Touhou Mystia's Izakaya

99%
Game Brain Score Based on 5,030 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • story
Touhou Mystia's Izakaya Game Cover
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In "Touhou Mystia's Izakaya," players manage a bar and serve a variety of food and drinks to quirky Touhou characters, striving to keep them happy and increase their establishment's reputation. The game features a casual, relaxing atmosphere with a focus on building relationships and customer satisfaction. As the story progresses, players may uncover hidden adventures and engage in bonus events.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

99%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,030 reviews
gameplay310 positive mentions
grinding36 negative mentions
  • gameplay696 mentions

    The gameplay of this title is characterized by a well-designed and addictive loop that combines cooking and restaurant management with charming pixel art and a delightful soundtrack. Players engage in a day-night cycle where they gather ingredients and serve customers, with mechanics that are simple yet offer depth for those looking to optimize their experience. While some find the gameplay can become repetitive over time, the overall atmosphere and character interactions keep it engaging and enjoyable, making it a highly recommended choice for fans of casual management games.

    • “The gameplay is sublime, with a focus on serving custom orders to suit a particular customer's taste that forms a great loop.”
    • “The gameplay loop is fun with sufficient depth to it, somehow avoiding being truly repetitive until you decide to '100%' the game, and the pixel art in its cute style is mesmerizing.”
    • “The gameplay is interesting, it's easy to understand but hard to master and you will need to spend many times to play until you can master it.”
    • “I can see the gameplay goals of why the menu'ing is so messy and complex, but holy smokes it took a while to get used to and get into.”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay doesn't really change, after you get used to it, it starts to feel stale and repetitive.”
    • “The gameplay loop is simple if not a bit repetitive, but fun.”
  • music688 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its beautiful arrangements of classic Touhou tracks that enhance the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. The soundtrack is described as relaxing, catchy, and dynamic, adapting to the game's progression and adding depth to the restaurant management mechanics. Overall, players find the music to be a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.

    • “The music is also far above expectations and an absolute treat, which is already an astoundingly high bar given the source material; the dynamic audio for the stages of izakaya nights with increasingly beautiful arrangements of classic and beloved songs is just a delicious icing on the already phenomenal cake.”
    • “The soundtrack is a complete masterpiece, especially during the night segment.”
    • “The music is charming and the fact the music ramps up as you do better during gameplay just gives each night more life as your place is packed and filled with customers.”
    • “I liked the dialog, the graphics, the foraging during the day and restaurant management at night, but be warned: just after you've played enough to void a return, the game introduces a music note mini game you're now forced to do every single time you want to cook a dish and it just killed the game for me.”
    • “The only thing I dislike is the music game.”
    • “- the music gets tedious.”
  • story628 mentions

    The story of "Touhou Mystia's Izakaya" is characterized as light-hearted and charming, featuring a cast of beloved characters from the Touhou universe, with engaging interactions and a simple yet effective narrative. Players appreciate the blend of cooking management and character-driven storytelling, although some note that the quests can become repetitive over time. Overall, the game is praised for its cute art style, enjoyable music, and the ability to appeal to both fans of the franchise and newcomers alike, making it a delightful experience despite its straightforward plot.

    • “The story is simple but effective as every character is charming and their interactions fun.”
    • “It's amazing how much love the devs put into it, it's so fun and relaxing to play this game, and you also get to experience a very well-designed story and events with things that make happy everyone, from the fans of Touhou to all the new players.”
    • “The story is light-hearted and chill, which fits this game perfectly.”
    • “I don't think I'm far in the story yet, so maybe this will change, but the quests could be more creative and engaging; you're just doing the same thing every time. Overall, it's okay.”
    • “The cutscenes sometimes drag out a lot, but the story is decent.”
    • “The story is pretty basic; it's divided up into different areas where you make friends with various residents to get new recipes and bonuses.”
  • graphics324 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and vibrant pixel art style, which adds a delightful aesthetic to the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the cuteness of the character designs and environments, noting that the visuals are not only appealing but also enhance the relaxing gameplay. The combination of beautiful artwork and a soothing soundtrack creates an engaging atmosphere that resonates well with players, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “The artwork is wonderful, every character and environment is well drawn in a very appealing pixel style, and are all very very very cute!!”
    • “The pixel art style is super cute and instantly recognizable.”
    • “The graphics are cute, the music is amazing (of course) and the dialogue and story are well thought out, and I love how it gave a spotlight to some of my favourite characters!”
    • “Looks very cute, though I would have preferred more 'full resolution' CGs and character artwork.”
    • “As someone who enjoys cooking and restaurant sims, it is rare to see something become a success on Steam; either the game has great concepts but falls flat with the same failure rate as the restaurant industry in real life, or they last long only for mediocre visuals to put a hamper on the gameplay cycle.”
    • “I've come across a few small spelling errors, and a few graphical bugs (just minor stuff in the UI), but I feel like that's just part of the charm, honestly :)”
  • humor156 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and light-heartedness, featuring funny dialogue and whimsical character interactions that enhance the overall experience. Players find the comedic elements, including pop culture references and fourth-wall breaks, to be engaging and entertaining, making the game a relaxing yet amusing adventure. While some note that the dialogue can be excessive, the overall consensus is that the humor adds a delightful layer to the gameplay, making it enjoyable for both fans and newcomers alike.

    • “It is a sweet and soothing game filled with humor.”
    • “So if I had to sum up my thoughts: a wonderful, funny and relaxing game able to bring some sweetness to the heart.”
    • “The dialogue between the characters is also hilarious and captures the whimsical feel of the Touhou universe.”
  • emotional90 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is overwhelmingly positive, with players highlighting its wholesome storytelling, charming character interactions, and lighthearted gameplay that fosters a deep emotional connection with the characters. Many reviewers describe the game as a heartwarming experience that provides comfort and joy, making it an ideal choice for relaxation and emotional detox. The blend of cute art, engaging narratives, and the nostalgic feel of managing a restaurant in a beloved universe resonates strongly with fans, creating a delightful and memorable experience.

    • “The story is really cute and heartfelt too, big love for this game.”
    • “This game truly melts my heart with the wholesome and cute interactions between the characters!”
    • “Game so good it made me cry of happiness and taught me the beauty of making and eating food; you should spend your life playing this.”
  • atmosphere58 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its soothing and cozy qualities, enhanced by beautiful pixel art and delightful music that adapts to the gameplay. Players appreciate the charming characters and the warm, welcoming environment, which creates a comforting experience reminiscent of titles like Stardew Valley. Despite some critiques of the gameplay's repetitiveness, the overall ambiance remains engaging and enjoyable, making it a perfect choice for those seeking a relaxing gaming experience.

    • “The art is beautiful, the characters are cute, and the atmosphere is so comfy.”
    • “One of the best parts of this game is probably the atmosphere; the world and the characters are all so charming, and the game just gives off a homey feeling overall.”
    • “The coziness from this small slice of Gensokyo helps to contribute to such a calming and friendly atmosphere, but a looming threat and special missions help to keep things exciting at the same time.”
    • “I bought the game due to its warm and comfy looking atmosphere, but what I ended up with was the opposite.”
    • “Gameplay is very grind and routine by the end, but the atmosphere is always casual and neat.”
    • “The gameplay cycle might not be the most ambitious or creative, but that's part of the relaxing atmosphere, I guess.”
  • grinding38 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious at times, particularly in the late game and with DLC content, but many appreciate the rewarding payoffs and the cozy atmosphere it provides. The cooking mechanics and resource gathering can lead to extensive gameplay hours, with some players enjoying the challenge of mastering customer preferences and ingredient management. Overall, while grinding is present, it is often balanced by the game's charm and engaging content.

    • “The game is soothing just how its atmosphere relaxes whilst cooking... cooking in immense ingredients this had me put all my blood and sweat for 100 hours of grinding, training, memorizing every ingredient known in existence and have my time spared for every achievement there is to exist purposely collect.”
    • “That being said, as a resource gathering game with an extensive story and NPC backgrounds, this game may feel grindy at times.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
  • character development16 mentions

    The character development in "Touhou Mystia's Izakaya" is praised for its depth, with each character exhibiting distinct personalities and individual storylines that enhance the overall experience. Reviewers appreciate the charming and well-written character designs, which effectively translate from the original Touhou series, contributing to the game's engaging narrative. Overall, the combination of detailed character design and personality adds a delightful layer to the restaurant simulation gameplay.

    • “In terms of character development, I find each of the characters so full of personality and with their own individualistic storylines.”
    • “I'm not familiar with whatever franchise this game actually comes from, but the character designs are quite interesting and they seem pretty well-written.”
    • “The character designs from the original Touhou series transfer over to this art style nicely.”
  • stability10 mentions

    The game's stability is notably problematic, with users reporting issues such as erratic menu navigation, intense screen vibrations when using the mouse, and occasional interface freezes. Additionally, the English translation is incomplete and buggy, leading to further frustrations, including the need to restart gameplay due to glitches. Overall, these stability issues significantly detract from the user experience.

    • “Opening a menu/window doesn't guarantee the highlighted box is where you'll expect it to be (starts at random places), screen/control labels vibrate intensely if you try to use your mouse to get around the clunky controls, and sometimes the interface freezes.”
    • “Translation is not perfect and the DLC is not yet translated, and I've encountered a few glitches and bugs.”
    • “Still buggy; however, on some occasions, I had to restart that whole cooking day.”
  • optimization10 mentions

    The game is well-optimized, running smoothly with a charming soundtrack and cute characters, though it is noted that it performs better with a USB controller compared to keyboard controls. Players appreciate the ability to adjust performance settings, making it both entertaining and efficient in terms of battery usage. Overall, the optimization contributes positively to the enjoyable gameplay experience.

    • “Its adorable characters, enjoyable storyline, and the freedom to pause and explore at my own pace have made it a game that I've thoroughly enjoyed restarting to improve my performance.”
    • “This is a game that begs to have nearly every performance bar tweaked down, making this a game that is absolutely entertaining while being a battery sipper.”
    • “This is, however, an extremely minor complaint given that I have a USB controller and it is much more comfortable that way (the game seems to be optimized for that more so than keyboard) -- I highly recommend using one if you have one.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    The game is highly regarded for its replayability, with players noting that its core mechanics and engaging gameplay loop make it enjoyable even for those unfamiliar with the Touhou series. Additionally, quality-of-life features and appealing soundtracks enhance the overall experience, contributing to its status as one of the most replayable games available.

    • “It has quality of life aspects and replayability; the BGM and soundtracks are very nice too.”
    • “This is one of the most replayable games I have ever played.”
    • “Even without any Touhou knowledge, the core mechanics of the game, as well as the gameplay loop, create a replayable and exciting experience.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization strategy for the game has been criticized as lacking originality, with some users perceiving it as a cash grab reminiscent of RPG Maker projects. Additionally, the promotional materials for downloadable content (DLC) have been deemed unoriginal, further detracting from the game's perceived value.

    • “The overworld game is a bit of a letdown; it looks like some RPG Maker cash grab.”
    • “The developer posted an advertisement for DLC2 for his project 'Touhou Mystia Izakaya' using a heavily reused image. If you search online, you can find the original version that was posted on May 4th.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

24hMedian play time
35hAverage play time
9-65hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 40 analyzed playthroughs

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