it can be when you treat a goal or aspiration as the only thing in the world.

What’s more, those more mature segments of storytelling leak into those of the customers’ as well. Without going into spoilers, a good number of new friends you meet and interact with have a personal arc you can’t help but get invested in as the overall plot goes on.

Even outside of Altas’ personal tale and those of the titular tea shop’s guests, Wanderstop’s narrative gets increasingly, enchantingly mysterious — with not only the clearing’s odd seasonal shifts, but a curious abnormality affecting the patrons as well, easing you into the cozy title’s darker elements, but these multiple tonal shifts never feeling out of place as they bounce back and forth.

With director Davey Wreden’s skill for injecting thought-provoking narratives into multi-layered gaming experiences, this comes as no surprise. As Wanderstop goes on and Wreden’s seeming intentions are revealed in an effective “pulling back the curtain” manner, it’s an unexpected concoction of both being on the edge of your seat but also being excited to return to the clearing and craft some more comforting brews. 

For a new team made of just 17 members, Wanderstop is a captivating cozy management adventure that works on levels even beyond those expected of the genre.

With a core message about the importance of being aware of burnout and self-care, Ivy Roads’ debut game works both as an approachable tea shop simulator where you can switch you brain off too — along with interweaving a hard-hitting narrative that regularly has you both on the edge of your seat and smiling from ear to ear.  Achieving that balance is an insanely difficult feat that any dev team should be commended for.

As a very personal tale that’s relatable to so many, Wanderstop’s unique premise and storybook-like setting will have something for everyone. As far as cozy narrative-focused games go, Ivy Roads’ Wanderstop has raised the bar.

Verdict: Recommended

Wanderstop releases on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on March 11. A review code for the game was provided by the publisher. Reviewed on PS5.