While We Wait Here Review (Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Switch & PC)

I’m flipping burgers to the pulsating echoes of impending Armageddon, doing all in my power to elude the inescapable world that’s barely clutching at straws. The world may be on fire, but in here—a kitchen that stands as a final bastion of hope—there is indeed a slight glimmer of humanity. It’s certainly purgatory, but it’s something to hold onto for all the while we wait here, itching for something else to take us back to the preliminary stages of our journey. Death, here, is unfortunately imminent, but for all the while I choose to don the apron and spatula, homely comforts and a place to reminisce won’t be all that far away. Indeed, the end is nigh, but if I can bring solace to just one patron, I will pass over with my head held high and my moral compass replenished. It won’t be long now, diners.

While We Wait Here isn’t just a restaurant simulator. Well, it is, but it’s also something of an emotional, and oftentimes spiritual experience, one in which dialogue carries a lot of baggage, and actions—specifically those that have an impact on your guest’s conclusive understanding of their predicaments and how they must respond to them—are as equally powerful as the orders you fill in a last-ditch effort to retain some level of normality in a forsaken world. In your mind, you are a mere diner employee, shackled to the stove and bound to a nine-to-five routine that feels about as clockwork as the bi-weekly refuse collection. But in your heart, you are more; you are, with the correct amount of vigor and courage, the concierge who will provide warmth for your customers until ash and haze have taken hold. It isn’t an easy job, but it’s yours.

Life Moves Forward

It begins with a catastrophe—a world-shattering event that, to some of your customers, feels like little more than the answer to countless human errors. But, to others, it isn’t anything to ponder about; it’s a slight mishap that is likely to be resolved over the coming weeks. Unfortunately for you, you don’t have much of a choice between either side of the argument, for you are, whether you like it or not, the one who flips the patties and pours the coffee. And that, really, is more or less where you begin your journey: aboard a sinking ship, fully aware of the cataclysmic effects that are taking shape outside of your homely vessel, and, at least in some respects, lost in the illusion that a cup of coffee with an alluring aroma can solve the world’s problems. It can’t — but it’s something.

While We Wait Here is as much of a visual novel as it is a full-fledged restaurant simulator, in the sense that, while you might spend several hours serving gourmet meals to your hungry patrons, the real reason for your stay is to bathe in a wealth of stories. And it’s these stories—arcs which serve as tiny pockets of lore for the overarching narrative—that you have the ability to persuade, manipulate, and ultimately guide towards an eventual conclusion. Who will flee for shelter before the world falls on its axis? Who will opt to remain in their booths, sipping coffee as the final sunset descends into darkness? As it turns out, it’s you who has the power to alter the course of their final journey, and it is dialogue, really, that makes the world go round — at least for a moment.

A Glimmer of Light

Like the vast majority of alternate simulators that revolve around business and restaurant managerial responsibilities, the primary goal of While We Wait Here is to cater to those who desire a caloric intake with a wholesome punch, and not to mention a welcoming atmosphere that defies the impending doom that lingers far beyond the reach of the kitchen stove. In two hours—the time it takes to navigate a tapestry of short tales and provide some form of input—you are invited to take orders, fulfill them, and ultimately choose one of several options, from which a timely climax is more or less revealed as part of one of several alternate endings. There isn’t much more to it than that, which means, if you did have hopes of divulging your habits over an extended period of time, then you might be in for a shock.

If you blend the visual novel components of Coffee Talk with the insightful storytelling of What Remains of Edith Finch, then you might just have a clear understanding of how While We Wait Here operates. In a typical case, you commence your shift with a simple task: welcome a guest, and take their order. From there, it’s merely the case of keeping their cups filled to the brim with their chosen beverage, and delving into their personal backstories—a segment that consists of you playing through bite-sized chapters and witnessing various events unfold over a set period of time. Again, think What Remains of Edith Finch—a walking simulator that utilized the basic idea of allowing short mementos to weave into a tapestry of sorts, and you’ll have an idea of what we’re talking about. That, in short, is where you fit in — as a weaver of tales.

Burgers & Backstories

As far as While We Wait Here’s gameplay goes, it’s safe to say that there isn’t a huge amount to gloss over. Case in point, the first handful of scenarios are mostly one and the same: take an order, source the ingredients, and serve up a hamburger. Naturally, there are several other duties that also require your attention, like pouring drinks, cleaning appliances, and keeping track of your stock, for example. And yet, when compared with the other daily responsibilities that you have—discussing the impending doom that leans over your shoulders, being the most important one—these relatively mundane chores scarcely seem relevant. Sure, you have the objective of rustling up a few fillets, but that’s essentially filler material, for the heart and soul of the journey isn’t embedded in the job itself, but in the deep and gratifying details of the conversations you strike up with your customers.

There’s a lot to love about While We Wait Here, from its smooth animations to its convincing voice acting, the immersive tales to the somewhat dull but weirdly communal atmosphere that hangs over the diner. The only thing I wish I could’ve seen more of, of course, was the game, in general. Suffice it to say, it wasn’t the lengthiest piece of work I had to commit to, as it more or less fell into its conclusion shortly after I had managed to learn all of the tricks of the trade. Sure, I didn’t like cooking burgers, but if it had meant that I could listen in to just one more story, I would’ve happily spent another couple of hours slaving away from behind the stove. Unfortunately, though, that just wasn’t in the cards.

Verdict

While We Wait Here isn’t the longest game in the world, nor is it exactly bursting at the seams with a treasure trove of original gameplay mechanics or inventive ways to keep you second guessing. With that said, it isn’t the lack of originality in the controls that make it what it is; it’s the flavorful story arcs and characters’ commitment to spin a compelling yarn in the short time they’re given. Again, I just wish I could’ve witnessed more of it before the sunset came to pass and the inevitable closure of my ill-fated diner crept up to transition into credits. I would’ve played more. I would’ve flipped another burger. But, rather fittingly, all good things had to come to an end, and, as it turned out, there was no exception for those who sought sanctuary in that old diner, either. Shame.

In spite of its failure to deliver longevity to the mix, While We Wait Here is still one of the most promising independent games we’ve seen in months — years, even. So, to cut a long story short, if you do share that undying love for compelling tales that have moldable outcomes, then you’ll no doubt fall head over heels in love with just about everything that Bad Vices Games captures in its flip book of curious corridors. Just, eh, don’t expect to find that same sort of enthusiasm for cooking hamburgers.