Cascade Cafe
- October 16, 2021
- spectragate
Join a group of friends as they play a relaxing path building boardgame, inspired by games of the Suujin Taisen genre. Place your tiles to line them up and connect their bridges, then combine their values to build unique sequences.
Reviews
- The game offers a relaxing and cozy atmosphere with charming characters and soothing music, making it enjoyable to unwind.
- Gameplay is easy to learn but allows for strategic depth, providing a satisfying experience for both casual and more serious players.
- The offline play feature is a significant advantage, allowing players to enjoy the game without needing an internet connection.
- The AI is simplistic and easy to defeat, which can diminish the challenge and excitement of the game.
- The storyline is considered bland and uninspired, lacking character development and engaging plot elements.
- Some gameplay mechanics, such as special cards and traps, feel unnecessary and do not significantly enhance the experience against the AI.
- story36 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 83 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally considered uninspired and lacks depth, with a visual novel style that fails to engage players beyond the basic premise of a tournament. While the characters are visually appealing, they do not exhibit significant development or interesting dialogue, focusing mainly on the board game mechanics. Players express a desire for more content and character interaction, as well as improvements to the AI in story mode.
“The game of cascade is very easy to learn and get into, especially as it is being explained piece by piece as you progress in story mode by both playing and through banter with players you meet.”
“Story mode offers 30 levels, no difficulty settings, but it's not a hard campaign.”
“My playtime includes nothing but singleplayer content, a handful of puzzles, vs. CPU, and the main course of the story mode, consisting of 30 matches.”
“The story is fine, if uninspired - you meet the characters and play them all multiple times leading up to the big tournament (which turns out to be a single game).”
“The visual novel style overstory is incredibly bland; the characters are visually appealing (except the player character who looks weird and inconsistent), but the characters don't really talk about themselves or anything except the board game, with no overarching plot or character development.”
“The story is all flavors of fluff.”
- music18 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is consistently praised for its relaxing and soothing qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. Players appreciate how the cozy soundtrack complements the cute characters and engaging puzzles, creating a calm and positive vibe. The option to enjoy the music in 'chillout mode' further adds to the game's appeal, allowing players to unwind while listening to the soundtrack.
“On top of everything, the cozy soundtrack allows you to sink in and relax even further.”
“I love the atmosphere for this game - the music, art, and pacing of the game all work together to create a calm, positive vibe.”
“I love the relaxing music, thoughtful strategy in the gameplay, and the overall look of the game.”
“'Chillout mode' is just a potentially noisy screensaver; you can watch the computer play against itself while listening to the soundtrack.”
“The music is fine for a chilled mood, but it doesn't add much to the overall experience.”
“While the cozy soundtrack allows you to sink in and relax, it can also feel repetitive and uninspired over time.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Gameplay is characterized by its simplicity, which can evolve into complexity through strategic elements, making it enjoyable and engaging. However, the lack of mid-level saving can be frustrating, especially since levels can be lengthy and involve multiple mechanics and scoring systems. Overall, the combination of relaxing music and thoughtful strategy enhances the gaming experience.
“I love the relaxing music, thoughtful strategy in the gameplay, and the overall look of the game.”
“Simple gameplay, but can be complex and fun when you start throwing in strategies.”
“No mid-level saving and levels can take a while, with more mechanics and higher scores in play, so it's a problem.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its relaxing and warm qualities, enhanced by soothing music, charming art, and a gentle pace. The inclusion of lighthearted dialogue and humor further contributes to a calm and positive vibe, making it an enjoyable experience for players.
“I love the atmosphere for this game - the music, art, and pacing of the game all work together to create a calm, positive vibe.”
“What you see is what you get - a relaxing puzzle with a warm atmosphere.”
“The same goes for all the small talk and mild humor that fit the atmosphere.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is criticized for being minimal, with characters primarily focused on the board game rather than their own stories or growth. While the visual design of the characters is noted as appealing, the lack of depth and engaging dialogue detracts from the overall experience.
“The visual novel style overstory is incredibly bland; the characters are visually appealing (except the player character who looks weird and inconsistent), but they don't really talk about themselves or anything except the board game. There's no overarching plot or character development.”
“The character development is lacking, as the characters seem to revolve solely around the board game without any depth or personal stories.”
“Despite the appealing visuals, the characters fail to engage in meaningful dialogue or development, leaving the narrative feeling flat and uninteresting.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their appealing art style, which is described as deliberately lucid and comforting, complemented by a fitting sound accompaniment.
“I dig the art style and the sound accompaniment; they're both deliberately lucid and comforting.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by light-hearted small talk that complements the overall atmosphere, creating a pleasant and engaging experience for players.
“The same goes for all the small talk and mild humor that fit the atmosphere.”