Touhou Mystia's Izakaya Reviews

Insanely fun and cute!!!!!!!!!!!! im excited every time a new special guest comes to visit, gameplay loop feels really nice and the art is super good :)

Very fun and addictive. The characters are well written. The gameplay loop of gathering ingredients during the day. Managing relationships and interactions. Deciding what to serve. Upgrading your gear. All fun. Has a rhythm mini game if you get the dlc

Very cozy game, lots of cute touhou people and yea just nice to play before going to bed.

starts off as a cute cozy cooking game, quickly becomes a slightly stressful (but still extremely fun) experience where 5 seconds feels like 500. 10/10 game but only if i put aside my personal grudge against customers ordering grilled lamprey

Fun time management and social simulation game! I recommend to slowly add in DLCs, so you don't feel overwhelmed with too many locations in the beginning. There are so many recipes to unlock, quest lines, and friendship levels to obtain! I wonder if I will actually finish this game. I like to play this game here and there, as there is so much to do and so many characters. The only negative is that I can feel overwhelmed by it. However, I am not tired of playing it; I don't feel bored by repetition due to the options of recipes, knowing what locations & characters like what foods etc.

I spent more on the trading cards than I did on this game... granted, I got it on sale but. ANYWAYS. Actual review. Do YOU like cooking management sims? Do you like Touhou? If either of these are true, you'll like this game. I have no idea what my hours are on this game at this time, but I JUST got through DLC 2 final boss. Probably could've done it faster if I had optimized my route but- POINT IS, you'll get more than your moneys worth out of it. It's a cute game, even if it can get stressful at times. Would recommend. Hell, it's one of my very few 100%'d games.

Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya is a remarkably charming and thoughtfully constructed simulation game that manages to carve out its own identity within the ever-growing genre of cozy management titles. Set in the magical land of Gensokyo and centered around Mystia Lorelei—a cheerful night sparrow youkai—the game invites players into a soothing yet engaging cycle of daily exploration and nighttime restaurant operation. What begins as a simple endeavor to rebuild her izakaya and repay a debt evolves into a warm and fulfilling journey of community building, experimentation, and whimsical storytelling that subtly pulls you in and doesn’t let go. The daily gameplay loop is structured but never rigid, allowing players to decide how to spend their limited daytime hours as Mystia ventures out across Gensokyo. Each location unlocks new ingredients, offers chances to meet beloved Touhou characters, and often hides surprises behind side quests or relationship-building moments. The time management system—where each action costs a defined chunk of your daily allowance—adds just enough structure to make every choice feel meaningful without introducing real pressure. Progress is often measured not just in currency or ingredients, but in friendships forged with the quirky and delightful cast of characters. Many of these interactions bring both mechanical rewards (like new recipes) and narrative charm, particularly for fans of the Touhou Project, who will recognize and appreciate the loving attention paid to its lore and personalities. Come nightfall, the game shifts focus to izakaya management, where Mystia cooks, serves, and responds to an increasingly complex wave of customer needs. You craft menus based on available ingredients, taking into account the preferences and moods of your clientele. Some guests are easy to please, while others—especially VIP youkai visitors—offer vague clues about their favorite meals, requiring you to experiment and learn through context. When you finally deduce the perfect dish, the resulting boost in reputation and mood is genuinely satisfying. The core of this night service segment is less about high-stakes management and more about mindful multitasking, tuning into what your patrons enjoy, and maintaining a comforting rhythm across a busy evening. There's also an optional layer of tactical play through the use of spell cards, which can buff your performance or mitigate stressful situations, keeping the pace varied and occasionally surprising. Visually, the game excels in its pixel-art presentation, blending soft colors, expressive animations, and cozy UI design that reinforce the warm, folkloric atmosphere. Each character is rendered with distinct charm, and the various environments Mystia visits feel lively and lived-in, from bamboo groves to bustling villages. The music, meanwhile, is a standout element—featuring elegant reinterpretations of classic Touhou tracks arranged in a relaxing, acoustic style. These melodies elevate even mundane tasks, making exploration and preparation feel like part of the larger emotional arc. The overall aesthetic invites players to slow down and simply enjoy being in Gensokyo, creating a sense of place that lingers long after each session ends. As players progress, the game expands steadily, offering new locations to visit, dishes to master, and characters to befriend. There’s a light narrative about rebuilding Mystia’s business and paying off her concert debt, but it never dominates the experience. Instead, the emphasis is on building something meaningful through consistent, small efforts—a philosophy that aligns beautifully with the gameplay loop itself. While not particularly difficult, the game rewards curiosity, attention to detail, and a willingness to experiment. The difficulty curve is gentle, making it ideal for players who want a relaxing game that still feels rewarding and full of life. That said, Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya isn’t without its weaker moments. After many hours, the gameplay loop may begin to feel a bit repetitive for those seeking deeper complexity. While new dishes, guests, and locations do open up over time, the fundamental mechanics stay largely the same. Some players may also find that the pace slows considerably after the main goal of debt repayment is met, as the game doesn’t push you toward a grand climax or final objective. The charm of the game comes more from the moment-to-moment experience than any long-term strategy, and for those expecting a game with evolving layers of management or challenging mechanics, it might eventually wear thin. On the technical side, while the PC version runs smoothly and is well-suited for mouse and keyboard, the console versions, particularly on Switch, come with minor UI and control mapping issues that take some time to adjust to. These aren’t game-breaking by any means, but they slightly diminish the otherwise seamless comfort of the experience. On the bright side, the console release includes all DLCs, which expand the base game with additional content such as new locations, more characters to interact with, and even rhythm-based minigames. The DLC offerings are mixed in terms of value—some add genuine depth, while others feel like bonus content meant more for fans than for newcomers—but together they do help prolong the life of the game for those who’ve fallen in love with Mystia’s quiet world. Ultimately, Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya is a gem of a game—small in scope but big in heart. It offers a relaxing, deeply satisfying gameplay loop that focuses more on connection and discovery than optimization or competition. The game shines brightest when it leans into its warmth: the satisfaction of nailing a tricky customer request, the joy of unlocking a new recipe, the pleasant conversations shared with colorful youkai guests. Whether you’re a longtime Touhou fan or a newcomer just looking for a cozy title to unwind with, Mystia’s izakaya is a place worth visiting. Like the best comfort food, it may not surprise you after the first few bites—but it’ll make you feel right at home. Rating: 10/10

Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya – Score: 9/10 (Director’s Cut) I never thought a cooking game would end up in my Steam library. Honestly, I do not enjoy cooking games at all. My only previous experience with the genre was an old game where you played as a penguin waiter. Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya surprised me. If you are not into Touhou or you dislike games that require heavy grinding, you might lose interest quickly. But if you are a fan, this is a charming and content-packed game with a deceptively simple loop. Gameplay and Mechanics The gameplay is simple but well executed. You prepare dishes and drinks from a huge range of ingredients, and the game does not lock you into strict recipes. If you want a sweet Beef Bowl, you can just add sugar. If you make a mistake, you will get “dark matter” which, amusingly, actually has a use. You have up to three companions who can fully take over both cooking and waiting tables, serving food and drinks alike. If you do not feel like doing anything yourself, they can carry the workload until a Rare Customer or Special Guest appears. These guests require careful attention to their likes and dislikes. Some are easy to please, while others are much more demanding. Memorizing recipes is important, and the game keeps you on your toes. Graphics and Atmosphere The pixel art is excellent. Character sprites are expressive and well-designed, fitting perfectly into the Touhou world. The soundtrack is memorable, and I have even listened to some tracks outside of the game. The Grind The grind is where the game can start to wear you down. A typical cycle looks like this: serve customers until your Izakaya closes, go to sleep, wake up, and then head out to collect resources. Along the way you might talk to some of the Rare Customers, either to ask for help gathering resources (which is very useful) or to increase your relationship with them. There are a few quests, mostly tied to these rare characters. Whenever they give you a new recipe, they usually want you to make it for them a few times before you can move to the next stage of the relationship. After that, you open your Izakaya again, serve more customers, close for the night, and repeat the process. It can be enjoyable at first, but after many hours it begins to feel repetitive, especially when combined with the long relationship grind. It reminded me of Middle-earth: Shadow of War, where the core loop was fun but the length made it feel like a test of patience by the end. Verdict If you love Touhou and do not mind repetition, this is an excellent game. For me, it is a wonderful experience that is dragged down by how much time it demands from the player. Still, the charm, music, and freedom in cooking make it stand out from similar titles.

Genuinely such a fun and addicting game! Also, the art style is super cute! I bought all the DLCs for the game after about 20 hours of playing just to spice things up a bit and I'm super happy with them. They add a lot of content and I still have so much left to do in this game even after 39 hours of gameplay. If you're thinking about getting this game, I say go for it and try it out!

I may not have many hours in this game but I'm already a BIG fan. I'm not familiar with the characters, I just wanted a food-based game that was both cozy yet interesting. This game fits the bill in a way I've never seen before! The gameplay: You collect and buy items during the day and cook and serve at night, all to learn new recipes and expand. - DAYTIME: Simply put, the daytime "timer" is the number of actions you have remaining. One action, like fishing, will progress the day. My favorite part of the day is that you don't actually have to "do" anything: There is no active fishing (YAY!!!) or crop-growing, just clicking once at a fishing spot or at a bush to collect what's inside, and everything respawns over time! You also have shops (which don't use actions) and money is plentiful; truly, what's more relaxing than barely working and spending ez money? - NIGHTTIME: When it's time to cook and serve at your izakaya, the timer is pleasantly interrupted often so the game doesn't ever get stressful (my easily-tense shoulders love this!). Not only can you pause the game in general, but cooking is often broken up by "singing" (a click-when-told mini game which can give power-ups) and serving gives you time to think. Going to serve a customer? The timer pauses while you make sure you're at the right table and chose the right dish. I wasn't sure about this aspect at first (particularly the singing) but it quickly grew on me. CONS: - The only one I have so far is that the game can only save at the end of the izakaya shift. The devs did put a blurb at the beginning of the game acknowledging this for future games but that, at this point, it's impossible to implement into this game. Just be sure to yourself 15-20 minutes per in-game day! Overall: This is a pretty, chill game with LOTS of fun dishes, a little management, and a bit of running around. The characters and world are cute and I'm excited to play more. :)