Bartenders in games won't advise you to 'hit on' your crush

If you didn't know, bartenders are mixologists, but unlike regular coffee and beverage makers, they can mix cocktails. This is an important position in a bar or nightclub where people prefer a diverse range of drinks rather than just 'going dry'. Besides making drinks, bartenders also listen to stories and engage with customers.

It's precisely because of this element that in some game plots, bartenders act as amateur civilian spies, holding valuable information and acquainting themselves with various types of people. In the gaming world, there are many such characters, but today let's highlight the most prominent ones representing this unique profession.

Agent 47 – Hitman

It might sound daunting, but the hitman with the number 47 in the Hitman film series has actual professional bartending skills. Whether he received any formal training or certification remains a mystery, but his expertise is indisputable.

In a mission during the fashion week in Paris, Agent 47 infiltrates the target's area, incapacitates a real bartender to acquire his attire, and takes his place. His cocktail-making prowess is so convincing that nobody suspects him. He even mixes his exclusive concoction, the Bare Knuckle Boxer, for patrons to try.

King – The King of Fighters

If you're not a fan of this game series, upon hearing the name, you might imagine a dashing, refined individual from the aristocracy. However, King is a lady, and her profession embodies the essence of bartending from inside out.

This character originates from the Art of Fighting series as the only playable female character. Later, she was added to the King of Fighters series, part of the Women Fighters Team alongside major names like Mai Shiranui and Yuri Sakazaki.

As her primary occupation, King is a professional bartender with her own bar. Her attire reflects her profession, with a button-up shirt, slacks, leather shoes, and a tie. Apart from her main job, she also serves as Mr. Big's bodyguard, thanks to her considerable combat skills.

Tifa – Final Fantasy VII Remake

Tifa originally owns a bar in the slums beneath Midgar city in Final Fantasy VII Remake. The remake vividly portrays scenes, especially when Tifa personally mixes a cocktail for her old friend Cloud to ease his sorrows. You can witness her graceful movements as she prepares a drink for her longtime companion.

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This detail adds depth to her character's background. From a peaceful village, Tifa has endured many hardships before settling in Midgar. Here, she worked hard, saved money, and eventually purchased a small bar as her own asset. Those who have ventured out for a livelihood can see a part of themselves in this determined, big-hearted woman.

Thomas Mutton – Catherine

If one were to talk about a sinister bartender, that would be Thomas Mutton, nicknamed The Boss. He owns the Stray Sheep bar, a frequent haunt for the protagonist Vincent, where he often directly serves drinks. Mutton is a close associate of Ishtar, a mysterious powerful entity, pulling strings behind Vincent Brooks's story.

Mutton himself is one of the rare individuals to overcome Ishtar's tower challenge and be granted a wish; he chose to become a deity. From there, he redesigned the tower climbing game according to his experiences, disguising himself as the bar owner and using the bartender position to gather information, selecting the next tower-climbing prey for Ishtar's master. He manipulated Vincent by giving seemingly helpful life advice that ultimately led him away from his current girlfriend, Katherine.

Yourself – Genshin Impact

Interestingly, there are two characters in this game who were involved in this profession: the elder Diluc and his one-sided rival, Diona. However, both of them dislike alcohol, with Diona even attempting to concoct terrible drinks to dissuade people from drinking, albeit unsuccessfully. That leaves only you.

In the 2.5 update, Genshin Impact introduced the event 'One Sip Dreams' where players take on the role of a bartender serving customers. Theoretically, the drinks prepared are non-alcoholic, perhaps to cater to the game's diverse age demographic, as Hoyoverse doesn't want to expose young players to alcohol imagery. However, they chose to use the term Bartender instead of Barista, the correct title for a non-alcoholic drink mixer, indicating the original concept still revolves around crafting cocktails.