Tavern Talk

The visual novel Tavern Talk enchants its players with the life stories of tavern patrons, both great and small, and reinterprets the possibilities of interactive storytelling through a delicate balance of engaging immersion and empathetic character development. Through subtle but meaningful decisions, players influence the fates of the guests, unfolding a narrative depth that goes far beyond classic dialogue systems, making Tavern Talk a promising candidate in the ‘Best Story’ category of the DCP 2025.

In the game, players take on the role of a tavern owner who, in a DnD-inspired fantasy setting, spends day in and day out looking after the creatures who cross the threshold in search of entertainment, company, food and the odd piece of good advice. Unlike other games in the genre, however, players can only passively influence the plot by listening to the stories of elves, vampires, skeletons and dwarves, mixing supportive potions and hoping every day that the adventurers return safely from their travels, battles and secret missions. The well-written dialogues, the authentic and diversity-sensitive characters, and the intricately woven storylines of Tavern Talk make the gaming experience unique and accessible… because it’s not uncommon to wish you could pick up a sword yourself to help out one or two of the regulars. But all that remains is to cheer them on and constantly worry about the fate of beloved characters who, like Tavern Talk, show that great stories sometimes start small.