Newfound Courage

About

"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 Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 278 reviews

story118 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features a beautiful and emotional story that resonates with players, particularly those in the LGBTQ+ community.
The art style and soundtrack are charming, enhancing the overall experience and immersion in the game.
Characters are well-developed and relatable, making players feel invested in their journeys and struggles.

The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more content and exploration.
Some players found the puzzles to be simplistic and the gameplay lacking in depth, making it feel more like a visual novel than a traditional game.
There are instances of misleading marketing regarding the romantic aspects, leading to disappointment for those expecting a more traditional love story.

story
299 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
59%
2%
The game's story is widely praised for its emotional depth, relatable themes of love, friendship, and personal growth, often resonating strongly with players, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community. While some found the narrative engaging and beautifully crafted, others noted that it could be confusing or felt incomplete, with a desire for more exploration and character development. Overall, the storytelling, combined with charming characters and a captivating soundtrack, creates a memorable experience that many recommend, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and clarity.
- “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 storytelling in this game is powerful, and doesn't come at the expense of it still being a game.”
- “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.”
emotional
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised, with many players reporting that it elicited strong feelings, including multiple instances of crying during gameplay. The touching narrative, relatable characters, and beautiful soundtrack contribute to a heartfelt experience that resonates deeply, particularly with themes of self-acceptance and the LGBTQ+ journey. While some players noted a desire for deeper character development, the overall sentiment is that the game successfully delivers a compelling and emotional story that many found impactful and memorable.
- “But I do say I love the story; I cried a total of 3 times and had to hold back tears on 4 other occasions, with only 4 hours of game time.”
- “What a beautiful, emotional story and thoroughly enjoyable experience.”
- “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.”
music
75 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
33%
4%
The music in the game is widely praised for its emotional depth and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers describing it as beautiful, captivating, and perfectly fitting for the story. The soundtrack not only complements the gameplay but also resonates with players on a personal level, making it a standout feature that many recommend experiencing. Overall, the combination of stunning visuals and a remarkable musical score contributes significantly to the game's charm and emotional impact.
- “Let me just start by saying that the music and environments are phenomenal.”
- “The music is absolutely breathtaking; it made it twice as good.”
- “The soundtrack beautifully captures the mood of each scene.”
- “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.”
- “The soundtrack has a huge part to play in this, and although it does loop in places, it still manages to squeeze every little bit of feeling out of the scene.”
gameplay
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
74%
9%
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 or forced, particularly in comparison to previous installments. Overall, the game is characterized by its engaging story and pixel art, with gameplay that is easy to navigate but may not satisfy those seeking more complex mechanics.
- “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.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
50%
10%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, which enhances the storytelling and overall experience. Many players appreciate the beautiful visuals and the emotional depth they convey, while some note that the graphics, though simple, effectively complement the game's narrative and music. Overall, the art style is considered a significant strength, appealing particularly to fans of retro-inspired 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 art style, music, and story are all incredible.”
- “The visuals of the game are also delightful, and the side characters' own little backstories are also interesting and worth your attention.”
- “Graphically nothing extraordinary, but worth the asking price nonetheless.”
- “Graphics are quite bland and the gameplay is sometimes confusing, as well as quite unrealistic or slightly bland characters.”
- “This game just had a big overhaul to improve the graphics and story.”
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. It effectively balances serious themes with comedic elements, featuring relatable and interesting characters that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the blend of touching and funny dialogue, making for a memorable and emotionally engaging journey.
- “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
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its strong music selection, which significantly enhances immersion and complements the story and characters. However, some players noted that certain character statements and design choices, such as poor UI and abrupt music cuts, can disrupt the immersive experience. Overall, while the atmosphere is largely effective, it is occasionally undermined by these inconsistencies.
- “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, objects that move independently of the background, sudden music cuts, and the need to quickly change key bindings when entering untelegraphed fighting areas.”
- “While the music selection is commendable and elevates the atmosphere, it is not enough to compensate for the overall lack of cohesion in the game's environment.”
- “The atmosphere suffers from inconsistencies that disrupt immersion, making it difficult to stay engaged with the game's world.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players find it intriguing and engaging, contributing positively to the overall story, others criticize it as bland and unrealistic. Despite these differing opinions, many players appreciate the depth of personalities and the fun aspects of character growth.
- “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, leaving me disconnected from the story.”
- “I found the character development to be lacking depth, which made it hard to engage with the narrative.”
- “The characters seem underdeveloped, and their motivations are confusing, which detracts from the overall experience.”
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).”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for misleading advertising, particularly regarding the portrayal of its narrative elements, such as the expectation of a queer romantic ending. Players feel that the game's marketing does not align with the actual content, detracting from their overall experience.
- “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 is designed to push players towards spending money rather than enjoying the gameplay.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game has limited replayability due to its short length and linear structure, which may not encourage players to revisit it after completing the main storyline.
- “I’d say that there isn’t much replay value; after all, the game isn’t very long and is fairly linear.”
- “Once you complete the game, there’s really no incentive to go back and play it again.”
- “The lack of different endings or choices makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
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.”
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.