BattleBrew Productions’ Cuisineer serves up a unique blend of rogue-lite dungeon crawling and restaurant simulation, garnished with cozy vibes and adorable art. While the game has its sweet spots, some aspects leave you craving a little more flavor. Here’s our deep dive into Poe’s journey to save her family’s restaurant, the Potato Palace.
A Feast For the Eyes (and Ears)
Right off the bat, Cuisineer delights the senses with its charming aesthetic. The overworld features a chibi-inspired art style that brings the characters, monsters, and environments to life with a playful energy. During dialogue sequences, the characters shift to an anime-esque design, giving them a touch of personality and flair. The food designs, however, steal the show. Each dish is rendered with mouthwatering detail, making you wish you could reach through the screen and take a bite.
The game’s music complements its visual charm perfectly. With tunes reminiscent of Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, the soundtrack creates a cozy atmosphere that’s perfect for long play sessions. Whether you’re slashing through a dungeon with your spatula or managing the Potato Palace, the music is a constant source of comfort.
Cooking Up Trouble
At its core, Cuisineer is a rogue-lite dungeon crawler with a restaurant simulator twist. The gameplay loop revolves around exploring dungeons to gather ingredients and then using those ingredients to cook and serve meals to customers in Poe’s hometown. While this concept sounds exciting, the execution feels uneven.
The dungeon-crawling aspect is undoubtedly the highlight. Each dungeon is filled with unique monsters, and the arenas where you battle them require strategic thinking. Upgrading Poe and equipping different weapons with diverse capabilities adds a layer of depth and replayability. The variety of enemies keeps combat engaging, ensuring you’re always on your toes.
On the flip side, the restaurant management feels underwhelming. While it’s fun to see your gathered ingredients transformed into delectable dishes, the actual cooking process is automated, which diminishes player involvement. Serving customers and managing the restaurant’s layout can become repetitive, lacking the complexity needed to balance out the dungeon-crawling thrills. The result is a gameplay loop that’s fun but occasionally feels like it’s going through the motions.
A Sweet, Yet Bland Tale
Cuisineer starts with a promising premise: Poe, a spirited adventurer, returns home to manage her family’s restaurant after her parents leave for a vacation, conveniently forgetting about their massive debts. It’s a lighthearted setup that fits the game’s cozy tone, but the narrative doesn’t dig much deeper than that.
The lack of character development is noticeable. While the townsfolk and Poe herself are visually delightful, their personalities and backstories are barely explored. This makes it hard to form emotional connections with the characters, which is a missed opportunity in a game centered around community and food. A little more storytelling could have added depth and made the overall experience more immersive.
Overall Impressions
Despite its shortcomings, Cuisineer is undeniably charming. Its art design and music create a delightful world that’s hard to resist, and the dungeon-crawling mechanics are engaging enough to keep you coming back. However, the repetitive gameplay and underdeveloped story prevent it from reaching its full potential.
Cuisineer Review : Cuisineer is a solid pick for players looking to unwind. If you're a fan of dungeon crawlers, restaurant sims, or cozy games, and don't mind a few imperfections, it’s definitely worth a try. Though it may not reinvent the genre, it’s a charming and enjoyable addition to the indie gaming world. – Ke'Juan
Editor’s Note: Cuisineer was reviewed on the PlayStation 5, and a copy was provided to us for review purposes.
