Baking Bad Review (PC)

I love that Baking Bad openly states that it has no connection with other television series or movies, and that any similarities that it may or may not have are purely coincidental. I also love that it immediately discards these words and does the one thing that it shouldn’t — to center a video game around rolling recreational vehicles, forbidden consumables, and a criminal empire that relies on consumerism to fuel its agenda. And if you think it sounds a bit like a certain award-winning TV series, well, that’s because it is. The only thing that sets this syndicate apart from the other, of course, is the product. Surprise — it’s baked goods. Go figure.

To tell a lie, Baking Bad isn’t just a tongue-in-cheek poke at Heisenberg; it’s more of a private joke about Betty Crocker, if anything. It’s silly, and it doesn’t really make a lot of sense to the casual observer. But that’s sort to what this is: a criminal cooking hybrid simulator that embraces a ludicrous idea and just rolls with it in the hopes that someone will understand it. It’s a joke on wheels—a jolly ol’ cook ‘em up that is, regrettably, also rather half-baked and without any real technical flair, annoyingly.

Here’s the good news: Baking Bad is, at least at its core, a recipe for success—a perfect chance to mesh simple cooking techniques with criminal enterprises and other comical strands into one puffy pastry. And it is, in all honesty, a rather good game, too. The issue is that, even with a solid foundation for it to build on, Baking Bad isn’t without its burnt crusts and baggage. Annoyingly, the game itself isn’t a smooth affair; it’s a frustrating one that suffers from a lot of teething problems and technical flaws, graphical bugs and game-breaking issues. And that’s barely scraping the tip of the frosting, sadly.

Beneath all of the errors and nasty bugs that Baking Bad harbors (and there are a lot, believe me) is a game with a good sense of what it means to be fun and engaging. Take the issues out of the equation, and you actually have a weirdly entertains first-person empire-building sim with some brilliant quips and gameplay elements. For instance, you have access to a wealth of clients, baked goods, and opportunities—avenues that you can ultimately explore to develop something of a foothold in a sketchbook-themed world of eccentric folks and criminal enterprises. It has all of that. What it doesn’t have is a smooth exterior—a crust that has the appearance of a quality, almost Michelin-starred pie. If it can alter that with the aid of some well-needed sous chefs, then sure, it could just become a brilliant indie sim.

Aside from all of its downfalls, Baking Bad has a good gameplay structure — and a satisfying one, at that. The idea is rather straightforward: a city—a place where baked goods are frowned upon by the law—yearns for an underground economy that can supply and meet the demand of its ravenous clientele. As the Heisenberg of pastries, it falls to you to swivel around in an RV, create flavorful delicacies, and develop a network that can feed the citizens. The downside to this is that, being a city with a hatred for the bakery, you have the monumental task of working beneath the cover of darkness to make ends meet. What’s more, you also have Blood Sugar levels to cater to, which is a whole other pain in the neck in itself, naturally.

Thankfully, the core gameplay loop is enjoyable, in that it provides you with plenty of upgrades, recipes, and opportunities to enhance your culinary skills and RV. It also features a sizable world with a good deal for you to enjoy, including high-speed police chases, customizable kitchen appliances, as well as a co-op mode that allows you to establish an empire with a friend. The sad part is, you don’t have the chance to experience a lot of these facets due to the significant amount of bugs that it keeps ahold of.

Evidently, Baking Bad has some genuinely good ideas to share with its target audience. It’s the execution, however, that makes it feel like more of a bargain bin Bakewell from a local supermarket than a comfort food from an established restaurant. Does it have the potential to stand tall above the other pastries in the cabinet? Absolutely. However, if you’re looking for a fresh-tasting experience that has that all-important wow factor, then you might want to consider flexing your culinary skills in a different chain.

Verdict

Baking Bad certainly has the potential to be a great game, yet it sadly lacks that all-important golden texture that any perfect puff pastry needs to be both memorable and satisfying. The concept is there, as is the framework for it to work with. But, it’s the half-baked assets and the concerning level of technical finesse that dampens the overall experience here. To say that it could do with a little extra time in the oven would be an understatement, truly.

The general consensus is that, despite it having the sweet and savory filling in the middle, Baking Bad is in dire need of some additional time in the oven, if only for the sake of toasting the pastry and giving it that “golden” texture. Because, let’s face it, Baking Bad isn’t fit for consumption — not yet, anyway. And I almost hate to talk down on it, but I also can’t bring myself to sugarcoat it, either. The bitter truth here is that, even with a good idea and a ton of pleasurable gimmicks of its own, it isn’t all that pleasant to sink your teeth into.

Let it be said that, if Baking Bad can undergo some well-needed fixes and general improvements, then it will eventually make for an enjoyable game. As it stands, though, I personally wouldn’t recommend it. Give it a month or two, and it might be worth jumping back into. Fingers crossed, anyway.