Delicious: Emilys Christmas Carol
- November 4, 2016
- Blue Giraffe
Get on Steam"Delicious: Emily's Christmas Carol" is a heartwarming cooking game that embodies the holiday spirit. Players help Emily run her family's restaurant while uncovering a charming story, all against the backdrop of gorgeous graphics. Fans of the series will appreciate the familiar gameplay while newcomers will enjoy the fresh, festive setting.
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and a charming Christmas atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- It offers a good balance of challenge and fun, making it suitable for both younger players and adults.
- The storyline, while simple, is engaging and adds a festive touch, making it a delightful time management game.
- There are technical issues, particularly with the Mac version, where text does not display and the game crashes frequently.
- Some players found the story to be less engaging compared to previous installments, feeling it lacked depth and coherence.
- Certain gameplay mechanics, such as the difficulty of achieving certain objectives and the small clickable areas, can be frustrating.
- story37 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its festive and cozy themes, particularly in the context of Christmas. While some find the narrative engaging and charming, others feel it lacks depth and can be somewhat disjointed or cliché. Overall, the story serves as a pleasant backdrop to the gameplay, though it may not be as compelling as in previous installments of the series.
“It's very festive, and the story is engaging.”
“An Emily classic - adorable graphics, great storyline, all the people we love.”
“This story will put you in the Christmas spirit for sure, with a great magical story I too wish it was real.”
“The story wasn't super engaging, probably because this game is more focused on levels than story.”
“All in all a fun little Christmas-themed time-waster, but don’t expect the depth of story or drama of the rest of the series.”
“Story and character is nowhere near as in-depth or interesting as in other installments.”
- graphics19 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their cheerful and appealing design, contributing to a delightful overall experience. Players appreciate the crisp, saturated visuals that enhance the game's festive atmosphere, with many noting the graphics' ability to evoke a strong sense of nostalgia and holiday spirit. Additionally, the visuals are well-optimized for various systems, ensuring accessibility for players with lower-end hardware.
“An Emily classic - adorable graphics, great storyline, all the people we love.”
“Great storyline, fun and entertaining challenges, lovely soundtracks, and I gotta say the graphic design here is outstanding, especially when Paige's eyes keep looking and following your mouse cursor.”
“Emily's Christmas Carol has great graphics, music, and the storyline is enjoyable!”
“The graphics are very simple, so I am sure low-end PCs or laptops should have no problems running it.”
- music13 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many players expressing a desire to listen to the soundtrack on repeat. The cheerful and festive tunes contribute significantly to the game's charm, making it a delightful experience, especially during the holiday season. Overall, the combination of engaging music and appealing graphics creates a captivating and enjoyable gameplay experience.
“The music is also very very good - I could listen to the opening screen theme on repeat!”
“Great storyline, fun and entertaining challenges, lovely soundtracks, and I gotta say the graphic design here is outstanding especially when Paige's eyes keep looking and following your mouse cursor.”
“Emily's Christmas Carol has great graphics, music, and the storyline is enjoyable!”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the casual management aspects and smooth mechanics, while others criticize it for being repetitive and tedious, particularly due to challenging mini-games and the impatience of customers. Additionally, the shift towards mobile gaming has led to concerns about microtransactions and a lack of engaging storylines. Overall, while some find it enjoyable, others feel it lacks depth and variety.
“I personally fell immediately in love with the story, and due to my liking for casual management games, I also enjoyed the gameplay a lot.”
“The gameplay is the same; they didn't add the percentage of the customers as some of the previous games were quite hard to handle, but I've noticed that all the customers are impatient!”
“Gameplay is easy but can be challenging if you are too slow. You have to look for a mouse and serve food to your customers, clean tables, or do other tasks.”
“Instead, they switch their attention to develop a mobile game with tasteless stories, boring and repetitive gameplay, and microtransactions.”
“The gameplay is the same; they didn't add the percentage of the customers, as some of the previous games were quite hard to handle. I've noticed that all the customers are impatient!”
“I liked the game, but its gameplay mechanics got a bit annoying; the minigames became really tedious and hard.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its enchanting qualities, enhanced by great music that creates a relaxing experience, even if the story is considered mediocre. Players appreciate the game's ability to provide a delightful ambiance, making it a hidden gem for those seeking both challenge and tranquility.
“Love this one, love the atmosphere and the mediocre story is acceptable because it's Christmas time, haha.”
“There is no voice acting in this game, which personally didn't bother me; the atmosphere, thanks to the great music, was amazing regardless.”
“I think it's a hidden gem that will delight gamers who enjoy a game that provides a slight challenge while allowing them to relax and enjoy the atmosphere.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly due to the rarity of certain items needed for upgrades and the challenging nature of the minigames, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.
“Some items are rarely available, so it can be quite grinding to unlock their upgrades.”
“I liked the game, but its gameplay mechanics became a bit annoying; the minigames got really tedious and difficult.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
While the game features achievements that enhance enjoyment and offer year-round fun, overall, its replayability is considered low.
“The inclusion of achievements adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the game and increases its replayability value, and although the game is set at Christmas, it is fun all year round.”
“The replay value for the game is low.”
“Once you complete the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
“The lack of varied outcomes makes replaying feel tedious.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted through themes of family dynamics and trauma, as characters navigate challenges and emotional manipulation. While it may not reach the depth of other titles like "Heart's Medicine," it still offers a charming and engaging experience that resonates with players.
“After emotionally blackmailing a clearly traumatized family member into coming along with their last-minute plans, they face setback after setback, and as per usual, Emily and her family get roped in to run a series of themed restaurants.”
“Not as touching as Heart's Medicine, but still a lovely addictive game. :3”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted as a strong point, with players noting its abundance of funny moments and a lighthearted tone, contrasting with more somber titles. The combination of engaging graphics and music enhances the overall enjoyment, creating a sweet and festive atmosphere that resonates even outside the holiday season.
“Unlike Hearts Medicine - Time to Heal, there are not many sad bits in this game, but rather funny moments.”
“The graphics and music are fantastic! I have a lot of fun playing this game; it's funny, sweet, and gives you nice Christmas feelings, even when it's not Christmas anymore in real life.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy in the game is criticized for prioritizing microtransactions over engaging content, resulting in a mobile experience that features dull narratives and repetitive gameplay.
“Instead, they switch their attention to developing a mobile game with tasteless stories, boring and repetitive gameplay, and microtransactions.”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative, prioritizing profit over player experience.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game's stability is generally good, but some have encountered bugs specifically in the challenge levels, which detracts from the overall experience.
“The only negative thing I found in this game is that the challenge levels seem to be a bit buggy.”
