Bartender Hustle
- May 27, 2022
- Departure Interactive
Get on SteamIn Bartender Hustle, players run their own bar, mixing drinks, managing inventory, and keeping customers happy. They'll need to balance speed, accuracy, and flair to build a loyal clientele and turn a profit. With various challenges and customization options, Bartender Hustle offers a engaging and immersive experience in the world of mixology.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and relaxing bartending experience with a variety of cocktails to learn and make.
- Story mode is engaging with amusing customer interactions, and the game serves as a decent educational tool for aspiring bartenders.
- Graphics are appealing, and the mechanics are straightforward, making it easy to pick up and play.
- The game lacks depth and variety, leading to repetitive gameplay and limited content outside of bartending.
- There are technical issues such as crashes and bugs that disrupt the experience, including problems with saving progress.
- The dialogue with customers can feel forced and tedious, detracting from the overall immersion of the game.
- story62 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The story mode is described as laid-back and engaging, featuring amusing dialogue and a straightforward narrative that follows a young barmaid's career progression. However, many players find the story to be short, repetitive, and lacking depth, with some expressing disappointment over the absence of a romantic conclusion and the limited character options. While the pacing is appreciated, the overall execution feels dry and could benefit from more complexity and variety in gameplay.
“The bartending mechanics are made simple by highlighting the ingredients and tools needed and counting the amount of liquid poured on screen, which kept the game simple and engaging the whole way through the story mode. The simple and funny stories are amusing as well.”
“In the relatively short story mode, we experience the steep career of a young barmaid from a rancid corner bar to a well-attended dance club to an exquisite beach bar under palm trees, where we have predefined, unfortunately rather awkward conversations with the guests before we serve the desired drinks.”
“I loved the story mode, making all the drinks (some more than others).”
“Game is dry, story is cheesy and repetitive.”
“There really isn't much skill or difficulty required and the story is about as dry as it gets.”
“As a result, the game gets repetitive and boring even during the short story mode.”
- gameplay20 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by simple and engaging bartending mechanics that focus on pouring accuracy and ingredient management, allowing players to create a variety of drinks while interacting with customers. While the game is glitch-free and offers a clean experience, some players feel that the limited scope of gameplay can lead to boredom after a short period, suggesting a need for more diverse interactions to enhance overall enjoyment. Overall, the game provides a relaxing and amusing experience, but may not sustain long-term interest.
“The gameplay is clean, I enjoy the many different drinks that you can make, and have optimistic expectations for this game!”
“The gameplay is fun and not too complex, which allows players to relax, make drinks for your favorite customers while listening to them tell you how they are doing in life.”
“The bartending mechanics are made simple by highlighting the ingredients and tools needed and counting the amount of liquid poured on screen, which kept the game simple and engaging the whole way through the story mode. The simple and funny stories are amusing as well.”
“Yeah it is a cocktail making game, but having only one aspect of the game that is satisfying makes you bored in one hour of gameplay considering the price.”
“Graphically the game is decent, but it fails where it needed to succeed at its core gameplay.”
“Similar mechanics to liquids in cooking simulator.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their stunning quality and charming aesthetic, earning scores around 8/10. While some reviewers note that the visuals are impressive, they argue that the gameplay mechanics could function without them, suggesting that the graphics, while nice, do not significantly enhance the core experience. Overall, the graphics are a highlight, contributing to the game's appeal as a roleplaying experience.
“However, the graphics are incredible and if you want to roleplay as a bartender for a few hours, then I think this game is perfect for you.”
“Stunning graphics and music too...”
“Graphics are nice, I give it an 8/10 score!”
“Graphically, the game is decent, but it fails where it needed to succeed at its core gameplay.”
“You could completely remove all graphics, make this a text game and it'd still do the same thing because all you're doing is clicking and holding a button until numbers reach what they're supposed to be.”
- music6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is limited, with only a few tracks available, particularly in arcade mode, leading to repetitive gameplay. While the graphics are praised, the lack of variety in the soundtrack contributes to a sense of boredom over time.
“Stunning graphics and music too...”
“There are only a few songs to choose from, but maybe just one in the arcade mode.”
“Hearing the same music and seeing characters just sitting around makes the game get boring after a while.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, as it lacks the expected escalating difficulty and variety typical of roguelikes. The slow progression and repetitive interactions with guests, particularly lengthy dialogues, contribute to a feeling of monotony, suggesting a need for more dynamic elements to enhance the experience.
“I think I kind of expected something a little more 'roguelike', if you can even call it that, with escalating difficulty and more things to try, but as it stands, it's just a semi-slow progression of a bar sim that eventually turns into just a slightly tedious, unloseable bar sim.”
“I like the interactions with guests, but the extended dialogue can get tedious, so having some patrons who only order without long stories would be a nice addition to mix it up.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised for its hilarity, with players enjoying the amusing and straightforward storytelling. The bartending mechanics enhance the experience by keeping gameplay engaging and lighthearted, contributing to the overall comedic tone throughout the story mode.
“The bartending mechanics are made simple by highlighting the ingredients and tools needed and counting the amount of liquid poured on screen, which kept the game simple and engaging the whole way through the story mode. The simple and funny stories are amusing as well.”
“It was hilarious.”
“The bartending mechanics are made simple by highlighting the ingredients and tools needed and counting the amount of liquid poured on screen, which kept the game simple and engaging the whole way through the story mode. The simple and funny stories are amusing as well.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues, particularly noting that the game frequently freezes when attempting to enter sleep mode. This recurring problem detracts from the overall gaming experience.
“The game freezes when I try to go to sleep.”
“The game freezes when I try to go to sleep.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Users suggest that optimization should include improvements in the cleaning process of equipment after each drink is made, indicating a need for more efficient and streamlined operations.
“I think when it’s more optimized, it should also include the cleaning of the equipment after one drink is made.”
