Intro
Annie here!
This game made me so happy. A warning to the hungry: this game will make you NEED a bowl of soup. I'm very grateful to know I have ramen waiting for me when I'm done this review. Review
At first glance, KuloNiku seems like a game that doesn't know what it is, but after playing it for a couple hours, I'm certain that's not the case. This is a cooking game with some visual novel elements and a huge helping of heart.
While playing KuloNiku, I found myself feeling warm and fuzzy inside, and I think that's due to a couple factors.
First and foremost, the visuals are awesome. Especially the broth... it just looks SO appetizing. Plus the characters are so animated and cute, I love that they used 3D characters for the dialogue instead of 2D sprites.
Secondly, the gameplay is super satisfying. As a kid, I always wanted to play Cooking Mama and never got to, but I feel like this is what it would've felt like.
Last, the story is sweet and heartfelt. A chef looking to honour her grandmother's legacy, bitter rivals becoming cherished friends. It's like a delicious broth, not too complex, just deep and full of flavour.
I also really like the Meatball Brawl sections, where it becomes a turn-based strategy game about satisfying the judges with the most impressive soup. I thought there was a perfect amount of complexity to keep my creative juices flowing while crafting my bowl. Final Thoughts
I definitely think you should try KuloNiku: Bowl Up! If you like cooking games, or even if you just like soup! This game is DELICIOUS. The demo is free and takes a couple hours to finish, but I would totally pay for the full version. (Plus it's on sale right now!)
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