Techno Banter Review (PC)

To deny a banana-wearing demon entry into one of the most prestigious clubs in the city is one thing, but to hurt his feelings and diminish their chances of joining a techno cult is just plain rude. Alas, you won’t find any smooth-talking cookie cutter in this part of town; the neon alleys ooze sour camaraderie and punch-drunk banter, and if there’s anything you should know before filling the position of a bouncer outside of said prestigious club, it’s that bitter words are the most powerful tools in your arsenal, and not to mention the one thing that will help you to separate the weak from the strong, the narrow-minded dictionary enthusiasts to the natural-born curators of bar lingo. Simply put, if you can’t find it in you to dish out a backhanded message — then you probably won’t have the brass to survive a shift in Techno Banter.

Techno Banter is, more or less, exactly what it says it is on the tin: a dialogue-driven visual novel hybrid that coherently captures a world of techno culture and suburban environments with the raw power of—you guessed it—banter. And in case you’ve yet to onboard the basic concept of what banter is, then just know this: it’s essentially responding to a comment in a playful yet teasing manner. Say, for example, a friend of yours has recently taken up an instrument; the fact that you know they’ve recently made the decision to learn it is obvious, and that they won’t be all that great at playing it. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t wax sarcasm into a bit of playful banter; “you’re the best accordion player in the world.” They’re not — but hey — banter, right?

Not on My Watch

The idea behind Techno Banter is vaguely similar to that of Dustborn; the words that you choose to express often have the power to shape and influence conversations and even mold potential outcomes. In this particular instance, however, you aren’t stitched into the equation of a washed-up punk band; you’re the bouncer of a techno club, and thus, the pillar that stands between the riffraff on the streets and the like-minded collective on the dance floor. The goal of this particular role, of course, is to sift through the guests, examine their personalities with a fine-tooth comb, and utilize the brute technique of elevating basic small talk to a double-sided discussion with playful yet bitter remarks. And it’s you, the bouncer, who has the ability to decide who proceeds down the rabbit hole, and who doesn’t make it to the coat room. Simple enough, right? Eh — wrong.

As it turns out, there’s a lot more to the act of pressing the green light and merrily scooting customers through the door; the eccentric characters who flesh out the roster each come with their own respective dialogue, gestures, attire, and personalities. In a typical bouncer-like fashion, you must not only talk with the guest and exchange the occasional flavorful comment, but also judge their appearance, behavior, and whether or not they’ll likely attract negative attention from other members of the public. And it’s because of this that, although the booming ambiance of the self-sustaining Green Door Club forever flourishes in its own nocturnal world, its reputation more or less idles in your hands. So, while it is pretty much the case of figuring out who would make a good fit for the collective, it isn’t quite as easy as picking collars over torn vests.

No Trainer Policy

The key feature that drives Techno Banter is its creative waterfall of witty and oftentimes hilarious dialogue choices—off-hand remarks that, while not always appropriate or impactful, often make the game feel like an entirely different experience with each new shift that you onboard. Granted, there is a bit of a learning curve to the process of selecting or eliminating potential patrons, but once you’ve established the fine line between right and wrong, the campaign almost immediately becomes a great deal of fun. For me, it was a bit of a mixed bag; I frequently felt that I had to let someone in based on their taste in style, but would have preferred to beat them to a pulp based off of the abysmal performance in the banter department. To that end, I wasn’t entirely sure if I was ever doing the right thing — but I enjoyed playing god, nonetheless.

The fact that there are numerous ways to approach each situation is partly the reason why Techno Banter has that special wow factor. To say that there’s a good amount of replay value stitched into the narrative wouldn’t be an overstatement, I’ll say that much. And, to be fair, although I did spend a significant portion of my time toying with new ideas and ways to practically humiliate all of those doorway goblins, it never felt as if I had broken through the mold of all of the potential scenarios or outcomes. On that basis, it felt as if there was more to unlock; who else could I have met, or how else would they have reacted if I had ventured down an alternate route? It was those sorts of questions that gave me an idea of how much Techno Banter was capable of producing.

Back & Forth

Techno Banter isn’t conceptually difficult, as it’s more or less built around a single objective: to exchange small talk and engage in the occasional back alley brawl. That said, with a time-based element that requires you to think on your feet and act accordingly, there is some level of complexity to the gameplay. For example, in several occasions, you must respond to a question within a relatively short time period, and if you fail to respond in an appropriate manner, then you may just wind up losing your momentum or, in some cases, damage the club’s reputation. Thankfully, not all guests are serial killers; some guests wear their hearts on their sleeve and ask only that you grant them passage so that they may let their hair down — or something along those lines. It’s the rowdy bunch that make the job a little more demanding.

In addition to the banter, the game also features a few other interactive tidbits—scenarios that allow you the opportunity to expand the club, collaborate with the in-house producers, and engage in creative mini-games to help boost the business’s popularity and reach. And while none of these things are perfect, they certainly add to the overall appeal — like adding a few extra spices to a bubbling cauldron of backhanded compliments. Add the fact that the game also features a clean 8-bit interface, pulsating personalities, and a time-appropriate, Berlin-inspired techno sound, and you’ve got all of the fantastic ingredients for a great visual novel with a memorable twist.

Verdict

Techno Banter takes the basic infrastructure of a classic visual novel and transforms it into a heart-pounding interactive adventure that conjures a fine balance of devilishly written beats, eccentric characters, and quality off-the-cuff banter. The story, while next to nonexistent in its chosen setting, quickly becomes overshadowed by a fascinating gameplay loop that’s both entertaining and oftentimes rewarding to watch unfold. And it’s because of that immersive gameplay loop that makes a genuine effort to accommodate countless interweaving moments and branching dialogue arcs that Techno Banter has the capacity to capture dozens of plausible encounters.

To cut a long story short, if you’re on the market for a nocturnal voyage to the neon-lit underbelly of club culture, then you honestly needn’t hang your coat in any place other than the atmospheric corridors of the Green Door Club. Likewise, if it’s a quality visual novel that you’re looking for, and more specifically, a visual novel that openly dares to approach things in an unconventional fashion and experiment with new strands of witty dialogue and ideas, then Techno Banter will surely tick all of the right boxes in your book. If neither of these things apply to you, then hey — perhaps a trip to the local coffee shop is more up to your standards.