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Cuisineer

Cuisineer is an excellent culinary adventure full of cute characters, tasty dishes, and challenging goals to strive towards as you become unstoppable both out in the world and in the kitchen.
80%Game Brain Score
gameplay, story
grinding, optimization
84% User Score Based on 1,692 reviews
Critic Score 76%Based on 8 reviews

Platforms

PCPCXboxXboxXbox Series X|SXbox Series X|SPlaystation 5Playstation 5WindowsWindowsPlayStationPlayStationNintendo SwitchNintendo Switch
Buy Nowfrom $22.83
Buy NowGet on Steam€24.99

About

Cuisineer is a single-player Fantasy RPG where you play as Pom, a restaurateur reopening her parents' closed eatery in the town of Paell. Battle foes, gather ingredients, and cook over 100 international recipes to transform the derelict restaurant into a culinary sensation, while managing debt, humor, and emotion in this beautifully designed, though poorly optimized, experience.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Cuisineer screenshot
Cuisineer screenshot
Cuisineer screenshot
Cuisineer screenshot
Cuisineer screenshot
Cuisineer screenshot
Cuisineer screenshot
Cuisineer screenshot
Cuisineer screenshot
Cuisineer screenshot
Cuisineer screenshot
+20

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,700 reviews
gameplay188 positive mentions
grinding312 negative mentions
  • Adorable art style and character designs that enhance the overall experience.
  • Engaging gameplay loop that combines dungeon crawling and restaurant management.
  • Variety of recipes and customization options for the restaurant, making it enjoyable to run.
  • Combat can feel tedious due to enemies being damage sponges and lacking meaningful upgrades.
  • Inventory management is cumbersome with low stack sizes and no option to sell excess items.
  • Lack of depth in NPC interactions and quests, making the world feel less engaging.
  • gameplay
    619 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in *Cuisineer* is characterized by a simple and repetitive loop of dungeon crawling for ingredients, followed by managing a restaurant to serve customers. While the combination of roguelike elements and restaurant management is appealing, many players find the mechanics lack depth and variety, leading to a grind-heavy experience that can become tedious over time. Despite its charming art style and engaging core loop, the game suffers from a lack of meaningful progression and polish, making it feel shallow in certain aspects.

    • “Cuisineer has a fun gameplay loop, good art direction, and really adorable characters.”
    • “The gameplay loop of serving customers in your restaurant and going out into the dungeon to gather ingredients is quite addictive.”
    • “Cute, engaging game with a very simple gameplay loop-- explore, gather ingredients, cook, upgrade equipment, repeat.”
    • “Gameplay is simple and repetitive: you enter dungeons with your trusty spatula and thwack monsters for ingredients, then use those ingredients to stock the kitchen at Potato Palace.”
    • “The most compelling aspect of the game is the restaurant gameplay for me as the dungeon crawling for ingredients and gear doesn't have enough depth for me to compel interest in doing it, but unfortunately the restaurant gameplay is even more basic with automatic meal creation from a menu with bringing food to the guest and accepting payment.”
    • “The gameplay loop itself is so repetitive and grindy it sucks the fun out of what should be a great game.”
  • story
    567 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is generally perceived as shallow and lacking depth, with many players noting that the main narrative revolves around mundane fetch quests and paying off a tax debt, which fails to engage them meaningfully. While the character designs and art style are praised, interactions with NPCs feel underdeveloped, and the absence of a friendship or relationship system diminishes emotional investment in the characters. Overall, the story serves more as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a compelling narrative, leading to a mixed reception among players.

    • “The storyline is so sweet, and it combines dungeon crawler with restauranteering so nicely I found it hard to put this game down lol.”
    • “The storyline and main character's motivations are straightforward, the NPCs and merchant characters are all diverse and attractive in their own way, and each and every one of them will speak varying bits of dialogue at different points of the game that help immerse the player fully into the world; you will find it so easy to fall in love with Paell and its residents.”
    • “While the village may feel overwhelming at times, the warmth of the townsfolk and the variety of quests create a cozy, immersive experience.”
    • “There is no meaningful storyline or development of the town; improvements to your restaurant don't have any real effect beyond aesthetics, and combat is also extremely simplistic with only a few weapon and upgrade types.”
    • “What annoyed me the most is the fact that they gave so many characters a decent backstory and even interactions with other NPCs, but in the end, it's all shallow and pointless because the main character only does little things to help them, but none of it really matters.”
    • “The main story thus far is really lacking as paying a tax collector coins is really boring and not interesting at all, if not just creating a feeling of annoyance.”
  • graphics
    371 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and cute art style, featuring vibrant colors and delightful character designs that enhance the overall cozy atmosphere. While the visuals initially impress, some players note that performance issues can arise during gameplay, leading to choppy graphics in more intense moments. Overall, the art style is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal despite some criticisms regarding the depth of gameplay mechanics.

    • “The art style is gorgeous, the food looks delish and I love the creative freedom with the restaurant!”
    • “Absolutely gorgeous artwork and character design, fun gameplay, all the food looks so good I get hungry just looking at it.”
    • “One of the standout features of Cuisineer is its delightful art style, characterized by vibrant colors, adorable characters, and enticing food illustrations.”
    • “The longer you play, the choppier the graphics get.”
    • “Unfortunately, except from the cute graphics, the game has not much to offer.”
    • “The performance tanks as the screen fills up; this could be fixed if graphics settings were implemented into the game.”
  • grinding
    316 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it excessively tedious and repetitive. While some enjoy the grind as a means to progress and unlock new content, others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, particularly due to high material requirements and limited inventory space. Overall, the game is characterized as a grindfest that may appeal to dedicated fans of the genre but can be frustrating for casual players seeking a more balanced experience.

    • “While I said earlier Cuisineer isn't grindy, there is one exception to this: weapons and gear upgrades.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “That's because this game is 90% grinding.”
    • “The grinding was so bad it made the game less enjoyable.”
    • “After grinding so much it gets a little boring, especially in the combat.”
  • music
    133 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally praised for its cozy, charming, and relaxing qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and complementing the cute art style. While many players find the soundtrack enjoyable and fitting, some note its repetitive nature and limited variety, which can detract from the experience over extended play sessions. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, making it a pleasant backdrop for both adventuring and restaurant management.

    • “The cozy soundtrack fits the game perfectly and even during major fights, it made me feel engaged.”
    • “The music and art are both beautiful, and I enjoyed the cooking, straightforward and simple as it was.”
    • “The music is upbeat, fun, and hasn't gotten old for me during my 8-9 hours of game time.”
    • “The sounds in the restaurant are disgusting and the music is about 10 seconds repeating.”
    • “I'm in summer and the music doesn't really change to make it feel like a new season; the dialogue is the same as it usually is even if it's a different time during the day.”
    • “But I instantly forgot the music after playing it for 3+ hours straight, which is a pretty bad sign.”
  • optimization
    78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and lag, particularly during combat and in dungeons. Many users have noted the need for mods to alleviate these problems, and some have described the game as feeling unpolished, akin to an early access title. Overall, the consensus is that substantial improvements are necessary for a smoother gameplay experience.

    • “To begin with, the game is now super optimized and runs smoothly at a steady framerate.”
    • “There are points it gets very grindy, and there needs to be some improvements to tutorials, controls, information about builds, and overall game optimization.”
    • “It also is really poorly optimized.”
    • “Tldr; this is a fun game with inspired ideas that fail to reach their full potential and a mod was required to fix stuttering issues for me.”
    • “This feels like an early access game that needed more polish and optimization.”
  • character development
    50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, while the game features charming and adorable character designs and artwork that many players appreciate, there is a notable lack of depth in character development and narrative. Players express a desire for more engaging storylines and character interactions, as the repetitive dialogue and minimal growth detract from the overall experience. Despite these shortcomings, the visual appeal remains a strong point of enjoyment for many.

    • “The character designs are really cool, so I wish there was some sort of friendship system or ability to have companions to take with into the dungeons.”
    • “Absolutely gorgeous artwork and character design, fun gameplay, all the food looks so good I get hungry just looking at it.”
    • “The art was the first thing that caught my eye: adorable enemies, wonderful character designs, and the food art!”
    • “But most of their dialogues repeat and there's not much, if any, character development at all.”
    • “Wish it had more depth in terms of the story and character development.”
    • “Lack of depth in the narrative and character development for NPCs.”
  • emotional
    34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "Cuisineer" is characterized by its charming and wholesome design, engaging soundtrack, and heartwarming themes that resonate with players who enjoy cute and cozy experiences. While many reviewers found the game fun and enjoyable, some expressed a lack of emotional connection that made certain gameplay elements feel tedious. Overall, the game is praised for its adorable aesthetics and engaging gameplay, though a few players felt that better user experience design could enhance the emotional impact.

    • “In theme and dialogue, this game is quite wholesome, charming, and cute.”
    • “So, don your spatula, savor the joy of culinary chaos, and let Cuisineer whisk you away on a journey that’s enjoyable and heartwarming.”
    • “Everything was so wholesome, cute, and I really like the art style!”
  • humor
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is praised for its charming and silly humor, featuring a funny storyline and quirky characters, including a cute cat girl. Players enjoy the comedic elements of the dungeon crawler, with amusing NPC interactions and humorous bugs that add to the experience. Overall, the humor is described as fresh and engaging, making the game a delightful experience.

    • “The writers have a good sense of humor.”
    • “Funny little dungeon crawler with a cook it shop.”
    • “It's a fun concept that's not necessarily new, but they added a cute cat girl, fun NPC relationships, amazing-looking food, and funny and addictive dungeons.”
  • stability
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with users reporting occasional run-ending glitches, particularly during dungeon runs and cooking challenges, which can lead to frustrating freezes. While some players experience minor graphical issues and slow loading times, others find the game runs smoothly without significant bugs. Overall, the restaurant aspect is well-designed and stable, but the presence of glitches can detract from the overall experience.

    • “It ran really well for me and was not buggy at all - definitely feels like so much work was put into this game.”
    • “Works on Steam Deck; the first load-up is long and some text is small, but it runs great.”
    • “Not frequent, but run-ending glitches are still present, with the most common one stopping me from being able to continue the dungeon run as no matter how I try to move, I always fall into the water.”
    • “I've been trying to beat the final 3 cooking challenges for a few days now, but I have to keep force quitting the game because it freezes in the arenas and won't load enemies or chests. I'm just stuck there while the timer runs out and my competitor wins.”
    • “A few other things I would like to include are the small glitches. I don't know about anyone else, but the game tends to freeze or sometimes (rarely) you can get stuck in corners or small spaces. The amount of rocks and trees, while super easy to collect, can make being in dungeons completely unbearable.”
  • atmosphere
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by a charming and cozy vibe, enhanced by a cute art style and a delightful soundtrack. While the dungeons offer a nice variety of enemies and maintain an engaging atmosphere, the restaurant management aspect can become tedious due to limited upgrade options. Overall, players find the atmosphere to be enjoyable and full of potential.

    • “The atmosphere created by the music and art style is very chill, and I really like managing the restaurant.”
    • “The art style is very cute and has a wonderful soundtrack which adds to the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “This game is beautifully charming and has an absolutely comfy atmosphere ❤”
    • “The cozy atmosphere of running the restaurant quickly became tedious with limited options for upgrades related to anything other than how many dishes you can queue at once or the rarity of the dishes you can offer, and no options for staff hiring even late game.”
  • replayability
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players feel that the game's replayability is limited, primarily due to the end-game content offering little beyond aesthetic improvements to their restaurant. Enhancements in quality of life and more engaging gameplay elements could significantly increase its replay value.

    • “Make this game more interesting and give more quality of life features and replayability, and it would be worth a higher score.”
    • “The end-game doesn't have much replayability other than just making your restaurant look more efficient and nicer.”
  • monetization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game is characterized by a simplistic gameplay experience reminiscent of free mobile games, with users noting the absence of ads, which enhances the overall enjoyment.

    • “Additionally, operating the restaurant is extremely simplistic, to the point where it feels a lot like a free mobile game minus the ads.”

76%Critics’ scoreBased on 8 critic reviews

Buy Cuisineer

13h Median play time
18h Average play time
9-30h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 22 analyzed playthroughs

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