If you’re anything like me, you wonder what your pet would say if they could talk. What conversations they’d take interest in, and what trivial thoughts occupy their day-to-day mind. If you’re even more like me, you have a fursona and take immediate interest in any game with anthropomorphic animals that indulge you with such conversations.
And so, I found myself playing the recent Beastfolk Barber Demo. This feature isn’t a review, but more so a love letter to the hour-long snippet I sampled. I want to share with you why I think you should check out the demo for yourself, and why I’m super excited for the full release.
Five Reasons To Check Out The Beastfolk Barber Demo
Note: This is not a sponsored post. I’m honestly just doing this for love of the game because of how fun the demo was.
Coffee Talk Lovers Rejoice!
Immediately charmed by its pixelated art style, I felt reminded of Coffee Talk (Tokyo), a game I recently had the honour to review.
Much like Coffee Talk, Beastfolk Barber introduces you to a predominantly unhuman cast of characters and sits you down for a chat with them, learning about their life, struggles, aspirations, inspirations, and so much more.
The gameplay was easy to learn, so I was quick to immerse into the tangles and fur of the story, rather than being caught up in controls.
I like the theming of Beastfolk Barber, especially because the haircutting minigames aren’t the main focus. Rather, the game is a visual novel, with dialogue choices and haircuts defining your relationship with clientele. Having this be the focus makes the game feel more three-dimensional, rather than a fast-paced minigame simulator instead.
What Freddie Wants
Quite unusually, Beastfolk Barber doesn’t let you play as yourself; instead, you are Freddie. She owns the Barbershop, and inherited the magical mirror from her late friend, where, upon meeting Edi, an interesting conversation takes place.
Freddie has the choice to tell Edi she has one regret, several, or none. I chose one regret, as I figured one huge regret would be more emotionally devastating than discovering a ton of little problems. Now, the demo doesn’t let you discover what this is, but Freddie and Edi strike a deal where Edi will undo Freddie’s regret if she cuts her hair.
This alone got me intrigured. I like talking to the customers and discovering why a haircut is important to them, but I never thought to question why cuttting hair is important to Freddie, at least not until that conversation.
I like that as the player, I’m anonymous. Simply a fly on the wall, so to speak. So often, visual novels require you to be you, and don’t think extensively about your history, more so focusing on your impact with those you converse with in the moment.
I am Freddie, so I want her to heal from her troubles, love her work, and succeed. The same as I would for myself. So, I want to do right by her as I play her.
Relaxed Gameplay
So far, I’ve rambled… Sorry.
So to keep this section short, I will simply praise the relaxed gameplay. I love the pacing I’ve experienced so far. Each haircut gave me ample time to become familiar with clients, whilst still longing to learn more. The cutting minigames don’t distract from the stories told, and I really enjoy the reactions to the three mirror-style samples.
Not Everything Is Cats and Dogs
By this, I don’t mean the species; rather, the demo gives a great sample of conflict.
The two draconic brothers, who practice their debates ahead of an important meeting to hopefully change the standards for Beastfolk in education, health, and life. Or even the mysterious mafia-looking Owl who seems to run a backyard breeding facility to curate purebred Beastfolk.
Who you serve, and the conversations you have with these people, actively shape the future of the world, one haircut at a time.
The replayability and choice of my words shaping the future is something I’m excited to explore in the full release.
The Fifth Already?!
To close out, the style is just brilliant. I’m such a sucker for pixelated games because they feel so charming, vibrant, and nostalgic. They’re simpler, but work harder to give the impression of a thing, and I think pixels were the perfect art direction for Beastfolk Barber to take.
The little animations, movement, and artistry are so full of wonder and life. I love it!
Check out the Beastfolk Barber Demo
With that, I’ve given five reasons why I loved the Beastfolk Barber Demo, and think you would, too! At least, I assume so if you’ve read all the way down here.
Hopefully, my rambles of adoration have inspired you to check out Beastfolk Barber for yourself via Steam.
Or, if you want more of my opinion pieces, check out that Coffee Talk Tokyo review I mentioned earlier.
The post I Played The Beastfolk Barber DEMO… And I Need More! appeared first on Gamezebo.
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