Developer: Cateasee Studio
Platform: PC (Reviewed)
Genre: Adventure, Casual, RPG, Simulation
Publisher: Cateasee Studio, Wander Games
Herb Tea Man is a relaxing game developed by Cateasee Studio and published by Cateasee Studio and Wander Games. It takes us to 1990s Guangdong, where you step into the shoes of Sung, a young man from Northern China who travels south to work at a traditional herbal tea shop. What starts as a simple job quickly turns into something much stranger, as Sung discovers that he can see four mysterious spirits representing Dampness, Heat, Cold and Toxin.
The story has to be the strongest part of the game; rather than relying on huge dramatic adventure, the game focuses on the everyday lives of the people living around Sap Jit Street. As Sung begins working alongside his master, you spend time helping customers, learning about herbal medicine and getting involved in the problems of the local community.
What makes things more interesting are the four little spirits that Sung can see. These spirits add a fun supernatural element to what would otherwise be a fairly grounded slice-of-life story, while also tying into traditional Chinese medicine concepts. Alongside helping the people around you, there is also a mystery surrounding Sung’s master and his past, giving you another reason to keep exploring and progressing through the story.
I really liked how Herb Tea Man manages to make its smaller stories feel meaningful. Not every problem has to involve saving the world, and sometimes helping a random person on the street or serving the right cup of tea can be just as satisfying.
The controls are extremely straightforward, which fits the game’s overall laid-back approach. Most of your time is spent exploring the surrounding streets, interacting with characters and objects, and completing tasks while returning to the tea shop to prepare orders.
The game doesn’t try to overload you with complicated mechanics or difficult controls. Instead, the focus is placed on interacting with the world and progressing the story. You’ll move between different areas, speak with NPCs and complete simple environmental interactions as you work through each day.
While this simplicity might not appeal to players looking for something mechanically demanding, I think it works well here. Herb Tea Man is clearly designed around its story and atmosphere rather than trying to challenge you with difficult gameplay.
Herb Tea Man has a really charming art style, with its 2D hand-drawn environment that gives the game a nostalgic feeling that works perfectly with its setting. The streets, buildings and interiors are all designed around the architecture and atmosphere of the Lingnan region, with influences from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau.
The characters themselves have a simple but expressive style, while the hand-drawn animations used during certain story moments add another layer of personality. The game also features frame-by-frame animated cutscenes, which help some of the more important moments stand out.
The attention to the setting is probably what I enjoyed most visually. Rather than creating a generic town and giving it a Chinese-inspired aesthetic, Herb Tea Man feels like it is genuinely trying to capture a specific time and place.
The gameplay revolves around learning about different medicinal herbs and using them to create drinks based on the customers’ needs. Herbs such as chrysanthemum, honeysuckle and liquorice are incorporated into the brewing system, with different customer symptoms linked to the game’s Dampness, Heat, Cold and Toxin attributes.
This gives the tea-making a little more depth than simply choosing something from a menu. You’re actually learning what different ingredients do and using that information to figure out what each customer needs.
Outside of the shop, you’ll explore the surrounding neighbourhood, speak to its residents and complete different tasks. There are around 50 NPCs, many of whom have their own smaller stories, so exploring the area isn’t just about getting from one objective to another.
There are also 15 Steam achievements and multiple endings, giving you a little more reason to explore everything the game has to offer rather than simply rushing through the main story.
What surprised me most about Herb Tea Man was just how relaxing it is. It’s the kind of game I could easily see myself playing after a long day when I don’t want something stressful or overly complicated. The combination of its cosy tea shop, colourful characters and slower-paced storytelling creates a really enjoyable atmosphere.
That said, the simplicity of the gameplay can occasionally work against it. If you’re someone who wants a deep management system with loads of upgrades and complex mechanics, you may find the tea-making and general interactions a little too basic. The game is much more interested in telling its story and letting you enjoy its world than constantly giving you something challenging to do.
​Herb Tea Man is a wonderfully cosy adventure that offers something a little different from the usual simulation and RPG experience. Its relaxing gameplay, charming hand-drawn visuals, interesting setting and surprisingly wholesome stories make it an easy game to settle into. While some of the mechanics could have been a little deeper, the focus on storytelling and atmosphere makes up for it.
​If you’re looking for a game that lets you slow down, explore a charming neighbourhood, learn about traditional herbal tea and help a bunch of interesting characters along the way, Herb Tea Man is definitely worth checking out.
Overall: 8/10
This is S & S. We are world game explorers. We play games. We have played over 10,000+ games! We travel, we write reviews AND we play more games!!!!
