Newfound Courage
- March 22, 2019
- Cafe Empty
- 8h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Newfound Courage" is a narrative-driven visual novel game where you play as a barista in a cozy café, navigating through relationships and personal growth. The game features relatable characters, slice-of-life storylines, and choices that impact the protagonist's journey. As the seasons change, so does the café, offering new experiences and chances to form deep connections.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features a beautiful and emotional story that resonates with many players, particularly those in the LGBTQ+ community.
- The characters are well-developed and relatable, with a charming art style and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- Players appreciate the game's humor and heartfelt moments, making it a memorable and enjoyable experience.
- Some players found the gameplay to be simplistic and the puzzles too easy, leading to a feeling of a lack of challenge.
- The game is relatively short, which left some players wanting more content and a deeper exploration of the story and characters.
- There are complaints about misleading marketing, as some players expected a stronger romantic storyline that was not fully realized in the game.
- story249 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely praised for its emotional depth, relatability, and engaging characters, often evoking strong feelings from players. While it explores themes of love, friendship, and self-acceptance, some reviewers noted that it diverges from expectations of a romance narrative, focusing instead on broader experiences and challenges faced by the protagonist. Despite its short length, many players found the storytelling compelling and impactful, with a desire for more content to further develop the intriguing world and characters.
“A beautiful story about love, friendship, growth, and perseverance.”
“The lore is super interesting, the story was full of emotion and each character was engaging.”
“The story is an emotional roller coaster that can really hit home, and it's an experience I highly recommend to everyone.”
“I feel like this game needed to be either doubled in length to accomplish everything it tries to do in its scope well or simply make a fantasy-themed coming of age story or a wizard game with character exploration being dispersed throughout the game more scarcely.”
“While not bad per se (part one fits together nicely after you have experienced the entire thing), the plot is entirely spoken in what are essentially riddles, with vague motions towards a greater story.”
“I hate how the store page and the game is sold to us as a gay adventure love story, and even though you can understand why, it was a little bit of a let down because it ended up being something really different from expected.”
- emotional76 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised, with many players reporting multiple instances of crying and feeling deeply moved by the story. The narrative, which explores themes of self-acceptance and the struggles of growing up queer, is complemented by a captivating soundtrack and relatable characters, creating a heartfelt experience. While some players desired more character development, the overall consensus is that the game successfully delivers a touching and emotional journey that resonates with many.
“I was not expecting the emotional impact that had on me, a gay coming of age story I did not know I needed so much.”
“It is a heartbreakingly beautiful representation of what it is to grow up gay, to find acceptance from others and oneself, and to learn to accept unrequited love.”
“The story itself was compelling and touching.”
- music65 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its emotional depth and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting the soundtrack as a standout feature that beautifully complements the story and visuals. Players describe the music as soothing, captivating, and even breathtaking, often recommending it as a key reason to engage with the game. Despite some minor criticisms regarding looping issues, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack significantly elevates the game's atmosphere and emotional impact.
“The music is emotionally moving.”
“The soundtrack beautifully captures the mood of each scene.”
“The music fits perfectly with every scene and sounds amazing.”
“Some statements made by the characters break from the magic realism atmosphere of the game so directly that the player can be kicked out of the immersion, which is also damaged by some poor UI choices, sudden music cuts, and other questionable decisions.”
“Graphics are quite bland and the gameplay is sometimes confusing, with music looping problems and other animations that bother me, as well as quite unrealistic or slightly bland characters and a confusing storyline.”
“Although it is easy to play, it doesn't get boring, and the soundtrack always fits the mood so well.”
- gameplay27 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as simple and straightforward, often serving as a vehicle for the narrative rather than a focal point itself. While some players appreciate the minimalist mechanics and puzzle-solving elements, others find the gameplay lacking in depth and engagement, with mixed feelings about the battle mechanics introduced in later parts. Overall, the game is praised for its storytelling and artistic elements, but the gameplay experience varies significantly among players.
“The gameplay is straightforward and the puzzles are simple, but the game's main draw is its story.”
“An incredibly captivating game with simple gameplay that works well with the well-rounded narrative.”
“The gameplay is simple but effective for the purpose of storytelling.”
“Part two, however, I cannot quite recommend, and found the gameplay side to be enough of a downgrade from part one that I put the game down.”
“The new gameplay/battle mechanics felt a bit forced at first.”
“Negatives: infantile characters, boring gameplay, simple puzzles.”
- graphics20 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the beautiful art style, particularly the pixel art, which evokes strong emotions and complements the touching storyline. While some found the visuals simple or bland, others praised the overall aesthetic and how well it integrates with the music and narrative. Overall, the graphics are considered charming and fitting for the game's themes, making it a worthwhile experience for players.
“Amazing story, great visuals, great music, and I like the fighting.”
“I'm not usually a fan of this 2D style look, but I was amazed at how simple graphics, cleverly used, can create so much emotion.”
“The art and music tie really well into the story and gameplay as well; the pixel art style is always going to be one of my favorites, and it's nice to see it all tied so well together.”
“Graphically nothing extraordinary, but worth the asking price nonetheless.”
“Graphics are quite bland and the gameplay is sometimes confusing. Music looping problems and other animations kind of bother me, as well as quite unrealistic or slightly bland characters and confusing storyline and worldbuilding.”
“This game just had a big overhaul to improve the graphics and story.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its ability to elicit genuine laughter, often catching players off guard with quirky dialogue and clever fourth-wall breaks. Despite tackling serious themes, the game balances emotional moments with comedic elements, creating a mix of funny, touching, and relatable experiences that resonate with players. Overall, the humor enhances the storytelling, making it both entertaining and impactful.
“There were moments when I literally laughed out loud at some of the humor, and that's unusual for me (I'm more of a silent chuckler when I read something funny).”
“The combat controls are a little clunky, but the dialogue is full of quirky humor that keeps catching me off guard in the best way.”
“The serious subject matter is countered with several moments of humor throughout the story.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its immersive qualities, particularly due to the excellent music selection that enhances the experience. However, some players noted that certain character statements and design choices, such as poor UI and abrupt music cuts, can disrupt immersion and detract from the overall atmosphere. Despite these issues, the story and character development contribute positively to the game's ambiance.
“Really nice and atmospheric game.”
“A big kudos to the music selection as well; it elevated the whole atmosphere of the game by so much.”
“The music itself is calming and wonderfully attuned to the atmosphere of the situations.”
“Some statements made by the characters break from the magic realism atmosphere of the game so directly that the player can be kicked out of the immersion. This immersion is also damaged by some poor UI choices, as well as objects that move independently of the background, sudden music cuts, and the need to quickly change what keys you are using whenever you enter an untelegraphed fighting area.”
“The atmosphere feels inconsistent at times, with jarring transitions that disrupt the overall experience.”
“While the music selection is commendable, it sometimes feels out of place, failing to match the emotional tone of certain scenes.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in the second part, where certain puzzles and quests feel like a waste of time. While some enjoyed the overall experience, many expressed a desire for more engaging exploration and puzzle-solving, rather than repetitive tasks and vintage game tropes.
“Many puzzles are tedious, and especially in part two, feel like they are a waste of time (e.g. the carnival; direction maze where dying requires you to redo all of the prior fights).”
“Would have loved to see more of the exploration and puzzle solving and less of the tedious quests and vintage game tropes (e.g. characters bickering instead of responding to the urgency of their situation).”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for misleading advertising, particularly regarding the portrayal of its narrative elements, which has left players feeling disappointed and misled. Many users express that the game's monetization strategy detracts from their intended escape from reality.
“I play games like this for an escape from all the horrible things about reality, and despite the incredibly misleading advertising, this game is the opposite.”
“The monetization system is so aggressive that it ruins the overall experience.”
“It's frustrating to see that the game prioritizes profit over player enjoyment with constant prompts to spend money.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the depth and progression of the characters, others find them to be unrealistic and lacking in detail. Overall, the character arcs contribute positively to the narrative experience, despite some confusion in the storyline and worldbuilding.
“So far I have enjoyed the character development and the story immensely.”
“The character development feels quite unrealistic and bland, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“I found the character development to be lacking depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
“The characters seem one-dimensional, and their development throughout the game is minimal and unengaging.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report a positive experience with stability, noting that they have not encountered any significant glitches during gameplay.
