-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action |OT| Do Androids Drink To Electric Beats?
- Thread starter Moonlight
- Start date
E_Darkness
Member
Admiral Snackbar
Member
This game is so goddamn charming. I can't handle it, I'm completely hooked. I love Stella and Sei, man.
Every character is awesome, Jill's the best though
It would be a shame if they didn't continue the story.
Coreda
Member
At the second day I just decided to take notes for all the characters. I like that the game expects players to remember characters' fav drinks every so often without any kind of fallback hint but having a list has made things easier. Plus I kind of dig keeping tabs on the characters and events.
Even if you buy it from ich.io you won't get the prologue. Apparently the creator is planning on doing something about that, but, again, it's not really important. The demo is, though.
ScientificPizza
Banned
Yeah, I played the demo and am really glad I did. It seems basically essential.
I assume the prologue is about all of the dogs and bathroom stuff at the start of the game?
Theodoricos
Member
Yeah, that's right.
You're not missing out on anything. The prologue wasn't as well written or anywhere near as interesting as the demo (which is a must) and the main game - it honestly gives a bad first impression on what ended up being a much better product, thankfully.
What's also interesting is how many permutations the demo has. Because it's self-contained it has a lot more choice variety than the main game. The main game has a lot of variety too, though, to be sure.
Coreda
Member
Huh. Looks like the demo released at the same time as the final game. Didn't notice it there before and just assumed those talking about it meant the Prologue.
Actually the demo was there before the prologue. They might have updated it.
Coreda
Member
Just checked my original downloaded zip and it's there with the Prologue, you're right. Interesting, might load it up sometime.
You can get different endings, but no different scenes that you couldn't have gotten in the first place(there are 6 endings).
Also if you picked it up blind, I'd suggest you try out the demo as
Anna
ScientificPizza
Banned
I've only finished the first day so far, but how tight should I be with money? I made like 1500 or so that first day and spent nearly all of it as soon as I got access to the store.
I bought beer and some code on a piece of paper? i thought the code might active something new on my phone but it didn't.
I just don't want to miss the first round of bills by being reckless just in case the first day is a particularly successful one and the money coming in later is less
I bought beer and some code on a piece of paper? i thought the code might active something new on my phone but it didn't.
I just don't want to miss the first round of bills by being reckless just in case the first day is a particularly successful one and the money coming in later is less
Theodoricos
Member
The code is for the jukebox inside the actual bar - it unlocks new songs.
If you don't want to miss any of the bills, I'd advise you not to spend money on anything other than what Jill wants during your first playthrough. (Really minor spoiler about the bills)
It's pretty easy to fail the final bill in the game if you buy anything extra - at least that has been my experience.
ScientificPizza
Banned
oh cool. thank you! a lot of that stuff seemed really superfluous anyway? those were the two items that seemed like they had practice uses
Theodoricos
Member
It's mostly cosmetic stuff that alter the look of Jill' s apartment as well as additional songs that you can play from the jukebox.
Except for one - one of the items you can buy unlocks a
shoot 'em up magical girl
tirkaroKujo
Member
I finally beat the game (I felt bad about not being able to pay Jill's rent so I ended up playing the entire game all over again just to make it) and I don't regret a second of it. Even beyond the amazing PC98 #Aesthetic, I don't think I've ever felt more for a video game character than Jill.
I look forward to unlocking the endings I apparently missed out on, as well as getting around to that demo that's apparently essential
I look forward to unlocking the endings I apparently missed out on, as well as getting around to that demo that's apparently essential
E_Darkness
Member
Just started chapter 3. Well I'm getting the bad end, no way I'm getting that rent.
ScientificPizza
Banned
oh really!? which item? is it
the old pc?
are people playing with scanlines turned on? without them the game almost looks too clean, but i wish the scanlines were... better...
Theodoricos
Member
I believe so, yeah. It's one of the most expensive items, at any rate.
E_Darkness
Member
I paid the rent! The impending dread of not being able to afford rent? This game gets too real for me sometimes.
Pontiaction
Member
Flawless Service on every day so far. Boss even gave me a little extra so I could get a snack on the way home. BEST BOSS poster in Jill's apartment is no lie.
This game is so relaxing to play, and the soundtrack is amazing. Takes me back to my days of watching anime from the late '80s.
It's been a super tiring day at work and I could play Overwatch with one friend, or Elder Scrolls Online with another, but part of me wants to just play a quiet game of VA-11 Hall-A instead. XD
This game is so relaxing to play, and the soundtrack is amazing. Takes me back to my days of watching anime from the late '80s.
It's been a super tiring day at work and I could play Overwatch with one friend, or Elder Scrolls Online with another, but part of me wants to just play a quiet game of VA-11 Hall-A instead. XD
E_Darkness
Member
You've just reminded me that I've only made one mistake in my entire playthrough and now I won't get that shiny flawless service achievement on Steam.
I want to say I'm near the end, I don't think there is much more after this. I've really enjoyed playing this and I'm sad it is ending.
FUCK VIRGILIO
Well his story certainly made up for his shitty 17 order
I want to say I'm near the end, I don't think there is much more after this. I've really enjoyed playing this and I'm sad it is ending.
eyeball_kid
Member
It looks like the only way to get the demo on the Mac is by using the itch.io app. Never heard of it before, is this service fairly legit?
ScientificPizza
Banned
What's the criteria for flawless service? Is it just mixing the right drinks every time?
I got it the first day but it didn't really explain why I got it.
E_Darkness
Member
I finished the game. Well I loved it. As much as I don't want to see the people who made it do this again, I want them to do this again. I want to revisit Valhalla at some point and I hope that happens one day. Mainly because I'm not happy it just kind of ended. I feel unsatisfied with that conclusion
. I got the good ending.
All the characters are great. Weirdly Jill ended up being my favourite. My favourite other character would be hard to choose, but I rather liked Alma. Dorothy is pretty up there as well.
The soundtrack is amazing. Already got it on my phone to listen to.
Game play spoilers:
Also character spoilers:
Almost definitely one of my favourite games I've played this year and I'm in again for the physical Vita version just to own it.
even though it was a rather sweet end
All the characters are great. Weirdly Jill ended up being my favourite. My favourite other character would be hard to choose, but I rather liked Alma. Dorothy is pretty up there as well.
The soundtrack is amazing. Already got it on my phone to listen to.
Game play spoilers:
I love the fact there is a game within this game. I tried it out and I didn't beat it, but thanks to my NG+ file I'll give it another shot. Its a very simple game for sure but it is a pleasant surprise.
Anna. I mean the game eventually explained who she was. But her entire character is just mysterious to the point of the point of annoyance. I'm mainly disappointed with the ending because it never explained Anna. Alma gives a theory that sounds plausible and we know who she is but I'm left unsatisifed with Anna. Maybe I missed something and there is something in the game somewhere.
Almost definitely one of my favourite games I've played this year and I'm in again for the physical Vita version just to own it.
jediyoshi
Member
It's completely legit, it's an actual platform unlike a redistributor or grey market service.
Coreda
Member
The program is open source and the newest part of the Itch.io indie game store platform which Valhalla is hosted on, so yeah, it's fine.
Are you sure that there's a demo version for the Mac though? I only see a Windows version.
Yes. There aren't any dialog choices so it's just fulfilling the correct orders/requests.
eyeball_kid
Member
Yeah, I think they removed the link because they didn't sign it with a real Apple developer ID, so OS X's Gatekeeper was blocking it. That's why I think they are making people run the Mac demo through itch.io.
Is the prologue worth buying the game through itch.io? I try to avoid giving my CC to smaller online places these days.
Coreda
Member
Ah, interesting.
The full game was more enjoyable I found but it gives some context to some of the characters and background to the main game so if you're interested you could try it.
I paid through Paypal for the pre-order from itch.io, so that also should be an option (unless they've removed it?).
jediyoshi
Member
Size wise, they're in league with redistributors like GMG. itch.io is to indie games as gog is to drm free releases.
The beginning of the game is pretty referential to the prologue fwiw.
Tyrant Rave
Banned
Just wrapped up my playthrough and I loved every minute of it. This game was such a delight.
I did wonder about that! Where do I get the demo, I don't see a link for it in the OP...?
I think you can make more money by serving people big versions of their drinks? When the rent bill came around I started doing that, not soon enough unfortunately but I almost made it.
Wooooo, managed to pay all my bills. I got REALLY close to not making it (I only have $96 left now >>, but the tips on the day before the due date helped out. The game's teaching me to be more financially responsible with my money at least lol.
Think I'm near the end of the game now. I'll wrap it up tomorrow and will probably do a second playthrough to see what I missed.
, but the tips on the day before the due date helped out. The game's teaching me to be more financially responsible with my money at least lol.Think I'm near the end of the game now. I'll wrap it up tomorrow and will probably do a second playthrough to see what I missed.
So I bought this game on a whim, I really liked the art style. Finished it yesterday, what an awesome game. The character interaction is so good, I had a blast learning about all of the characters and finding out more about Jill. I'm not generally a big fan of visual novel type games but this one had me hooked.
Tyrant Rave
Banned
More full sketches of the cast:
MotionBlue
Member
The Dogs are a giant reference too.
They're forming a dog army, and trying to make a soverign dog-led nation.
I just met Betty and Deal tonight, so I figured that's what they were playing at. Those two are my favorite patrons so far, next to Alma.
Jill's story
about the Lilim that couldn't have his consciousness uploaded
Finished the game last night. Overall, it was a really good game and I hope more people check it out and buy it. It's one of the most engaging "visual novel" games I've played in a while and had one of the interesting, charming and overall just great cast of characters too (Stella/Sei probably being my guests). Jill, the main character, is also surprisingly the, er, main stand out. It's been a really long time since I really "felt" for a main character. The general aesthetic of the game I also really dug and I've said it before, the music is seriously rad as hell. I'll probably be buying the OST later to help support the game some more once I get paid later lol.
Other than that, there's apparently some things I missed (looking at the achievements...), so I definitely plan on messing around with NG+ later.
Other than that, there's apparently some things I missed (looking at the achievements...), so I definitely plan on messing around with NG+ later.