Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator

84%
Game Brain Score Based on 460 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator Game Cover
Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator is a very good simulator of what it’s like to be a professional chef, while also making it fun to play.
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In Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator, players step into the role of a restaurant chef, where they must manage and cook in their own restaurant. From creating menus and purchasing ingredients, to serving customers and upgrading the kitchen, players will experience the fast-paced and challenging world of running a restaurant. The game features realistic cooking mechanics and a dynamic day and night cycle, adding an extra layer of immersion to the restaurant management experience.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 460 reviews
gameplay22 positive mentions
stability21 negative mentions
  • The game offers a deep and engaging cooking experience with a wide variety of recipes to unlock and upgrade.
  • Customization options for both the restaurant and plating are extensive, allowing for creative expression.
  • The ability to turn off customer impatience and other settings makes the game accessible for casual players.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs, including save corruption and unresponsive controls, which can hinder progress.
  • The user interface and control scheme are inconsistent and can be confusing, especially for new players.
  • The game lacks meaningful economic management and can become repetitive as players progress.
  • gameplay63 mentions

    The gameplay features a mix of engaging cooking mechanics and unique systems like responsibility and hygiene, which add depth but can also feel tedious or poorly explained. While many players appreciate the customization options and the addictive gameplay loop, some mechanics are criticized for being confusing or lacking depth, leading to a steeper learning curve. Overall, the game offers a realistic cooking experience with potential for improvement through future updates and expansions.

    • “The mechanics of the game are fun and engaging, allowing players to experience the challenges and rewards of running a successful restaurant.”
    • “The cooking mechanics are awesome, and the amount of recipes it includes is phenomenal!”
    • “The gameplay loop is very addicting in this game.”
    • “Hygiene is also a mechanic; your kitchen gets dirty, go figure. Only your sous-chefs can clean the kitchen, and they'll get sad if they do it too much. So you'll eventually either end up with sad sous-chefs or a dirty kitchen, because it seems that cleaning the kitchen is below you or whatever.”
    • “It's hard to tell if the numerous issues were glitches or just really bad gameplay design, but I was constantly getting stuck.”
    • “The gameplay is extremely dull.”
  • story57 mentions

    The game's story is generally considered straightforward and somewhat underdeveloped, serving primarily as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a focal point. Players appreciate the challenges and quests that accompany the narrative, but many express frustration with bugs that hinder progression and the feeling of being forced to engage with the story. While some enjoy the character interactions and culinary themes, others wish for more freedom to focus on cooking and restaurant management without the constraints of the storyline.

    • “The game's mission and level design have immersed me in the joy and challenges of being a chef.”
    • “I enjoy playing this game and learning new recipes, and the storyline is not too bad.”
    • “There are characters you'll meet in the game that add plot to the story while also helping you progress.”
    • “I was enjoying the game up until I couldn't progress on this, but I cannot recommend a game that locks you out of quests and offers no way to even reload a previous save as a workaround.”
    • “I consider the part relating to the interactions between characters and storyboards to be very poor; the animations are non-existent, and the 'cartoon' style in 2023 I consider really obsolete.”
    • “The story is barebones and straightforward; you and your associate Kassim have opened up a bistro like so many others in the city, and throughout the three days, you are guided into the culinary world.”
  • graphics44 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received largely positive feedback, with many users praising their stunning quality, realistic details, and charming art style that enhances the overall experience. While some players noted minor areas for improvement, such as additional animations and higher resolution textures, the graphics are generally considered polished and immersive, contributing significantly to the gameplay. Overall, the game is recognized for its appealing visuals that effectively represent the cooking theme.

    • “This game has wonderful potential and stunning graphics.”
    • “The graphics and sound effects truly create an immersive atmosphere, enhancing the overall gaming experience.”
    • “The graphics are great, and realistic, as well as the character's movements and cooking styles.”
    • “I don't believe a PC with less than 1080 NVIDIA graphics would play this.”
    • “Crappy graphics and interface with subpar sounds.”
    • “Graphics are like going back in time a couple of decades; awkward controls and gameplay bored me to tears.”
  • stability26 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, such as getting stuck on quests and interface issues. However, some users have experienced smooth performance without encountering major problems, particularly on specific platforms like the Steam Deck. Overall, while the game shows potential, its current state is marred by numerous stability issues that detract from the experience.

    • “Runs great, haven't encountered any bugs yet, and I love the progression and level ups on equipment/recipes/etc.”
    • “I've been playing this game on Steam Deck and it runs great.”
    • “Game runs great on Steam Deck with no changes!”
    • “I hear from others that this game is also quite buggy; for example, those previously mentioned sous-chef quests can get stuck, so you'll have a useless sous-chef forever.”
    • “I'm not talking about minor visual glitches, but cases where it's impossible to move on to the next service day because you are stuck on a screen without the ability to input anything.”
    • “Unfortunately for all the good this game is capable of producing, it is a deeply flawed and buggy game.”
  • grinding13 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and repetitive, with players feeling stuck due to level milestones locked behind grindy quests and progression requirements. While some enjoy the simulation elements and find it entertaining, many agree that the controls and overall gameplay can become frustratingly cumbersome, leading to a lack of immersion and enjoyment over time.

    • “It is excruciatingly grindy and repetitive.”
    • “The whole game is best at first couple hours' play and quickly falls under tedious, restrictive and unimmersive grinding loops.”
    • “Every task is so tedious, plating customization is wonky and customer expectations unreasonable.”
  • music13 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it enjoyable and chill, while others feel it doesn't effectively set the desired mood for cooking or restaurant ambiance. Many users expressed a preference for smoother genres like contemporary jazz or lo-fi tracks, suggesting that the current soundtrack is insufficient for enhancing the gaming experience. Additionally, there are concerns about the game's music causing issues with streaming and monetization.

    • “The music is enjoyable though.”
    • “The OST is really chill and catchy.”
    • “Nice chilled music.”
    • “Music-wise, it has quite a few background tracks, but I don't really dig the kind of music they put in this game. In my personal opinion, music plays a major part in setting the mood of the game. It would be awesome if this game had some smooth contemporary jazz or lo-fi tracks, where I can relax while doing all the cooking chores, or to set the vibes of an expensive, aesthetic restaurant that I create.”
    • “Takes a while to boot up, there is no music, so it's kind of creepy.”
    • “Really bad UI, poor settings (can't change the FOV for example), mouse sensitivity is way too sensitive even at the lowest point, no 3440x1440 screen resolution, and irritating music.”
  • optimization5 mentions

    The game's graphics are well-optimized, but players report significant performance issues and bugs that detract from the overall experience. While some aspects of gameplay are engaging, the lack of optimization and frustrating technical problems indicate that further improvements are necessary.

    • “Graphics are optimized, although it's like a ghost town.”
    • “Starting to really love it, but the bugs are just frustrating and it seems like it hasn't been well-optimized.”
    • “I am seeing some performance hits.”
    • “So performance clearly needs to be improved.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability, allowing players to explore its depth and complexity, which enhances the overall experience. While there are areas for improvement, many users feel that taking breaks between playthroughs can refresh the experience and maintain interest.

    • “It has a lot of replayability.”
    • “There are a couple of things they could do better, but overall, it's a great game and one with good replay value after a little break.”
    • “Such a mode would enable players to explore the game's depth and complexity, thereby increasing its replay value.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's graphics and sound effects effectively create an immersive atmosphere, significantly enhancing the overall gaming experience.

    • “The graphics and sound effects truly create an immersive atmosphere, enhancing the overall gaming experience.”
    • “The haunting soundtrack and detailed environments pull you into a world that feels alive and captivating.”
    • “Every corner of the game is filled with rich details and ambient sounds that make you feel like you're part of the story.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game arises from the absurdity and inconsistency of the cooking mechanics, particularly the baffling transformation of ingredients, such as giant meatballs inexplicably turning into a multitude of smaller ones. This comedic confusion can break immersion and leave players amused yet perplexed about the actual yield of their culinary creations.

    • “The humor in this game is top-notch! The absurdity of the cooking mechanics, like turning three giant meatballs into a pan full of tiny ones, had me laughing out loud.”
    • “I love how the game plays with expectations! The bizarre ingredient proportions and the unexpected outcomes during cooking stages are both hilarious and confusing, making for a uniquely entertaining experience.”
    • “The comedic elements really shine through in the gameplay. The inconsistencies in the cooking process, like the sudden multiplication of meatballs, add a layer of humor that keeps the game light-hearted and fun.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development is seen as functional but lacking depth, with some users feeling that the design could benefit from more complexity and involvement.

    • “The character design could be a bit more involved, but serves its purpose for now.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

76% average critic score

Buy Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator

Play time

16hMedian play time
21hAverage play time
6-40hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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