A Taste of the Past

About

A Taste of the Past is a single player casual puzzle game. It was developed by Richard Cheng and was released on March 11, 2022. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"A Taste of the Past" is a narrative-driven game following Mei, a Chinese-American high school student grieving the loss of her mother. After discovering her mother's recipes are missing, Mei embarks on a train journey with her ancestors, learning about self-love, healing, and her cultural heritage through cooking and reliving precious moments. The game features hand-drawn art, original voice acting, and cozy cooking minigames.

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Single-Player

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98%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,275 reviews

story243 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

A beautifully emotional game that explores themes of grief, family, and cultural heritage, leaving a lasting impact on players.
The art style is stunning and complements the heartfelt narrative, creating a cozy and immersive atmosphere.
The game effectively uses cooking mini-games to enhance the storytelling, making the experience interactive and engaging.

The game is very short, taking only about 20-30 minutes to complete, which may leave some players wanting more content.
Some players found the voice acting to be lacking in emotion, detracting from the overall experience.
The dialogue can feel a bit repetitive at times, which may disrupt the flow of the story for some players.

story
471 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
47%
1%
The game's story revolves around themes of loss, family, and cultural heritage, primarily focusing on a young girl navigating her grief after her mother's passing. Players engage with the narrative through simple cooking mini-games that enhance the emotional experience, set against beautifully illustrated backgrounds and accompanied by soothing music. While the story is short, lasting around 30 minutes, it is described as poignant and relatable, resonating deeply with players who have experienced similar feelings of loss and connection to their roots.
- “A beautiful story about grief, family, and honoring the memory of those we love through meaningful activities and staying true to yourself.”
- “This game is a touching story about a daughter who is grieving her mother's recent passing as you pass through each train compartment you will meet your family from each generation ranging from your grandma to your great-great-grandmother as you pass you will need to pick up ingredients!”
- “It's a wonderful story about a girl learning about her heritage while grieving; it made me cry at times too.”
- “The gameplay isn't very exciting, and the story... the story feels like the whole game was built on the prologue of a Wattpad book.”
- “It lacks complexity in gameplay, like many story-focused games, but also lacks a well-written story that would be a good excuse for that.”
- “While the gameplay itself isn't very deep, the story it decides to tell is a beautiful one.”
emotional
388 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game "A Taste of the Past" resonates deeply with players, often evoking tears and heartfelt reflections on grief, loss, and familial connections. Many reviewers describe it as a touching and relatable experience, highlighting its ability to convey profound themes through a short narrative that intertwines food and cultural heritage. The game's art style, music, and storytelling contribute to its emotional impact, making it a recommended choice for those seeking a meaningful and heartwarming gaming experience.
- “A very touching and heartfelt indie game.”
- “A taste of the past is a gentle, heartfelt journey through grief, memory, and the quiet power of food.”
- “This game is a touching story about a daughter who is grieving her mother's recent passing as you pass through each train compartment you will meet your family from each generation ranging from your grandma to your great-great-grandmother.”
graphics
210 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
36%
1%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful, cute, and hand-drawn art style, which effectively complements the emotional storytelling and soothing soundtrack. Many players find the visuals to be heartwarming and nostalgic, enhancing the overall experience, even if the animations are minimal. Overall, the art style is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's comforting atmosphere and emotional depth.
- “The art style is warm and inviting; beautifully reflecting the comfort and nostalgia tied to food and family traditions, and a standout feature is the way the game incorporates traditional recipes, not just as gameplay elements but as symbols of love, legacy, and healing.”
- “The artwork is executed flawlessly, complementing the game beautifully.”
- “The art style is stunning, along with the soft colors that really add to the emotional plot.”
- “The art style is fine, but the game suffers from some issues.”
- “Not much gameplay as it consists of mostly walking, talking to characters and making noodles; however, the story and visuals are what carry this game.”
- “I really liked the art style and the idea behind this game, but it wasn't able to move me emotionally.”
music
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
37%
3%
The music in this game is consistently praised for its soothing and beautiful qualities, enhancing the emotional depth of the storytelling. Reviewers highlight how the calming soundtrack complements the captivating art style, creating a peaceful atmosphere that resonates with themes of grief and nostalgia. Overall, the combination of music and visuals is described as heartwarming and integral to the game's impact, making it a memorable experience for players.
- “Beautifully written with soothing music.”
- “The art style is simply captivating, the soundtrack is chill and brings a warm feeling to the chest.”
- “The music is beautiful to listen to as you go up generation by generation.”
- “Its just walls of text and fake emotional music blaring over it.”
- “A short interactive visual novel with a decent story, unique art style and relaxing music.”
- “The color palette and music were soothing, and I appreciated the sfx choices like having Mei's dialogue sound like phone keyboard press sounds and the ancestors' sounding like pencil scribbling.”
gameplay
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
76%
5%
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and focus on emotional storytelling, primarily through cooking mini-games that evoke themes of family and nostalgia. While the mechanics are straightforward and the overall experience lasts about 30 minutes, players appreciate the beautiful art and music that enhance the narrative, despite some critiques regarding the lack of complexity and intuitive design. Overall, it offers a relaxing, albeit brief, interactive experience that resonates emotionally with players.
- “The art style is warm and inviting; beautifully reflecting the comfort and nostalgia tied to food and family traditions, and a standout feature is the way the game incorporates traditional recipes, not just as gameplay elements but as symbols of love, legacy, and healing.”
- “The gameplay is minimal but aids the calm, reflective quality of the story, and the art is gorgeous.”
- “While the gameplay itself isn't very deep, the story it decides to tell is a beautiful one.”
- “The gameplay isn't very exciting, and the story... the story feels like the whole game was built on the prologue of a Wattpad book.”
- “It lacks complexity in gameplay, like many story-focused games, but also lacks a well-written story that would be a good excuse for that.”
- “There wasn't much actual gameplay, and what there was is very easy, but if you're alright with that it does have a really nice, if short, story.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful art style, soothing music, and immersive sound design, creating a cozy and peaceful environment that enhances the storytelling. Reviewers highlight how these elements work together to evoke strong emotions and provide a comforting experience, making the game visually and emotionally engaging. Overall, the combination of graphics, sound, and narrative effectively transports players into a heartfelt and aesthetically pleasing world.
- “The design and atmosphere were also great; the backgrounds and sprites were beautiful, and even the less obvious things like the background noise and sounds of paper rustling added so much to it.”
- “The art style is absolutely gorgeous, and the atmosphere is very cozy!”
- “This game's beautiful art style helps to give a bright atmosphere to a story of someone going through a difficult loss and figuring out how to deal with the grief.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as heartwarming and charming, with moments that elicit genuine laughter, such as a character breaking the fourth wall and a great uncle's humorous proclamation about his unexpected fame. Players appreciate the blend of cute and funny interactions, which enhance the overall emotional experience, making the game both uplifting and entertaining despite its underlying themes of loss.
- “It was funny that I saw in a reel the original GM and I tried the game; that's why it stole my heart, this little piece of art.”
- “I especially loved the great uncle in the game when he proclaims, 'No one thought I would be famous, and look, I'm in a video game!' That made me giggle and was a very cute and funny touch to a game so sad, but one that still left you feeling happier at the end because you feel you helped Mei with her loss.”
- “I also really like how one of the characters breaks the fourth wall; I found that hilarious.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game features beautiful character designs and voice acting, effectively conveying a poignant message about grief and acceptance. However, some players found the dialogue presentation jarring and noted inconsistencies in character proportions, which detracted from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game's aesthetic elements were widely praised, contributing to a strong emotional impact.
- “This game has a beautiful message about grief and acceptance, accompanied by cute character designs and calming music.”
- “Beautiful art, beautiful character designs, beautiful voice acting, and overall a very beautiful game.”
- “Everything about it was perfect from the soundtrack to character designs.”
- “The dialogue/text pops up, but as you're reading, the text is pushed up instead of remaining stationary, which is very jarring. If your character is a high school student, why are they the same height as their adult ancestors? That's just bad art/character design.”
- “The mini-games are just click-and-drag tasks that you cannot fail. This game is marketed for adults and teens, but it feels overly simplistic.”
- “Character development feels shallow and unengaging, making it hard to connect with the characters on a deeper level.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Users express that grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, likening it to needing a "second life" to manage the required tasks. The mention of farming and foraging suggests that the grinding aspect may involve repetitive resource collection, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game's optimization is highly praised, with users noting that even very old PCs can run it smoothly, indicating efficient resource management and low system requirements.
- “Performance: PCs from prehistory can handle it! ”
- “The game runs smoothly even on lower-end hardware, making it accessible to a wider audience.”
- “Optimization is top-notch; I can enjoy high graphics settings without any lag.”
- “Performance: A PC from prehistory can handle it. ”
- “The game runs poorly even on high-end systems, making it frustrating to play.”
- “Optimization is lacking; frequent frame drops and stuttering ruin the experience.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
Replayability is moderate, with players noting that the game offers multiple dialogue options that encourage multiple playthroughs. While the game is short, taking about 30 minutes to complete, the varied dialogue paths enhance the experience for those interested in exploring different outcomes.
- “The replay value varies, though if you like numerous dialogue options, you'll probably want to replay the game a few times.”
- “The replay value varies; though if you like numerous dialogue options, you'll probably want to replay the game a few times.”
- “It is a short game that will take around 30 minutes to complete. It is best enjoyed in a single sitting but offers some replayability in the form of extra dialogue options.”
- “Mei's trauma was relatable to all, and I like the different paths that the dialogue had, especially for replay value's sake!”

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Frequently Asked Questions

A Taste of the Past is a casual puzzle game.

A Taste of the Past is available on PC, Web Browser, Mac OS and Windows.

A Taste of the Past was released on March 11, 2022.

A Taste of the Past was developed by Richard Cheng.

A Taste of the Past has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its character development.

A Taste of the Past is a single player game.

Similar games include Venba, Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition, If Found..., Missed Messages, When the Past Was Around and others.

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