Where the Water Tastes Like Wine

Where the Water Tastes Like Wine is an adventure game that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of adventure. Roam the United States countryside, meet interesting folks and swap tall tales until sunrise.

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"Where the Water Tastes Like Wine" is a narrative-driven adventure game that explores American folklore and history. As a homeless storyteller, players travel across the country, collecting and sharing stories with a diverse cast of characters. The game features a striking art style and an original folk soundtrack, with gameplay centered around dialogue and exploration. Reference: - Steam ID: 447120

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 625 reviews

story145 positive mentions

gameplay39 negative mentions

Unique storytelling mechanics that allow stories to evolve as they are retold.
Beautiful art style and an exceptional soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
Engaging characters with diverse backgrounds and well-written narratives.

Slow movement speed and tedious travel mechanics can detract from the overall enjoyment.
Gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, making it more of a walking simulator than a traditional game.
Technical issues such as bugs and performance problems can hinder the experience.

story
605 mentions
24 % positive mentions
74 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story in "Where the Water Tastes Like Wine" is centered around the concept of storytelling itself, set against the backdrop of Depression-era America. Players collect short vignettes and share them with various characters, who request specific types of stories, leading to an evolving narrative experience. While the game is praised for its unique storytelling mechanics and rich atmosphere, many reviewers criticize its slow pacing, lack of depth in individual stories, and the frustrating categorization system that can obscure the intended emotional tone of the tales.
- “Where the Water Tastes Like Wine is a masterful work of art that seamlessly blends storytelling, music, and atmosphere into an unforgettable experience.”
- “The characters and their story are incredibly engaging, and the mechanics of traveling combine together to make you feel like a hobo in the Great Depression traveling.”
- “The storytelling aspect and all is what got me to buy it in the first place.”
- “The camp storytelling mechanic is terrible - especially for folks who have limited grip strength and were expecting a low-key narrative game.”
- “The story collecting and telling mechanic also leaves much to be desired.”
music
402 mentions
49 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in "Where the Water Tastes Like Wine" receives widespread acclaim for its exceptional quality and ability to enhance the game's atmosphere, effectively capturing the essence of depression-era America. However, many players note that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, with a limited number of tracks that are variations of a central theme. Despite this, the combination of folk, blues, and jazz elements, along with strong voice acting, creates a compelling auditory experience that many find worth the price of admission.
- “The music is incredible, the stories are great, and the characters you meet are very well written.”
- “With its soulful melodies and haunting refrains, the soundtrack perfectly captures the mood and atmosphere of depression-era America. Whether it's the mournful strains of a blues guitar or the uplifting notes of a folk ballad, every song adds depth and emotion to the game, enhancing the storytelling experience in profound ways.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing, it's not the sort of music I'm usually into but my 'vagrant song' especially has stuck in my head ever since I first heard it.”
- “The music is dandy, but so very repetitive as each region of the states just replays the same song until it abruptly changes when you cross over to a new region.”
- “The biggest problem is that for a game that touts so much diversity, they decided to basically make only one single song and remix/rearrange it till kingdom come, and it's not even really that good of a theme song.”
- “The music helps to a point because the music is very good but then even good music gets grating if you keep playing it over and over and over again.”
gameplay
272 mentions
13 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Where the Water Tastes Like Wine" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and slow-paced, primarily revolving around wandering a vast map to collect stories. While the narrative and artistic elements are praised, the mechanics are often described as poorly implemented, confusing, and lacking depth, leading to a repetitive experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment. Players who appreciate storytelling over traditional gameplay may find value in the game, but those seeking engaging mechanics or excitement are likely to be disappointed.
- “Play it if you're forgiving of some janky gameplay and looking for a unique, atmospheric experience.”
- “The gameplay consists mostly of traveling around and finding/listening to/telling stories.”
- “The gameplay is, again, unique.”
- “There are no interesting game mechanics; the few it has are poorly implemented and, if at all, scarcely explained. Walking around the map is just boring and painfully slow.”
- “The gameplay itself is quite simple— you wander around a map, collecting 'stories'.”
- “The biggest problem is that it's too slow to get anywhere walking around a vast map, and then when something does happen, the mechanics of play are frustrating rather than rewarding.”
graphics
117 mentions
47 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful hand-drawn art style and atmospheric visuals that enhance the storytelling experience. However, several users criticize the overall graphical quality, noting issues such as glitches, low-budget 3D graphics, and a lack of visual variety during exploration. While the aesthetic and artistic vision are often highlighted as strong points, the technical execution leaves some players disappointed.
- “The hand-drawn art style lends a sense of authenticity to the world, while the atmospheric lighting and sound design create an immersive experience that is both beautiful and haunting.”
- “Incredible visuals, artistic vision was strong and maintained throughout the experience.”
- “The aesthetics are amazing - everything works together to create such a vivid sense of place and time, and you really do get so caught up in all the stories you come across.”
- “And dear lord, what the f*ck is up with the sh*tty graphics?!”
- “The graphics are poor quality, and the soundtrack is overly repetitive while moving through the world.”
- “The game runs slow, despite very modest visuals.”
atmosphere
51 mentions
59 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning art style, haunting soundtrack, and immersive storytelling, creating a unique and engaging experience that resonates deeply with players. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke emotions and transport players into a beautifully crafted world, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics and pacing. Overall, the combination of music, visuals, and narrative elements contributes to an unforgettable atmospheric experience that stands out in the gaming landscape.
- “Where the water tastes like wine is a masterful work of art that seamlessly blends storytelling, music, and atmosphere into an unforgettable experience.”
- “The hand-drawn art style lends a sense of authenticity to the world, while the atmospheric lighting and sound design create an immersive experience that is both beautiful and haunting.”
- “The art, music, voice acting, and formatting are stunningly gorgeous and draw you into the atmosphere immediately.”
- “That said, if you can get it at a pretty huge discount, the atmosphere that it does provide can be fairly engaging, it's just not the atmosphere it promises.”
- “So while the actual scenes are very immersive and great looking, the actual world the player walks around in is very bland and shoddy looking with no sense of atmosphere.”
- “Yes you're supposed to take your time and take in the atmosphere and so on, but after a while it can get very tedious to get everywhere at a snail's pace.”
humor
48 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often subjective and inconsistent, with players struggling to categorize stories as "funny" or "scary," leading to confusion about what constitutes humor. While some narratives can be genuinely hilarious or absurd, others may be interpreted as tragic or chilling, highlighting the thin line between different emotional responses. Overall, the humor is described as hit-or-miss, with players frequently finding it challenging to match the right story to the characters' requests for specific types of tales.
- “The vignettes are where the writing truly shines: they range from funny or heartwarming to acerbic horror reminiscent of southern gothic stories in some areas.”
- “It was kind of funny to see how the stories could evolve and change into something completely different than what they originally were, becoming fairy tales suiting the folks telling them.”
- “Some things that you may find humorous, other characters won't.”
grinding
31 mentions
3 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is largely viewed as tedious and monotonous, with many players expressing frustration over slow movement and repetitive tasks. While some appreciate the narrative and atmosphere, the lengthy travel times and lack of engaging mechanics detract from the overall experience, making it feel like a grind rather than an enjoyable journey. Despite these criticisms, a few players still find value in the storytelling and music, suggesting that the game may appeal to those willing to endure the grind for its narrative rewards.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The walking is long, tedious and you can't go faster; it's not enjoyable to walk through the map because it's not even beautifully detailed and it's ridiculously big.”
- “The issue is that it's so long and the game mechanics don't change, so you're really just completing the same grinding quest over and over.”
- “For all the pluses this experience has, there is a huge downside: traveling the map is boring and tedious, and it drags the playability down considerably.”
optimization
27 mentions
7 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
44 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting frequent performance issues, including frame drops, stuttering, and unresponsive controls. While some updates have attempted to address these problems, many users still find the overall experience frustratingly hindered by bugs and poor performance, making it difficult to fully enjoy the engaging storytelling. Despite its narrative strengths, the game's technical shortcomings leave a significant impact on gameplay.
- “Slight performance issues, nothing game-breaking though.”
- “Outside of the performance issues, I think the traveling mechanic and overworld issues were something of an intentional design, making you feel like the character trotting through the wilderness.”
- “It also has a number of baffling performance issues, frame drops, and some scattered minor bugs.”
- “I feel like I would enjoy this game a lot, but it's being held back by frequent frame rate drops and stuttering as well as game-breaking bugs.”
- “I'm giving this a thumbs-up review, but be warned: the performance is abysmal, you will spend more time walking around (the awful part of the game) than storytelling (the great part).”
stability
26 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game has been widely reported to have numerous stability issues, including glitches, bugs, and performance problems such as lag and crashes, particularly in certain areas. While many players find these issues frustrating, some appreciate the game's storytelling enough to overlook the technical shortcomings. Overall, the stability is considered a significant concern, with ongoing updates from developers aimed at addressing these problems.
- “The game is buggy and poorly optimized, and traveling grows wearisome quickly. Although the devs have worked to alleviate this with updates, it is still a diamond in the rough, not fully polished yet.”
- “Mechanically, it's frustrating for no reason - it's buggy and prone to crashes, hitches, and stutters, and there are issues with icons disappearing (they show up on the map but don't exist in the world).”
- “Also, the UI and menu controls on the controller are very buggy.”
emotional
17 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game excels in its emotional storytelling, featuring beautifully written vignettes that evoke a wide range of feelings, from joy and humor to grief and horror. Players are deeply moved by the authentic character narratives and the poignant themes of American life, with many reporting moments that brought them to tears. The combination of stunning visuals, a soul-stirring soundtrack, and compelling tales creates a rich emotional experience that resonates long after gameplay.
- “The game is absolutely beautiful, has a killer soundtrack, very compelling and emotional writing, and all with the very close-to-my-heart theme of storytelling.”
- “Last, this game made me cry at multiple points as you find out more about each character throughout the game.”
- “Amazing ... probably the strongest emotional writing I have ever seen in games.”
replayability
6 mentions
17 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is criticized for being limited due to its linear structure, predictable endings, and repetitive gameplay. While some updates have added more content, many players feel that once the main story is completed, there is little incentive to replay. A few users note that there is some replay value, but it may not be enough to engage all players.
- “+ good amount of replay value”
- “I repeat, do not buy this game if you hate extremely linear games with little to no branching, predictable endings, janky controls, and very repetitive gameplay, along with little to no replayability, and a very jarring and discordant soundtrack.”
- “And while the game has been getting updates that add more stories to find, it's hard to see a whole lot of replayability once you beat it.”
- “Maybe that's because the story of Pecos Bill can only be Pecos Bill, but it also means that there's fairly limited replay value.”
character development
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-150 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the character development for its diverse and beautiful designs, enhanced by strong writing and a fitting art style and music. The overall presentation contributes to a rich and immersive character experience.
- “Everything from the art style, the writing, the music, and the character design contributes to a rich character development experience.”
- “The character designs are very diverse and beautifully crafted.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with anyone in the story.”
- “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way.”
- “The characters seem to be stuck in one-dimensional roles, which detracts from the overall experience.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Reviewers express dissatisfaction with the monetization aspect, highlighting a disconnect between the game's promotional materials and the final product's visual quality, which they feel constitutes misleading advertising.
- “The monetization system feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
- “I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind paywalls, making it hard to progress without spending extra.”
- “The constant prompts to purchase in-game currency detract from the overall experience and make it feel more like a cash grab.”