SQOOL GAME AWARD 2024 WINTER Grand Prize "Midnight Ramen"
Set in a midnight ramen stall, this is a narrative adventure game centered around conversations between staff and customers. Players take on the role of "Homura," a trainee employee at a ramen shop that only operates at night, listening to the troubles of customers who visit the ramen shop and interacting with them.
Game Features
Various customers visit the stall every night. It's essentially a text-based game where you progress the story by listening to customers' conversations, but you also need to handle their orders during the process.
When an order comes in, you start making ramen. You can add ingredients or adjust the cooking time of the noodles according to the customer's order. The controls are simple but quite professional. There's no time limit for making ramen, and you can check the recipe at any time, so you can proceed at your own pace.
About the Story
When discussing this work, one cannot overlook the "theme" it deals with. While making ramen and listening to customers' troubles, their actual concerns often include very heavy themes such as "death" and "separation."
Why is it only open at night? Why is the protagonist a trainee? Why do customers come to this shop? As various mysteries gradually unfold, players will resonate with their stories.
Please keep in mind the decisions of all the characters, including the customers, the owner, and the protagonist "Homura," as well as the story's conclusion. When you understand the theme of this game, you'll find yourself unable to help but love them, sometimes feeling heartache, and being deeply moved.
