Huang Shangjin, Dog.exe, 26 years old, Office Worker.
His name is "Shangjin" (Progressive), and he truly lives up to it, working non-stop every day, sleeping only four hours, yet receiving no overtime pay. Here we go again, the boss is making empty promises. His colleagues have long stopped buying into it, but he follows the beat, obediently opening his mouth wide to swallow it all.
Pan Youxian, Panda, 42 years old, Odd-job Man.
His name is "Youxian" (Leisure), but he's actually never idle: tossing woks, fixing pipes, forming bands... he does Everythinggj with style. Look, he's standing at the stove as onions, potatoes, and eggs fly towards him one after another. Following the beat, he scoops each ingredient into the pot with a flick of his spatula. The flames leap up, and the aroma of fried rice wafts out.
Bai Lemei, Cat, 24 years old, Shop Assistant.
Her name contains both "Le" (Joy) and "Mei" (Beauty). She is truly beautiful, but the word "joy" rarely appears on her face. Now she's been pulled onto a variety show, facing the camera, so nervous she doesn't know where to put her hands. Fortunately, following the beat, she gradually relaxes, and a sweet smile slowly spreads across her face.
On a street corner in Animal City, there's a small coffee shop, and you are its manager. You see the joys and sorrows of your customers and can't help but lend a hand. With the music, even the chaotic daily trifles become flavorful and full of memories.
This is Animal City Cafe, an adorable, quirky, and down-to-earth intuitive rhythm game, officially launching on Steam on October 13!
Clear Levels Without Looking at the Screen
When you hear a good song, do your fingers involuntarily start tapping to the beat? In 2006, Nintendo's Rhythm Heaven burst onto the scene, turning this instinct into a classic in gaming history.
Yi Guan Yan, the producer of Animal City Cafe, is a die-hard fan of Rhythm Heaven. He has always missed that simple, pure joy, but similar games are becoming harder to find. If no one else will make it, he'll do it himself.
Hit the beats, press the keys—the gameplay of Animal City Cafe can be summarized in one sentence. It tests everyone's innate sense of rhythm, so even if you've never played a rhythm game before, you can quickly find the fun.
"As long as you understand the melody and rhythm, you can clear the levels without even looking at the screen." Yi Guan Yan speaks with such confidence because he has the skills to back it up.
In 2015, he founded Yi Guan Yan Studio in Beijing. Over the years, he has specialized in game music and sound effects. You can hear the sounds crafted by Yi Guan Yan in dozens of games, including Dark Cuisine King, Tale of Immortal, and Neon Abyss.
When it came time to make his own game, he knew that understanding music alone wasn't enough. The first task for Animal City Cafe was to give all developers a music lesson, ensuring everyone had a clear understanding.
Chart design is crucial for rhythm games. In Animal City Cafe, the rhythm, melody, and structure of the music are tailor-made for each level, with every beat landing exactly where it should. The difficulty has been carefully adjusted to ignite the challenge-seeking spirit of hardcore players while allowing casual players to gradually master the mechanics. Every time you hit a beat perfectly, that sense of satisfaction feels like sharing a secret code with the developers on the other side of the screen.
Interestingly, Yi Guan Yan has a special "tester": one day, while reviewing a chart, his one-year-old daughter beside him started tapping to the rhythm. Since then, whether his daughter gets moved by the music has become one of his criteria for judging if a level is "family-friendly."
Where does this down-to-earth charm come from?
When talking about Animal City Cafe, the word Yi Guan Yan mentions most often is "down-to-earth charm." Indeed, there is no grand world or solemn mission, only a cozy little shop and a group of animals busy with their lives.
This down-to-earth charm is hidden in the stories:
Take Huang Shangjin, the protagonist of the first level, for example. He's a typical corporate slave, exhausted every day (or in the world of Animal City, perhaps we should say "exhausted like a human"?). His boss constantly manipulates him, often citing the close relation between dogs and wolves to demand "wolf-like" aggression. Over time, Huang Shangjin genuinely believes the company can't function without him. Finally getting off work, he collapses onto the sofa wrapped in a blanket, still working in his dreams.
As the manager, you can't stand by any longer. Appointing yourself the "Slacking Off Mentor," you teach him step-by-step how to slack off efficiently. Slowly, his response to unreasonable demands from his boss changes from "I'll do it right away" to "Let's talk about it next week," and surprisingly, the sky doesn't fall. Huang Shangjin finally breathes a sigh of relief: "So, after work, I can actually have things I want to do."
That's the story of Animal City Cafe. At first glance, it might seem exaggerated, but on closer thought, it's all about the everyday life around us.
This down-to-earth charm is also hidden in the visuals:
The entire game feels like a hand-drawn sketchbook. Opening it, the first thing that catches your eye is this coffee shop: warm yellow sunlight, greenery climbing over the eaves, a vintage record player in the corner, and fluffy guests... No wonder the most common words in player reviews are "cute," "cute," and "kawaii."
This down-to-earth charm is even more evident in the music:
The game features 35 tracks that are satisfying to play and pleasant to listen to. Jazz, Pop, House... different styles intertwine, bringing the residents of Animal City to life. Even better, sounds from daily life are woven into the music: the clattering of pots and pans, the chatter of neighbors—all become part of the melody.
A Beautiful Little World
Yi Guan Yan has always wanted to create a game world that, however small, is beautiful enough. Thus, Animal City Cafe was born, along with Huang Shangjin, Pan Youxian, Bai Lemei... and many heartwarming little stories.
This beauty defines the game's tone: funny, relaxed, heartwarming, and joyful.
This little world will continue to grow: one month after the official launch, a level editor will be released, allowing players to create their own charts, animations, music, sound effects, and narratives. You can tell your own story or compose your own music, then share it with others via the Steam Workshop. Every creation will make Animal City even more lively.
"Facing life with a smile is the happiest thing," Yi Guan Yan said in an interview, and he has embedded this attitude into every corner of the game.
If you've been feeling a bit tired lately, why not find Animal City Cafe on Steam, push open the door of this little shop, and come in for a sit?