Bali B&B by Felicity_Banks
TLDR: Cozy, slice-of-life B&B simulator set in Bali. (This game might win the contest for “title of game best summarizes gameplay.)
Gamemechanical notes: Choice based. Small/moderate amount of character customization, I think a few endings based on player choices (?) but I only played once.
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I very much enjoyed the simulator elements. Deciding how to deal with a health inspector, deciding how to approach guests’ problems, etc etc. It’s fun to have agency and choose solutions to a problem! This definitely had a cozy feel–you’re never scared that your character will be in serious peril or that you will destroy the business. I feel like there’s a whole digression lurking here about the perils of capitalism and what it says about society that it’s a common fantasy to (for fun!) imagine having a job where you had autonomy and the resources to complete your work . . . but anyhow. Yes, it feels good to fix the B&B guests’ problems!
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I don’t know much about Bali, so I can’t speak to accuracy, but there were fun specific details about customer service and Bali that made the game feel grounded.
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I had a pretty strong initial resistance to the premise and it took me a while to reconnect emotionally with the story. Just like, my grandparents, who I only see once a year, invite me to visit and then want to leave the country instead while I manage their B&B? Hard no.
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It was unclear to me how much effect my choices were having later in the game. I had the sense that something was being done with my choices (i.e., if you remodel the garden or not) but I couldn’t tell what specific things it was changing later, and it would have been fun to see that highlighted.
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Potential-Love-Interest guy was, alas, pretty generic (although he had some very cute dialogue!). I’m curious for more here! What are his quirks/flaws? What’s stopped us from getting together previously? etc.