Cuisineer Review (Nintendo Switch)

After building buzz with its unique blend of dungeon crawling and restaurant management, Cuisineer finally makes its way to the Nintendo Switch. In a gaming world filled with action-packed adventures, Cuisineer stands out by combining dungeon crawling with restaurant management. In the game, players dive into colorful dungeons, battle enemies, and cook over 100 recipes to save the family’s restaurant. With its unique concept and vibrant art style, Cuisineer offers a fun escapade alternative. But does it live up to expectations on the Switch, or is it missing a key ingredient? Let’s find out!

A Tasty Adventure

When you think of a game that mixes food with roguelike mechanics, you might picture something charming and fun. Now, Cuisineer on the Nintendo Switch offers exactly that. It’s a food-focused roguelike game where gamers kick off as Pom, a young adventurer who’s turned restaurateur. After returning home from one of her adventures, she finds her family restaurant in financial trouble. Pom sets out on a journey to collect ingredients by slaying enemies and managing the restaurant’s stock. 

The game first got attention in 2022, and its idea of combining dungeon crawling with restaurant management was intriguing. Now, playing it on the Nintendo Switch, it’s easy to see how it perfectly fits this platform. The portability of the Switch makes it easy to dive in and out of dungeons, manage your restaurant, and quickly get a taste of what makes the game so enjoyable. However, just like a good dish, while it’s fun, it feels like it could use a little more spice to reach its full potential. Nevertheless, for anyone who loves lighthearted, adventure-filled experiences, Cuisineer offers something interesting.

Art

One of the first things that grabs you about Cuisineer is its art style. On the Nintendo Switch, the vibrant, cartoonish design pops off the screen. Whether you’re exploring the dungeon or working in the restaurant, everything is colorful and full of life. The developer’s effort in making this world look appealing is evident. The food looks delicious, and the enemies are cute but dangerous. Similarly, the town of Paell, despite not being the most interactive place, has a lot of charm.

Additionally, the designs of the characters and monsters are particularly fun. From giant chickens to artillery shrimps and fire-breathing peppers, each enemy feels unique. Furthermore, the food items you cook in the restaurant look so tasty you almost wish they were real. In fact, many of the dishes in the game are inspired by real-world recipes, which adds authenticity to the game. If you’re a fan of food-based games, you’ll definitely appreciate the attention to detail in the visuals.

Whether you’re playing at home or on the go, Cuisineer maintains its vibrant art style and smooth animations. The game looks just as good on the Switch’s smaller screen as it does on a larger TV, offering a visually pleasing experience no matter where you play. This makes it an ideal choice for quick gaming sessions, delivering fun whenever you have a few minutes to spare. 

Fun, But Repetitive

The real fun of Cuisineer is in its dungeon-crawling sections, where Pom ventures out into the wild to gather ingredients for her restaurant. These are randomly generated dungeons, and each time players head out, they’ll face new enemies and a fresh layout.

At first, the combat feels fun and satisfying. Pom is armed with a trusty spatula and a set of throwable plates. Who knew a kitchen tool could be so deadly? The basic mechanics are easy to learn, and the combat itself is simple, making it easy for anyone to pick up and play. You get a three-hit combo and a few special moves based on the weapon you equip, which adds variety to your attacks.

But here’s the catch: after a few runs through the dungeons, the combat starts to feel a little repetitive. While the enemies get more varied, the main combat loop doesn’t change much. The same “hit, dodge, repeat” strategy starts to get old, and it’s easy to find yourself going through the same motions without much excitement.

This isn’t a huge problem in the beginning, but after a while, the dungeons start feeling a bit repetitive. Even though players are collecting ingredients, which should be rewarding, they can’t shake the feeling that they’ve seen it all before. Notably, the original version of Cuisineer had similar issues. While the Switch version does a good job of adapting the mechanics, it doesn’t fully fix the problem of repetition. If the developers could add more variety to the combat or introduce new mechanics, this part of the game could be a lot more enjoyable in the long run.

Cook It Up

One of the most exciting parts of Cuisineer is the restaurant management. After each dungeon crawl, players return to their restaurant in Paell, where they’ll prepare dishes for their customers. The cooking process is fast-paced and fun. You’ll be juggling orders, cooking dishes, and trying to keep your customers happy. It’s kind of like a time-management game mixed with a cooking simulator.

What’s really great about this system is that it’s easy to get into, and there’s a sense of accomplishment when you serve a dish just the way the customer wants. As players progress, they’ll unlock new stations and upgrades that make their restaurant more efficient. 

The variety of dishes you can prepare also keeps things interesting and exciting. Interestingly, players can create over 100 diverse recipes from around the world, ranging from savory dishes like crispy chicken to sweet treats like berry-filled desserts. In addition, they can customize their kitchen and dining space with the help of local artisans while ensuring the right dishes reach the right customers.

However, while the restaurant management is fun, it lacks depth. Cuisineer doesn’t offer a chance to experiment much with recipes or really customize the dishes. It’s more about completing orders and upgrading the restaurant to handle more customers. Notably, it’s still enjoyable, but it could be more rewarding if there were deeper cooking mechanics. It’s a bit like dungeon crawling: fun at first but lacking long-term variety. This feels a bit different compared to the original game, where the restaurant focused more on progression and customization. 

A Soft Challenge

In Cuisineer, players are also tasked with paying off their family’s debt. This debt serves as a kind of progression system, giving you something to work toward as you explore the world and run your restaurant. While the idea of working to pay off debt sounds interesting, it doesn’t feel as pressing or urgent as it could be.

The debt mechanic is more of a soft challenge than a strict time constraint. Interestingly, players are not forced to pay it off within a certain period of time. Similarly, there’s no real pressure to do so quickly. This can be a good thing for players who just want to take their time and enjoy the game at their own pace. However, it also means that the debt doesn’t really add much to the experience.

The Nintendo Switch version doesn’t change much in this regard compared to the original. You’re still free to focus on gathering ingredients and upgrading your restaurant without worrying too much about the debt. While it’s not a huge issue, a little more pressure in this area could have made the game feel more engaging and meaningful.

Verdict

Cuisineer offers a unique mix of food-themed combat and restaurant management wrapped in a colorful, cartoonish art style. It’s a lighthearted roguelike that delivers an enjoyable, casual experience, especially for short play sessions. Notably, the idea of combining dungeon crawling with managing a restaurant gives the game a unique twist that stands out from more traditional roguelikes.

On the other hand, the dungeon-crawling aspect is fun, though it does fall into a repetitive loop. While defeating enemies and collecting ingredients is satisfying, the combat lacks significant depth. As a result, players will find themselves using the same combos over and over. This could lead to some burnout if you’re looking for more complex gameplay. 

For those who enjoyed the original version of Cuisineer, the Nintendo Switch port doesn’t stray too far from the main experience, with the added bonus of portability. It’s perfect for those moments when you want to dip into the game without having to commit to long play sessions. However, for newcomers to the game, it’s worth noting that Cuisineer is a bit simpler than many other roguelikes out there. If you’re used to more complex systems and deeper gameplay loops, you might find it lacking in terms of depth and long-term engagement.

All in all, Cuisineer is a solid RPG with plenty of potential. While it doesn’t reach the depth that could elevate it to a truly standout roguelike, it remains a fun adventure that’s well-suited for players looking for something light and enjoyable. Therefore, for players who are after a more casual game to play in short bursts, it’s worth checking out.