Cafe 0: The Sleeping Beast

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In Cafe 0: The Sleeping Beast, players are transported to a European-style village in the 19th century and take on the role of Corliss Green, a worker at a noble villa. After waking up in front of a mysterious cafe, Corliss is told by the waiter Noir that she has died and ended up at the entrance to Café 0 as a lost spirit. With a chance to return to a week before her death, Corliss must uncover the truth behind her untimely demise in this supernatural mystery visual novel, fully voiced in Japanese.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 62 reviews

story38 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The game features a beautifully crafted story with deep emotional themes and engaging character development.
The art and soundtrack are well-executed, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
Players appreciate the mystery elements and the need to explore multiple routes to uncover the full story.

Some players found the character art to be amateurish and the music bland, detracting from the experience.
The plot was criticized for being vague and lacking depth, leading to a disappointing payoff for the mystery.
The gameplay can feel tedious due to the need to replay the game multiple times to unlock all endings and gather clues.

story
108 mentions
35 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its dark, intriguing atmosphere and complex characters, while others found it lacking in delivery and clarity. Many noted that the narrative unfolds gradually across multiple routes, requiring players to engage deeply to uncover the full plot, which can be both rewarding and confusing. Overall, while the story is praised for its depth and emotional themes, some players felt it fell short of its potential, leading to a somewhat polarizing experience.
- “The story has a dark and intriguing atmosphere.”
- “The mystery put forth in this visual novel is only ultimately solved by going through every route collecting all of the clues and then continuing to the true end - so this is a game where you need to play every route and not just one of them to get the full story out of it.”
- “A very well thought out plot with deep, emotive themes.”
- “I felt like the whole plot had so much potential but it just did not deliver.”
- “Overall, I thought it was pretty boring and the payoff for the mystery/sitting through the story was lackluster.”
- “Unfortunately, how the story played out was a little disappointing since 'the incident' was so emphasized/dramatized.”
music
28 mentions
50 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The music in the game received mixed reviews, with some praising the soundtrack as atmospheric and well-suited to the scenes, particularly highlighting the work of composer Yuang Chen and the Seycara Orchestra. Others found the music to be bland and unremarkable, suggesting a lack of depth in its composition. Overall, while there are strong positive notes about the soundtrack's quality and fittingness, some players felt it did not elevate the overall experience significantly.
- “Music: 8/10 (it matched each scene and the voice acting was also very fitting)”
- “Also, the game soundtrack prepared by Yuang Chen and performed by the Seycara Orchestra is a complete delight, fitting for a glorious anime OVA even.”
- “The voice actors did a great job with the voice acting and I simply loved the soundtracks; it fit well with the situations.”
- “The character art was pretty amateurish, the music was bland, and the characters/plot felt really one-dimensional.”
- “The characters didn't have any depth, the backgrounds were boring, and the music was bland.”
- “The music was bland and did not contribute to the overall experience of the game.”
gameplay
18 mentions
22 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a blend of choice-driven and kinetic visual novel elements, offering a simple yet engaging experience that can lead to significant narrative shifts based on player decisions. While the plot is intriguing and features memorable moments, the repetitive mechanics for uncovering the story and some awkward dialogue can be confusing. Players are encouraged to assess their enjoyment within the first hour, as the game provides ample save slots and options to explore different story branches, resulting in approximately 6-7 hours of gameplay.
- “The game has plenty of save slots to allow different gameplay and dialogue choices to be made during the game, with a different colored heart (black, blue, green, or red) or gold gear popup icon to reach a different storyline branch and the option to skip and fast-forward any part of the game.”
- “Gameplay itself is somewhere between a choice option visual novel and a kinetic visual novel since the choices that we have here are not various, yet their results reinvent the storyline so massively, you don't get bored of reading it.”
- “What we have here is a visual novel well done with all its mechanics, artwork, narrative functions, and setting development.”
- “The gameplay mechanic of replaying the game over and over to unlock the truth, combined with some clunky dialogue bits, can really confuse the player.”
- “The gameplay is simple, but at the same time, I have mixed feelings about it.”
- “Gameplay itself is somewhere between a choice option visual novel and a kinetic visual novel, since the choices available are not varied, yet their results reinvent the storyline so massively that you don't get bored of reading it.”
graphics
12 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally well-received, with many praising the art style and noting a significant improvement compared to the previous installment, *cafe 0 ~the sleeping beast~*. While some players express a preference for a more anime-like aesthetic, the overall artwork is considered appealing and effectively complements the game's narrative and mechanics.
- “Compared to the previous installation, [i]cafe 0 ~the sleeping beast~[/i] displays a magnificent growth in the artwork department.”
- “What we have here is a visual novel well-done with all its mechanics, artwork, narrative functions, and setting development.”
- “The art style is likable, in my opinion.”
atmosphere
10 mentions
60 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its dark and intriguing qualities, enhanced by a fitting soundtrack and impressive artwork. Reviewers appreciate how these elements contribute to the overall immersive experience, making it a compelling atmospheric mystery visual novel.
- “The story has a dark and intriguing atmosphere.”
- “Soundtrack and all art are pretty great, and very atmospheric.”
- “The plot and characters are really good, and most of the OST really suits the atmosphere of the situation.”
- “The plot and characters are really good, a lot better than the drowned mermaid, and most of the OST really suits the atmosphere of the situation.”
emotional
8 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of heartwarming moments and philosophical exchanges, allowing players to form various relationships, though these connections are only partially explored. While the narrative includes mystery and humor, it can also evoke strong feelings, making it a compelling experience for those open to emotional engagement. Overall, players find satisfaction in the story's resolution, despite some emotionally challenging moments.
- “Without spoiling, though, I was satisfied by the true ending and really enjoyed reading and finding out what was going on the whole way through, even if it got a little emotionally rough for me by the end.”
- “The game is not a tragedy exactly, but if you want something that can touch or mess with your feelings depending on how emotional you are, I would recommend this ride of feels lol (*＾∀ﾟ)ъ.”
- “- Great story with lots of mystery and twists, but also heartwarming and funny moments.”
humor
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game features a compelling story filled with mystery and twists, complemented by heartwarming and humorous moments. Players appreciate the blend of comedy in various scenes and interactions, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The game features a great story with lots of mystery and twists, but also heartwarming and funny moments.”
- “The game includes a bit of comedy with funny scenes and interactions.”
- “The game features a great story with lots of mystery and twists, but also heartwarming and funny moments.”
grinding
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game somewhat tedious, although the inclusion of a skip feature for previously read text alleviates some of the monotony. The game's relatively short length, clocking in at just under 5 hours, also helps mitigate the grinding experience.
- “Of course, the skip feature makes text you already read not much of a problem, and the game isn't extremely long (I clocked in just under 5 hours), but I still found it a bit tedious.”
character development
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the character development, highlighting the appealing personalities crafted by the writer and the attractive art and character designs. This combination enhances the overall engagement with the characters.
- “I find the characters appealing in both the personality the writer has given them and the art/character designs themselves.”