Cooking Simulator
- August 14, 2020
- Big Cheese Studio
- 8h median play time
Cooking Simulator is a realistic game that allows players to run their own virtual kitchen. With over 80 ingredients and 140 recipe options, players can chop, cook, and combine ingredients to create delicious dishes. The game features a variety of kitchen appliances, utensils, and ingredients for players to experiment with, making it a fun and engaging culinary experience.
Reviews
- gameplay418 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the cooking simulator is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics and frustrating bugs, with many players noting the clunky controls and collision issues that detract from the overall experience. While some find the physics and realism enjoyable, others criticize the game's performance and the steep learning curve associated with mastering its mechanics. Despite these challenges, the game offers a variety of modes and DLCs that can enhance replayability, though many users express a desire for improved optimization and more intuitive gameplay features.
“The gameplay is detailed and engaging, although I do wish that the presentation of the food could be improved.”
“The mechanics of the game are extremely realistic to the cooking experience, so it can be just as frustrating when you spill something or break a plate, but that means it is just that much more satisfying when you complete a day without mistakes!”
“Very fun simulator, the most realistic one I have yet to encounter, it has some quirks but to me those just make it that much more fun and challenging to master the game and its mechanics.”
“The controls are clunky and unintuitive, with awkward button combinations and finicky mechanics that make even the simplest tasks feel like a chore.”
“The mechanics in this game are sloppy, disgusting, and awful to deal with; I don't feel like this game is an accurate representation of what it's like to cook at all.”
“This game, while a good simulator, is simply not finished; there are many bugs with the main gameplay, like salmon sometimes not cooking even though it's on a pan and the fire is on, or not being able to cut the cheese slices into smaller slices in the hamburger recipe.”
- graphics280 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning realism and detail, particularly in food textures and kitchen environments, making it visually appealing. However, many users report significant performance and optimization issues, requiring high-end hardware to run smoothly, which can lead to lag and frustration. Overall, while the graphics are considered impressive, they come with a caveat of demanding system requirements that may hinder gameplay for those with less powerful computers.
“The graphics are phenomenal and still look very modern, with food textures being very realistic.”
“The visuals are stunning, and the graphics are gorgeous, making the game a delight to play.”
“Overall, cooking simulator is a hilarious time waster with fantastic graphics, wacky physics, and lots of content.”
“A would be fun game with cool and funny mechanics, but the performance and optimization issues ruin the game. For reference, I struggle to run the game with low-medium graphics while using an RTX 3060.”
“The graphics are so horrendous and laggy that it takes at least 5 tries to pick up an object.”
“This game is not good; it was extremely laggy and the graphics are so bad I can see the pixels.”
- stability264 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. While some players find the chaotic nature of these issues adds a layer of fun, many others describe the experience as frustrating and unplayable, leading to a general consensus that the game requires substantial improvements in stability and optimization. Overall, the game's current state is deemed too buggy for a full recommendation.
“Honestly, this game would be so fun if it wasn't a buggy underdeveloped mess.”
“The game is much too buggy, rendering it almost unplayable.”
“I wanted to like this game really bad, but it's just far too buggy.”
- humor181 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding joy in the chaotic and often absurd situations that arise from its clunky controls and wacky physics. Many reviews highlight the hilarity of cooking mishaps, such as exploding kitchens and serving bizarre dishes, which contribute to a fun, lighthearted experience, especially when played with friends. However, some players note that the humor can become frustrating due to performance issues and the game's serious undertones, suggesting that while it excels in creating funny moments, it may not always deliver a consistently enjoyable experience.
“There are even hilarious moments, like when I accidentally blew up my stove (twice) and put way too much salt in the customer's food (they did not enjoy that meal, let me tell you) or even when changing the kitchen layout to look like a kitchen from hell, which added more layers to an already fantastic game.”
“You'll start slow but eventually the chaos of running a successful kitchen will lead to a lot of hilarious situations.”
“It's hilarious to try things out even when you fail miserably but great when you do something successful.”
“It's not funny what can happen to you... so just be careful, okay?”
- story162 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The reviews overwhelmingly indicate that the game lacks a compelling story, with many users stating there is "no story" or describing it as a mere cooking simulator without narrative depth. While some players appreciate the structured experience of the career mode, they express a desire for more character development and engaging storytelling. A few reviews mention basic story elements, but overall, the consensus is that the narrative aspect is minimal and often unremarkable.
“I enjoy playing the story mode most.”
“The addition of a story to go along with the cooking really helps with wanting to finish it, and the added bonus of hunting your own meat and trading with caravans is a fun twist on the marketplace system.”
“The story is impressive.”
“Story - 0/10 - no story”
“But the fact you have to vigorously stick to the recipes to get anything close to a good score is so overwhelmingly limiting it makes the story mode a boring slog of making the same soups and baked fish dishes for a good few hours.”
“Lack of story outside of a really basic campaign (I did not beat it, I refunded it before so it might get better after the first star)”
- optimization140 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 35 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including stuttering, frame drops, and long loading times, even on high-end hardware. Users have noted that the game is often unplayable without significant graphical adjustments, and many feel that the lack of optimization detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some updates have been promised, the consensus is that substantial improvements are still needed to make the game accessible to a wider audience.
“If you like games where you feel pressured and overwhelmed by a time crunch—but by practice and gradual optimization you become quicker and more efficient—and eventually you hit that sweet, rewarding feeling of being a multitasking master—then this is the game for you.”
“Once I got it to run smoothly, I had a blast playing it!”
“A lot of the optimization issues I mentioned have been fixed, and another good note to add is that this game gets updated quite a lot.”
“A would be fun game with cool and funny mechanics, but the performance and optimization issues ruin the game. For reference, I struggle to run the game with low-medium graphics while using an RTX 3060.”
“It's unbelievable that optimization issues exist since release day (it's been 4 years) and nothing has been done about it.”
“This game is way too buggy and unoptimized to legitimately enjoy.”
- music93 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the ability to customize their in-game radio with personal music, while others find the default tracks repetitive and overly loud. Many appreciate the inclusion of a radio feature that allows for a more personalized experience, but there are complaints about the volume levels and the limited variety of music options. Overall, while the soundtrack has its fans, improvements are needed to enhance the listening experience.
“The music is amazing and the recipes are great!”
“The default soundtrack to the game is actually one of the nicest I’ve heard in a while for a game, and the fact you can add your own music via mp4s or internet radio stations is another great addition for this game.”
“I love being able to add my own music to the radio in-game; cooking while listening to jazz always gets me relaxed and focused!”
“The music is too loud and the settings don't lower the menu music.”
“Repetitive, irritating music.”
“It is repetitive and plays a short loop of the same music that can really be grating.”
- grinding76 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 57 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and frustrating, with many players feeling that it requires an unrealistic amount of time and effort to complete simple tasks. While some find enjoyment in the gameplay despite the grind, the repetitive nature of actions and the lack of polish lead to a consensus that it can quickly become boring and unenjoyable. Overall, players suggest that the game could benefit from streamlining its mechanics to reduce the grind.
“A lot of grinding.”
“Your lifetime of grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The game looks interesting, but it’s completely unclear why there are so many tedious little actions in it.”
“It has a lot of potential; however, the mechanics are wonky and incredibly tedious at times, which can make some aspects of the game annoying.”
- replayability27 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
Overall, Cooking Simulator is praised for its high replayability, with many users noting its endless variety of recipes, challenges, and a sandbox mode that encourages experimentation. Frequent updates and new content additions further enhance the game's replay value, despite some initial bugs and linear scripting issues in other titles. While some players express concerns about customization options, the general consensus is that the game remains fun and enjoyable to revisit.
“Cooking simulator is a fun game with great replayability.”
“With a wide array of recipes, challenges, and a sandbox mode that encourages experimentation, Cooking Simulator offers endless replayability.”
“Update: it is great that this game received tons of updates, with new stuff constantly added (recipes, utensils, kitchen area, DLC), making this game even more replayable.”
“There isn't really any customizable options to make it replayable.”
“I have tried several of their titles and they all have the same issues: lack of replayability because of extremely linear scripting, bad performance, trying to overprice casual games by making them look deeper than they are, paid DLCs that are necessary for the game to function and abandoning projects once they made profit.”
“And finally, there's so many new updates coming out, that replayability concerns still seem far off in the distance.”
- monetization17 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with users labeling the DLCs as overpriced cash grabs and criticizing the intrusive ads that clutter the menu and gameplay experience. Many reviewers express frustration over the prioritization of monetization over fixing the base game, leading to a perception of poor design and execution. Overall, players feel that the focus on generating revenue detracts significantly from their enjoyment of the game.
“Nice game, no ads.”
“Do not buy this cash grab.”
“Game displays ads and makes you navigate through a menu of for-sale DLC content to get to the content you actually own.”
“This is a poorly designed and poorly executed mess with intrusive in-game purchases that lets you wait for too long and too often to not be able to do what you are trying to do.”
- emotional14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players describe the emotional experience of the game as a profound rollercoaster, evoking feelings of joy, frustration, and even devastation. Many express a deep connection to the cooking mechanics, with some feeling inspired to cook in real life, while others report intense emotional responses, including tears. Overall, the game successfully immerses players in a heartfelt culinary journey, despite some frustrations with gameplay mechanics.
“This game is very emotional (totally).”
“Playing this game is an amazing emotional rollercoaster that all people should have a ride on.”
“This is the most intense and emotionally devastating game I have ever played in my life.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its pleasant and enjoyable feel, enhanced by smooth controls and various engaging game modes. It effectively eliminates the typical frustrations of a kitchen environment, such as messiness and stress from demanding superiors and customers, creating a more relaxed gaming experience.
“This game has a nice feel to the atmosphere and many very enjoyable game mode variants.”
“Nice controls and nice atmosphere.”
“The game lacks any immersive atmosphere, making it feel more like a chore than an engaging experience.”
“There is a distinct absence of tension or mood, which leaves the game feeling flat and uninspired.”
“The environment feels sterile and lifeless, failing to draw players into the world.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the structured experience of the career mode, but many feel that the absence of a compelling storyline and character development detracts from the overall depth of the game, leaving them wanting more engaging narratives.
“While the career mode offers a structured experience, the lack of a compelling storyline or character development may leave some players yearning for a deeper narrative.”
“The characters feel one-dimensional and lack the growth or depth that would make them relatable or engaging.”
“Despite the potential for interesting backstories, the game fails to explore character development, resulting in a flat and uninspired experience.”