Dude, Where Is My Beer? A New Hop is packed with alcohol-fueled humor and puzzling moments

There are a lot of point-and-click adventure games out there, and they are always a pleasure to dive into, stretching even the most logical minds to try and figure out the way forward. Dude, Where Is My Beer? A New Hop hits all the right spots, and it’s all about a man with particular tastes and social anxiety. 

Dude, Where Is My Beer? A New Hop is a strange and lovable point-and-click adventure game currently in development by duo Arik Zurabian and Edo Brenes. It’s the sequel to their award-winning 2020 debut, and all you need to do is get your hands on a simple Pilsner, but things are never straightforward, especially not in this case. 

What happened to the Pilsners?

I have to be honest from the outset, here. My knowledge of pilsners (and beer in general) is limited. It’s just not my drink; I prefer whiskey and wine, because I’m apparently a hipster if A New Hop is to be believed. Regardless, I’m going into this as an absolute beer noob with a lack of understanding of the subject matter, but that doesn’t detract from my enjoyment of the game itself. 

In A New Hop, you play as an unnamed man (who in my head is called Teddy, and if you’ve watched Brooklyn 99, you’ll know why) who is on a layover in Oslo and in search of a pilsner. Sadly, Oslo seems to have a complete drought of this particular alcoholic beverage, so the only way you’re going to get your hands on one is by making it yourself. 

Except you do not know how to brew, you’re unfamiliar with the city, and you’re crippled by a social anxiety that only disappears when you’ve got alcohol flowing through your veins. To get your pilsner, you’ll need to jump through bureaucratic hoops to take part in the conveniently timed local brewing competition, learn how to brew, and eventually craft your own idea of the perfect beverage. 

Dutch (or should that be Norwegian?) courage

On your journey to making the perfect pilsner in the demo of A New Hop, you’ll need to do two major things: get a recommendation from the Oslo Visitor Center to then attend a brewing class at Ray’s Brewing Academy so that you can get a brewing certificate to enter the competition. Although convoluted, this is a fairly straightforward list of things to check off, but there are complications along the way. 

For starters, you have social anxiety that is only combated by consuming alcohol. Luckily, there are a few places where you can get the booze to boost your confidence when it comes to talking to people, but even they can be a bit hit and miss depending on how you act and the choices you make.

There’s also an intoxication meter to help you see how far gone you are, with becoming ‘wasted’ resulting in you emptying the contents of your stomach onto the floor wherever you stand. Some tasks require you to be sober; some need you to be drunk; it’s up to you to figure out where on that meter you need to be for each moment.

Charming art and humor

If you’ve played the first Dude, Where Is My Beer?, you’ll know what to expect from the art style of the sequel. It’s similar to the art style of Thank Goodness You’re Here, and it’s utterly charming, and you can’t help but find something new to look at every time you visit or revisit a scene. While it seems simple at first, the true appeal is in the small details that can easily be missed, so it’s worth looking at everything closely. 

Part of my love for the demo of A New Hop comes from the unexpected fourth-wall-breaking moments, such as the dialogue during the tutorial or when you’re talking to the clerk in the Visitor Center. When asked whether you’re playing the demo or the full version, you have the ability to lie, but you’re quickly called out on the untruth. 

Perhaps the best fourth wall break comes when you look at a couple kissing in a doorway. You’re told that they won’t be there in the full game “for a fact”, because you simply don’t have access to the area behind them in the demo. They’re there to block you, but they’re not a permanent feature. This small moment makes you wonder what else is blocked off by seemingly permanent obstacles, but the only way to tell the difference will be to eventually play the full game when it releases. 

And don’t even get me started on the printer…

Dude, Where Is My Beer? A New Hop does not have a release date just yet, but the demo was released for all players on August 6, so you can go and play as our pilsner-loving friend right now. Don’t forget to wishlist the game as well, so you can get updates as development progresses.