The Chef's Shift

Why does it hurt so much? This game made me cry several times. My heart hurts writing this. All I wanted was a fun little typing game and instead I got writing to rival The Sopranos. Why does this game have such an insane story? Before addressing the writing, the game itself is fantastic. For reference, I'm an adept typist so I played through the campaign on the hardest difficulty and my experience of the difficulty curve is dependent on that: Well-built mechanics are introduced steadily and explained well. Each level of the campaign feels like it appreciably builds upon those before it. Whenever I felt like the game was getting too easy, it would bump the challenge up the perfect amount. There were a few levels in which I kept failing the level condition, but it always felt like my own fault and it was never frustrating or unfair. The gameplay is reactive, satisfying and fun. The graphics are cute, suitable for the gameplay and the few visual issues I had were minor. This is without a doubt the best typing game I've ever played. But the writing... what on earth? It feels like the team who wrote the story for the campaign didn't know what game they were writing for. The story is completely at odds with the art, the music, the gameplay, everything. The game as a whole is completely tonally inconsistent. You will [spoiler] watch a mother take her own life in front of her daughter [/spoiler] before being thrown straight back into upbeat, fast-paced, chipper gameplay. It's insane. So many times the levels were made more difficult not because of the gameplay itself, but because I was so shocked and sad over the events of the story that I couldn't focus on the level I was immediately thrown back into. Why are themes of [spoiler] adultery, drug addiction, muder, suicide and child abuse [/spoiler] thrown in so casually with a cute, cartoon art style and (initially) silly humour? Then again, why shouldn't they be? If anything, this game sets out to prove once again that typing games - which have traditionally been resigned to the target demographic of children - can be very much adult. And yet, it's fantastic. I think so, anyway. It's extremely difficult to tell if this game is well executed; the writing is incredible and the gameplay is fantastic, but it does feel like they interfere with each other. Gameplay was sometimes difficult because I was wrapped up in story, but more concerningly, I don't know if the themes breached by the story are done justice when juxtaposed with the gameplay. This game may be triggering for people with certain traumas, and while I don't think that's a bad thing, the game does not prepare you for it all. I had to consider if it was an artistic choice; a comment from the developers. Is this life? A series of horrific, traumatising events between which you simply have to get on with busy, day-to-day activities? Perhaps I'm reading too deep. When our main protagonist is still wearing his cute, comical little chef's outfit while [spoiler] he relives the day his wife died and he abandoned his young daughter, [/spoiler] it's impossible to tell what is simply dark humor and what is unintentionally poor execution. I highly recommend this game. If not as a flawless, cohesive masterpiece, then as one of the most strangely fun, creative, gripping, amusing and shocking experiences I've had with a game. Truly a little gem that I will likely never forget.

This game feels like a nostalgic ride to games like Diner/Wedding Dash, and I appreciate how the game's mandatory use of keyboard only. If you want to practice your hand-eye coordination, this can be a good game to exercise. Typing SFX is what keeps me hooked, and not only it makes you type words, but it also includes numbers and special characters for certain types of customers. Difficulty is decent as well in my opinion. However the downside was the rest of the game. Endless mode is fruitless other than Steam achievement. No WPM record or something similar. I want to see my own stats outside of stage results, in the entire game even. The story is messy for me—chapter 2 to be specific. Constant flashback to Ming's memories lost my focus on the plot, it throws you out because one stage you're playing a flashback and the next you're not. Not to mention there's a misspelling at some points in the game, the common mistakes people do who can't point the difference between it's/its, you're/your, or bare/bear. Please get a proofreader... UI is not really thought about. The numbers showing the requirements for the stage star is in the same size as the letters you need to type, and they're lined up as well (see chapter 2 again), it can be confusing. All you do is type and I think that's the only charm it has. The other modes are not paid attention to very well, and there's no sense of achievement outside of steam achievements because there's nothing else recorded other than the stars you get and the total money you earned.

dude this game is so good. I was expecting a cooking typing game. I got that and a freaking amazing storyline that completely surprised me. I am so immersed in this game and I am having so much fun since I bought this game two nights ago. I don't want this game to end!! This game is hella fun to replay too. Ppl don't make games like these nomo. This is my favorite game right now and fortnite had that spot for like 10 months. So this a 5/5 game for me

金山打字通做饭版

The more I play this game, the funnier it gets. I'm just so happy it gave me fun and enjoyment the same way I play TyperShark & Diner Dash back during Game House & PopCap era, it's so nostalgic. My only complain is that I'm not a big fan of navigating the main menu by typing, it's unique, but it made navigating unnecessarily complex. Everything else? Great game, engaging story. (Did not expect that kind of story at all lol)

If your moderately into typing games, this is the one to play. The levels are a good difficulty specially if throw in the bonus challenges. The story is worth paying attention to. If you think you know what's going to happen next, you don't.

Currently in Dim Sum mission. Story is surprisingly deep. Overall a fun and casual typing game with incentive to 100% achievement.

Definitely improved my typing speed and accuracy by quite a bit. I managed to 100% it in about 12 hours play time. It paid off that I started the game on "Very Hard" difficulty on the get go! The story started out simple and a bit silly, but I didn't expect it to go as deep as it did. Tbh, when everything started coming together with the little reveals here and there, it really got me. It's one of those games that I would like to experience the story for the first time again. [b] SPOILERS BELOW FOR THE STORY [/b] [spoiler]The ending felt like a cliffhanger in a way. I want to know what happens to Marco if he's able to recover from everything. Is Mina going to accept him as her dad? Is Sofia ever going to forgive him? Is Isabella going to fully rekindle their love again? I feel like the ending gave me even more questions than I had at the start of the game. [/spoiler]

I thought it's just a simple cooking game like Dinner Dash at first but it has such a pleasant surprise that the story is very deep and good. Didn't expect to be depressed bcs of the storyline of such game. The game itself is really good. Amazing levels and the tweaks in every map make the game not repetitive and boring. It's brilliant. I love their idea of the minigame and the variety of typing concepts, it makes the game fun and challenging. Overall, very happy with the purchase, a really great game to kill time and hone your typing skill. Story is worth reading unlike most of simple game like this one, very interesting and dramatic.

came for a casual typing game, stayed for the surprising story and REALLY engaging gameplay! why was i close to tears multiple times playing a typing game????? help?????????? dear devs, thank you for this gem! i especially love the music, the different settings and cuisines, and the charm these stupid characters and their little expressions and sounds have T_T <3 spoiler for later stages [spoiler] it's been a long time for me to feel this accomplished when i got into the groove of assembling the burritos, tacos etc. the flow was A M A Z I N G [/spoiler]