Cook Serve Forever

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In "Cook Serve Forever," become a food cart chef, Nori Kaga, in the solarpunk city of Helianthus, with the goal of culinary greatness. Manage your menu, learn recipes, and interact with a diverse cast in this remake from the creators of "Cook, Serve, Delicious!" This relaxing adventure offers accessible gameplay and a dramatic storyline with talented voice actors.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

53%

Audience ScoreBased on 159 reviews

gameplay22 positive mentions

grinding9 negative mentions

The game features beautiful art and animations, creating an engaging visual experience.
The music and voice acting are top-notch, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
The story is charming and adds depth to the gameplay, making it enjoyable for players who appreciate narrative-driven experiences.

The gameplay mechanics have shifted to a simplistic four-button system, which feels repetitive and lacks the complexity of previous CSD titles.
There is little to no challenge, as the game does not require players to memorize recipes or manage multiple orders, leading to a lack of engagement.
Many players feel disappointed that the game does not live up to the expectations set by the earlier CSD games, making it feel like a different series altogether.

gameplay
141 mentions
16 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Cook Serve Forever" has undergone significant changes from its predecessors, shifting to a more casual and simplified mechanic that relies heavily on quick-time events and directional button presses, which many players find lacking in depth and engagement. While some appreciate the relaxed pace and story-driven focus, others criticize the gameplay as repetitive and uninspired, feeling it detracts from the franchise's original charm. As the game is still in early access, there is hope for future updates to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “The gameplay is designed to be more simple, and after getting the hang of it, I felt that I was getting into the 'flow zone' that I enjoyed about the main Cook, Serve, Delicious games, which is being very concentrated while doing stuff based on the food on the screen.”
- “The new gameplay felt a bit slow and easy in the beginning, but after a few stages, the pace is already great and has a nice flow.”
- “I love how it looks, the voiceovers, the food, the music... the gameplay just isn't a Cook, Serve, Delicious game.”
- “In changing the mechanics so radically, they abandoned everything I loved about the game and erased the very thing that made them stand out from the plethora of cooking games available. I just don't know how to play this one.”
- “The gameplay is such a departure from its predecessors that this edition, despite its excellent storyline, feels like nothing more than a joyless grind.”
- “The gameplay has been reduced to arrow keys - while much more accessible, it just isn't the difficulty level that most of us veterans of CSD 1-3 would be used to.”
story
104 mentions
41 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed feedback, with many players appreciating its cute and charming narrative, engaging characters, and beautiful art style. However, some critics feel that the story is too spread out and lacks depth, making it less compelling than expected. Overall, while the narrative elements are well-crafted and enjoyable, they often feel overshadowed by gameplay mechanics that some find repetitive or lacking.
- “The story is cute, and the continued world-building from csd1 to now is appreciated.”
- “The characters are lovely and the story is really touching!”
- “I love the new concept and mechanics, I'm loving the story, the new characters we are being introduced to, and of course the soundtrack!”
- “It is too plot heavy to be a cozy game, too bland to be a real game you sit and play, and has too much writing to be 'baby's first controller game.'”
- “Maybe they were going for the 'interactive story with some repetitive gameplay elements' angle, but the plot is extremely boring.”
- “The storyline also hasn't grabbed me at all; the whole game feels like a pretty, flashy disappointment.”
music
78 mentions
47 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many praising the uplifting and engaging soundtracks composed by Jonathan Geer, which enhance the overall atmosphere and experience. While some players feel the music can be disruptive at times or doesn't always align with gameplay, the majority appreciate its quality and how it complements the game's art and story. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout features, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “The music is really chill and flowy, with great lyrics in the in-game tracks.”
- “The story and comedy put a smile on my face and I love the music and art style.”
- “The soundtrack is easily the best part of the game to me right now.”
- “The music is awful.”
- “The music can stand well on its own, but just doesn't pair well with the dialogue and gameplay.”
- “The music is fine, but the fact that there's virtually no difference between any of the recipes makes this a huge disappointment.”
graphics
26 mentions
62 % positive mentions
27 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received praise for their beautiful art style and polished visuals, which enhance the overall aesthetic experience. Many reviewers noted that the artwork, music, and character design are top-notch, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere. However, some players felt that while the graphics are appealing, they do not compensate for the simplistic gameplay, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “The artwork and the music, as always, are top notch.”
- “Art style is gorgeous, like a more polished and aesthetically pleasing version of the first three CSD games.”
- “An excellent game - great graphics, audio, charming cast, and a more upbeat setting than CSD 2 and 3.”
- “It just lacks the enjoyment of a cooking game... literally you could be digging holes or scooping up dog poop doing the same button mashing or any other graphics.”
- “- I think there is a consistent graphical error when placing ingredients on some dishes.”
- “However, except for aesthetics, the foods don't really seem to change much.”
grinding
9 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unenjoyable, often feeling like a chore with little reward for their efforts. Many express frustration over the lack of meaningful incentives for achieving high scores or completing levels, leading to a sense of aimlessness in the gameplay. Overall, the grinding experience is criticized for being monotonous and lacking in variety, diminishing the fun factor.
- “No rewards for long perfect streaks, just four buttons to press and a lack of rewards for doing well makes grinding levels an actual chore to play.”
- “The worst thing about my experience so far has been grinding the locales to level 20; after which I always thought, 'thank Christ this area is finally done.'”
- “What's the fun of just grinding if there's nothing rewarding or interesting at all?”
emotional
5 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a range of responses, with some players expressing deep disappointment and heartbreak, while others find the characters, story, writing, and music to be touching and atmospheric. Overall, the game is praised for its heartwarming narrative and mental health themes, creating a wholesome experience for those who appreciate its artistic and emotional depth.
- “The characters are lovely and the story is really touching!”
- “The things I'm most enjoying so far, though, are the writing, the voice acting, and the music - it's all so atmospheric and really helps to create the world of the game - super wholesome and sweet!”
- “This creative team... they set out to make a game, not for their current cult audience of manically-typing logophiles, but to share this universe with people who just enjoy relaxing with entrancingly pretty art, neat/unique recipes, a heartwarming/mental-health-affirming story, and the best video game OST I've heard in years.”
humor
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the casual, joyful moments and unexpected surprises from upgrades, others feel that the lack of engaging food introductions and customer variety makes the humor feel lazy. A standout comedic element noted is a glitchy taco animation, which adds an unintentional layer of amusement.
- “I like the casualness of pushing buttons and find myself laughing with joy when I get thrown a curveball from one of my upgrades.”
- “The 'worst' part of this game in early access is a hilarious glitched taco animation.”
optimization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for occasional micro-stuttering and input drops every few levels, which detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, the performance meter and character indicators are noted to be somewhat confusing for players.
- “My only gripe with it right now is that every two levels or so you experience micro-stuttering, and the game might even drop your input at that point.”
- “The little smiley character and performance meter are a bit confusing.”
character development
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
100 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the overall aesthetic appeal of the game, noting that the character design and surrounding elements contribute to a visually pleasing experience, though specific insights into character development itself are limited.
atmosphere
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its engaging writing, excellent voice acting, and evocative music, all of which contribute to a wholesome and immersive world.
- “The things I'm enjoying the most so far are the writing, the voice acting, and the music - it's all so atmospheric and really helps to create the world of the game - super wholesome and sweet!”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues with the keyboard controls, noting bugs that affect functionality, as well as poor visibility due to button directions being displayed in white font on a white background.
- “The keyboard controls are buggy, and the button directions are displayed in white font on a white background, making them nearly impossible to read.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it unplayable at times.”
- “I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which severely affected my gameplay experience.”