Disney Villains Cursed Cafe asks very important questions. For example, if Disney Villains somehow wound up in a mysterious, magical cafe set in our reality, how would they react? If Gaston of Beauty and the Beast were to be to introduced to feminism, how would that sit in his pea brain? What if Aladdin‘s Jafar was introduced to the world of cryptocurrency and get-rich-quick schemes? What if Maleficent discovered the vast power and influence of social media?
All of these questions, and more, are the focus of Disney Villains Cursed Cafe, and it’s all the more delightful for being so silly with it all. It’s the sort of game where it’s best not to take anything seriously, and if you can manage that, you’ll have a ball.
Really, it’s the humour that shines brightest here. Beyond the central mystery of who are you and how you come to run a magical potions shop. Beyond simple, unchallenging potion-making mechanics. This is more of a game of quirky storytelling and relationship-building, as you come to know each Disney villain, and deliver them what they need (but not always what they want).
It’s a simple setup: you are a potion maker, and you make potions. Various villains visit your Cursed Cafe daily, each with their own unique requests. Sometimes, you’ll need to make a potion that lets people breathe fire. Sometimes you’ll brew a truth serum, or a potion to make someone forget. It’s all in service of a wider goal: to understand the disappearance of the former potion master who hired you.
The mystery unravels at a steady pace, as each villain request may unlock special keys that provide clues – but the best part of Disney Villains Cursed Cafe is taking your time, getting to know the main villains, and learning to understand them. A knowledge of Disney will help proceedings, but the game still does a solid job with introductions, canvassing motivations for each villain, and where you might like to disobey their preferences in character quests, to arrive at a better solution.
There’s not a lot of choice here, and you’re locked into a relatively linear pathway (although you can make mistakes and hit a false ending, which will then be rewound). That said, events may play out differently based on key choices in the narrative, and you can guide villains onto better pathways if you think carefully about your actions.
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No matter which path you take, what’s consistently delightful about the game is interacting with each villain, and seeing villains interact with each other, as well as the “real” world. It’s so very Mickey’s House of Villains in approach, with Gaston and Maleficent cat-fighting, and Jafar being so dismissive of everyone. Ursula is as dramatic and smug as you’d expect, and Cruella is equally crazed.
In your cafe, there’s a plethora of power dynamics, and in sharp, biting dialogue, you get to see all of the villains having a go. It makes Disney Villains Cursed Cafe feel a lot like a comedy film, with a light dash of potion-making. There is rare interactivity and meaningful choice here, but when Jafar is talking about his latest crypto conference, or Gaston mentions being bullied by women, the game earns a lot of forgiveness.
There’s plenty more I would’ve liked to have seen in Disney Villains Cursed Cafe. The lack of significant choice makes the game feel very on-rails, with few diverting pathways. Potions are also very simple to make, with no more than three ingredients in each potion, and a recipe book guiding your every solution. It’s very simple, and that does detract from gameplay overall, even if the title has an all-ages focus.
With a relatively mature narrative, and plots that will be better understood and appreciated by adults, it does feel like Disney Villains Cursed Cafe is held back by this lack of complexity. Even so, I found myself pouring potion after potion, if only to follow each villain along their path, and to see how I could change them for the better.
For Disney adults looking for a quiet, calming time, there’s plenty to enjoy here. Younger kids and teens may also appreciate the chance to better know iconic villains, although it is worth noting the roster is comprised only of classic villains, with Yzma of The Emperor’s New Groove being the “youngest” included.
Turn your brain off, sit back for a lovely time, and you’ll greet Disney Villains Cursed Cafe in exactly the right mindset. It’s not an essential game, but for those who enjoy fun, light-hearted Disney crossovers, it’s frequently funny, surprising, and wonderful.
Three stars: ★★★
Disney Villains Cursed Cafe
Platform(s): PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC,
Developer: Bloom Digital Media
Publisher: Disney
Release Date: 27 March 2025
A PC code for Disney Villains Cursed Cafe was provided and played on a Steam Deck for the purposes of this review. GamesHub reviews are rated on a ten-point scale.
