There comes a time in our lives when a piece of media so perfectly captures the zeitgeist that it reflects how large swaths of society struggle with a rampant problem. Exhaustion is a strange beast in the way it creeps up on you to never let go unless you tackle it head-on with mindful life choices. For Wanderstop to tell such a vivid account of the terrible affliction that is burnout, only to then provide the remedy in the form of a 15-hour subversion of the farm sim genre is nothing short of astounding.
As the debut title of developer Ivy Road, Wanderstop breaks conventions just as it pushes the medium forward. Made in part by the creator of The Stanley Parable, it is not surprising that it questions the very nature of gaming and the influence it has on us. So authentic are the themes on display, the feeling that it points a mirror at the player and asks, “Is this you?” is unshakeable.
A New Lease
Stepping into the well-worn boots of Alta, a widely recognized warrior in an unnamed fantasy land, you find her in a previously unthinkable situation. After dedicating most of her life to the never-ending betterment of her fighting prowess, she has now lost several battles in a row and is looking for a master of the craft to get her out of this rut. Searching frantically across a magical forest, she suddenly faints and loses her consciousness.
Rescued by a benevolent soul by the name of Boro, this burly man finds Alta and her sword lying in the woods. As she regains her conscience, she looks at a beautiful meadow with pastel colors and gentle nature sounds. In the middle of it, a quaint tea shop called Wanderstop is lovingly placed. Refusing to accept her predicament, Alta begrudgingly thanks Boro and prepares to leave.
Unable to carry the sword she brought with her, clearly due to exerting herself to the point of exhaustion, Alta’s stubborn nature does not let her see the truth of the matter. Thankfully, Boro, as the owner of said tea shop, extends his much-needed aid to this obstinate warrior. What if, for once, as she tries to figure out the issues with her mind and body, she also tends to the shop?
Let Her Cook
Now armed with a broom to sweep leaves, clippers to cut weeds, and a watering can to hydrate the plants, Alta starts learning the intricacies of running a tea shop. With Boro as a guide, she is gifted a Field Guide filled with useful pointers to know what to do at any given moment. Keeping things tidy is helpful, but the most important process of them all, and the most fun activity, is brewing tea.
First, you let the tea leaves dry, collected with your basket while roaming the clearing. Then, you plant seeds in an easy-to-use hexagonal grid and harvest the abundant fruits from each of them. Finally, at the center of the shop, an intricate tea-making machine to boil your water and infuse the ingredients awaits.
The machine is so massive, in fact, that Alta needs a ladder to climb around it. Luckily, this becomes second nature once you get a feel for it. Listening to the cup fill up once the arduous task is over, it never stops being gratifying. When not fulfilling customers’ orders, our tired warrior can sit at a bench and smell the tea before partaking in it. The experience is quite an assault on her senses in such a way that different tea flavors make her reminisce of different memories, all profound in their own ways.
Days of Our Lives
An intriguing aspect of Wanderstop is that there are whole books in the game for you to read. They’re about 10 pages long, sure, but they are a clear indication of a slow life. The act of reading, immersing yourself in the written word, is something that entices not only Alta but the player to maybe not get lost in completing every tea order, but to also, perhaps, sit down on a bench and devour hilarious spy-thriller satires.
Adorning the tea shop with trinkets found, pictures from customers, and special gifts means it will end up being a uniquely personal habitat. Delivering lost parcels to the mailbox is worthy in and of itself, only to find that the people who you send the forgotten items have an intriguing story to tell when they reply. Finding dirty tea cups, putting them back in an elaborate dishwasher, and choosing a favorite became a hobby of mine.
In certain conversations with customers, the game will give you the options to let them ramble on uncontrollably to say ever more outlandish comments about their topics, lending to some increasingly funnier dialogues. The writers surely had a blast taking the time to think of clever jokes for those willing to play ball with these peculiar fellows.
In Praise of Dilly-Dallying
Ivy Road did their thorough investigation, and it shows. Symptoms of burnout, like emotional exhaustion, are front and center. Not taking care of oneself can lead to reduced patience, inability to deal with problems, and long-term physical issues. Of course, Alta’s cynical ego will never let her accept this fact. That is, until she arrives at Wanderstop.
Every character works in service of that theme in a heartfelt way. It wastes no time in letting you know about the world around you and the struggles they all face. Even the trophies earned have something to say on the matter. For a difficult subject like this one, it is presented gently. Notable in the soundtrack by C418, the transitions from a childlike wonder inside the teahouse to a pacifying, reflective state in the field fit the day-to-day labor perfectly.
Smell The Roses
Wanderstop, the hidden teahouse in the middle of the woods, will forever become my safe space, where I can go back to whenever I’m in need of comfort. It will exist as a constant reminder that slowing down to smell the roses is not a sign of weakness, but of strength. Wanderstop, the video game, is one of the most important works of our time. The way it succinctly portrays burnout unlike any other piece of media is exceptional.
Thank you to Annapurna Interactive for providing Wanderstop for review. You can find our review policy here.
