Newfound Courage

About

Newfound Courage is a single player simulation game with a romance theme. It was developed by Cafe Empty and was released on March 22, 2019. It received very positive reviews from players.

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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94%

Audience ScoreBased on 289 reviews

story121 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features a heartfelt and relatable story that explores the complexities of being gay, including themes of unrequited love and self-acceptance.
The pixel art style and atmospheric soundtrack enhance the emotional experience, making the game visually appealing and immersive.
The characters are well-developed and engaging, with their individual stories adding depth to the overall narrative.

Players expecting a traditional romance may be disappointed, as the game focuses more on personal growth and friendship rather than a romantic relationship.
Some gameplay mechanics, such as puzzles and combat, can feel simplistic or clunky, detracting from the overall experience.
The story may leave some plot points unresolved or confusing, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction for players seeking a more conclusive narrative.

story
312 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
59%
2%
The game's story is a heartfelt exploration of identity, friendship, and unrequited love, centered around the character Alex, a gay boy navigating his emotions and relationships in a fantasy setting. While some players appreciated the emotional depth and relatability of the narrative, others felt misled by marketing that suggested a romantic focus, as the plot often diverges into themes of self-acceptance and community rather than traditional romance. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its emotional impact and character development, though some found it occasionally confusing or lacking in resolution.
- “A beautiful story about love, friendship, growth, and perseverance.”
- “The storytelling in this game is powerful, and doesn't come at the expense of it still being a game.”
- “The story is an emotional roller coaster that can really hit home, and it's an experience I highly recommend to everyone.”
- “I don't think I have ever regretted buying a game before... maybe don't use a cover of the guys that makes it appear like a lighthearted romance and do an unrequited storyline.”
- “It is a wonderful game, but if you are looking for a gay romance story, you will not find it here.”
- “The two aspects of the story (love/acceptance and the world under threat) feel disconnected.”
emotional
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely praised for its emotional depth, with many players reporting that it made them cry multiple times due to its touching narrative and relatable characters. The combination of heartfelt storytelling, a beautiful soundtrack, and themes of self-acceptance and found family resonates strongly, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community. While some players felt the emotional development could be deeper, the overall experience is described as heartwarming and impactful, making it a recommended choice for those seeking a meaningful gaming experience.
- “Only two pieces of media have ever made me emotional, and one of them is this game.”
- “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 storytelling hit all of the right emotions, the characters were all so unique and well-developed, and the game managed to get me to emotionally connect with them in such a quick amount of time.”
music
77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
36%
4%
The music in the game is widely praised for its emotional depth and ability to enhance the narrative, with many reviewers highlighting its atmospheric qualities and beautiful composition. While some noted abrupt transitions in the music during cutscenes, the overall sentiment is that the soundtrack is captivating and integral to the game's experience, often evoking strong emotional responses. Many players recommend listening to the soundtrack outside of the game, underscoring its quality and impact.
- “The music is emotionally moving.”
- “The soundtrack beautifully captures the mood of each scene.”
- “The art style, music, and story are all incredible.”
- “Music doesn't gradually reduce volume but instead it usually stops abruptly within a cutscene.”
- “Graphics is quite bland and the gameplay is sometimes confusing, music looping problems and other animations kind of bother me.”
- “Although it is easy to play, it doesn't get boring, and the soundtrack always fits the mood so well.”
gameplay
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
73%
7%
The gameplay of "Newfound Courage" is generally described as simple and functional, with a focus on narrative rather than complex mechanics. While some players appreciate its straightforward puzzles and quirky moments, many criticize the combat and overall gameplay experience as lacking depth and variety. The game is often saved by its engaging story, but the gameplay alone may not satisfy those seeking a more robust gaming experience.
- “Newfound Courage is not a huge game, and doesn't take insanely long to play through, but it has a well-written and refined story with simple gameplay.”
- “An incredibly captivating game with simple gameplay that works well with the well-rounded narrative.”
- “The gameplay is straightforward and the puzzles are simple, but the game's main draw is its story.”
- “The gameplay and story are weak; at least give me that one thing?”
- “The game is mostly saved by its story, but the gameplay has a lot to be desired.”
- “But when it comes to the DLC... to be honest, it's inching towards 'not recommended territory' due to the gameplay alone.”
graphics
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
57%
9%
The graphics of the game are characterized by charming pixel art that effectively complements its narrative and emotional depth. While some players find the visuals simple, many appreciate their cuteness and the overall artistic style, which enhances the storytelling experience. The recent graphical updates have also been positively noted, contributing to a delightful aesthetic that resonates well with fans of indie adventure games.
- “The characters were so cute, the humor is hilarious, the art style is beautiful, along with the story; I just wanted to keep exploring the world and meeting the quirky characters.”
- “The pixel art graphics look good to me; I think that a lot of work went into them and they serve the story well — but even if you don’t like that kind of graphics much, I’d really recommend this game for its story alone.”
- “This game immerses you into their world through a beautiful soundtrack, great visuals, and compelling characters.”
- “Graphically nothing extraordinary, but worth the asking price nonetheless.”
- “Graphics is quite bland and the gameplay is sometimes confusing, as well as quite unrealistic or slightly bland characters and confusing storyline and worldbuilding.”
- “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.”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its quirky and unexpected moments, often catching players off guard and eliciting genuine laughter. Reviewers highlight the effective balance between serious themes and comedic elements, with characters delivering funny and relatable dialogue that enhances the overall experience. The combination of beautiful art, a compelling story, and humorous interactions creates a memorable and engaging atmosphere.
- “The characters were so cute, the humor is hilarious, the art style is beautiful, along with the story; I just wanted to keep exploring the world and meeting the quirky characters.”
- “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.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by clean, expressive pixel art and a strong, fitting soundtrack that elevates the overall experience. However, some players noted that certain character dialogues and poor UI choices can disrupt immersion, alongside issues like sudden music cuts and untelegraphed combat mechanics. Despite these drawbacks, the overall ambiance is praised for its calming and engaging qualities, contributing positively to the storytelling and character interactions.
- “Clean, expressive pixel art paired with a strong, atmospheric soundtrack.”
- “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 magical 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 of the game is undermined by questionable design decisions that disrupt immersion, such as abrupt music changes and inconsistent object movements.”
- “While the music selection is commendable and elevates the atmosphere, it is not enough to compensate for the other elements that detract from the overall experience.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
Character development in the game has received mixed feedback; while some players find it intriguing and engaging, contributing positively to the overall story, others describe it as bland and unrealistic. Despite these criticisms, many players appreciate the depth of personalities and the enjoyable progression of characters throughout the narrative.
- “So far I have enjoyed the character development and the story immensely.”
- “Character development and personalities are intriguing and keep me drawn in.”
- “The storyline itself has been great so far and the character development has been really fun.”
- “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 storyline and character arcs are confusing, leaving me feeling disconnected from the characters.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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 and require repetitive actions. While some enjoyed the overall experience, many expressed a desire for more engaging exploration and puzzle-solving, rather than the repetitive and vintage game tropes that detracted from the urgency of the narrative.
- “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).”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its excellent optimization, running smoothly while utilizing minimal system resources.
- “The game runs smoothly with very low resource usage, so big thumbs up for that!”
- “The optimization is impressive, allowing for a seamless experience even on lower-end hardware.”
- “I appreciate how well the game is optimized; it maintains high frame rates without sacrificing visual quality.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for misleading advertising, particularly regarding its portrayal of romantic 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.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has limited replayability due to its short length and linear structure, which discourages players from revisiting it after completion.
- “I’d say that there isn’t much replay value; after all, the game isn’t very long and is fairly linear.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report a positive experience with stability, noting that they have not encountered any significant glitches during gameplay.

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5h Median play time

6h Average play time

3h Main story

4h Completionist

4-9h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Newfound Courage is a simulation game with romance theme.

Newfound Courage is available on PC, Mac OS, Xbox One, Windows and others.

The main story can be completed in around 3 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 4 hours to finish. On average players spend around 6 hours playing Newfound Courage.

Newfound Courage was released on March 22, 2019.

Newfound Courage was developed by Cafe Empty.

Newfound Courage has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its character development.

Newfound Courage is a single player game.

Similar games include Rakuen, A Bird Story, Until Then, Night in the Woods, The First Tree and others.

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