Manage a cafe by day, go to bed and fight in your dreams in a world without sleep by night in Hips N Noses
Hips N Noses is a hybrid indie game that blends cafe management simulation with roguelike mechanics inspired by Vampire Survivors. Set in a unique world where sleep doesn’t exist for anyone except the player, the game explores the consequences of permanent insomnia on an entire population, manifesting as widespread amnesia among NPCs.
Players take on the role of Mela, a young woman navigating this sleep-deprived world. During the day, she manages a cafe where customers rely on coffee and beverages to restore their lost memories and navigate their daily lives. The game features a distinctive cel-shaded visual style paired with lo-fi hip hop aesthetic, creating a relaxed yet intriguing atmosphere.
By night, the gameplay shifts dramatically as Mela enters a roguelike dream world, where she must fight and survive encounters in surreal dream sequences. This day/night cycle creates an interesting contrast between the calm, resource-management gameplay of cafe operations and the fast-paced action of the dream segments.
The game’s core themes revolve around food, dreams, and memories—elements that intertwine throughout the gameplay experience. The narrative premise explores how memory loss affects individuals and communities, with coffee serving as both a gameplay mechanic and thematic element tied to memory restoration.
Hips N Noses demonstrates an innovative approach to indie game design by combining multiple genres and gameplay styles into a cohesive experience, while the world-building premise of universal sleeplessness provides a fresh setting that distinguishes it from conventional game narratives.