Cooking Live

About

Cooking Live is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by Matryoshka and was released on February 2, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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73%

Audience ScoreBased on 705 reviews

story28 positive mentions

monetization50 negative mentions

The game is cute and visually appealing, making it enjoyable to play.
It's a fun and relaxing cooking simulator that is suitable for all ages.
The gameplay is engaging, with a mix of cooking, decorating, and time management elements.

The game quickly becomes difficult, often requiring real money to progress past certain levels.
Players frequently encounter paywalls that make it impossible to advance without purchasing boosters.
There are numerous bugs and technical issues that disrupt gameplay, including problems with updates and level progression.

story
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
49%
5%
The game's story is generally described as engaging and fun, featuring a quirky narrative about helping aspiring restaurant owners, though some players find it generic and repetitive. While many appreciate the cute characters and the ability to customize their shops, frustrations arise from the pay-to-progress mechanics that hinder mission completion. Overall, the storyline adds a layer of enjoyment, but its execution can be marred by technical issues and the necessity of in-game purchases.
- “The storyline is engaging and the graphics are cool.”
- “The story and characters are super engaging too—each level feels like a piece to a bigger puzzle, and the quirky characters add so much fun.”
- “From cozy cafes to gourmet eateries, each chef's unique taste and story adds depth.”
- “If it wasn't for the pay to play, this game would be a slam dunk, but because they make it to where you can't complete missions without the perks, it basically forces you to pay if you want to get further in the game.”
- “There's obviously a story running through to 'keep you engaged,' but at the second restaurant, all of the text is messed up, so you can't tell who is actually saying what, and I have no idea what's going on anymore.”
- “In short, relatively easy gameplay, pretty generic 'episodes' format with a barebones storyline (you're a famous food blogger helping your subscribers start their businesses). Each episode follows the same format: do missions, get stars, use the stars to build your restaurant.”
monetization
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
10%
85%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players labeling it a cash grab due to the heavy reliance on microtransactions and frequent ads. While some users find the game playable without spending money, most agree that progress becomes increasingly difficult without purchasing upgrades or watching ads, leading to a frustrating experience reminiscent of mobile games. Overall, the consensus is that the monetization tactics detract from the enjoyment of the game, making it feel exploitative.
- “The gameplay is quite fun, but the insane amount of in-game purchases ruin it.”
- “However, I should note that some levels feel artificially limited to encourage players to spend money, and they can be quite difficult to beat without making any in-app purchases.”
- “I just wish they would make the game more expensive to start with instead of having the game need in-game purchases in order to continue playing.”
- “But it's impossible to advance in this game unless you pay for the microtransactions to get enough money for the upgrades.”
- “Sadly after a while it gets pay to win, even with a ton of ads.”
- “It's clear this game exists just to cash in on the microtransactions and all I can say is I'm glad the download size was tiny because now I know I'm not wasting data and HDD space by uninstalling it.”
gameplay
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
44%
8%
The gameplay is generally smooth and intuitive, offering a mix of relaxing and engaging cooking challenges, though it suffers from unfinished features and a heavy emphasis on microtransactions. While many players appreciate the casual and enjoyable nature of the game, some criticize its repetitive structure and the presence of in-game purchases that can detract from the experience. Overall, it provides a pleasant, if not groundbreaking, gaming experience suitable for casual play.
- “The gameplay is smooth and intuitive, with a great mix of fast-paced and creative cooking challenges that always keep things exciting.”
- “Cooking live is a captivating blend of business, time management, and culinary gameplay.”
- “Pleasant visual style and relaxing gameplay will pull you into the game for a long time.”
- “There are lots of unfinished features once you get past the basic gameplay, and there are huge pushes towards the microtransactions, but with some gameplay feature loopholes, the game is quite playable.”
- “In short, relatively easy gameplay, pretty generic 'episodes' format with a barebones storyline (you're a famous food blogger helping your subscribers start their businesses). Each episode follows the same format: do missions, get stars, use the stars to build your restaurant.”
- “Not p2w unless you're very impatient, but the ads are blatant and obvious and very irritatingly mobile-like - essentially this is a mobile game ported to PC with nothing revolutionary in terms of gameplay.”
graphics
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
21%
10%
The game's graphics are generally praised for their vibrant colors and engaging design, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience. Many users appreciate the visual quality, describing it as stunning and well-executed, which complements the storyline and overall enjoyment of the game. However, some critiques mention a lack of depth in the visuals, likening them to superficial casino themes.
- “The colorful graphics and lively sound effects really bring each restaurant to life, and I loved upgrading and customizing the space to match my style.”
- “The graphics and the soundtrack are amazing and let you feel the atmosphere of the Italian cuisine, and the gameplay is easy to understand and interesting.”
- “The game visuals and the game itself are incredibly shallow... think of them as the too-bright, colorful, thin plastic cabinet dress theme on a poker machine at the casino.”
- “The graphics and gameplay are so smooth, it's like I'm actually in the kitchen whipping up delicious meals.”
- “I liked the well-thought-out plot as well as the graphic component of this game.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
14%
The music in the game is generally praised for enhancing the atmosphere, particularly in relation to the Italian cuisine theme, with many players appreciating the soundtrack's quality and its contribution to the overall experience. While the graphics and character stories also receive positive remarks, some users express disappointment over the game's monetization, which detracts from their enjoyment. Overall, the music is considered a strong point, complementing the game's visual appeal.
- “The graphics and the soundtrack are amazing and let you feel the atmosphere of the Italian cuisine, and the gameplay is easy to understand and interesting.”
- “It does indeed have great artwork and a nice soundtrack.”
- “The game has interesting character stories, as well as nice graphics and background music.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as light-hearted and entertaining, with players finding it both relaxing and amusing. However, some users noted a frustrating aspect related to the game's timing mechanics, which adds an ironic twist to the humor. Overall, fans of the genre, particularly those who enjoy Five Nights at Freddy's, find the game to be a funny and enjoyable experience.
- “Funny time burner!”
- “She is cool, relaxing, and funny.”
- “Anyone who likes FNAF please play this because it's so funny and I love this game so much.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game deeply engaging, as it features wholesome narratives that explore characters' pasts and relationships. The unique and heartwarming stories in episodes like "Good Morning!" and "Get Cool" foster a strong investment in the characters' journeys and successes.
- “With intriguing episodes like 'Good Morning!' and 'Get Cool,' the game brings touching stories to life.”
- “The stories and characters in each episode are so unique and heartwarming; I can't help but feel invested in their success.”
- “I get wholesome stories while learning about Jane's past with Mike.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively repetitive and tedious, often requiring a significant time investment that can feel overwhelming. While the core grind is manageable, it tends to become monotonous over time.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It does become mundanely repetitive or grindy.”
- “Other than that, the regular grind part of the game is fine; it just gets quite repetitive and tedious.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by pleasant visuals and an engaging soundtrack that effectively captures the essence of Italian cuisine. Players appreciate its simplicity and positive vibe, which enhances the overall experience and immersion.
- “The game really pulls you in with its simplicity and positive atmosphere.”
- “The graphics and the soundtrack are amazing and immerse you in the atmosphere of Italian cuisine, while the gameplay is easy to understand and interesting.”
- “The atmosphere of the game is visually pleasant and easy on the eyes.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with some users reporting numerous glitches and events not functioning correctly, suggesting a frustrating experience. However, others feel that despite these issues, the overall quality of the game compensates for the stability problems.
- “Too many glitches; events not working properly. Don't waste your time.”
- “As you can see, I've played a few hours. There are glitches or typos here and there, but the quality of the game outweighs that.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
200%
300%
Users indicate that optimization in the game may not be fully realized, as some players feel their performance could improve with better resource management, such as the use of boosters.
- “The optimization features really enhance gameplay, allowing for a smoother experience.”
- “I love how the game allows me to fine-tune my strategy for maximum efficiency.”
- “I used my rubies on boosters before, but I wasn't exactly at peak performance.”
- “The game's optimization is severely lacking, leading to frequent crashes and lag.”
- “Even with the latest updates, the performance issues remain frustrating and impact gameplay.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users express a desire for games that offer replayability without requiring additional financial investment, indicating a preference for content that remains engaging and enjoyable over multiple playthroughs without extra costs.
- “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replaying it feel pointless.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to go back.”
- “The gameplay becomes repetitive quickly, diminishing any desire to replay.”