Wanderstop

メタフィクションに定評のあるクリエイターの最新作で、本作もその系譜に連なるものです。単なるリラックス系ゲームとして楽しむことも可能ですが、深く読もうとすればかなり深く潜れます。 ゲームプレイは「VA-11 Hall-A」を起源とし「コーヒートーク」を筆頭とする多数のフォロワーを生んだ「問題を抱えた客が店を訪れ、プレイヤーはその客に飲み物を提供する」という形式のありふれたもの（多少のアクションはありますが）。 この手のゲームはプレイヤーが提供する飲み物によって客の運命が分岐するのが基本です。しかし本作Wanderstopではその分岐がない。従来からこの種のゲームには「飲み物一杯で客の人生が変わるわけないだろ」というツッコミがあり、Wanderstopのシステムは明らかにそのような批判を意識していると思うのですが、それを「冷たい現実を突きつける」形ではなく「温かい優しさで包み込む」形で表現しているのが秀逸です。この優しさはボロというキャラクターによって象徴されていて「プレイヤーが客の運命を変えることはできないのか」という問いにも彼は彼なりの答えを用意してくれています。そしてその答えは主人公マルタの抱える問題と、いかにしてそれを乗り越えるかという主題にもつながっているのだと思います。 また、この種のゲームでは来店する客がしばしば現実の社会問題のメタファーになっていることがあり、本作も恐らくこの流れを踏襲しています。特にChapter 5のメタファーは身につまされるものでした。ここに出てくる「あまり目立たないもう一人の女の子」はけっこうキツいメタファーだと思います。過去作品と比べてずいぶんマイルドだという感想がありますが、ここに限っては、気づいてしまえばかなりダークです…… 最後に。マルタとボロは作者の中にいる二つの自己であり、ゲームは全体としてこの二人の自己の対話です。この構造は過去作「The Beginner's Guide」と同じものですが、Wanderstopはトーンも結末も対照的なものになっています。どちらが良いというわけではありませんが、新しいものを求めてインディーゲームを漁っている私にとって、変化は常に喜ばしいものです。 作者の次回作を楽しみにしています。 https://store.steampowered.com/app/303210/The_Beginners_Guide/?l=japanese

very sweet game, made me ugly cry 10/10

Great cozy game about burnout. The story framing is great, and Alta is a great character whose story relates to me (and I'd presume others) who have troubles slowing down and appreciating the smaller things. Lots of exceptional humor to keep the game light, while also still driving home lots of important messages. If you're someone who feels like they could use a break and struggle to bring yourself to do so (or don't feel rested from the breaks you do take), this is an easy recommend since Alta's story will likely resonate with you. Also Dirk Warhard is amazing.

Peak. Holy peak. After the first chapter it becomes flawless

Definitely not for everyone. Very pleasant however, and quite touching at times. I cared about most of the characters and their stories. Not my favorite Davey Wreden game, but still a banger like the others.

An elegant and emotional experience. This game tries to teach a lesson, both to the main character Alta, as well as the player. A lot of the mechanics really supplement this purpose quite well. This is mainly a story game. The main mechanic is making tea to fulfil different request, which could be considered a puzzle, though it is far from hard. Otherwise there are multiple decorative and recreational mechanics, all of which are optional and most of them are temporary. But the focus is definitely the story. Alta, a great fighter, is stuck in Wanderstop, a tea shop in the middle of a magical forest. Every time she tries to leave her body gives up and she becomes unconscious. So she has to stay there and take a forced vacation, in hopes of finding out what is wrong with her. The main shtick of Wanderstop is that it forces you to slow down. The tea machine is unnecessarily complex, you get the correct ingredients by browsing through a book and comparing ingredient descriptions to the requests and you have to puzzle the plants together yourself. Tea leaves also need to be collected and dried, which takes time. On the other hand it tries to convey the worth of temporary delights. There are lots of possibilities to decorate Wanderstop. [spoiler]But regularly during the game most of it will vanish, making it completely unnecessary. There are no achievements or rewards locked behind most of these activities. Still, I found myself decorating every pot, cleaning every pile of leaves that I see and happily displaying my trinkets all over the shop. The end of the game also hits in that regard. There is no post-game, nothing. It is just over. But it was nice while it lasted.[/spoiler] I'd consider the central lessons to be [spoiler]anti-Sigma-grindset and in favor the Buddhist teaching that your thoughts are something that exist separate from you.[/spoiler] The story and imagery really tell this quite well. Personally, the tutorial felt a bit long winded and on the nose. I hate being mouth-fed with information in a long dialogue, it breaks the immersion and takes away the possibility to experiment before asking for help. But in hindsight, I'd say it set the tone for the whole game quite well, so it's okay. 4.5/5

words cannot express how much i enjoyed this game. from the stunning artstyle, through the many interesting and original characters, novel gameplay, intriguing story, to the beautiful music - wanderstop is PACKED with all the best things. theres loads of things for you to do: exploring and taking care of the clearing, decorating the teashop and its surroundings, growing and altering plants, experimenting with different tea flavors and getting to try them... but you never feel pressured to do any of that. but do not worry, fans of games with clear goals - there ARE "mandatory" things for you to do - but even those arent timed or judged too harshly and i have to say - while the story may not be the most important part of the game, i absolutely adore how it was done. obviously, i cant say too much, but i personally found the main metaphor driving the story thought-provoking. i think many people can relate to alta, including myself, so it has definitely stuck with me. also, i cried. like, countless times haha they were happy tears, most of the time, though! alta's growth was amazing to see, especially near the end of the game and it made me quite emotional once again, i cant describe how much fun i had in wanderstop! might be the first game ever that i'll replay. cant wait to see what else the studio whips up in the future :]

It's good. Really good.

우연히 어느 유튜버의 플레이 영상을 보게 되었고, 첫 챕터 이후까지 보다가 Boro가 하는 말을 보고선, "이 게임은 직접 해보는 게 좋겠다"는 생각이 들어서 냅다 사서 플레이 했다. 이건 빈 칸(화분, 액자 등)이 많긴 하지만 그걸 채우는 게임은 전혀 아니다. 손님의 서사를 감상하는 게임도 아니다. 왜냐하면 사당을 통해 다음으로 넘어갈 시기가 되면, 손님의 서사는 툭 끊어지고 정원은 비워지기 때문이다. 따라서 필요한 꽃과 나무를 심고, 손님의 요구를 들어 주는 건 다음 장으로 넘어가는 과정의 일부일 뿐, 오로지 주인공 Alta에게만 초점을 맞춰 서사를 잇는 종류의 게임이다. 게임은 내 손에서 벗어난 것(통제할 수 없는 것)을 대하는 법과, 번아웃과 휴식, 낙관적 허무주의, 그리고 변화에 관한 메세지와 조언을 함축적으로 전달하려 하지만, 후반으로 갈수록 점점 난해해지면서 너도 나도 짐작할 수 있는 그 결론을 빙빙 돌려 말하는 감이 있다. (더 자세히 적으려고 시도했지만 루돌로지 채널에서나 다룰만한 장문의 무언가가 연성 되는 바람에 생략하겠다) 그래서 만약 이 게임에 관심이 생겼다면, 적어도 시뮬레이션 장르라는 인식은 버리고 시작하는 게 좋을 것이다.