Chocolatier: Decadence by Design

71%
Game Brain Score Based on 203 reviews
  • story
  • stability
  • gameplay
Chocolatier: Decadence by Design Game Cover
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"Chocolatier: Decadence by Design" is an economic simulation game where players create and customize their own chocolate recipes, while traveling the world to discover exotic ingredients. The economic impact of chocolate customization affects players' success in building their own chocolate empire and following the Baumeister family's saga. This game is the latest installment in the award-winning Chocolatier franchise.

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Reviews

71%
Audience ScoreBased on 203 reviews
story8 positive mentions
stability15 negative mentions
  • The game is a nostalgic classic that many players enjoy revisiting, providing a fun and relaxing experience.
  • Players appreciate the creativity involved in making custom chocolates and managing a chocolate business.
  • Despite some technical issues, the game is addictive and offers a satisfying sense of progression and accomplishment.
  • The game frequently crashes, especially when played in full screen mode, leading to frustration among players.
  • There are significant compatibility issues with modern operating systems, making it difficult to run smoothly on newer hardware.
  • Many players report glitches, such as a lagging cursor and freezing, which detracts from the overall gameplay experience.
  • story30 mentions

    The story in the game is generally described as straightforward and enjoyable, set against a charming post-WW2 backdrop with a focus on chocolate-making and factory management. While the narrative may not be deeply intricate, it provides a satisfying framework for the gameplay, with engaging quests and well-written dialogue that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the blend of story and mechanics, though some note that the quest frequency can wane, leading to occasional lulls in progression.

    • “The story is great and it's a great time-killer.”
    • “This game starts out with an interesting story hook about a chocolatier heiress who leaves you in charge of her company while she flies around the world trying to find her missing husband after WWII.”
    • “It's a really pleasing little game with plenty to do, an adorable little storyline, and a fun end goal.”
    • “The main plot surrounds the former owner who is looking for her missing husband or something... honestly, I can't remember the details because I haven't played in a while and now that I'm thinking about it, I don't think I've ever beaten the game!”
    • “Once you get to a certain point, quests stop becoming frequent, so it tends to drag on a bit between them.”
    • “You have to maintain tasks such as creating your own hit chocolates and coffees, playing ingredient shooting mini-games to get a bigger weekly production, and balancing buying costs with selling price, tied together with a tidy, but lackluster, story.”
  • stability15 mentions

    The game's stability is a significant issue, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, glitches, and freezing, particularly in full-screen mode. While some players have found workarounds, such as playing in windowed mode, the overall consensus is that the game remains buggy and often unplayable, detracting from the nostalgic experience.

    • “Good game played it years ago, but on Steam it glitches and freezes when in full screen; however, it works in windowed mode.”
    • “It's unfortunate to report that the game is buggy beyond a playable condition, and it crashes far more than what it's worth.”
    • “I've found that the game is as buggy as it was in 2012, crashing pretty regularly.”
  • gameplay13 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by familiar mechanics that require skill, though some players find it repetitive and occasionally tedious. While the game offers a relaxed experience with appealing aesthetics, it suffers from minor bugs and compatibility issues, particularly in fullscreen mode. Overall, the gameplay is simple and enjoyable, but technical problems and a lack of innovation may detract from the experience for some players.

    • “Same fun mechanics, takes skill to get the ingredients you need and don't need.”
    • “Nothing mind-blowing about the mechanics, but it's a relaxed and fun game with nice aesthetics and a simple story.”
    • “Very simple gameplay; you click to shoot items when making items like chocolate or coffee, etc.”
    • “I don't think I'd be as happy paying the listed price if it wasn't for the nostalgia, and the mechanics can get a little tedious at times, but I think it's a quick little gem of a game, and it's a little sad that the franchise and dev team are long broken up.”
    • “The mechanics are all still there, but there are little bugs - the fullscreen massively warps the game to be almost unplayable unless it's on a square screen, there's clipping under the mouse in a lot of the areas of the game, and so on.”
    • “I found the mini-games obnoxious, the 'capitalist empire building' easy, and the gameplay overall repetitive and uninspiring.”
  • graphics11 mentions

    The graphics of the game are praised for their unique and detailed artwork, with characters that avoid stereotypes, contributing to a visually appealing experience. Despite being over a decade old, the clean art style has aged well, although some users report minor graphical glitches and compatibility issues on newer systems. Overall, the visuals are considered sharp and effective for the game's relaxed and simple nature.

    • “The artwork is unique, detailed, and the different characters from around the world don't feel stereotypical in their appearance and names.”
    • “Despite being 10+ years old, the game doesn't feel outdated at all due to its simple nature and clean art style.”
    • “The graphics have held up well.”
    • “On Windows 11, with an AMD 4500U and integrated graphics, I had to put it in Windows 95 compatibility and disable full screen optimizations.”
    • “The only solution I have been able to find online for this issue is to play it in the tiny windowed mode, and literally use the Windows magnifier at 175% to avoid the mouse glitching and blinking, dragging graphics all over.”
    • “There's some graphical glitching, but nothing unplayable, and I'm sure it can be fixed.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the replayability of the chocolatier games is mixed; while some players find significant value in revisiting the characters and nostalgic elements, others feel that the lack of a compelling story limits the incentive to replay. Some users enjoy the casual gameplay, but many agree that it doesn't offer substantial replay value.

    • “The replay value is amazing, and every few years I keep coming back to this to just play the characters, explore the world, and the nostalgia from my childhood kicks in!”
    • “This game has replay value.”
    • “Exactly what I remembered the chocolatier games being like - it didn't take too long to finish and the replay value isn't really there if you're playing for the story, but it's fun and a good way to spend time.”
    • “The story may not be the most intricate, but chocolatier still has a lot of replayability for me.”
    • “Not a ton of replayability, but meh, sort of.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    Users report that the game's optimization is lacking, particularly on Windows 11 with certain hardware configurations, requiring adjustments like enabling compatibility mode and disabling full-screen optimizations. Additionally, the performance issues impact gameplay mechanics, such as the mini-game for producing treats, which can be frustrating despite the nostalgic enjoyment of the game.

    • “You also have to perform this minigame every time you start to produce a new treat, where you have to shoot ingredients at these rotating discs, and your performance determines the rate at which you produce those specific chocolates.”
    • “On Windows 11, with an AMD 4500U and integrated graphics, I had to set it to Windows 95 compatibility and disable full-screen optimizations.”
    • “I played this game when I was 12 and loved it intensely, and playing it again was very fun (even though I was annoyed about the performance).”
  • music3 mentions

    The music in the latest version of the game is perceived as less impactful than in the original, where it effectively complemented the chocolate-making mechanic and helped players gauge their timing. In contrast, the new soundtrack tends to fade into the background, leading to a disappointing experience for some players.

    • “My single problem with this version of the game is that in the original, the music accompanying the chocolate-making mechanic was a way of measuring how much time you had left to make chocolates.”
    • “In 'Decadence by Design', the music seems to fade into the background; in comparison, it is a tad disappointing.”
    • “The beat of the music always fit well with how you shot the ingredients, and it feels like I was able to play better when I paid attention to it.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding mechanics in the game to be somewhat tedious, which may detract from the overall experience, but the nostalgia factor and the game's charm help mitigate these issues.

    • “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “I found myself spending hours on grinding without any real sense of progress or reward.”
    • “The mechanics can get a little tedious at times, especially when it comes to grinding for resources.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development is a key element that enhances gameplay, as players experience significant growth while building their chocolate-treats empire, leading to a more engaging and rewarding gaming experience.

    • “The character development of your character as you travel the world building your chocolate-treats empire drives the player to greater heights of gameplay ecstasy.”
    • “The depth of character development allows players to form a genuine connection with their character, making every decision feel impactful.”
    • “As you progress through the game, the evolving relationships and personal growth of your character create a rich narrative experience.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Reviewers appreciate the monetization model of this game, noting it as a refreshing alternative to modern mobile games that often rely heavily on in-app purchases and energy systems.

    • “In my opinion, this is way better than its modern counterparts - idle phone apps and games jam-packed with in-app purchases and energy counters.”
    • “The monetization model feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
    • “I find the constant push for in-app purchases frustrating; it detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “It's disappointing that the game relies so heavily on microtransactions, which makes it feel more like a cash grab than a genuine gaming experience.”
  • humor1 mentions

    Users find the humor in the game particularly enjoyable when they are in a relaxed or tired state, highlighting a specific character's amusing requests for various creations as a standout comedic element.

    • “It's hilarious to see a character ask for an absurd number of my '________' creation, especially when I'm really tired.”
    • “The humor in this game is top-notch, with characters delivering lines that catch you off guard and make you laugh out loud.”
    • “I love how the game uses witty dialogue and funny situations to keep the mood light and entertaining throughout.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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