Cooking Live
- February 2, 2023
- Matryoshka
"Cooking Live" is a time management game that combines business and cooking elements. Players travel the world, reviving failing restaurants and uncovering unique stories. The first episode, "Good Morning," follows the journey of Leah, a former bank employee who opens a cozy restaurant in Amsterdam but struggles to keep it afloat. Help Leah and other chefs save their restaurants from corporate takeover.
Reviews
- The game has enjoyable gameplay and graphics, making it a fun cooking experience.
- Players appreciate the ability to earn rubies easily and the lack of a strict pay-to-win model.
- The game is engaging and provides a good balance of challenge without being overly difficult.
- There are excessive ads, with players often facing an ad after every level, which disrupts gameplay.
- Many users report issues with game stability, including crashes and loading errors, particularly after updates.
- Progression can be frustrating due to high costs for upgrades and the need for rubies, leading to a paywall experience.
- monetization362 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been heavily criticized for its excessive and intrusive advertising, with players reporting ads after nearly every level, often leading to game crashes and loss of rewards. While some users appreciate the option to watch ads for extra rewards, the overwhelming frequency and length of the ads detract significantly from the gameplay experience, prompting many to consider uninstalling the game or purchasing ad removal options that sometimes fail to work as intended. Overall, the monetization approach is seen as a major flaw, overshadowing the game's enjoyable aspects.
“Yes, it is nice to pay for no ads but not forced upon.”
“Paying for no ads is cheap, so that's a plus.”
“If you pay for no ads, the game is much more enjoyable.”
“When you watch ads to get a kitchen upgrade, the game crashes and then the only option is to buy more rubies. This has happened too many times to be a mistake.”
“The game was fine and fun, but I had to uninstall it because it kept forcing me to watch ads. It will ask if you want to watch an ad to multiply your coins, and when I hit 'X' to decline, it will automatically start an ad anyway, practically forcing it down your throat after you already said no.”
“It's a shame because the gameplay itself is actually super fun, and I was really enjoying the cafe design choices -- but then I paid $3.23 to remove ads and, even after relaunching to make sure it's not a bug, I still had ads.”
- graphics71 mentions
- 76 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty, clean design, and engaging art style, contributing significantly to the overall enjoyment of the gameplay. Many users appreciate the vibrant visuals and animations, which enhance the storytelling experience, although some express concerns about the game's reliance on microtransactions and ads. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, making the game visually appealing and enjoyable to play.
“Beautiful graphics, competitive and has fun challenges with an interesting background story for each stage of the game.”
“The graphics are so beautiful and the restaurant looks so good at the end of episodes, which is so satisfying.”
“Has fantastic graphics, designs, animations, and colors that blend really well with a cooking game, lots of fun.”
“Biggest clickbait of my life, the gameplay is like most basic cooking games plus the graphics look AI.”
“But the graphics are small; I am a little older, so it would be nice if it was a little bit larger.”
“Update your graphic design.”
- story58 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, with players appreciating its cute premise and engaging character dynamics, particularly between Mike and Jane. However, many users express frustration over repetitive storylines across different locations and the lack of new content updates, which can lead to a feeling of stagnation. Overall, while the graphics and storyline are praised, the frequent ads and difficulty in progressing through the game detract from the overall experience.
“Love the storyline, and the fact that you aren't bombarded with ads after every level.”
“Beautiful graphics, competitive gameplay, and an interesting background story for each stage of the game.”
“Great graphics and an amazing storyline.”
“I started 3 and a half days ago and have run out of storyline.”
“My only complaint is that I finished all available storylines a while ago and there still isn't an update.”
“The game was great and all but when I finished the first story, it keeps saying loading error (connection error).”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for being fun, smooth, and engaging, with appealing graphics and enjoyable mechanics. However, many users express frustration over the frequent ads, which significantly disrupt the experience, leading to a negative impact on overall enjoyment. Despite the solid gameplay, the overwhelming presence of ads has caused some players to consider quitting or seeking ad removal options.
“The art style is fantastic, and the gameplay is pretty fun.”
“The gameplay is smooth and easy, and I haven't encountered any bugs or glitches.”
“It's honestly on the better side of cooking arcade games; the mechanics are fun and the story is silly enough to want to read.”
“I am so tired of getting 1 minute of gameplay and then having to sit through a 45-second ad every single time.”
“Biggest clickbait of my life, the gameplay is like most basic cooking games plus the graphics look AI.”
“This could be a good game if the developers actually cared and the gameplay was actually meant to be a game instead of a way for them to swindle you from your money.”
- stability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -40 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is mixed, with some users reporting frequent glitches, missing furniture, and game freezes, particularly after ads. However, others have experienced smooth gameplay without any bugs or interruptions. Overall, while some players enjoy a stable experience, many encounter significant stability issues.
“The game runs smoothly with no glitches.”
“I appreciate the stability; it never crashes during gameplay.”
“The performance is consistent, making for a seamless gaming experience.”
“Great game, but there are glitches like some of the furniture missing, and the furniture I have cannot be changed. The upgrades do not work.”
“An ad plays after every stage, and then the game freezes after 3 levels.”
“But it glitches and shuts off even in the middle of playing, and there are too many ads.”
- music5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for being enjoyable and relaxing, enhancing the overall experience. However, some players express frustration with gameplay challenges that detract from their enjoyment of the music. Overall, the soundtrack is a highlight for many, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
“Very relaxing music.”
“The music is also very nice.”
“The rain 🌧️ and the music 🎶 create a calming atmosphere.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players consistently highlight the humor in the game, describing it as fun and engaging, with a funny storyline that enhances the overall experience. The combination of enjoyable gameplay and amusing graphics contributes to a lighthearted atmosphere that players appreciate.
“It's fun, the graphics are great and the storyline is funny.”
“Funny and easy to play.”
“I love this game; it's too funny and amazing. I'm really enjoying it!”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to frequent force closures after advertisements and the need to repeatedly adjust sound settings. While they appreciate the characters, many feel the gameplay lacks challenge and express frustration with intrusive farming ads.
“It force closes after every advertisement, and it's getting tedious for me to keep turning my sounds back on.”
“Well, it is actually nice, and I love the characters, but it's not quite challenging. Maybe you should make it more challenging. Also, this farming ad is so disturbing.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users report that the game's optimization is excellent, resulting in great overall performance.
“Overall performance is great!”
“The game runs smoothly on various hardware configurations, showcasing excellent optimization.”
“I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the settings for an optimal experience across different platforms.”