Sometimes, you watch a game trailer and think to yourself ‘oh no, I’m in danger’. Dungeons and Dragons: Long Rest Tavern is one of those games. Revealed at Gamescom on August 26, this is a new cozy business sim where you build and run a fantasy tavern. Your adventuring patrons go out and fight the monsters; you just need to supply the drinks.
The trailer (see below) is mostly a promotional animation, but the snippet of gameplay we see looks like a cross between D&D and Two Point Hospital. You get to build and customize your tavern, Sims-style. You’ll hire staff, brew ale, serve food, and become a hub where budding heroes can pick up their next quest.
There aren’t many games I’ve been playing longer than D&D, but one of them is The Sims. I’m a diehard lover of life sims, from Stardew Valley to childhood favorites like Zoo Tycoon. Basically, this new D&D title is catnip to someone like me. The rest of the world may be fawning over Warlock’s beefy budget and stellar cast (who we interviewed, by the way), but I’m pretty keen for a long rest.
Does the world need more cozy games? Probably not, but I’m still excited for this one.
That being said, I don’t want to count my chickens too early. Long Rest Tavern is developed by Homo Ludens, a studio founded in 2019. It currently has just one game under its belt – Blooming Business Casino, another business sim that received mixed reviews overall.
Long Rest Tavern is being published by Dotemu, who has a slightly more expansive back catalog. Think Metal Slug, Shredder’s Revenge, Blaster Bug, Marvel Cosmic Invasion, and the upcoming Warhammer: Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster.
Long Rest Tavern is scheduled for a 2027 release. If you’d like to chat more about D&D until then, join us in the Wargamer Discord.
Source: Wargamer
