Wanderstop Review - More than Managing Tea

Wanderstop is the first title from Ivy Road, a studio formed by industry vets in 2021. Trailers showcased the title as a tea shop manager, but it’s so much more, and less, than that. Presenting a complex story and taking care of customers’ tea orders is only the tip of the iceberg. 

Serving Up Tea in Wanderstop

You play as Alta, a fighter known for being the best. After having her win streak of three years broken, she enters the woods to find the one person who can train her back to perfection. Weakened from consistent running, you pass out and awaken in a clearing. 

This is where the 10-15 hours of gameplay begins. You start by exploring the clearing and the tea shop known as Wanderstop. Managed by Boro, you’re stuck helping him make tea until you’re able to lift your sword and leave the woods. I found that having your own cup to savor at this moment can really heighten the experience. I chose a nice herbal blend to sip while serving my first customers. 

The tea making process involves multiple steps, but once you have it down, it’s fairly easy. You grow specific fruits to gather, collect and dry tea leaves, then brew the drink inside the shop. All ingredients needed are found in the clearing, and there are no time limits on how long someone will wait for their beverage. If you make it incorrectly, they’ll even let you try again with no penalty to their dialogue. 

My biggest issue with Wanderstop is the missing challenge. Aside from a handful of specific client asks, most of the tea making you do is extremely straightforward. From growing the plants, finding the correct ingredients, and making the tea, it’s quite lacking in variety. 

The most challenging part is playing the title with a mouse and keyboard, then trying to quickly select one of the items from your inventory. It’s not super difficult, but getting what item you want and where you want it can take some finesse. A controller is far superior when it comes to inventory scrolling and using the shears. 

While tea creation may have been the premise that drew people in, it’s not the main focus of the title. What Wanderstop lacks in management complexity, it gains in narrative focus. The story is the highlight of the title, evoking emotions I wasn't prepared to experience. 

Without delving too much into the story and ruining all the surprises, you go through Alta’s history and attempt to discover how to fix her current situation. It does pull at the heartstrings and could make you ponder your own views as you work through the different stages of the game. The characters are endearing, many of them with distinct personalities and conversational mannerisms.

As you progress, you’re confronted with moments that alter what the clearing looks like. These changes bring new color schemes, new plants, and new customers. It also ends prior interactions with customers, cutting some side stories preemptively. This is irksome, but you do get chances to learn more about those characters as the game progresses.

Wanderstop Review | Final Thoughts

Wanderstop is less a tea shop management game and more a visual novel guiding players through a difficult, emotional narrative. It can be a tear-jerking experience, especially towards the end of the game. However, once played, I doubt I’ll personally dive back into the world now that I know the full story. It’s perfect for those wanting less of a commitment, with short windows of game time, or who need breaks between storytelling moments. 
 

Wanderstop was reviewed on PC over 9 hours with a code provided by Ivy Road. Screenshots were obtained during the course of the review.