Cooking Companions
- October 6, 2020
- Deer Dream Studios
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam"Cooking Companions" is a cozy cooking simulation game where players manage a restaurant with adorable animal companions. Each animal has unique abilities to help with food preparation, service, and decoration. Improve your cooking skills, customize your restaurant, and create delicious dishes to satisfy customers and grow your business.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Great combination of storytelling, sound effects, and psychological horror that keeps players engaged.
- Unique characters and a compelling plot that draws players in and makes them invested in the outcome.
- The game successfully creates a creepy atmosphere without relying heavily on jump scares, focusing instead on building tension.
- The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it lacks depth and replayability due to predictable outcomes.
- Character development feels shallow, making it hard for players to form attachments before the horror elements kick in.
- Some players experienced technical issues, such as bugs and unskippable credits, which detracted from the overall experience.
- story271 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of "Cooking Companions" is a unique blend of cute aesthetics and psychological horror, featuring a compelling narrative that unfolds through engaging character interactions and unexpected twists. While the pacing is generally satisfactory, some players find the plot convoluted and lacking in meaningful choices, leading to a sense of detachment from the characters. Overall, the game offers a chilling experience with a rich backstory, though it may require multiple playthroughs to fully grasp its complexities.
“The main story is one of the most chilling horror stories I've experienced in a while.”
“The story is incredible, as is the art and the sound design.”
“The story pulls you in immediately.”
“This isn't a 'choices matter' game - besides a few secret endings that barely change anything, the story plays out exactly the same no matter what you do.”
“The plot instead jumps all over the place, struggling to create tons of unnecessary and convoluted lore.”
“The story: boring and confusing; half of the game I skipped the dialogue because I didn't understand what I was doing or what's going on.”
- graphics66 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals and effective blend of cute and horror aesthetics, drawing inspiration from Japanese anime and Eastern European folklore. Players appreciate the haunting atmosphere created by the artwork and sound design, which enhances the unsettling narrative. However, some critiques mention inconsistencies in art styles and sprite quality, which can detract from the overall experience.
“The graphics and ambience are on point!”
“Not only was the story incredibly gripping, leaving me on the edge of my seat, and my anxiety heightened, waiting for the next twist, but this game's visuals were an absolute nightmarish delight.”
“It's tough to find a horror game that can shine with a cheerful art style, and Cooking Companions pulls it off beautifully.”
“The mishmash of visual styles doesn't really work together well enough to be called an aesthetic.”
“Another problem I had was the art style being very inconsistent; the characters look way different in their sprites compared to the scenes, and that really took me out of it.”
“There are no unsettling moments, no original artwork nor music that makes you feel something that keeps you awake at night or sticks with you as Doki Doki did.”
- music48 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and evoke strong emotions, ranging from eerie and unsettling to cheerful and upbeat. Reviewers praised the soundtrack for its variety and effectiveness in setting the mood, with many noting how it complements the visuals and storytelling. Overall, the sound design is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's psychological horror experience.
“The music and ambience hit the right spot, setting the mood perfectly.”
“The soundtrack is amazing as well, and really helped to create the mood.”
“Every aspect of this game, down to the scene design of each room, to each of the character designs down to the exceptionally scary music was baked together in this terrifyingly gripping game.”
“There are no unsettling moments no matter how faint of heart you are, no unsettling moments, no original artwork nor music that makes you feel something that keeps you awake at night or sticks with you as Doki Doki did.”
“Aside from the absolutely killer soundtrack in the title screen and cute chibi characters bouncing around, and the cheery, upbeat music as more characters get introduced, this was nothing more than a ruse.”
“The cutesy mascots, cheerful title screen and soundtrack, and general early atmosphere make it clear it's trying to riff on the 'innocuous game that turns surprisingly creepy' concept (even borrowing the intro warning from Doki Doki Literature Club, one of the most famous examples of this approach, verbatim).”
- atmosphere29 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its haunting visuals, effective sound design, and ability to create tension, often drawing comparisons to other successful horror titles. However, some players feel that the atmosphere is undermined by abrupt tonal shifts and an over-reliance on jump scares, which detracts from the suspenseful experience. Overall, while the game successfully establishes a creepy ambiance, its execution can be inconsistent, leaving some players wanting more depth and cohesion.
“The writing really takes this to its advantage and creates a really well done and spooky atmosphere.”
“The artwork, music, and atmosphere all complement each other so perfectly to create fear in the player.”
“Absolutely outstanding; had me on the edge of my seat with the wonderful story and amazingly set atmosphere, sounds were wonderful and the art was outstanding.”
“There's maybe five minutes of decent atmosphere in here, but after that, you're just in for dull characters and incredibly odd tone shifts with little reason to be there.”
“It feels like the game is rushing you to the next scary moment, without allowing any time to absorb the atmosphere.”
“The suspenseful atmosphere completely goes away once the game starts throwing scary faces at you left and right; feels like they didn't know where to go once the game started getting darker.”
- gameplay19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily focused on dialogue choices and narrative progression, resembling a visual novel with minimal interactive elements. While some users appreciate the plot twists and the inclusion of mechanics like flashlight usage and fight sequences, many feel that the gameplay lacks depth and decision-making, often comparing it unfavorably to titles like Doki Doki Literature Club. Overall, the experience is engaging but may leave players wanting more substantial gameplay features.
“It's not unreasonable to compare this to Doki Doki Literature Club, especially in regards to the pacing of the horror and the gameplay structure.”
“I purchased this on sale, but would recommend this at full price for both its quality and its amount of gameplay.”
“Gameplay: like most visual novels, you choose options that change your destiny.”
“The game tries to seem bigger and more involved than it actually is with extras that don't really add much different to what is already in the main game, and very little actual gameplay or decision making.”
“And not to spoil the main story, but there’s a tonal shift in gameplay in the final act that is just...not well done.”
“Imagine my shock to find out that, mechanically speaking, it falls into almost exactly the same problems that the original Doki Doki Literature Club had.”
- humor13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is polarizing, with some players finding it delightfully absurd and funny, particularly in the context of anthropomorphic foods and dark comedic elements, while others feel the juxtaposition of horror and humor is confusing and unsettling. Many appreciate the quirky relationships and comedic moments, but some are taken aback by the darker themes that overshadow the humor. Overall, the game's blend of funny and horrific elements elicits a range of reactions, from laughter to discomfort.
“I like funny talking foods.”
“We made Mariah have an Animal Crossing voice and died laughing.”
“Pretty cute game with lots of nice recipes and funny little anthropomorphic vegetables, 8/10 for me.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is criticized for being minimal, with many players noting that after the initial playthrough, there are limited incentives to revisit the story due to a lack of meaningful branching paths and varied outcomes. While some users appreciate the charm and quality of the game, they feel that the choices made during gameplay do not significantly alter the experience, leading to a consensus that replay value is low. In contrast, a few reviews highlight games with high replayability due to impactful choices, suggesting that this game falls short in comparison.
“So much replayability and so many endings.”
“Every choice you make changes how things end up, so replay value is very high!”
“Very charming and disturbing horror visual novel with a lot of replay value!”
“You can finish the main story in about an hour and a half, and while achievement hunting extends that to four or five hours, there's not much replayability.”
“I think it's a really good game the first time you play through, but I don't think it has much replay value.”
“In this case, the only replayability you get after finishing the game once is just picking the right choices to get one or two extra lines of dialogue from the characters, who are still going to die in the same order, because the creator didn't bother making a branching storyline.”
- emotional11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a strong emotional impact from various games, with experiences ranging from intense fear and sadness to moments of joy and nostalgia. Titles like "Cooking Companions" and "DDLC" evoke deep feelings, including panic and tears, while others incorporate historical narratives that enhance their emotional depth. Overall, many find that these games, despite starting off wholesome, lead to profound and often heartbreaking experiences.
“This game made me cry, made my heart stop in fear, and also made me smile through some tears.”
“So, even if it was awful to go through that, I still applaud the devs. DDLC made me cry because it spooked me; Cooking Companions made me have an intense panic attack, therefore Cooking Companions is better.”
“[spoiler] The narrative also weaves in a historical conflict in that region, specifically Ukraine's Holodomor famine, to give a unique and emotional backstory for the characters being on the run with only a few rations and the clothes on their backs.”
- character development10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing it as poor, while others praise the unique and captivating character designs that enhance the overall experience. Many players appreciate the intricate connections to folklore and the emotional depth that contributes to the game's gripping atmosphere, despite some feeling that character growth is lacking. Overall, the character designs are highlighted as a standout feature, adding to the game's appeal.
“The character designs are just absolutely amazing, with my favorite being Karin's design.”
“I do not get scared easily, but this game has stuck in my mind ever since I played it. I love the connections to folklore and I adore the character design.”
“This game got me messed up but totally worth the mental damage. The OST, character development, and overall dive into insanity is amazing.”
“Another non-Japanese visual novel with poor character development.”
“The character designs were very unique, but the character development was lacking.”
“This game got me messed up, but the character development and overall dive into insanity are disappointing.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, with users reporting minimal screen glitches and no significant bugs or lag during gameplay. This contributes to a smooth and enjoyable experience, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I encountered several bugs that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
“There are constant screen glitches that ruin the immersion.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game is criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling that it fails to deliver a compelling experience compared to other Japanese-origin games that effectively blend cute and horror themes.
“There are a bunch of other Japanese-origin games that play this cute-to-horror theme a lot better than this cash grab.”
“The monetization in this game feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
