Overcooked! (2016)

(Played via Remote Play)

Overcooked is a game in which you manage your own restaurant, cook food and serve customers. It is the same principle as PlateUp!, but a lot more chaotic.

You unlock new levels, restaurant and dishes by playing the same game loop over and over again.

Graphicly, this game is nothing special. With all the sh!t that is going on at the screen at once, I would even say that the graphics are a little messed up. Sound wise, it is nothing special either.

What kills it for me, are the controls. They are so complicated and un logical, that many times, I was searching for the right button, while my whole kitchen was burning like the deepest pits of hell.

The final nail in the coffin from my perspective, is the sheer chaos, combined with the controls. I simply cannot proces fast enough what is happening all in the kitchen, which dish is on fire this time or which customer just lost his sh!t from the waiting.

Unlike PlateUp!, which is relaxing and enjoyable, this game gives me stress and anxiety, and I did not like it.

Personally, I would not recommend this game.

Pros

• Great game to play with friends.
• Simple controls mean (almost) anyone can join. The more, the merrier!
• Levels are generally fun and challenging, putting your coordination to the test.
• You can make your character swear with just a single button press.

Cons

• Friendships may not last long after playing. You will grow frustrated about thrown onions or burning soups. You will scream and shout for your friend to peel the potato faster, only to cry in despair when they ask you what button you press for that.
• Music generally good but the island DLC stages awaken primal instincts in me
• Ice and lava stages exist
• Probably sucks playing by yourself, but I've never done that so I don't know

This little gem kept me and my friends occupied for a number of Tuesday nights, the concept was awesome and the variety in level layouts and number of recipes kept gameplay fresh. The story is pretty silly and nothing to shout about, but that's not what you play this for. I suck at cooking in real life so this is the next best thing I guess.

Overcooked is meant to be a cooperative game, where the understanding between players is really important to reach the three stars in every stage.

I spent more or less 10 hours with my GF on this videogame and we really enjoy it.

Every stage has it's own method to implement to reach the goal, and the funniest part is to find together the best way to do.

The game has a few bugs, but they are limited to certain stages and don't affect gameplay.

5/5!

If you like to play co-op games locally with friends, then this is a must-have. Absolutely fun and addicting, will likely put friendships to test. Be ready to shout at one another for cutting an onion instead of a tomato and rage quit because your designated cook let the stew go on fire.

Overcooked is a level based game where you fight against time to prepare and deliver meals. The mechanics are really simple and most of the players will get used to them in a couple of minutes; this makes the game ideal to be played with people that are new to it. Variety is added in the form of different types of obstacles, be it moving platforms that change the layout of the kitchen, a lava stream running in the middle of the level or rats trying to steal your ready-chopped vegetables. All of these help to turn a basic game into a challenging experience, especially in the later levels when aiming for the three stars achievements.

This is definitely one of those games where cooperation and communication shine. You can play it single-player switching between two characters, but it is quite tiresome and, honestly, not as fun. Played with up to four people, instead, it turns into an amazing game full of chaos and hilarious moments. One drawback worth mentioning is the absence of an online component and thus the only way to play multiplayer is locally on the same device.

If you can’t take the heat, you’ll likely still be too addicted to leave this video game kitchen.

Stressful, maddening, frenzied food flinging fun. Absolutely essential addition to anyone’s collection if they are into classic couch co op experiences. On top of being a charming game that’s easy to play for all but difficult to master (you don’t become a master chef over night after all) Overcooked also stands tall as a near peerless party game. It’s not quite good enough to dethrone Mario Party, but it’s my second place for sure in terms of party games. Well worth it for anyone remotely interested, and it’s not expensive to boot. Now that’s a tasty combination.