Hot Pot For One

About

"Hot Pot For One" is a cozy simulation game where you prepare and enjoy hot pot meals in a relaxing mountain cabin. Customize your hot pot ingredients, cook in various pots, and savor your creations while surrounded by soothing nature sounds. Perfect for players seeking a peaceful, meditative experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 96 reviews

story5 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game has a cozy atmosphere and charming graphics that evoke a sense of warmth and nostalgia.
It effectively captures the bittersweet experience of spending the holidays alone, resonating with players who have similar experiences.
The music and art style contribute to a relaxing and enjoyable experience, making it a nice short game to play.

The gameplay is extremely short, lasting only about 15-30 minutes, which many players feel is not worth the price.
There are significant issues with food waste in the game, as players are forced to throw away ingredients that could easily fit in the fridge.
The game suffers from technical problems, including glitches and a lack of meaningful interaction, leading to a feeling of incompleteness.

story
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
72%
10%
The game's story, centered around the bittersweet experience of being alone during the holidays, is described as short and lacking depth, with many players feeling it was rushed and underdeveloped. While some appreciated the heartwarming elements and artistic presentation, others found the narrative unengaging and the gameplay minimal, leading to a mixed reception overall. Improvements in storytelling and player choices could enhance the emotional impact and overall experience.
- “Then, there’s the story: it’s told through a series of fleeting memories that are triggered by inspecting items in your home and with each piece of food.”
- “The bittersweet story was amazing.”
- “A very short story about being unexpectedly alone during a holiday.”
- “Despite the configuration input indicating there was more to do, I was not really able to do much and I felt there was not much to the plot/storyline of having to unexpectedly eat hot pot alone on Christmas Eve.”
- “The story of [i]Hot Pot for One[/i] isn’t as effective as it could be because the setup is rushed.”
- “The story didn't grab me either (subjective, I know).”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
21%
21%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising their quality and aesthetic appeal, particularly for the price. However, several users report issues such as glitches, unpolished movements, and the need for better detailing. Additionally, some players express frustration over the inability to change graphical settings without exiting the game, indicating that while the visuals are a highlight, technical performance may detract from the overall experience.
- “A positive thing is the graphics are great!”
- “To be honest, I got this game simply since the graphics looked nice and it's cheap.”
- “The graphics are spot on as well.”
- “The game has many glitches along with horrid graphics; they're all simply taken from the internet.”
- “It also managed to crash on me immediately, and the graphics/movements are extra unpolished as well.”
- “Very good for the price, but could use some graphical updates.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The gameplay of "Hot Pot for One" is brief, lasting around 30 minutes, and is primarily focused on storytelling rather than intricate mechanics. While players can creatively engage in cooking within a charming kitchen setting, the overall gameplay experience is considered simplistic and not particularly engaging, with the narrative taking precedence over gameplay elements. Despite recent updates improving visuals and sound, the gameplay itself remains underwhelming and lacks depth.
- “It's not a gameplay masterpiece, but it does give me the vibes of many bittersweet Christmases I've spent alone.”
- “Mechanically, the game allows you to be creative in how you cook up your meal and present it while being as messy or precise as desired in your charming apartment kitchen.”
- “The game's story is told through simple art and gameplay, with some narration.”
- “Gameplay only 30 minutes to end this game.”
- “In this game, your solitude and sadness are informed by words, and aren’t established through gameplay.”
- “I think this game probably was more about telling a story rather than actual gameplay elements; while those are part of the game, I don't think perfecting that was the main focus.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The music in the game is widely praised for its wholesome and relaxing qualities, contributing to a cozy atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the high-quality sound effects and the vibe-y soundtrack, which complements the game's casual and simple nature. However, some users express a desire for more interactive elements related to the music, such as a sandbox mode to enjoy it while engaging in gameplay.
- “I liked the music and most of the graphics.”
- “It made me smile, the art, the music, everything.”
- “Music - 8/10 comfy”
- “I can see that it was meant to be a nice, simple, and casual game that you can also eat along with the low-key music and city ambiance, but it could've been improved a lot by just having a simple motive of just eating by yourself (not a story of being angry at your friends for having lives), also having more content to put in the hot pot, or even having the player make more decisions like making their angry and lonely life become a more positive one with choices of how to feel.”
- “At the time of this review, 'Hot Pot for One' was updated in February with new illustrations, art, UI, and dialogues, as well as updated soundtracks and gameplay optimizations.”
- “Very wholesome and relaxing, but I wish there was a sandbox option so that we could keep making hot pot and listen to the vibe-y music.”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartwarming and touching narrative, which evokes a range of feelings, from joy to heartbreak, within a short playtime. Players appreciate the beautifully crafted environments and the intimate storytelling, often leading to strong emotional reactions, including tears. Overall, the game is celebrated for its ability to create a wholesome and immersive experience that resonates deeply with players.
- “This is undoubtedly the most heartbreaking moment of the game.”
- “If you want a beautifully made, heart-wrenching short game, this is for you.”
- “Stop! This made me cry! :( I love how many emotions this made me feel in the span of 20 minutes... I'm looking forward to seeing more content from you all <3”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is described as cozy and minimalistic, effectively capturing a sense of loneliness on Christmas Eve while also providing comfort through familiar food and interactions. Reviewers appreciate the contrast between the lonely vibe and the warm, inviting kitchen setting, highlighting its strong atmospheric presence despite the game's brevity.
- “It's an atmospheric, minimalistic game about being alone on Christmas Eve, far away from home, but finding comfort in food from home.”
- “Interacting with friends through your phone also gives off this lonely vibe, but it's nicely contrasted with the cozy atmosphere of the kitchen.”
- “Super short, but amazingly atmospheric.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by absurd and relatable situations, such as a character comically dumping food, which evokes laughter despite the underlying frustration. Players find the combination of intentional comedic moments and unintentional glitches to be entertaining, contributing to a lighthearted experience.
- “I gave up packing my food at the end of the night (girl!!! freeze all that food and/or do some hot pot leftovers the next day!!! what are you doing!!!!) and so I had the hilarious circumstance of seeing my character dump the food in the trash and all over the floor.”
- “It was funny to see all that food being spilled while it was thrown out, but it still hurt my soul nonetheless.”
- “But that was then undermined by what was clearly broken physics again that made that whole scene unintentionally hilarious more than anything.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with some users reporting numerous glitches and poor graphics, while others have experienced minimal issues during gameplay. Overall, there are concerns about buggy models and textures, indicating that stability may vary significantly between players.
- “The game has many glitches along with horrid graphics; they're all simply taken from the internet.”
- “It's also very buggy, I'm afraid.”
- “It's charming and has replay value, but some of the models are a bit buggy and the textures could be a bit better.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game "[i]hot pot for one[/i]" received a recent update that included various enhancements, but users report ongoing performance issues on multiple systems, suggesting potential hardware limitations, particularly with graphics cards, may affect smooth gameplay.
- “At the time of this review, 'Hot Pot for One' was updated in February with new illustrations, art, UI, and dialogues, as well as updated soundtracks and gameplay optimizations.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers solid replayability, allowing players to test their cooking skills for one to two hours of enjoyable gameplay. While it has charm and replay value, some users noted issues with buggy models and subpar textures.
- “In addition, one can replay the game due to its replayability and to test one's cooking skills, guaranteeing around one hour, maybe even two, of fun.”
- “It's charming and has replay value, but some of the models are a bit buggy and the textures could be a bit better.”