VN - Ren'Py - Cosy Cafe [v0.11] [Cosy Creator]

I don't often review other dev's work, but this deserves some attention. I may be biased since this is a kinetic VN (and I am primarily a kinetic dev myself).

With that out of the way, I have to say that Cosy Creator does a lot here that I can learn from, especially in the character development department. Wow, you can truly see the difference in each girl. So much so that if you didn't look at the name or the image, and just read what is said, you'd pretty much know who said it.

Someone else mentioned the few facial expressions used for the girls. I do have to agree with that because expressions are really important in an AVN. And with such a well developed set of characters, this little detail can be a big let down for some. I got used to it I guess because I enjoyed the story so much. But, if I had one gripe, it would just be to please at least have the girls open their mouth in the pose if they are speaking. It just feels weird. While it's true you can get used to experiencing the story like this, it does kinda break the flow a little.

Graphics-wise, it looks fine. I feel like the eyes on the girls could be set back just a bit more. From the side, some of them can almost look a little bug-eyed. It isn't a serious issue, just an observation.

Honestly, I don't care about any of that because the story is so well written, I'm mainly focused on that. The banter back and forth between different characters is well placed and well done, and fitting coming from various characters. Again, if you just read the dialogue without seeing the names or the render, you would pretty much know who is talking. That to me is great character development. Yes I know, I need to better at this myself.

The beginning can be a little slow to start but sticking with it, it does start to take off and feed you the story at a decent pace. Pacing is the other thing I like with this one.

As for the MC's behavior, I'm inclined to forgive the masochistic content here because at least every girl knows that they can say no at any time. Someone else called it 'rapey'. I disagree 100%. There is absolutely nothing 'rapey' about this story. Nothing. Sure, it might seem a little rough sometimes, but everything is consented to properly. So, no rape here.

I think the MC acts mostly honorably. Although I myself would not be the type to do some of the things he does (I've never thought of spanking as any kind of turn on), it really isn't that big a deal when the girl really is getting off on it. Especially one character who practically begs for it daily. Outside of a few things he says or does that I don't agree with, he's well enough written for the story that is being told.

Great little game, well written story, excellent character development. More facial expressions and opened mouths when they're talking. I still give this 5 stars. It's just that good.

[Review about v0.11]

A game with great potential. It's been a while since I've been so invested in a game like this.

I played at a slow pace, so it took me maybe over 20 hours to finish. I think it has easily 10 hours of content.

Personally, this is totally my cup of tea. An assertive and dominant male lead with cute, submissive girls is probably my biggest kink.

Objectively speaking, there are quite a few rough patches in the game:

1. The reason for the girls to come live with the MC.
   In the game, it’s all fine and dandy, but when you look at it from a real-life perspective, you have to just turn off your brain and ignore it. Especially with Lucy. Her mother is a total scum, but she was right about one thing: Lucy didn’t know what she was doing. She could very well be getting out of the wolf’s den and jumping into a dragon’s one. The MC could be a total psychopath, and her life would have been effectively over. It had been hardly a week since they first met when she moved in with him, after all. Fortunately, our MC is a good guy so her decision was right.
2. The date system, which ties in with the previous issue.
   I have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, it’s nice seeing the time progression. On the other, it makes the author a hostage to having to write day-by-day events where every day is packed with exciting things. That’s just not how life works; even the busiest people on Earth don’t have hundreds of different things happening around them every day. It’s mostly a repeating schedule. It’s normal to be in the same routine for a week or more before something big happens.
   That’s why problem #1 is even a thing. Even though so many things have already happened, and it feels like more than a year has passed, it hasn’t even been a month since the MC arrived in this town. When you look at it like this, it all feels a bit shallow. The MC is already considering marriage, after all.

That said, I loved the game and became almost as attached to its characters as I did with some of my favorite games. That's already a big thing coming from me since I don't usually give much attention to unfinished games.

The Founding Families twist was also a very nice addition and I'm dying to see the Malfoys, I mean, the Russels, getting what they deserve.

I sincerely hope this game doesn’t end up abandoned like so many others. I’m looking forward to future updates.

Incredible game, seriously it's so good. The best AVN I've played. The characters are all great, I like that each one feels unique and they all have their own little quirks that make them hook you in. The premise is also interesting. I enjoy just how relaxed the VN is, I can't recommend it enough.

one of the best games stil in development, likable mc, likable girls, no decision or plotline i would dislike, lack of choices YES but it rides along just fine.
romance oriented, very cozy indeed.
consistent updates perhaps would appreciate some choices with controversial girls like hanna or the princess but its very very good

We just played through to the end of 0.11 and it's great so far.
Definitely one of those games where you can mostly just switch your brain off and relax while you work through the relatively straightforward character drama, interspersed with occasional sex scenes. Keep it up Cosy Creator.

Consider this 4.5 stars; my personal preference in AVNs is really the only thing keeping me from committing to a full 5/5.

I'm not usually super into these sort of heavily maledom-centered games, but this is an easy exception for how considerate the MC is throughout. The cast is sweet, the animations are great, and the writing is good on both a macro and micro scale (though admittedly a little pushy at times for my taste). Probably the biggest complaint I've seen is that you're forced into every character/scene, but I'd like to express the benefits of such a system:

• Way less work writing small permutations for every combination of girls.
• More cohesive story overall.
• Forces the player into character development for girls they aren't immediately interested in, potentially changing their minds.
• Easy to skip unwanted scenes.

There's definitely a character or two I have no interest in, but god damn if I don't like the characters I am into. The only real criticism I can think of is that some of the sex scenes feel like they could do with one more faster animation loop, but it's really not a big deal at all. I'm very excited to see what's next!

Unique story with good composition. I especially liked how MC develops relations with the girls, how he treats them and goes out of his way to help them. There is an interesting spicy twist on top.
The author managed to create an excellent atmosphere and setting for the story. The girls have unique personalities and are very likeable in different ways. Although the story is linear, it is has multiple girls, they interact and take part together in most of the scenes unlike the typical harem game where most girls are isolated and barely have interactions.
Girl models are quite varied from tiny sweet small girls to quite well gifted beauties.
Renders and H-scenes are very good quality, there are a quite a few kinks and group scenes.

The story is linear, and the choices are an illusion. But if you are looking for a story, particularly one you can step through, this has stand-out story telling.

Because it's more or less 'just about the story', the harem aspect doesn't get in the way of the story, and instead adds to it by forcing characters to interact. As a result, sharp edges found in other games don't exist, making this an excellent experience.

Cosy Cafe by Cosy Creator is a standout title in the adult visual novel genre, offering a rich blend of engaging storytelling, well-crafted characters, and high-quality visuals. Set in a quaint café, the game immerses players in a narrative that seamlessly transitions from personal dilemmas to broader citywide mysteries, keeping you hooked throughout.

Story & Setting
The narrative begins with the protagonist addressing internal conflicts and gradually delves into the enigmatic happenings within the city. This progression from intimate issues to expansive mysteries is executed flawlessly, ensuring a captivating experience.

Characters & Development
Each character in Cosy Cafe is meticulously developed, contributing to the game's depth. The romantic chemistry feels organic, and interactions are both meaningful and memorable. Players have praised the writing and setting for being "neatly planned and executed," highlighting the game's ability to foster genuine connections between characters.

Visuals & Art Style
The game's art style is both subtle and expressive, effectively conveying emotions through detailed facial expressions and body language. This attention to detail enhances the storytelling, making each scene more immersive and impactful.

Conclusion
Cosy Cafe distinguishes itself as a remarkable entry in the adult visual novel scene. Its compelling narrative, intricate character development, and high-quality visuals make it a must-play for enthusiasts of the genre. The game's ongoing development and the developer's commitment to quality suggest a promising future, with fans eagerly anticipating upcoming updates.

One of the very few truly good game around.

The girls are lovely and likeable.
One could truly get attached to them.

While the writing is not stellar, it remains pretty grounded in reality and in the story. Nothing so far would be entirely impossible or too far fetched. *
Somehow, it doesn't get boring either.
One of the very few games where I never felt or wanted to skip dialogues.

The graphics are really decent, although the white walls are extremely bright.

There's no minigames, grind or any kind of things like that, which is definitively a plus.

All in all, it is well worth your time.

Version: 0.11
SIX ★ for Story and Scenes. This dev. really understands what players want and what a harem is. Harem fantasy, detailed models.

[Story]- This is a KINETIC NOVEL. The choices only exist to let you pick between seeing an extra scene or not seeing an extra scene, and the choice is obvious. The very first choice is a trick, and it shows that it is Kinetic if you choose Rachel. It's rare for me, but I was engaged with the story without any line skipping. The lines mostly serve to develop the MC's relationship with the girls. I felt that they were fun, and there was enough dialogue to keep you entertained, but not excessive. MC does get some plot armor, but mostly just to get him in the door with the girls, and then the rest of the development is through actual interaction, and not circumstance. This is a Real harem, because every girl is already aware of the other girls and what they're getting into before they even join. There's no fuckery involved. I like that he treats them like real relationships, and there's a lot of caring involved with his Love Interests, including making them feel good and putting them above his needs. But it Is a fantasy, because both the girls and the MC fall too easily. It's a Very long story, considering that it took me nearly a day just to have penetration twice with each of the 2 Main's, and once with another; But I found it enjoyable the whole way, and there are currently ELEVEN Mains.

[Gameplay]- It's a KINETIC novel. So, no actual gameplay is involved. What IS great is that the dev. provided a lot of UI customization. While you can't change the font, you can change the box opacity and the font color and thickness; so at least I had no trouble reading the text unlike some in Other games. There is also an option to speed up Scenes, and I believe it may be necessary for some. The UI and menu's in general are just extremely well done and thoughtful.

[Scenes]- I don't just like the models, but all the scenes were also Amazing. The hair looks great. The angles are Great, even the PoV ones which I am usually not a fan of. There's a huge level of detail that's usually missing in other games. I can see the girls' ribs sometimes, when it's appropriate, and other other bones/muscles as well. How their mouths look when doing blowjobs looks fanastic as well. It's even better than Subverse. You just don't get free camera, but I don't really f-ing care. I have not been disappointed by a single scene so far. The music isn't special, but they change appropriately depending on the scene. Even for the sex scenes, there are several, and they depend on the mood.

I think Cosy Cafe started off strong and is weakening as it goes on. I would have rated this 5 stars earlier in development but now it is slipping I was considering 3 stars but honestly even with the flaws I don't think it's an average game.

My main gripe with this game is you can't really choose who to fuck. You just do it. It's a power fantasy simulation to the nth degree. I think the starter two girls are dynamite perfect and I was thrilled to have them, but the flaws were there from the beginning at how the MC persued these women.

I don't want to fuck girls that look like they are under 18. It is not a thing for me, and I get it, some girls have smaller breasts or are flat, but the body types are also unflattering. Tiny girls with tiny tits that aren't womanly at all just isn't it. Those are my main flaws, lack of choice in the game about who to pursue, and the MC is a Gary Stu, which honestly aren't a lot of flaws, but I am not as excited about new updates because of it. Still a good game, wish I could skip or avoid more content.

very good VN with cute women. Very focused on making a legitimate Harem which i'm into. The girls are all very submissive(a plus in my eyes) and learn to love the mc both romantically (usally a bit fast but somewhat realistic) and sexually. No two of the ladies feel super similar but i could see it being an issue later on if(when) more girls join with hannah already wishy washy. The plot of the game is well done political stuff, with the mc inheriting some power and being lead to use it eventually, it feels mostly thought out and i enjoyed it.

Love the characters and the story. Good mix between cosy-cute and exciting tension. Characters are introduced at a good rate in the beginning. I dislike when a story overwhelms you with characters early on and this game didn't do that!

It has an excellent story with very real characters. One of the few Harem games I've played where all the girls in the harem actually have a realistic "reason" to fall for the MC, and not just "cuz protag." My only real complaint is that the sex scenes are so far very slow and soft. There isn't much speed or impact, even when we "go all out" on the masochist it feels slow. It might just be me though, my saying is "if it ain't rough, it ain't hard enough."
Overall though, the game is a really nice and comfy slice-of-life game about enjoying your days with cute girls and plenty of mdom. (Victoria best girl.)
If this game was over 80 hours long I'd pay $1000 for it. Luckily I won't have to, but that shows why I gave it 5 stars.

Version [v0.11]

Cosy Café is a great surprise and overall a very pleasant experience.

You won't find any major "new ideas" in it tho, because the game simply follow the Ren'Py Harem archetype structure but it achieve greatness in any categories : Great visual, Great story, Great cast and so on.

I really think the creator of the game simply made the game they wanted to play very humbly and it turn out to be a superbe game.

(Bonus point for the amazing UI, you did an excellent job.)

Around ~15h/20h of gameplay.

Played Version: 0.9. Played until ingame-day 16.

Summary:
MC inherits a mixed-purpose property from his grandfather and mentor, deciding to both move in and start running it as a café/restaurant. He is still a student in the last years of mandatory education, much to his annoyance. Through a series of random events he meets the prospective harem members, who also become employees and in some cases co-inhabitants of the restaurant. A plot involving an aristocratic system of families was hinted at shortly before I stalled reading on day 16. Not the most inspirational plot, but arguably better than the AVN average, which is a rather low standard in the first place. The idea of MC building up a business is a novel and fresh for an AVN, but the overall execution feels a bit shallow. The power fantasy with the noble, benevolent yet clearly dominant MC, is front and center in terms of where the narrative has its attention. Relationships seem to be developing at a breakneck pace, often in a rather contrived fashion and with little rhyme or reason to it. Now that it looks like I actually did write a summary, I’ll end it here and let the Pros, Mehs and Cons do the rest of the work.

Pros:
- Compensating somewhat for the lack of facial expressions, the characters body language is decently expressive.
- You occasionally get some oddly great one liners and comments like “No kidding, that guy is definitely a few noodles short of a stir fry”. It relates to the topic of food being central to the plot and is funny in a random way it doesn’t make sense, yet it still works.
- It’s nice to have a simple day/calender system helping you keep track of things. Something that I would like to see more of in other AVN’s.
- Interactions between girls are done well by harem AVN standards. MC doesn’t feel like the star in a solar system with all other bodies (characters) circling around him. The LI’s have their own social dynamics.
- Grammar, vocabulary and so on are good. The technical side of the writing overall is solid.

Mehs and hit/miss:
- Personally I don’t mind it, but while the girls all have good quality models, they also lean toward looking quite doll and plastic-like. This is a general Honey Select trend, but it feels more pronounced here. Maybe exacerbated by the blank-face issue.
- Well done animations. Loops are smooth. Transitions between loops are as well. The number of loops is also high enough to detail the progression of an H-scene and give some variation. The animations are, however, also very slow. You do not get the impression that the characters are having sex at the pace the text describes. Looking at the movements themselves, it also frequently looked like someone rendered the 2 characters having sex at a fast pace and then simply slowed the animation down to fit the scene, making it look as if you were watching it in slow-motion. This resulted in otherwise natural looking movements ending up looking unnatural.
- Environments are somewhat well set up, but also feel very barren. Big boxy rooms with limited furnishings, plain painted monotone walls and incredibly flat lighting on the surfaces.
- Music could do with a bit more variety. Rather piano heavy as is and it didn’t always fit with the tone and mood of scenes.
- Much of the romantic development felt rushed. I don’t really buy into how and why the LI’s all fall for MC so quickly, especially considering just how deviant he really is. They just readily accept it for no reason. Anything goes, if it is him. You could say they get assimilated into a harem hivemind without any real explanation. It’s as if they know MC is an AVN main character and that is just the way thing are supposed to be.
- Lack of shading on characters and sometimes objects.
- The school uniform makes the male characters look like neanderthals. Short necks and bulky barrel like builds. Other reviewers mentioned it looked like the guys were using big shoulder pads.
- Single-color silhouettes for background characters are ok as a measure to save time and having locations feel populated. But the bright blue and pink colors used for them are too distracting. More subtle colors would be better.
- While I like the MC’s spine, attitude and aspirations, I feel like he is a little but too ahead of his age in terms of those aspirations and his maturity. I don’t really buy into him being 18 years old. 20-21 would be far more believable, regardless of his rough childhood or whatever.
- Yeah, the way this whole maledom thing is being played off, where they essentially roleplay the entire time and being serious in a fake way is most definitely not my thing. Other reviewers have mentioned it being weirdly childlike. Almost like a bunch of 7-10 year olds playing “House”, except for the addition of the sexual undertones.
- MC’s arrogant attitude to school.
- Too much focus on the male power fantasy.

Cons:
- The glaring lack of facial expressions. Especially considering the frequent and awkward close-up camera shots. Most characters have no more than 3 expressions, with a select few characters having more.
- I think that the opening of the restaurant was rushed. It happened to soon and the “running a business” side of things felt heavily simplified to suit the needs of the plot. That is, all the administrative, legal, food safety related stuff.
- Dialogue can occasionally be a little weird sounding. An example being most cases where Lucy says “No way” when receiving a compliment. “No way!” would usually be said when the speaker observes something exciting that is out of the ordinary. Lucy instead uses it to convey simple disbelief at other people’s statements, usually compliments. Lucy has a couple other words or phrases that are used a bit awkwardly.
- For an 18 year old guy who considers himself as mature and noble as MC does, his ability to not start blatantly groping the girls in certain sketchy situations is rather lacking. The logic that is in play here feels distinctly like the logic you typically come across in rapey hentai scenarios. “You gave me a boner so now you have to take responsibility”. This is not the kind of thing that qualifies as Cozy in my world.
- MC’s overall personality is a bit of a double edged sword. Creepster traits mixed seamlessly with otherwise good masculine traits. A sleazebag with noble intentions on a power trip is what he is.
- MC seems subconsciously self-aware of being a harem AVN protag and thus being totally confident in his appeal to women.
- Akatsukis half-naked apprentice outfit is ill suited for her work with food. I have certain neurotic tendencies and have worked in food production. This one bothers me immensely.
- Not THAT much of a bad thing considering that +80% of AVN’s are guilty of it, but once again a magnum dong MC where the dong has magic problem solving properties.

It's very good. My favorite thing about the game is that it's honest and unapologetic. No trying to be too complex, no shying away from being a harem. It gets to the good stuff without much delay and then plays around with the established options as a good AVN should.

Gameplay: 5/5

Well paced clickathon. No wasted time trying to do branching narratives or have pointless grinding of girl stats or random game-over options, though for some bizarre reason there are a few random choices sprinkled throughout that aren't even major plot points (I think? doesn't matter)

Sex: 4/5

Dev doing the best they can with the limited options Honey Select provides. There is an excellent use of close-ups, lighting, and hot dialogue to fill in the gaps where the limited models, poses and animations otherwise hold it back. Good variety to both girls and scenes, and enough of them both to satisfy. A bit too much domination/BDSM for my liking (even though it is still quite light) but that's just a preference.

Anything more I could ask would require more work than is probably worth it. Can't complain, but there's better stuff out there.

Story: 3.5/5

Refreshing as fuck to see someone not all the way up their own ass write a solid harem story. It truly gets top marks for humility. I can't remember the last time I got to watch an MC begin with a goal and actually continue moving towards it without being pulled into some fantasy/sci fi nonsense.

Yes, he does end up in a larger-than-life and less-than-realistic scenario, and even gets stuck with a "chosen one" adjacent protagonist schtick, but despite those tropes being extremely tired, it is an effective way to get long-term plot and conflicts established that hold it all together. This game doesn't get too high and mighty about it.

That said, I hope you enjoy Tsunderes and simps, because that's all you're really getting. Sure, there's some nuance to each of the girls, but they are kind of thrown at you one after another and the rate at which the MC "acquires" them is so batshit wild that it's hard to process each relationship before 2 new ones are established. I fear that without a solid planned ending, this story will devolve before long into insanity, though if it's played right, that too could work in its own way.

The only relationship with any realistic pacing is Sarah. And while it is a fun ride to see girl after girl hop on the "spank me" train, there are times where seeing how many of them stand around on the train waiting for their turn to flirt feels pretty forced. Despite all that, it's hard to complain, because there is clearly a lot of thought put into making each relationship have something small that makes them unique, and good time devoted to each one even as the main plot moves forward. I personally really love that Akatsuki gets tons of play between all the more complicated girls and always fills in the gaps where it feels like MC has gone too long without getting off. Little touches like that shows that the game is great at maintaining a balance of harem porn and visual novel.

Without all the sex, the plot would be pretty stale. And without the plot, the sex would get really boring. The best thing this game does is balancing the two. While neither stands out on its own, it's hard to argue that many other games mix them better than this. Excited to see where it goes and how it's going to try to get its many juggling balls into the basket by the end.

One of my new top 5 favs. The writing is excellent and so is the visual quality.
Each character has their own unique personalities that really sets them apart other than their looks.

I like how for the most part the sexy scenes are spaced out and really fills out the plot and interactions.

my only complaint is: while it was entertaining for a while the MC spanks everyone WAY too much. I mean.. it was nice at first but it feels overused at this point and now its no longer entertaining. someone gets up (spank), does something bad (spank), before sex? (spank), after sex? (spank), etc.

Wow! I have alot of good things to say about this game, but first off would be the domination. Alot of games here don't really get what good male dom is, but definitely not this one. There IS a few lines that's still abit cringey and makes MC looks abit childish, but it may just be written that way because of the MC's age.

The backdrop story is also good, and while the speed of progress the story is moving at isn't amazing, I feel there's enough intrigue in the story to nicely hold interest. Good mix of slice of life in the day to day, while pushing the storyline

The harem part is very well done indeed, it's woven into the plot, since modern day harem's aren't really a thing if you wanna make things believeable. There's actual dynamics and conversations between each girl, which the same can't be said for other games.

Next up, none of that woke "choices that matter" bullshit. This is a braindead VN where you can just sit back, enjoy the story and not worry about a choice you were forced to make in 0.1 coming to bite you in the ass 2 years later. The little choices you get are mostly just personal preferences and small scene variations.

Though even amongst other straightforward VNs I enjoy, this one doesn't allow for girl selection in your harem. Meaning some people might not like being forced to have girls they don't like. Though for me, all of the girls do have their unique own charm points which is a big well done to the dev. There's a good variety of girls in terms of hair color and body shape. There's asians, but no black girls or brown girls, so maybe in the future?

Finally, it seems that the UI was recently updated in terms of the game having the newest version of renpy(?). There's actually an embarrassment of riches in terms of UI customisation, which is pretty nice to have, but that brings me to the main complain I have about the game. Honey Select.

Honestly I don't mind Honey Select, because many other games have managed to pull it off using either mods or newer versions(?). The girls are obviously very well rendered, attractive to look at, but it's not really top tier. The side characters, especially males, as well as the MC, are not as lovingly created to say the least. Most of them actually look like retarded, to put it as nicely as possible.(*Cough*Brian*Cough*) The difference between the clothes and the body structure of the main girls to the rest of the crew(includingMC) can be jarring at times.

But honestly, that's just nitpicking at this point, because I wouldn't know the effort it takes to actually make a game. Which is why this is a deserved 5* for me. You should 100% try this game if you enjoy harem male dom with a slight bit of political power fantasy.
Props to the dev for making this amazing game, looking forward to seeing what else you have in store for us.