Espresso Tycoon Prologue: Underwater

About

You are the owner of an underwater cafe in Sydney. You must keep your customers happy by serving them delicious coffee and snacks. The goal of the game is to keep the shop running smoothly and efficiently. What's more - since it’s an underwater café you can help raise awareness of the problems related to the sea animals, ocean pollution and producing too much trash. There will be a variety of …

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Espresso Tycoon Prologue: Underwater screenshot

+14

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 233 reviews

graphics12 positive mentions

monetization10 negative mentions

The game offers a unique underwater setting for a coffee shop, providing a visually appealing and relaxing atmosphere.
Customization options for drinks and cafe decor are extensive, allowing players to create unique coffee recipes and personalize their cafes.
The tutorial is informative and helps players understand the mechanics of the game, making it accessible for newcomers to the tycoon genre.

Many players experience technical issues, including crashes and problems with the game not starting or loading properly.
The gameplay can become repetitive after a short time, with limited challenges and a lack of depth in management mechanics.
Some mechanics, such as the drink creation system and customer preferences, feel unbalanced and can lead to frustration.

graphics
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
42%
12%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their hyper-realistic style and smooth performance, making them some of the best seen in management and tycoon games. Players appreciate the visually appealing design that enhances the overall gameplay experience, contributing to immersion and enjoyment. While some noted that the graphics may not stand out significantly, they are still considered solid and well-executed for the genre.
- “The graphics are very nice, everything is very hyper-realistic without being cheesy like some of the other tycoon games out there.”
- “The graphic style of this game is really pleasing.”
- “Good graphics and nice audio design help you immerse yourself in the game and enjoy it, I recommend it.”
- “While in terms of graphics, the game doesn't exactly stand out, but that is largely unimportant to most 'tycoon' enthusiasts.”
- “All of the cup sizes are generally too big, so aesthetically it doesn't look right.”
- “The graphics are solid, the gameplay is logical, and the process of building from blank walls and black coffee to a plush shop and fancy drinks is satisfying.”
story
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
74%
13%
The story aspect of the game is primarily centered around managing a coffee shop through a series of missions, with the prologue offering a single, albeit challenging, mission that introduces players to the mechanics of the game. While players appreciate the potential for future content and the relaxing nature of the scenario, there are concerns about unclear objectives and a lack of sandbox options, which may limit creative freedom. Overall, the narrative framework is seen as a promising foundation for a more expansive and engaging experience in the full game.
- “Espresso Tycoon Prologue: Underwater is a standalone mission from the complete game in which you will manage your own coffee shop and build it by making your own beverage recipes, decorating it, and hiring competent employees.”
- “I personally liked the prologue of the future game; the game has a future. Building a coffee shop from scratch is exactly what you need. The prologue is successful, and the missions are not complicated. I'm waiting for the release.”
- “The tutorial setting doesn't show all of its visual potential, but the scenario mission is very relaxing.”
- “Instead of 'play', it says something about 'lebenslauf', and the third mission objective was unclear because the items you need are called something else in the store than in the mission objective.”
- “The only criticism I have for the game is there is no sandbox option; you have to do the mission and finish it in order to get far enough to make enough to kind of do whatever you want.”
- “There is not much to play in the prologue: training and one mission.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
The gameplay is generally enjoyable and easy to grasp after a lengthy tutorial, featuring a charming underwater cafe theme and solid graphics. While some mechanics can be confusing or occasionally glitchy, the overall experience is enhanced by customization options and a satisfying gameplay loop. Players appreciate the blend of strategic elements and ambiance, though some desire more depth and variety in the mechanics.
- “The mechanics and whatnot are pretty straightforward and easy to understand after you do the tutorial.”
- “The graphics are solid, the gameplay is logical, and the process of building from blank walls and black coffee to a plush shop and fancy drinks is satisfying.”
- “Fun music, gameplay loop, and overall atmosphere.”
- “The mechanics are a bit wonky - sometimes the barista will spin around in a circle while the line is out the door - and customers get upset.”
- “Although I stated that the tutorial would cover the majority of the gameplay, the tutorial itself is somewhat weak in depth.”
- “That's not really gameplay, is it?”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
31%
19%
The music in the game is widely praised for its delightful and varied nature, contributing to a relaxing atmosphere that enhances the overall gameplay experience. However, players have expressed frustration with the inconsistency of music transitions, particularly when moving between different areas or modes, and have requested that the jukebox music carry over as background music for a more seamless experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, complementing the game's chill vibe and engaging graphics.
- “The gameplay is smooth and the music options are nice.”
- “The music is delightful and varied enough that I haven't decided to mute the sound!”
- “Great sim, you can create your own coffee and coffee shop just the way you like it, tutorial guides you through the basics quite nicely and the music is amazing!”
- “Devs, if you see this <3 - please for the love of god allow the music you have set on the jukebox/stereo to carry over like it's the background music. It's really disconcerting to pan the camera around outside the shop and have little to no music, and then suddenly blast yourself if you drop in next to a music source - or when you pop into the editor and have a completely different music track playing.”
- “If you're looking for a way to make sure guests can hear the music from the source, you can just include an aura around the source when it's selected.”
- “Basically, the music of this game is somewhat relaxing and suits the game.”
monetization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of "Espresso Tycoon Prologue: Underwater" has been criticized for being misleading, as it functions more as an advertisement for the actual game "Espresso Tycoon" rather than a standalone product. This practice of mislabeling demos or advertisements as full games is seen as harmful to both gamers and legitimate developers, as it occupies valuable marketing space on platforms like Steam. Overall, the approach raises concerns about transparency and the integrity of game marketing.
- “I can't recommend advertisements to gamers.”
- “While it might seem like an innocuous mistake, publishing demos and advertisements as if they are full games is misleading and in some ways harmful.”
- “Often developers may choose to incorrectly publish demo/advertisements as separate games as a cheap way to bypass paying Valve for marketing presence on the Steam front page, which may seem clever to them, but it's harmful behavior and it's not good for gamers.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players noting the developer's clever sense of humor and the amusing cartoonish elements. Many find the quirky scenarios, such as toilet censorship and absurd customer interactions, to be particularly entertaining, contributing to an overall enjoyable and lighthearted atmosphere.
- “The dev has a cool sense of humor.”
- “I think toilet censorship is kinda hilarious, but how everyone is using sandpaper and never complains about it kinda made me question life.”
- “I came to drink coffee with a shark above you; it's very funny. The graphics and the menu are perfect, you just understand everything without learning, and it's very convenient.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its relaxing and soothing qualities, enhanced by a unique underwater café setting. Players appreciate the combination of fun music, engaging gameplay, and the creative potential for crafting a pleasant environment, making it an enjoyable experience overall.
- “It has a wonderful atmosphere, realistic but soothing management, and best of all, coffee and cursed coffee combinations.”
- “Its a really relaxing game to play if you enjoy the cafe atmosphere.”
- “The game looks very cool; the idea of a cafe underwater is interesting, and there are many opportunities to create a pleasant atmosphere.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
Overall, players report that the game runs smoothly without any significant performance issues, even at maximum graphics settings. However, there are suggestions for improved optimization, such as better management tools for tracking sales performance and adjustments to shortcuts for a more efficient gameplay experience.
- “The game runs smoothly; I had no FPS drops at max graphics with accelerated time speed.”
- “To manage the coffee shop and make it run smoothly, you order stock and staff to run it.”
- “Taking this chance to add another thought: it'd be good if there's a way for players to check the sales performance for all the drinks on the menu.”
- “Employees have preferences for their shifts, and their performance varies significantly!”
- “It would be beneficial if there were a way for players to check the sales performance for all the drinks on the menu.”
- “The game needs optimization, and some shortcuts should be changed.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Reviews on replayability are mixed; while some players feel the game lacks longevity and may not offer much incentive to replay, others find it highly replayable, suggesting that the experience may vary significantly based on individual preferences.
- “The replayability for this game is very high.”
- “Anyway, as the game currently sits, it's fine, I just don't think it has longevity or replayability.”
- “Not sure about the replayability, but I guess that's going to depend on each player.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Overall, users report mixed experiences with stability; while some enjoy smooth gameplay initially, others encounter significant glitches and freezing issues after several hours, particularly when customizing their environments. Specific problems include players getting stuck in certain objects and the game becoming unresponsive, necessitating a forced shutdown.
- “Smooth gameplay with no glitches until I reached the 8th hour.”
- “The game runs incredibly stable, providing a seamless experience throughout.”
- “I experienced no crashes or major issues, making for a very enjoyable playthrough.”
- “If you wish to customize your place in detail, I would advise against it because it glitches a lot. If you use certain cabinets, people will get stuck in them.”
- “The game runs smoothly with no glitches until I reached the 8th hour.”
- “When the game glitches, it completely freezes, and I'm unable to click anything. I have to open my task manager and close the game from there.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be deeply impactful, highlighting a heartfelt mission that resonates with them on a personal level. This connection enhances the overall experience, making the narrative and character journeys feel significant and memorable.
- “The game takes you on a heartfelt mission that resonates deeply with your emotions.”
- “Every moment in the game is crafted to evoke genuine feelings, making the experience unforgettable.”
- “The emotional depth of the characters and their journeys truly pulls at your heartstrings.”