Games You Should Play While You Wait For Overcooked 3
Phil Duncan and Oli De-Vine left their positions at Frontier Developments in 2015 to co-found Ghost Town Games and ship their first project: co-op cooking title "Overcooked." As they shared with Gamasutra, the pair set out to create a true co-op experience in which teamwork played a central role in the design from the ground up. Rather than focusing on the qualities of each player, they wanted to create a gameplay loop that hinged on maintaining a consistent dialogue and tackling each problem as a united force.
"Overcooked" took off in a big way, to the point that the two-person development studio couldn't keep up with the demand for new content (per Push Square). Ghost Town Games joined forces with Team17 to create a sequel. According to Duncan, the developers did not manage to fit all of their ideas into "Overcooked 2," though he was reluctant to reveal much information about these aspects.
The companies eventually put out "All You Can Eat," a remastered version of "Overcooked," "Overcooked 2," and all the DLC for both titles, in 2020. "All You Can Eat" has continued to receive support through occasional patches and free content drops. Team17 has also stated that it plans to stick to this strategy for the foreseeable future rather than pivoting to produce another follow-up.
It looks like players have a long wait ahead of them for "Overcooked 3." Thankfully, the franchise's success has spawned a surge in cooking and couch co-op games to check out in the meantime.
PlateUp!
"PlateUp!" tasks up to four players with assembling the ideal kitchen setup to feed a growing stream of customers. The title offers a variety of blueprints and recipes to choose from, with more dishes that unlock through progression. The aim? Survive 15 days to gain access to a new franchise, complete with its own challenges and upgrades. Beyond curating their kitchen equipment, surviving each day rewards players with various restaurant themes and decorations. The latter category ranges from garish wallpaper to tasteful vases and cozy bookshelves.
"PlateUp!" has an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam, drawn from over 6,000 user reviews. Multiple people recommended the game for group sessions with friends or as an ideal venture for couples. Several individuals even referred to it as "better than 'Overcooked.'" It has yet to gain much traction with critics, though TheGamer took the time to review the roguelite. Despite acknowledging the similarities to "Overcooked," reviewer Helen Ashcroft asserted that "PlateUp!" distinguishes itself through its focus on the logistics of running a restaurant. Thanks to this model, success or failure hinges far more on player decisions, as opposed to level design choices.
Ashcroft awarded "PlateUp!" a 3.5, praising its emphasis on forethought and teamwork while questioning its challenging mechanics. Far from a casual romp through the cooking simulator genre, the title requires a great deal of time and energy to master. However, those who wish to put their strategic skills to the test need look no further than "PlateUp!"
- Release Date: August 4, 2022
- Platform: PC
- Genres: Cooking, Strategy, Roguelite, Management
- Game Modes: Single-Player, Local Co-Op
Let's Cook Together
In "Let's Cook Together," gamers join forces to take on themed levels in a format that combines a restaurant kitchen with a cooking show competition. Designed for two people to enjoy from the comfort of their couch, the indie game places players in the roles of anthropomorphic chefs based on various fruits and vegetables. As a team, they must divvy up responsibilities ranging from chopping to frying to ensure they get every order in on time.
A simple enough concept, right? Well, "Let's Cook Together" comes with a catch: A long counter bisects the kitchen, restricting each chef to a single side. Most levels divide the equipment and ingredients between the two sections, ensuring no one has access to every component they need to complete dishes. This element heightens the need for coordination, with chefs forced to huck vegetables or fire spice cannons at one another to get all the items plated on time.
"Let's Cook Together" has earned a Very Positive rating on Steam. Many reviewers highlighted the amount of content, ease of access, and joy of playing with a partner or family member. Multiple individuals used the term "hidden gem," while others highlighted "Let's Cook Together" as a simpler alternative to "Overcooked," making it accessible to a larger group of people.
- Release Date: April 4, 2020
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Genres: Cooking, Party, Strategy
- Game Modes: Local Co-Op Only
Diner Bros
As the name suggests, "Diner Bros" puts players at the helm of a humble eating establishment with a small pool of customers. Once the restaurant and customer base expand, chefs gain access to new equipment and recipes, adding additional layers of complexity. They can also bring on staff members to help shoulder the load. Alternatively, they have the option to grab a real world partner or two and jump into a couch co-op campaign.
"Diner Bros" offers its own spin on the cooking game formula: unique customers with particular tastes that pose extra challenges. Certain types, like construction workers, have a larger appetite, while others may attempt to dine and dash. Players will even come face-to-face with the dreaded food critic.
Eric Mortensen of Geeky Hobbies liked "Diner Bros" overall. Though they acknowledged the strong overlap between "Diner Bros" and "Overcooked," they felt the former differed enough to stand on its own. The emphasis on managing the same restaurant location day-to-day, coupled with actual interactions with a diverse range of customers, act as the biggest distinguishing factors. Mortensen felt that the graphics and controls didn't quite measure up, but that "Diner Bros" still provides a great overall experience for cooking co-op fans.
- Release Date: July 6, 2018
- Platform: PC
- Genres: Cooking, Strategy, Management
- Game Modes: Single-Player, Local Co-Op
Moving Out
"Moving Out" departs from the realm of cooking games, but it bears many of the hallmarks that have made the "Overcooked" series so popular. Described as "a ridiculous physics-based moving simulator," "Moving Out" drops players into the role of a Furniture Arrangement & Relocation Technician. They'll take on a variety of moving jobs, each with their own aesthetic and challenges, in an attempt to expand the Smooth Moves moving company.
Players have the option to build their moving empire solo or with up to three friends. Playable characters range from a red-haired human who would like right at home in "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker" to a cat with an eyepatch. The developers at SMG Studio paid extra attention to representation in "Moving Out." Through customization, players can have any character use a wheelchair or wear a hijab.
The team also focused on making the experience as accessible as possible, accomplished through features like the difficulty-adjusting Assist mode and ensuring that none of the mechanics use color to convey information. "We want everyone to be able to finish it," studio head Ashley Ringrose told GamesRadar+, "and everyone to be able to play."
- Release Date: April 28, 2020
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Genres: Simulation, Action, Puzzle, Party
- Game Modes: Single-Player, Local Co-Op Only