Cooking is a pastime that consumes many people. However, no matter how much you love it, you always have the freedom to walk away. Would you adore this culinary hobby if it demanded your full attention? Epic Chef tells the tale of one kingdom’s obsession with food, and the adventures that go with it.
Developed by Infinigon and published by Team17, this is a food-obsessed and relaxing RPG adventure. At first glance, this colourful cartoon title could easily be mistaken for many others. Yet, once you strip back the layers, you’ll enjoy a bizarre magic fuelled journey that has a razor-sharp wit. It’s one of those games that’ll surprise you with its depth of character and whimsical ways.
Epic Chef is hilarious and charming.
Team17 rarely let me down, so I knew this would be serviceable. But what I could never guess was how much I’d love it. My sides were hurting from the witty dialogue and inappropriate comments that are made throughout. You can’t help but smile at the stupidity of the jokes and this ensures the main quests are always lighthearted. Its core concept is charming and you’ll never tire of experimenting with food or harvesting your own goods.
The gameplay focuses on a central story with a strong quest line, side missions, farming, and exploration. There are some RPG elements as well as customised clothing and the challenge of becoming the number one chef.
The would-be Epic Chef is a dutiful but immature lad called Zest. He has spent his life savings on a haunted and dilapidated mansion that scares the residents of Ambrosia. With no way out, Zest makes the most of the bizarre opportunity while planning how to become the best chef around.
Its simple and relaxing approach will have you hooked.
I was so grateful that Epic Chef is packed with content and quests, but is simple to play. At first glance, you’ll raise an eyebrow as you attempt to fathom out the vocabulary. However, this quickly fades as you realise how straightforward it is. Subsequently, you won’t want to put it down! I adored bundling ingredients together while trying to create a phenomenal dish. The challenge of combining the right items and timing the bake to perfection was an excellent experience.
No matter what you try to do in Epic Chef, it all revolves around the food mechanics. You will gather plants, grow crops, and buy ingredients for any dish. Every item belongs to a category, such as land, sea, fruit, and so forth. Mixing different groups enhances or detracts from the final product, and you must be wise to get the best out of every meal. If you time the bake just right and blend the correct items, you’ll combine both aroma and synergy that leads to an irresistible dish.
Cooking competitions and helping the locals.
Understanding the cooking mechanic is key, as progress is dependent on you winning multiple cooking competitions. The fun and often silly events will test your ability while offering fantastic rewards. You can slum it in the underground cook-offs, or make it official and work through the culinary leagues. Unsurprisingly, the further you go, the harder it gets! You’ll need to use sauces, rare ingredients, and level up your character. Moreover, this was a wonderful way to add depth as you discovered the unique ways to blend each ingredient.
You won’t tire of cooking for people, but if you want a break, you can help the locals. Most of the tasks incorporate food or magic and these bizarre quests were easy to complete and fun to take part in. The longer you play, the larger the world becomes, and once out of reach zones, open up and you get to explore some strange areas. Furthermore, your rundown mansion is lacking the necessary equipment to become an Epic Chef. Therefore, you must unlock blueprints, gather resources, and build the machines and structures to be a success.
Epic Chef transports you to its crazy world.
It’s hard not to lose yourself in the absurdly colourful Epic Chef world. The combination of cartoon graphics and vivid colours reminded me of Summer in Mara. The fantasy theme has been brilliantly incorporated into the “normal” paradise setting with thorny bushes, magical hovels, and creepy creatures. I loved exploring new areas as they were unlocked and the variety in landscapes kept things interesting throughout.
The whimsical nature of the action is captured in both the written dialogue and the audio. This belly laughter-inducing element was the highlight of this title, and I could listen to the music and read the immature lines repeatedly. It was brilliantly lighthearted, undoubtedly childish, but it cements every other layer together perfectly.
A time sink.
Like most games in this genre, Epic Chef is a time sink! One hour turns into two, three, and before you know it, you should be in bed. It’s gloriously effortless and keeps you playing without trying. Whether you’re attempting to collect more outfits or unlocking the large list of achievements, you won’t put it down.
The story and mechanics are wonderful, but they are supported brilliantly by the excellent controller setup. With a choice of keyboard and mouse or gamepad, the developers have taken a well thought out and inclusive approach. I used the latter option and found the controls to be both responsive and easy to understand.
Epic Chef is a must-have title.
I knew little about Epic Chef before I started, but I’m glad I played it. It’s a game that captivated me from the off and my love for it grew exponentially. It’s a fantastic relaxing RPG adventure that puts its peers to shame! With so much going on, you won’t tire of its amusing and lighthearted ways. Unsurprisingly, I adored it and I recommend you to play it here! The culinary business is a tricky place to master! Can you gather the right ingredients, create the perfect dish, and become the Epic Chef?
