Midori no Kaori Review Summary

Relaxing, cozy atmosphere and sound: The game is consistently praised for its relaxing and cozy atmosphere, which is achieved through a combination of calming music, soothing sound design, and visually appealing graphics. Many reviewers specifically mention the game's ability to help them de-stress and unwind.

Beautiful graphics and art style: The game's visuals are frequently highlighted, with reviewers praising the beautiful graphics, charming art style (especially the frogs), and extensive customization options for the restaurant's design. The lighting and overall aesthetic contribute significantly to the game's appeal.

Extensive customization and management: Reviewers appreciate the game's focus on customization and management, allowing players to design their ideal restaurant and keep their customers happy. The game provides a stress-free environment with no time constraints, and the ability to freely customize the restaurant.

Many options and settings: The game offers a range of options and settings, including quality settings, audio controls, and a built-in screenshot mode. The inclusion of an auto mode is also appreciated for its convenience and ability to allow for multitasking.

Responsive and dedicated developer: The developer is consistently praised for being active, responsive, and dedicated to the game. They actively communicate with the community, address concerns, and implement updates based on player feedback.

Clunky item placement and editing: Players find the item placement and editing features clunky and frustrating. Specific issues include the inability to move items after placement, frequent glitches, difficult controls, and the lack of a pause function while editing. These issues make decorating and customizing the izakaya a tedious process.

Lacking content and customization: Reviewers express a desire for more content, including additional dishes, customization options, and gameplay features. The limited menu, slow income generation, and lack of feedback on restaurant ratings contribute to a feeling of being constrained and wanting more to do.

Repetitive gameplay and sound: Some reviewers find the gameplay loop repetitive and the music uninspired. The constant kitchen sounds and the limited variety in customer interactions can lead to boredom after a relatively short time.

Limited camera control/view: The inability to rotate the camera limits the player's ability to view and decorate all aspects of their izakaya. Reviewers desire a 360-degree camera rotation feature to fully appreciate their creations.

Static NPCs, manual character placement: The lack of walking animations for NPCs and the manual placement of characters in larger rooms detract from the game's immersion and liveliness. These issues make the game world feel less dynamic and engaging.

Idle gameplay with automation: The game incorporates idle gameplay mechanics, including auto-play features to passively accumulate currency and progress. While some grinding may be present, the game allows for a more relaxed experience, and the core gameplay loop is simple, often involving clicking.

Progression through restaurant upgrades: The game features a moderate progression system where players level up by expanding their restaurant, adding decorations, and purchasing tables. Unlocking more items is tied to improving the restaurant's star rating.

Layout limitations and genre shift: One reviewer suggests that larger restaurants should include multiple kitchens and entrances to allow for more diverse layouts. The game may unexpectedly shift from a simple decorating game to a business simulation.

Drag-and-drop and QTE mechanics: The game incorporates mechanics such as dragging and dropping patrons onto tables and quick-time events (QTEs). These elements add interactivity to the core gameplay loop.

Foreign interpretation of Japanese setting: The game's Japanese-style pub setting feels like a foreigner's interpretation, suggesting it is primarily aimed at an overseas audience. This point is somewhat subjective and based on cultural interpretation.

Generally smooth, minor bugs: The game generally runs smoothly, with reviewers reporting few crashes or lags. Some minor cosmetic bugs and sound issues exist, especially related to lighting or during operations in Early Access. The game's file size is small, but it requires decent PC specs.

High GPU usage reported: One reviewer noted high GPU usage, leading to the GPU running hot. This suggests potential optimization issues that could impact performance for some players. More reports would be needed to confirm how widespread this issue is.

Grid alignment bug: A single reviewer mentioned a grid alignment issue that requires relogging to fix. This seems to be an isolated incident, but it does point to a potential bug that needs addressing.

Game has potential, wait for updates: Many reviewers acknowledge the game's potential, often citing the developer's responsiveness and planned updates. However, some recommend waiting for further development due to existing bugs or a lack of content. The game is seen as a promising work in progress.

Strongly positive, worth the price: Many reviewers express strong positive sentiments, praising the developer's vision and recommending the game. Some reviewers feel the game is worth the asking price, or even more, due to the passion and love put into it.

Request for zoom feature: One reviewer hopes for a zoom feature to see decorations more clearly. This is a minor point, but it is a specific suggestion for improvement.

Early access, single developer: The game is in early access and is primarily developed by a single person. This suggests that the game is subject to bugs and is still undergoing active development, with potential for new mechanics and updates to be added over time.

Short but endlessly replayable: The game's length is a few hours, but it is endlessly replayable. This suggests that the game has a high degree of replayability despite its short length.

Story unimportant/interesting: The game's story is either non-existent or not important, or it features an interesting in-game story. This suggests that the game's story is not a major focus, or that the story is interesting.

Simple English, no Chinese: The game lacks Chinese language support. However, the English used is simple and easy to understand, especially for players familiar with simulation games.

Demo version available: A demo version of the game is available. This allows potential players to try the game before purchasing it.