Not Overcooked in all the best ways. I find Overcooked to be fun but too stressful most of the time to settle on as a way to spend my recreational time. Plate Up!, though, found a way to dial down the personal experience of overwhelming panic while remaining faithful to the chaotic drama that drives people to keep playing Overcooked. This game is incredibly fun with a group (4 players) or pair (2 players), but also challenging and rewarding as a solo-play experience. I was surprised by the depth/complexity of customizable systems —from front-of-house layouts to kitchen automation, there is a lot to learn from trial and error. The developers acknowledge the importance of failure, too, in the tool tips menu. You're encouraged to fail often and that ethos is reflected in end-of-round sequences. The game doesn't engage in shame/blame discourse to amplify that stressful experience. Even when the simulation ends because it's clearly my fault, the focus is on bonuses that carry on over to future playthroughs. Finally, I'll mention that the loading menu represents one of the most impressive accomplishments in the design of Plate Up! You have a single screen where everyone can simultaneously customize their character, practice cooking and serving customers, dial in settings for the next run, and apply previously earned bonuses to the next run. I have not seen such a tightly-designed, cute, efficient, and fun load-out screen in a multiplayer game before.

Not Overcooked in all the best ways. I find Overcooked to be fun but too stressful most of the time to settle on as a way to spend my recreational time. Plate Up!, though, found a way to dial down the personal experience of overwhelming panic while remaining faithful to the chaotic drama that drives people to keep playing Overcooked. This game is incredibly fun with a group (4 players) or pair (2 players), but also challenging and rewarding as a solo-play experience. I was surprised by the depth/complexity of customizable systems —from front-of-house layouts to kitchen automation, there is a lot to learn from trial and error. The developers acknowledge the importance of failure, too, in the tool tips menu. You're encouraged to fail often and that ethos is reflected in end-of-round sequences. The game doesn't engage in shame/blame discourse to amplify that stressful experience. Even when the simulation ends because it's clearly my fault, the focus is on bonuses that carry on over to future playthroughs. Finally, I'll mention that the loading menu represents one of the most impressive accomplishments in the design of Plate Up! You have a single screen where everyone can simultaneously customize their character, practice cooking and serving customers, dial in settings for the next run, and apply previously earned bonuses to the next run. I have not seen such a tightly-designed, cute, efficient, and fun load-out screen in a multiplayer game before.