Chocolatier: Decadence by Design

73%
Game Brain Score Based on 223 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.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 223 reviews
story9 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 chocolate recipes and the engaging time management mechanics.
  • Despite some technical issues, the game offers a charming storyline and a variety of quests that keep players entertained.
  • The game frequently crashes, especially when played in fullscreen mode, leading to frustration and loss of progress.
  • Many players report compatibility issues with modern operating systems, making it difficult to run the game smoothly.
  • The cursor and graphical glitches detract from the overall experience, making gameplay less enjoyable.
  • story34 mentions

    The story in the game is generally straightforward and engaging, revolving around a chocolatier heiress searching for her missing husband in a post-WWII setting. While the narrative may not be deeply intricate, it provides a satisfying backdrop for the chocolate-making and factory management gameplay, with plenty of quests and customization options to explore. Players appreciate the charming dialogue and the balance between story progression and gameplay mechanics, although some note that the story isn't the primary focus and can feel sparse at times.

    • “The storytelling is straightforward and rewarding, and the customization options in the chocolate-making process are very inspiring and satisfying.”
    • “It's a really pleasing little game with plenty to do, an adorable little storyline, and a fun end goal.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “I bought this because I loved the game when I was young. It saddens me to see the reviews are correct and that the game does not work properly anymore. It crashes after so many transports, and the mouse/cursor is buggy at times.”
    • “It's unfortunate to report that the game is buggy beyond a playable condition, and it crashes far more than what it's worth.”
  • gameplay14 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by nostalgic mechanics that require skill in ingredient management, though some players find it repetitive and tedious at times. While the game offers a relaxed experience with appealing aesthetics, it suffers from bugs and compatibility issues, particularly in fullscreen mode, which can hinder playability. 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-blasting 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.”
    • “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, and there's clipping under the mouse in a lot of areas of the game.”
    • “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.”
    • “The sounds and graphics are very simple, so don't expect anything fancy.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it enjoyable and nostalgic enough to revisit periodically, others feel that it lacks depth and doesn't offer significant incentive to replay, especially if focused on the story. Overall, it seems to provide a moderate level of replay value, appealing mainly to those who appreciate the characters and world.

    • “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!”
    • “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.”
    • “Not a ton of replayability, but meh, sort of.”
    • “The story may not be the most intricate, but chocolatier still has a lot of replayability for me.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game's optimization on Windows 11 is problematic, requiring users with certain hardware configurations, like the AMD 4500U, to adjust compatibility settings and disable full-screen optimizations for better performance. Additionally, the gameplay includes a repetitive minigame that affects production rates, which can be frustrating for players. Overall, while nostalgic and enjoyable, the performance issues detract from the experience.

    • “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 users.

    • “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 can become tedious, but the nostalgia and overall charm of the game help mitigate this frustration, making it a worthwhile experience despite its shortcomings.

    • “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “I found myself spending more time grinding than actually enjoying the game, which really dampened my experience.”
    • “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 growth throughout the game makes every decision feel impactful and rewarding.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve based on the choices you make, creating a unique and personal 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 is overly aggressive, making it feel like the game is more focused on extracting money than providing a fun experience.”
    • “I feel like I'm constantly being pushed to spend money, which ruins the enjoyment of the game.”
    • “The in-game purchases are so expensive that it feels like you can't progress without spending real money.”
  • humor1 mentions

    Users find the humor in the game particularly enjoyable when they are tired, highlighting a specific character's amusing requests for a certain creation as a standout comedic moment.

    • “It's hilarious to see a character repeatedly ask for ridiculous amounts of your '________' creation, especially when you're exhausted.”
    • “The humor in this game really shines through in the quirky dialogue and absurd situations.”
    • “I couldn't stop laughing at the unexpected twists and the witty banter between characters.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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