Kemono Teatime Review
Back in April, I wrote a blog covering the demo for Kemono Teatime by Studio Lalala: a pixel cafe simulator with a distinctively sugary aesthetic (and yes, Atelier Sophie fans, those character designs are by NOCO!) to match the sweet treats you serve to your customers.
I stumbled across this hidden gem during Steam’s Next Fest event, and had only intended to stream an hour or so, but ended up streaming the whole dang thing. Naturally this made it an instant wishlist and a long, hard wait until the full game finally dropped in September 2025; a fact I was alerted to by a sudden spike in viewers on my blog. Honestly, I’m thrilled! Not just for the obvious selfish reasons, but because it means people are genuinely excited about this game, and so they should be.
Kemono Teatime might seem like a cute, cozy cafe game (and I’d still have enjoyed thoroughly if it was), but it also dares to go beyond the sweet to the harder, more painful parts of living and reminds us that we should value every moment with the ones we hold dear, even just by making the time for a conversation over a cup of your favourite tea. It’s sensitive, it’s breathtaking, and a shoe-in for a Game of the Year nomination (I hope you’re listening, Geoff Keighley!). Let’s check out why!
Read More:
Legends and Lattes: a Home Full of Heart
Cafe K Makes Every Day Divine
As mentioned in my demo blog, Kemono Teatime is set in the commune of La Bête: a community where everyone has animal features such as fluffy ears and/or tails. The story focuses on sisters Tarte and Macaron, sisters who are relatively new in town, and are just opening up Cafe K: their shared dream project serving Macaron’s homemade sweets and Tarte’s tea, which she hand-blends to order for every customer.
Though the girls only intend to run the café for three weeks, Café K quickly becomes the heart of the commune in a way that reminds me very much of Coffee Talk or the novel Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree, as the girls soon discover that every Kemomini who sets foot inside their café is looking for more than a drink or a treat, whether they realize it or not.
Tarte and Macaron offer advice, bright smiles, healing herbs, and a shoulder to cry on for their regulars-to-be, and come to know each and every one as a person with troubles and fears of their own. As the story progresses, the cast becomes a group of friends who support one another and trade memories and wisdom, and little by little they help each other grow and develop. It’s a wonderful thing, so alive and so heartfelt, and I ended up re-evaluating my own behaviours and mentality in turn, which is exactly what I love so much about games like this and the Hungry Hearts series. Therapeutic cafés, diners, and bars have become their own genre, and I am here for it! More of this, please!
Trigger Warnings: Spoilers Abound
I firmly believe that Kemono Teatime is a deeply important story that’s more impactful when allowed to unwind on its own, but it does come with a wicked case of emotional whiplash that I’ve seen aptly described as “cozy-to-hospice”. Though I would recommend going into it knowing as little as possible to get the full effect of each story beat, I also know that for many of us this isn’t really an option, as there are plots and themes that we’re either just not comfortable engaging with or find too painful to process due to our personal circumstances:
Sensitive Topics in Kemono Teatime
- Alcohol References
- Global Pandemic
- Grief
- Death (including Child Death)
- Death of a Loved One
- Care of a Loved One During the Last Stages of Terminal Illness (including administering medicine without consent)
- Parental Abandonment
- Adultery
- Terminal Disease
- Cannibalism (not directly seen, but it’s hinted at that another commune does practice this)
- Existential Themes
- Post-Apocalyptic Themes
- Extinction of Humanity
Misleading Marketing
The marketing for this game is quite misleading which, on one hand, I understand in order to preserve the twists in the story, but I also question it when Nintendo Switch’s store page only warns of an ‘Alcohol Reference’. I’m in full agreement with the warning on the Steam page and advise you to try the demo first if you’re not sure Kemono Teatime is right for you. If you’re comfortable going ahead with it though, you’re in for an unforgettable experience with a rich story and lovable, deeply human characters.
Where to Play Kemono Teatime
Kemono Teatime is available for you to play right now on Steam or Nintendo Switch. I personally played it on Steam and found its gameplay loop felt very natural using a mouse, from selecting your tea and herb blends, to checking out your glossary of characters and their preferences, customizing each customer’s plate with an adorable chocolate message, and engaging with the game’s other features. I can’t speak for how it handles on Switch, but if you’ve tried it, I’d love to hear from you!
All in all, Kemono Teatime is a very special game that will stay with me for a long time, and I’d love to see it get a mention at the Game Awards. The character designs are incredibly vibrant, the café space feels cozy and welcoming, a gentle soundtrack by Snail’s House perfectly complements the emotional feel of each scene, and I found the adorable ASMR quite satisfying to listen to even though I don’t usually like the genre. I think my only real bugbear with it was that Tarte can be a bit much in worshipping her sister; it’s a character type I’m just not a fan of (and I had the same issue with Metis in Persona 3 Reload: Episode Aigis), but to its credit, Kemono Teatime does contextualize why Tarte is like that and even has Macaron acknowledge that it’s a little much at times. As well, there were perhaps moments when Tarte was talking to Quiche that I thought felt a bit off, likely due to Tarte’s headspace or something lost in translation. It’s hard to say, but regardless, these things didn’t mean I enjoyed the game any less.
FaeEyedFox’s Kemono Teatime Verdict: You Need to Play This Game!
For now at least, that’s my complete review of Kemono Teatime! It’s an emotionally complex game that packs a punch, so I’m sure I’ll think of more things I wished I’d said. For now though, I’ll thank you for joining me by the Foxfire if you’ve read this far, and see you again next time for another of my favourite Tails!
Kemono Teatime Frequently Asked Questions
How long to beat Kemono Teatime?
Depending on your reading speed, you can achieve an ending for Kemono Teatime within 11 hours.
Is Kemono Teatime scary?
While Kemono Teatime deals with heavy subject matter that many consider upsetting (such as terminal illness and a global pandemic), it is not a horror game.
What kind of game is Kemono Teatime?
Kemono Teatime is a visual novel with ASMR elements and tea-making mini games, perfect for fans of Coffee Talk.
What is a Kemomimi?
‘Kemomimi’ is a term used in the visual novel Kemono Teatime to describe people with animal features like ears and tails. It is also the name of a virus in this universe.
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