VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action (also called VA-11 HALL-A) is a 2016 visual novel created by a Venezuelan studio named Sukeban Games and published by Ysbryd Games. The game was first released for computers running Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux on June 21, 2016. Later versions were made for PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. The Vita version was developed by Wolfgame and published by Limited Run Games. In the game, players act as a bartender at VA-11 Hall-A, a small bar in a futuristic, troubled city that serves customers with unique stories. The main activity involves making and serving drinks while listening to the customers' stories.
The game has a nonlinear structure, meaning the story changes based on the drinks players make and how customers react. Players cannot choose dialogue, and the only way to affect the story is by making different drinks. The characters in the game are ordinary people, not heroes, and were inspired by minor characters often seen in movies but not fully developed. As the game progresses, players learn about the characters and can predict what drinks they want, creating a personal connection.
The game was first made for the Cyberpunk Game Jam in 2014. Sukeban Games liked the idea so much they turned it into a full game. A free version of the original prototype is available on the game’s website, and players who bought the game before its release could play a separate prologue. The game’s style mixes cyberpunk themes, old PC-98 games, and anime-inspired visuals. The writing reflects the developers’ experiences living in a country with limited resources. The game’s planned release date in December 2014 was delayed several times, including when the developers changed the game engine. Before its release, the game received praise from critics, and after its release, most reviews were positive, highlighting its story, characters, writing, and music. However, some critics found the dialogue awkward and the gameplay repetitive. A sequel called N1RV Ann-A was planned for 2020 but has been delayed indefinitely.
Gameplay
VA-11 Hall-A is a game developed by Sukeban Games, described as a mix of a cyberpunk-themed bartending simulator and a visual novel. According to TouchArcade, it combines elements of a bartending game with storytelling in a futuristic, dystopian setting. In the game, players take on the role of a bartender at a small bar called "VA-11 Hall-A" (pronounced Valhalla), located in a fictional city named Glitch City. Set in the year 207X, the game takes place in a world where corporations control everything, humans are infected with nanomachines, and a group called the White Knights enforces strict laws. Glitch City faces problems like corruption and food shortages.
At the bar, players prepare drinks based on instructions and serve them to characters. However, the game focuses more on storytelling and dialogue than on fast-paced action. Players interact with characters by listening to their stories and helping them with their needs. Outside the bar, players can visit Jill’s home, use her phone to have conversations, and buy items to decorate her house or pay rent. Keeping Jill happy at home helps her perform better at work and gives better cocktail suggestions. Players learn about the game’s world through the bar’s patrons and news reports on an in-game tablet. At the start of each workday, players create a music playlist for the bar’s jukebox.
There is no time limit for making drinks. If a player makes a mistake, they can reset the order and try again. Perfectly made drinks earn more money through tips. To create a drink, players mix five fictional ingredients: Adelhyde (sweet), Bronson Extract (bold), Powdered Delta (former rat poison), Flanergide (spicy), and Karmotrine (alcohol). Mixing these ingredients creates real cocktail names like the Piledriver or Blue Fairy. Patrons may ask for single drinks, multiple drinks, or one large drink, which can be served with or without ice. Players must sometimes guess what a patron truly wants, as their request might not match their actual need. For example, a sad character might ask for a sweet drink, but giving them alcohol could help them feel better. Players can also adjust drinks, like adding Karmotrine to a non-alcoholic cocktail.
Optional ingredients can affect how drunk a character becomes. The game does not include dialogue choices; the only interaction is making drinks as requested. Some patrons give clear instructions, while others are vague, such as asking for a specific flavor. The game has nonlinear story paths based on the drinks players prepare, though these paths are not controlled by traditional choices. A recipe book allows players to look up drink recipes, making bartending feel more natural and encouraging experimentation.
As characters drink, they talk to the player. The conversations and storylines change based on how well players remember recipes and meet patrons’ preferences. The game’s designer, Christopher Ortiz, said the bartending mechanics were designed to encourage creative thinking rather than simply following patrons’ requests. Traditional dialogue options were avoided to keep the game’s subtlety.
The game’s world is not directly explained but is instead revealed through interactions with characters. This approach allows players to learn about the world naturally, as each character shares their own perspective. The main character, Jill (formerly named Gillian), is a young female bartender who chose to work at a bar instead of a research institute. She practices making drinks each morning before work. The bar has a diverse group of regulars, including a hacker, an android sex worker, a grumpy man, a news editor, and a 24/7 streamer. Other characters include a neurotic girl, a catgirl, a White Knight, an android idol, and two androids who work with corgi dogs.
Some characters in the game parody real-life themes, such as the corgi dogs, who have prejudices and conflicts similar to human discrimination. The game has at least seven different endings, depending on how well players connect with the characters. To unlock special endings, players must build strong relationships with specific characters.
Development
VA-11 Hall-A was created by an independent game developer called Sukeban Games. It was first released on June 21, 2016, for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux. A version for the PlayStation Vita was made by Wolfgame and published by Limited Run Games, a company that focuses on making physical copies of games that were originally only available digitally. Later, the game was released for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. Sukeban Games is also thinking about making an iPhone version, but it would need a different design. The game was designed and drawn by Christopher Ortiz, programmed and written by Fernando Damas, and the music was created by Michael Kelly. The publisher of the game is Ysbryd Games. VA-11 Hall-A uses the GameMaker: Studio engine because the developers believe it works well for the game’s special effects and is easy to use on different platforms. Sukeban Games also planned to work with other creators to promote VA-11 Hall-A.
The idea for VA-11 Hall-A came from Christopher Ortiz’s vision of a game where the player would not play as a hero but instead as a bartender who listens to stories from people living in a dystopian world. A short version of the game was first made for the Cyberpunk Game Jam in 2014. Sukeban Games liked it so much that they turned it into a full game. Ortiz said the developers wanted to add more characters and stories to the world they created and also wanted a challenging game that would keep players interested. Later, the developers said the short version helped them test interest, raise money for development, and offer a bonus for people who pre-ordered the game. The original short version of VA-11 Hall-A is available for free on the game’s official website. A newer version of the short game was later added as free downloadable content in February 2017. A demo of the game was playable at PAX Prime 2015 and PAX East 2015, where a trailer was also shown. In the demo, the player interacts with a character named "Streaming-chan," who lives her life online. The player has limited choices: make her a strong drink and ask her personal questions or give her a weaker drink to keep her cautious. The game was also shown at EGX Rezzed 2016.
VA-11 Hall-A was first announced in August 2014 with a planned release in December 2014, but it was delayed several times. Part of the delay happened because the developers changed the game engine during development. People who pre-ordered the game could play the short version, which is separate from the main game.
The game was first available only on desktop computers, but later versions were released for consoles. A PlayStation Vita version was announced by Wolfgame at the Game Developers Conference in 2015, where another trailer was shown. The final release date for the Windows, OS X, and Linux versions was confirmed by Sukeban Games in early June 2016, and a final trailer was also released at that time. The game’s Steam and GOG.com pages were launched in mid-June 2016, along with a blog called The Augmented Eye, which acts as a news website inside the game’s world to share details about the game. Sukeban Games first wanted to release the game on Nintendo’s Wii U and 3DS, but instead, the game was released on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in May 2019.
Christopher Ortiz said Sukeban Games was started when he and Fernando Damas created a blog to write about anime and video games. They grew a small but supportive community, which led them to make a short dating game for the blog’s first anniversary. After enjoying the game-making process, they decided to continue creating games. Many influences for VA-11 Hall-A come from old PC-98 games, especially Redzone’s X-Girl: Cyber Punk Adventure, which inspired the game’s look. Ortiz said that in the 1970s–1990s, people believed Japan would take over the world with its technology. The game is set in a world where Japan did conquer the world through technology, which explains its strong Japanese influences. Other inspirations include Blade Runner, Neuromancer, Ghost in the Shell, and Bubblegum Crisis. Anime also influenced the game’s mostly female characters and female protagonist. Ortiz said the game focuses on anime fans rather than trying to appeal to a large audience, as having too many opinions can make it hard to create something unique. The game is also inspired by Snatcher and Policenauts. The music has vaporwave influences and is also inspired by Kenji Kawai’s work. Ortiz said the game’s composer, Michael Kelly, is a fan of Shin Megami Tensei. The developers grew up playing PlayStation and Super Famicom games and watching anime. Ortiz said VA-11 Hall-A aims to make players feel the same way they did when they played their favorite games. Fernando Damas said the game makes players feel small by not guiding them through the story but instead dropping them into the middle of events. He also said the game’s world is constantly changing, and characters live their lives before the player meets them. The developers wanted to create a world where players are encouraged, not forced, to understand it. Details about the world are revealed through conversations with characters, not directly explained. Ortiz and Damas said the game’s setting tries to "humanize" cyberpunk/sci-fi themes.
The developers of VA-11 Hall-A are from Venezuela. Ortiz said their vision of a dystopian bar scene is based on their own experiences in Venezuela, leading them to create characters who try to be happy despite difficult lives. Each character faces challenges but describes their problems with perseverance and a desire to be happy, even in a harsh world. Damas said Sukeban Games’ games are "dramedies," a mix of drama and comedy, because they believe the game industry lacks this style. He said "laughter in the middle of despair" reflects their life in Venezuela. Ortiz and Damas said the game is not as intense as real-life experiences, like when a friend had to escape protests in San Cristóbal by jumping between rooftops. Two in-game features, the "danger/u/" textboard and the "Augmented Eye" news site, reflect Venezuela’s problems in the game’s world. Damas said the game aims to create an "optimistic kind of dystopia," where the player is just a normal person living in an interesting future. Since VA-11 Hall-A focuses on character interactions, the goal is not to save the world but to become part of it.
Christopher Ortiz wanted to "tell stories outside the usual point of view," focusing on characters who are not typically the center of attention.
Reception
Before its release, VA-11 Hall-A received positive attention from critics. Carter Dotson of TouchArcade called the game "a bit unusual" and "very unique," noting that the story would be important for the game's success. He compared it to Her Story, saying it could become "very cool." Kyle LeClair of Hardcore Gamer said the game looked good and had an interesting idea, and he planned to try it when it was released on PC. Jess Joho of Kill Screen said the game created a personal and engaging storytelling experience through its conversations and gameplay. Graham Smith of Rock, Paper, Shotgun said the game's story had a different style than typical visual novels and was more interesting than most. Rock, Paper, Shotgun also listed VA-11 Hall-A as one of the best games shown at EGX Rezzed 2016.
Zack Reese of RPG Site enjoyed the game's prologue, praising details like the character designs, music, and city views. He was especially interested in the characters. Steven Hansen of Destructoid said the game didn't need to be a big action game and called it the best anime-inspired bartending game of the year. He compared it to Catherine. Salvador GRodiles of Japanator joked about looking forward to the game's release date.
Phil Savage of PC Gamer praised the game's character interactions, saying the story unfolded through conversations about people's lives. Julian Benson of Kotaku described the game as mixing visual novels, puzzle-solving, and bar management, similar to games like Papers, Please and Animal Crossing. Nicola Hayden of Push Square said the game gained attention online as a cyberpunk bartending simulator. Pete Davison of MoeGamer praised the game's characters, dialogue, and how the story connected with gameplay.
Katherine Cross of Gamasutra said the game's main character, Jill, was not a typical hero and that the story focused on everyday life. She also said the game's realistic portrayal of relationships was well done. Mike Cosimano of Destructoid gave the game a score of 9/10, calling it excellent and praising its design and connection with players. Cecilia D'Anastasio of Kotaku called it "wildly impressive" and a "brilliant experiment in storytelling." David Roberts of GamesRadar said the writing was excellent and the game was worth playing.
Sin Vega of Rock, Paper, Shotgun said the game had good writing and characters, and praised its references to real-world issues like internet culture. He criticized the game's dialogue presentation, which was too short. Caty McCarthy of Kill Screen said the game told a meaningful story about people and compared it to a good book. She gave it a score of 80/100. Zack Kotzer of Motherboard compared the game to "Ghost in the Shell meets Cheers" and said it focused on everyday life in a cyberpunk world.
However, PC Gamer's review was mixed, saying the game's ideas were interesting but the gameplay was repetitive and boring. Kate Gray of Eurogamer agreed, saying the bartending tasks were not creative enough. Adi Robertson of The Verge said some critics found the game's dialogue about relationships unrealistic. The game's creator said the interactions were based on real-life experiences but admitted the female characters' dialogue might have been too direct.
Before its release, VA-11 Hall-A was listed as one of the most anticipated games. GamesRadar praised the game's choices, like mixing drinks or making mistakes, which changed the story. Matthew Byrd of Twinfinite called it the best indie game to watch in 2016. Zach Budgor of Kill Screen said it was one of their favorite games at Cyberpunk Game Jam 2014.
Legacy
A short game based on another game, VA-11 Hall-A KIDS!, was released on April 1, 2018, as an April Fools' Day joke. This humorous version is set in a Japanese high school and includes younger versions of the original game's characters. It also contains a hidden feature that hints at a future 3D game with graphics similar to those from the PlayStation 1 era.
The sequel, N1RV Ann-A, was announced in September 2018 for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. It is set on Saint Alicia, a fictional resort island in the Caribbean, and follows Sam, a working mother with an 8-year-old son who is experiencing problems in her relationship with her partner, Leon. The game was originally planned for release in 2020 but was delayed in December 2020 to an unspecified date due to issues with game development and differences in creative ideas.