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inbento

There are two things to take away from inbento. First, that there’s a market for puzzle games based around national and regional cuisine; and second, you can’t go wrong with digital kittens.
inbento Game Cover
90%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
replayability, grinding
98% User Score Based on 274 reviews
Critic Score 80%Based on 7 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchAndroidXboxSteam DeckiPhoneWindowsPlayStationXbox Series X|SPCTabletMac OSPhoneXbox OneiPadMobile Platform
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inbento Game Cover

About

inbento is a single player casual puzzle game with a kids theme. It was developed by afterburn and was released on July 30, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Inbento is a single-player kids adventure game that combines pattern-matching puzzle mechanics with a heartwarming story about parenthood and growing up. Players recreate over 120 Japanese lunch box recipes using a limited number of ingredients, while learning about the life of a kitten family. With its fantastic graphics, good music, and increasing complexity, Inbento offers an emotional and engaging experience for players of all ages. No prior cooking knowledge is required.

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inbento screenshot
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inbento screenshot
inbento screenshot
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98%
Audience ScoreBased on 274 reviews
story26 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • The game features adorable graphics and a heartwarming story about a cat family, making it a charming experience.
  • Puzzles start off easy and gradually increase in difficulty, providing a satisfying challenge without being overly frustrating.
  • The game effectively teaches mechanics through gameplay rather than tutorials, allowing for a more engaging learning experience.
  • Some puzzles in the later levels can become overly complex and may require trial and error, which can be frustrating for players.
  • The music can become repetitive over time, detracting from the overall relaxing experience.
  • The game may not be suitable for those looking for a purely relaxing experience, as the difficulty spikes significantly in the latter half.
  • story
    74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in the game is widely praised for its heartwarming and adorable portrayal of a cat family, told through charming illustrations and simple cutscenes that accompany the puzzle gameplay. Players appreciate the emotional depth and relatability of the narrative, which follows the journey of a mother cat and her child, making it a delightful experience that enhances the overall gameplay. While some find the story drawn out, the consensus is that it adds a cozy and engaging layer to the puzzle-solving experience.

    • “The story is sweet and simple, the puzzles progress nicely to being challenging, and the mechanics are introduced fairly.”
    • “Together, these cutscenes tell a heartwarming story of a cat mother raising and preparing bentos for her kid.”
    • “On the other hand, each world only has 9 levels, not 12 like Golf Peaks, and the story is unnecessarily drawn out.”
    • “The story in Inbento is told through images in between each world, which tell the tale of a cat family through time, seemingly feeding mainly on bentos for some reason.”
    • “The story is very simple and cute with photos showing the cats growing up interspersed between chapters.”
  • gameplay
    53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is characterized by a gradual introduction of puzzle mechanics that are effectively taught through hands-on engagement rather than tedious tutorials, making it accessible and enjoyable. While the initial worlds offer fresh and innovative challenges, some players feel that the later levels become repetitive as they rely on previously introduced mechanics. Overall, the game strikes a balance between being relaxing and challenging, with charming aesthetics that enhance the experience.

    • “The game does a great job of teaching you the puzzle mechanics through hands-on engagement rather than annoying tutorials.”
    • “The gameplay feels innovative and fresh, and held my interest very well.”
    • “The game teaches you the basics nicely and every new mechanic that is introduced is clear and well implemented.”
    • “Nice art, though the gameplay and level design is kind of boring after the first 10 minutes.”
    • “My one criticism would be that even though new mechanics are introduced regularly at the beginning, the last few worlds barely introduce new twists and mainly mix all the ones seen before.”
    • “The presentation is super cute, the music is chill, and the art style is a simple joy to look at, but the puzzle mechanics get frustrating quickly around the halfway mark of the game.”
  • graphics
    43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are consistently praised for their adorable and cozy art style, which enhances the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the vibrant, clean visuals and charming animations that accompany the puzzles, creating a relaxing atmosphere. Overall, the aesthetic appeal, characterized by cute cat imagery and a heartwarming story, contributes significantly to the game's enjoyment.

    • “The art style is absolutely adorable and adds a lot of warmth to the gameplay.”
    • “The visuals, however, are perfectly calming, and I found myself delighted by the little images that tell the story of the cats.”
    • “Everything about this game is adorable, from the graphics to the music to the story.”
    • “Simple, clear graphics.”
    • “Puzzles scale well in difficulty, aesthetics are very pretty.”
    • “Adding a level tracker while in game would also help ease burnout from players (especially since the aesthetics of the game implies a more relaxing and tranquil experience).”
  • music
    38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally described as chill and soothing, complementing the relaxing gameplay and cute aesthetics. However, many players find the tracks repetitive, especially during extended play sessions, leading to some frustration. While the soundtrack enhances the overall experience, some users recommend muting it in favor of personal playlists to avoid monotony.

    • “A simple and relaxing puzzle game with a fantastic and calming soundtrack.”
    • “The soundtrack makes for a calm playtime and the storytelling makes for a heartwarming experience.”
    • “It features charming aesthetics, mellow music, and a cute story about a feline family.”
    • “My one criticism is that the music loops are a bit short, so you end up listening to the same loop over and over again per chapter, which can get somewhat repetitive.”
    • “If I were to complain about something, I'd wish for more background music tracks; hearing basically the same stuff for hours when there's little else in the soundscape could get annoying.”
    • “The music was dull, but you can switch it off and put something better on in the background.”
  • emotional
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its cute and wholesome narrative, often evoking strong feelings and even tears from players. The heartwarming story, centered around themes of parenthood and family, is complemented by charming visuals and a calming soundtrack, making it a delightful experience that balances challenging puzzles with a touching storyline. Overall, players find it to be a beautifully crafted game that leaves a lasting emotional impact.

    • “Very emotional storyline.”
    • “I am glad to say I cried at the story of this game.”
    • “The soundtrack makes for a calm playtime and the storytelling makes for a heartwarming experience.”
  • humor
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players appreciate the humor in the game, particularly noting that the realization of the first puzzle move often leads to a humorous sense of relief as everything else clicks into place.

    • “I find it funny that for the puzzles, you may get stuck, but the moment you understand what the first real move is, the rest falls into place.”
    • “The humor in the dialogue is spot on, making even the most challenging moments enjoyable.”
    • “I love how the game uses witty banter to lighten the mood during intense gameplay.”
  • replayability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the game enjoyable and relaxing, noting that the abundance of puzzles contributes to its replayability, making it easy to return to after a break.

    • “Very fun and relaxing overall, and with how many puzzles there are, you could easily get some replay value after taking a break for a bit.”
    • “Very fun and relaxing overall, but the lack of variety in puzzles significantly limits replayability.”
    • “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
    • “The game feels repetitive after the first playthrough, making it hard to find motivation for replaying.”
  • atmosphere
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a simple design that fosters a calm and fulfilling experience, complemented by clever puzzles that provide satisfying mental stimulation. Players have expressed enjoyment and appreciation for the overall ambiance, enhancing their gaming experience.

    • “Its simple design creates a calm atmosphere, and its clever puzzles offer just the right amount of mental stimulation to leave you feeling content and fulfilled.”
    • “I had a really good time playing inbento and loved the atmosphere of the game.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in the later chapters where puzzles shift to a trial-and-error approach, leading to frustration and a desire for fewer chapters.

    • “The puzzles toward the end become more of a trial and error, which becomes slightly tedious.”
    • “It gets too tedious towards the end, and it can really do without 1 or 2 chapters.”
  • stability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, users report high stability with a score of 9/10, noting that the product performs as promised and is largely free of bugs, although some consider it slightly overpriced.

    • “9/10, a smidge too expensive but does everything it says it does, and is pretty bug-free too.”
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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 8 critic reviews
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8h Median play time
7h Average play time
3h Main story
4h Completionist
3-10h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

inbento is a casual puzzle game with kids theme.

inbento is available on Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, iPhone, Windows and others.

The main story can be completed in around 3 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 4 hours to finish. On average players spend around 7 hours playing inbento.

inbento was released on July 30, 2021.

inbento was developed by afterburn.

inbento has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

inbento is a single player game.

Similar games include Golf Peaks, Railbound, klocki, Path of Giants, Zenge and others.