Deadly Dating Sim
Cooking Companions by Deer Dream Studios initially boasts a cutesy world with talking food called chompetes. However, when players dig deeper into the surface they will find a horror-inducing game that will provoke terror. This dating sim turned visual novel horror is an experience most players will not forget. Join us here at VIBE as we delve into a game that, personally, caused unease and a sense of primal fear.
Unsettling Story
Taking place in Eastern Europe players spend time creating delicious recipes with the help of talking food items the Chompettes. The chompettes are adorable but brimming with chaotic energy. As the game progresses, you can chat with the other characters and the story begins to unfold. Set in a cabin in scenic mountains it seems like an idyllic setting for players. However, as a storm hits and the area begins to flood the true colors of the main character come to light. Fueled with starvation, psychosis, and a dark force the main objective of the game becomes hunt not serve.
Overall, the story is concise. However, at times it felt like it was being rushed with the aim to try and cram as many jaw-dropping and awe-inducing story events into it as possible. Staying away from spoilers here, but certain events really do alter the whole shape of the story and change the pace of the game. However, if that’s not going at a pace the player can enjoy and take in the alarming events then it becomes a bit of a rushed experience. It’s no secret that the story is disturbing or terrifying at points, but it would just be nice to digest things before being hit with several game-altering plot points. (Spoiler ahead). Furthermore, this game is not for the faint-hearted and features themes of cannibalism, murder, blood, and gore.
Meet the Characters
The characters are well-designed and each has their own personality thrown into the mix. It was interesting to get the opportunity to chat with each one and delve deeper into what type of person they were. For example, Karin was a headstrong and volatile character at times but if you spoke to her one-on-one she would open up about her likes and dislikes and other aspects of her life. The majority of the characters were like this. Having such strong and unique characters is always beneficial and a requirement in a visual novel game. They truly are the essence and recipe for a masterpiece. However, personally, it felt like there should have been more screen time with each one.
Date The Characters
The dating sim aspect of Cooking Companions really fell short. There wasn’t much fanfare for this element and I was surprised to find it was a dating sim at all. Each day you had the choice to speak to a character with different dialogue options and if you choose the right dialogue that pleased this character they gained a heart symbol. The relationships created in the game led to different endings and different decisions being made. Sadly, there are no romantic scenes.
Gameplay
The gameplay for Cooking Companions as mentioned before was like any visual novel. However, near the end, one of the endings leads you into a turn-based combat segment. This was the only interaction like this whilst the rest was limited dialogue choices and reading through the story. This change of pace felt shoehorned in at the end and didn’t feel like a positive or required part of the gameplay. Cooking Companions would have done well to stick to one genre so it didn’t feel like a mishmash of them all.
Art Style
The Vibrant colors of Cooking Companions lure the player into a false security and a false pretense that this will be a cutesy adventure. This is what sets apart Cooking Companions from the rest. Similar to Doki Doki Literature Club the surface of this game doesn’t even give an inkling away about its content. The depiction of a cabin in the woods was done well with glimpses into the world around being well-designed and immersive for the player.
VIBES SCORE
7/10
Thank You
If you have read all the way to the end of the article, Thank you! Overall, Cooking Companions was a great psychological horror in the form of a visual novel. However, it was short and at times the story felt rushed! This is clearly a game where the devs have poured a lot of thought into thought as the vibrant art style and research behind the region it was set in was well delivered. The game can be replayed but with a lot of visual novels, it can feel like a chore. However, there are six different endings! As a result of this, players should definitely try it at least once and form their own opinions and let us know in the comments! We are always happy to hear from you all.
26, Indie Game connoisseur. Also a hamster mum, fiancée & working in the addiction field. Gaming and writing are my escape and comfort for when the world gets too much!
