So, you want to be the chef of a successful restaurant? Can you be the main cook and get orders out fast? Or would you love to live out your dreams of being Gordon Ramsey and just yell at your loved ones on the couch, playing this? Then Overcooked is the game for you!
General Gameplay
The gameplay is simple, cook and get the orders to the window. However, to do to this you have to get your ingredients ready, cook your food, and then serve it – sometimes across a crowded street! Where the game is special is in how it puts you into different kitchens and different settings to add a little variety and spice to the challenge. From pirate ship kitchens to cooking atop moving trucks, this game makes it a fun challenge to get your dishes out in time.
Audio
The game has ambient sound in the background as you would expect to hear in a kitchen. There’s nothing major to note about the game’s sound or soundtrack, but it fits the mood of the game. The game is not in surround sound, but for gamers who use a headset, it sounds just fine.
Visuals
The game has a unique visuals with its cartoonish style for its characters and level design, and it works well. The game is very family friendly and was made for the all ages, and even non-gamers, to enjoy. The backgrounds also have a very family friendly design and aesthetic to them. There is nothing that would be inappropriate for any gaming member of the family in this title.
Controls
The controls are very easy to pick up and play with this game. With just three buttons to use in the game and only one controller stick motion, the game can be easily played by all members of the gaming family. In our playtest, no one, from young to old, had any issues with the controls. The game is designed around simple, easy controller actions, so anyone can start cooking right away. Our family member with special needs played the game and he also had no issues playing the game with the standard controller.
Delivery
Overcooked is a game where teamwork is needed. Also, as a “couch co-op game”, it’s more fun for the whole family to play than to play alone. If you are in the market for a great family friendly, offline co-op game, Overcooked deserves to be in your library. The game is great at building communication skills while having fun, and it’s just outright fun to play overall. In our playtest, everyone in our gaming family had fun playing Overcooked, and this is why we recommend this game to everyone – even someone who’s never used a controller before. However, keep in mind that being a co-op game, it does require at least a team of two to play the game to keep it fun. It is possible to play with just two players, but with harder levels (trickier kitchens) a third player to help out in the kitchen is strongly recommended.
Family Friendly
After our play-through we can openly say that this is a very family friendly and fun game. From the cartoony style of design to easy, pick-up-and-play controls, this is a title that deserves to be in your digital library. However, we did see something that concerned us; as you get higher in the levels, the game does get more difficult. This may be more fun for some family gaming members, but for others it may be a turn-off. Also, while it is possible to control two chefs with one controller, we recommend playing this title with at least one or two more people. The fun of the game is really about working with others and communicating (and in this case, laughing) with others to get the job done!
Closing
Overcooked is a great, fun family game for the whole family to enjoy, just don’t burn down the kitchen in the process!
