Chef RPG

About

In "Chef RPG" , you are a young chef tasked with reviving a once-famous restaurant in a seaside town. Gather ingredients through hunting, harvesting, and shopping, and befriend locals to help revive the town. Choose your path to become a master chef, brave adventurer, or influential networker, crafting your unique culinary adventure in this open-ended RPG.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,110 reviews

story78 positive mentions

grinding116 negative mentions

The game features beautiful pixel art and a charming aesthetic that enhances the overall experience.
The gameplay loop of gathering ingredients, cooking, and managing a restaurant is engaging and satisfying.
The developers are responsive to feedback and regularly release updates to fix bugs and improve the game.

Many players find the cooking mini-games repetitive and frustrating, leading to a desire for more variety.
The NPCs often have unlikable personalities, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
There are several bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with staff becoming stuck and problems with quest progression.

story
367 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
76%
3%
The story in the game is described as engaging and charming, with a focus on exploration and character interactions rather than a linear narrative. However, players often find the quest progression confusing, with unclear objectives and occasional bugs that hinder advancement. While the foundation of the story is appreciated, many reviewers express a desire for clearer quest direction, more side quests, and additional content to enhance the overall narrative experience.
- “The story unfolds through interactions with the town’s distinctive residents, each contributing their own personality and backstory.”
- “From forming friendships to crafting a lasting legacy, Chef RPG provides a cozy, layered storytelling experience that draws players in at every turn.”
- “The art is beautiful, the storytelling is amazing, and the game really encapsulates the 'cozy' aspect many casual gamers look for.”
- “After you go through the tutorial and the intro story, it may get you confused about how to trigger the main story until you notice you just need to sleep.”
- “There are times when I only have side quests from the notice board and no idea what my main objective is.”
- “The story progression is a little slow, but I have yet to see this as a bad thing.”
gameplay
319 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
63%
5%
The gameplay of this early access title combines elements of restaurant management, life simulation, and RPG mechanics, offering a satisfying core loop of foraging, cooking, and serving customers. While many players appreciate the engaging mechanics and charming aesthetics, some find the gameplay repetitive and certain mechanics, like fishing and composting, lacking polish. Overall, the game shows promise with its unique blend of features, though it requires further refinement to enhance player experience and reduce frustration.
- “The game has some interesting mechanics and some fresh takes on the sort of life sim (e.g. Harvest Moon, Stardew Valley) we've come to know and love.”
- “Immersive gameplay loop: from foraging for rare ingredients in lush forests to crafting exquisite dishes for your restaurant, every activity feels purposeful and rewarding.”
- “The core gameplay loop of gathering ingredients, experimenting with recipes, and serving customers is incredibly satisfying.”
- “The game wants you to make money and hire staff, but how are you going to do that when it locks the restaurant (which is like the main source of making money and gameplay)?”
- “However, the gameplay feels lacking for even an early access title.”
- “The gameplay while running your restaurant starts with minigames that get pretty old after a while, but once you've completed them you can skip them and the gameplay becomes akin to Diner Dash.”
graphics
193 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
48%
2%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beautiful pixel art and charming aesthetic, with many reviewers highlighting the detailed character designs and food visuals that enhance the overall experience. While some players noted that the color palette could be more vibrant, the art style is generally described as cozy and immersive, reminiscent of beloved titles like Stardew Valley. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, creating a delightful atmosphere that captivates players.
- “The graphics are beautiful, and especially the art and details on the dishes are what got me into this.”
- “The attention to detail in the character designs, food visuals, and town aesthetics is simply breathtaking.”
- “The art style is beautiful, and I can tell the developers put a lot of thought and effort into the animation and graphics.”
- “I feel that the graphics are a bit washed out; the color palette could be more vibrant and pleasing to the eye.”
- “The graphics are cute, but I can't recommend it because the controls are weird.”
- “I cannot determine clearly if it is day or night even if I consider the small artwork of the sun and moon.”
grinding
120 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
2%
97%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players appreciating the variety of activities such as hunting, fishing, and managing a restaurant, while others find the repetitive nature of gathering resources and completing quests tedious. Although some enjoy the grind as part of the gameplay experience, others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, particularly due to the limited farming mechanics and the time-consuming nature of certain tasks. Overall, the game offers a fresh take on the genre, appealing to those who prefer a cooking-focused experience over traditional farming sims, but it may require patience for those less inclined towards grinding.
- “It's nice to have a Stardew-like game that is not farming but cooking; it's a nice revisit to the genre with a new mechanic.”
- “I've been anticipating this game since the trailer dropped, and it's great—not too hard and not too grindy. However, my only complaints with the game have to deal with mostly the characters. I'm only just starting Act II right now, so maybe some of my complaints are satiated further in the game.”
- “Without any RPG elements, finding ingredients and completing quests sometimes feels like tedious chores rather than fun gameplay.”
- “The sense of immersion in managing the restaurant diminishes as the minigames start to feel more like a tedious chore than a fun mechanic.”
- “My main problem with this game is that there is a lot of boring grinding, and the main mechanic, which is running the restaurant service, is not very fun.”
music
101 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
59%
7%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its relaxing and nostalgic qualities, while others find it repetitive and lacking in variety. Some users noted that the transitions between tracks can be abrupt, disrupting the overall experience, and expressed a desire for more diverse music to enhance gameplay, particularly during mini-games. Overall, while the soundtrack complements the game's cozy atmosphere, it leaves room for improvement in terms of variety and dynamic transitions.
- “I think the music is very well done, I like the change in background tracks for each season and I think they all fit the vibe very well.”
- “The soundtrack is cozy and relaxing, the story progression is fun, and the art style is nostalgic.”
- “The soundtrack itself is phenomenal.”
- “The music doesn't fade into one another; it just harshly swaps.”
- “The music is awful, getting repetitive after only minutes.”
- “One of these is the limited number of music tracks, which can feel monotonous and repetitive during longer play sessions.”
stability
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game, currently in early access, is noted for its stability issues, including various minor glitches and bugs that can affect gameplay, particularly during cooking and character interactions. While many players find these issues to be manageable and not game-breaking, they express a desire for more polish and improvements as the game develops. Overall, the consensus is that while the game is enjoyable and has potential, it still requires significant refinement to enhance the user experience.
- “I get that the game is still in development, so it is bound to be buggy, but the UI is not intuitive and frankly rather annoying to deal with.”
- “There are a lot of bugs, typos, and glitches right now.”
- “This game freezes on a black screen whenever going to another area, and randomly teleports you around.”
character development
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
59%
10%
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique and aesthetically pleasing character designs that contribute to the game's vibrant world. However, some players find the character designs and dialogue lacking, leading to a disconnection from the characters themselves. Overall, while the artistic style is appreciated, there are concerns about the depth and appeal of character interactions, especially in the game's early access stage.
- “The attention to detail in the character designs, food visuals, and town aesthetics is simply breathtaking.”
- “If you like slow-paced indie games that have interesting character development and a fascinating inner-city world, you are in for a treat!”
- “The art style is vibrant and whimsical, with detailed, charming character designs and mouth-watering food animations that make every dish look delectable.”
- “Of course, as the game is nowhere near complete yet, I would expect a lot more story and character development as time goes on.”
- “The main reason I don't recommend this game at this point, at least at its early access stage, is the NPC character design.”
- “Character design/animations feel stiff; hopefully it gets improved upon.”
atmosphere
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its calming and cozy qualities, enhanced by charming pixel art and relaxing music that immerses players in a serene coastal town. While some players desire more engaging sound effects and lively NPC interactions to enrich the experience, the overall ambiance is described as detailed and nostalgic, effectively capturing the essence of a tranquil seaside life.
- “Very calming atmosphere.”
- “The pixel graphics (and to a lesser extent, the music and writing) are of high quality for the genre and make for a very comfortable and relaxing atmosphere.”
- “I'm personally blown away by how detailed and atmospheric the seaside looks, feels, and even 'sounds' like an actual seaside town, in these types of games, finally!”
- “Even the ones you couldn't talk with were complaining about the atmosphere or town, and it really dampened my mood as I played.”
- “I feel that if it was a color that suited the rural atmosphere of the game it would be better.”
- “The atmosphere of this game is very cozy, and it's very satisfying to slowly upgrade your kitchen over time; I feel like the NPCs could use a little more life to them, maybe some more personal cutscenes similar to Stardew Valley.”
humor
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of witty dialogue, absurd situations, and quirky character interactions that often toe the line between funny and rude. Players find amusement in both intentional comedic elements and unintentional bugs, such as characters moonwalking or sliding dramatically when passing out. While some aspects of the humor may feel unnecessary, the overall tone is described as laid-back and entertaining, with potential for even more comedic depth in future updates.
- “Everyone hates him and he hates everyone, yet makes the decision to live here anyways; it's so funny.”
- “Chef RPG is a hilarious, laid-back adventure where you play as a chef building your own restaurant empire.”
- “Characters occasionally act like they've never met you before and require a second interaction to get things moving, but it's more hilarious than anything.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with significant performance issues reported, particularly on Apple Silicon devices, rendering it nearly unplayable due to stuttering. While it runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, users have noted instability and glitches. Additionally, some user interface elements could benefit from optimization to enhance accessibility and reduce unnecessary clicks.
- “The restaurant system is so in-depth with how you can actually see what customers are annoyed or pleased by when eating at your establishment, and the critic at the end of act 2 has unique reviews he can write depending on your performance and the items you serve on your menu.”
- “You have to factor in staff needing rest to operate properly or else it would impact your restaurant's performance.”
- “Runs smoothly on Steam Deck.”
- “Even though it mentions there is a Mac version, it doesn't run well on Apple Silicon. At least the M1 Pro on 14.7.1 makes the game unplayable due to stuttering, making you unable to complete most of the mini-games.”
- “But it's unstable, glitching, and stuttering, along with other bugs.”
- “UX-wise, some features may feel like they could have been smoother to access, creating a 'one too many clicks' feeling that could be optimized in the future.”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of wholesome and heartwarming elements, reminiscent of titles like Stardew Valley, with creative storytelling that evokes a range of feelings. While many characters are endearing and relatable, some players find the emotional depth lacking, leading to a mix of lightheartedness and moments of discomfort. Overall, the game offers a peaceful slice-of-life experience, though opinions vary on the complexity of its characters.
- “If you love games like Stardew Valley or enjoy creative management sims with heartwarming stories, this one is a must-play.”
- “These NPCs are heartwarming, tragic at times, and pure talent.”
- “It is fitting, and it is peaceful, kind of slice of life wholesome stuff.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
Overall, the game offers solid replayability due to its engaging world, diverse NPC personalities, and customizable restaurant options. While players appreciate the current replay value, they express a desire for additional story arcs and activities to further enhance the experience. As an early access title, it already shows promise in replayability compared to some fully released games.
- “The world is small but fun to explore. The NPCs have a good range of quirks and personalities, and I appreciate having the freedom to style the menu and restaurant in different ways, which gives the game some replay value.”
- “A few more story arcs, events, or side activities would go a long way in extending replayability.”
- “I enjoy the fact that there are options for players to run different types of eateries, which I think should increase the game's replayability.”
- “That said, I could see a lot of replay value in this game.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's monetization model, highlighting the absence of microtransactions, which enhances their overall enjoyment and satisfaction with the experience.
- “I'm loving this game so far, it's like the cooking/management game I've always wanted (and without any microtransactions!).”