I think I’ve mentioned this before but if I didn’t, cyberpunk is one of my favorite sub-genres of science fiction. We get to imagine the effects of technology integrating itself into everyday society. We see the further corruption of governments by the even more corrupt mega-corporations. We see plastic surgery taken to a new level with cybernetic augmentations. We see AI/robots become self aware and sentient which gives rise to a new social class. And of course we finally “Jack in” to the internet, setting our minds free from the physical, all for a price of course. And while cyber samurai punks are battling corporate ninjas agents against neon lit city, there are the ordinary people who are just trying to live their lives as best as they can. We rarely get to see the story of these people living among this chaos. And as it turns out developer Sukeban Games agrees. So they set out to create a game, but not just any game: a cyberpunk bartender action game. It’s name: VA-11 HALL-A also known as Valhalla.
VA-11 HALL-A was released back in 2016 for PC and the Vita initially. While the game garnered tons of positive reviews from critics, I felt like it went under the radar. It must of have due to me only just hearing about it earlier this year as developers Sukeban Games and indie publisher Ysbryd Games announced that the game was coming to the PS4 and the Nintendo Switch (the version up for review). Now that VA-11 HALL-A has arrived on two of the most popular consoles for this generation, will VA-11 HALL-A become a place where everyone knows your name? Or will it be just another cesspool among the neon lit city? Take a seat and order a cold one, as we take a look at VA-11 HALL-A for the Nintendo Switch, and see what makes this bar so special.
Time to mix drinks and change lives
Kojima/Metal Gear references- While the game takes a lot of inspiration and references to a ton of cyberpunk media, front and center are the various nods to Hideo Kojima and the Metal Gear franchise. Some of these are obvious and right in your face, such as the game’s subtitle: Cyberpunk Bartending Action. This is a nod to Metal Gear Solid’s own subtitle Tactical Espionage Action. There are also points in the game where cutscenes look like the codec interface. Then there are the not so obvious references such as names of voice actors and pseudonyms/alias. As a Metal Gear fan, it’s awesome to see these little nods of one of my favorite franchises of all time. VA-11 HALL-A isn’t just restricted to MGS references.
YIIK & 2064: Read Only Memories- VA-11 HALL-A also has a couple of references to two other indie games. These games are 2064: Read Only Memories and YIIK: A Postmodern RPG, which it and VA-11 HALL-A share the same publisher in Ysbrid Games. If you have played either of these game, you will notice them when they pop up.
Japanese otaku culture references- We’re not done with references just yet. Even though the game was developed in Venezuela, there is a ton of references/allusions to Japanese geek/otaku culture. Example include the game mentioning anime, idols, video games, and so much more. There’s neon sign that displays the director of Sukeban Games’ twitter handle, Kiririn51. Now this might be a stretch, but it might be a nod to the Japanese beer Kirin, one of the oldest beer brands in Japan. Again it’s a stretch but the game does take place in a bar and the name does sound like the beer. Even the graphics are a throwback to games designed on the Japanese computer,NEC PC-98. Speaking of the graphics and the PC-98…
PC-98/anime inspired graphics- It’s obvious that the devs at Sukeban Games are fans of anime, as its the style they went with for VA-11 HALL-A. And on its own it looks great. But to give it that cyberpunk feel they took inspiration from PC-98 games.
Now for those who are not familiar with Japanese tech and computers, the PC-98 was a popular line of computers made by Nippon Electric Company, aka NEC, in the 80’s. These computers were primarily used for business, so it was difficult to program and develop games on it. Regardless programer and devs found ways around these limitations and created mostly adult eroge, adventure games, visual novels and bullet hell/shumps. These games became popular and thrived on the platform. In fact two of Hideo Kojima’s games, Policenauts and Snatcher, started out on the PC-98.
With all of that in mind, these graphics give VA-11 HALL-A its cyberpunk feel,and it’s great. I know that the game takes place in a back alley bar in a cyberpunk dystopian future, but it felt like many of the arcades I used to visit when I was growing up. Not the back alley, dystopian part, but its color palette. The different dark colors mixed in with a few bright neon colors gives it a distinct feel. The character designs are also top notch and amazing. When looking more into the game, I’ve seen it be called “the waifu game”. Now I can see why, so many waifus to pick from.
Jamming tunes- When most people think of cyberpunk music, they tend to think of genres like EDM or techno. They’re not wrong, as that’s the soundtrack to the late 90’s to early 00’s cyberpunk. VA-11 HALL-A’s soundtrack uses a mix of synthesisers and chiptunes which gives off a more 80’s cyberpunk feel. Some tracks,like March of the White Knights, have an ominous tone and beat to them. It feels like you’re being chased down through neon lit back alleys by mega-corporation sponsored security forces. While other tracks like Welcome to Valhalla and Through The Storm We Will Find A Way are more upbeat and laid back. All the tracks have that 80’s synth-pop/new wave feel to them, which I personally love. What I really like is that the game will let you create a playlist from these tracks before the start of your shift and rearrange it when coming back from your break. The best part of making a playlist is when the right track pops on at the right time when talking to one of the customers.
A bartender’s tale- In VA-11 HALL-A players are placed in the role of Jill, a young woman who despite being on the fast track to becoming a very successful engineer at a research institute, has left all of that behind to become a bartender in a dive bar located in Glitch City called VA-11 HALL-A or more commonly known to its regulars as Valhalla. Due to rising costs and tensions between the company that runs bars like VA-11 HALL-A and with the city’s corrupt mayor, VA-11 HALL-A is set to close before the end of the year. Players experience the conversations and experiences that Jill has with all who come through the doors and want to forget the troubles of life. These range from chatting it up with robot sex workers, idols and cat girls to talking dogs, voyeuristic streamers and a very familiar looking flamboyant video game commentator. I don’t want to spoil too much, so I’ll say this much: the way that the story was written made me feel that I was the one bartending to this colorful cast. At first I was just going through the motions when making drinks and serving customers. After awhile though, I started to empathize with them, I listened carefully to their stories and tried to pair them with the right drink that they needed. There were times that I even teared up and felt sorry and concerned for characters. Combine all of this with its killer soundtrack and VA-11 HALL-A is something that needs to be experienced and not spoiled.
Unique mechanics- What makes VA-11 HALL-A very unique and different from other visual novels is the way progresses its story. With most VNs, progression is usually done with a dialogue tree. Players are given a couple of choices, picks one, and the story continues down that path. In VA-11 HALL-A instead of a dialogue tree, story progression is done through what type of drinks you serve your customers. Get someone drunk enough and they’ll start to talk without inhibition. If someone is looking down and orders a strong drink but you give them their regular favorite that they always order, they’ll open up and let you know what’s going on. It’s a unique twist on dialogue options in traditional VNs. It can feel a bit repetitive, but mixing the right drink to get the customer to open up is worth it.
Last Call
Nitpicks- Through my playthrough of VA-11 HALL-A I couldn’t really think of anything that I didn’t really like about it or had a problem with. The things that I did find were, for the most part, nitpicks. Such as the slow pacing in the beginning of the game or the repetitive bartending segments. I loved every aspect of the game.
I don’t think I’ve gushed this much about a game since Metal Gear Solid V. Speak of MGS, I loved the references and nods to Kojima and Metal Gear. I loved the YIIK and 2064 references. I loved the references about Japanese otaku culture. The music was amazing and easily my favorite original soundtrack for this year. And I loved how the story draws you by having you, as Jill always says, “Mixing drinks and changing lives”. There are a few nitpicks, but they are not major enough to impair my enjoyment. This was easily the best VN that I’ve played this year and I’m glad that it made its way to the Nintendo Switch. If you’re looking for something different with a cool cyberpunk edge, come visit VA-11 HALL-A. It’s only a matter of time till we’ve reach N1RV Ann-A.
