It has felt like ages ever since the popular ‘Diner Dash’ were released on PC and became immensely popular, but console gamers haven’t really received a worthy cooking game yet – until the release of Overcooked, that is. Overcooked is a chaotic and extremely intense kitchen simulator where co-op is absolutely essential. Does Overcooked leave a bad taste in your mouth or is it worthy of a couple of Michelin stars? You’ll read RebelHeart’s findings below.
Preface
Overcooked can be best described as a kitchen simulator. You’ll play as a number of different characters and cute mascots all coming from different world cuisines, and you’re tasked with preparing delicious dishes for your clients. It’s a fun change, especially because most other games out there focus only focus on the restaurant aspect instead of the cooking.
Gameplay
The concept of Overcooked is fairly simple: your customers will place an order and you have to make sure that the dish is delivered as fast as possible and without any mistakes. You’ll have to collect all the ingredients first, and as you’d expect, there are a few more things you’ll need to do as well. For example, to prepare a hamburger, you’ll need to get a bun, prepare a plate, cut and prepare the meat, and you might also have to think about a salad and some tomatoes. The same thing applies to the other recipes in the game such as soup, fish and chips, pizza and a whole lot more.
The levels in Overcooked are split up into different cuisines and themes. The game can become really intense because some of the levels are dynamic: a kitchen that is completely spread between three riding trucks, a moving pirate ship or even a haunted kitchen – Overcooked has them all. Each kitchen plays completely differently which greatly increases the replayability of the game.
The levels are quite short, but you’ll have to try your best to achieve the best score possible and a maximum of three stars. New levels and chapters can be unlocked with these stars, meaning you’ll probably have to perfect or improve some of your previous levels to continue.
Sounds pretty easy, right? Luckily, it isn’t. The food can overcook (hence, the name), equipment can catch fire, players can be trapped because of a dynamic movement and you’ll even have to do the dishes as well. The chaos element in Overcooked is extremely high – especially when you’re playing in co-op mode, which is essentially the way to play. It’s clear that Overcooked wasn’t meant to be played alone, but you can handle a kitchen on your own if needed. Aside from the normal levels, there’s also a versus mode in Overcooked where you can compete with your friends. It’s pretty insane with a high amount of fun and chaos.
Unfortunately, these multiplayer modes are only available in offline couch co-op, meaning you can’t play online with your friends. It’s a shame – but you could argue that a game like this is best played in person anyway. The presentation of the game can be another minor annoyance at some points, especially the narrative which has a few weak points here and there. I do have to mention that the storyline and narrative elements in Overcooked should absolutely be seen as a ‘side dish’, it's the gameplay that is (luckily) the most important factor here.
Graphics and Audio
Overcooked isn’t an audiovisual masterpiece, but the game does look pretty decent nonetheless. Environments look good, detailed and all the kitchen elements are well designed. There’s not much to complain about the soundtrack as well: nothing out of the ordinary, but the catchy tunes definitely fit right in with the fun gameplay and art style that Overcooked has to offer.
Conclusion
Overcooked is one of the most fun co-op games on the market today and promises you a bunch of intense yet hilarious chaos and an incredibly high fun value. The different kitchens and levels offer a great dynamic which keeps bringing you back to the game.
Overcooked is available on PC, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. Images: official press kit.
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