In the cooking simulator game Overcooked 2, teams of up to four players cooperatively prepare and cook orders in absurd restaurants.[4] Players gather, chop, and cook ingredients, combine them on plates, serve dishes, and wash dishes. Between coordinating short orders and bumping into each other's characters, the game tends to overwhelm.[5] The sequel builds atop the original game, which was released in 2016,[6] with new interactive levels, restaurant themes, chef costumes, and recipes. Some levels have moving floors and other obstacles that complicate the cooking process, including portals, moving walkways,[4] and impassable fires.[5] Other levels transition between settings and recipes, such as one that begins with preparing salads in a hot air balloon and ends crashlanded in a sushi kitchen.[7] The sequel introduces ingredient tossing, such that players can throw items to another chef or pot from far away, and online multiplayer,[4] in which teams can connect either across a local wireless network or through online matchmaking.[6]
Development
Overcooked 2 was released on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One platforms on August 7, 2018. It was developed by Team17 alongside Ghost Town Games, and published by Team17.[6] It was announced a month prior, at E3 2018. Atop the base game, the developers created cosmetic add-on content, such as a platypuscharacter costume exclusive to the Nintendo Switch release and a pack of other character costumes as pre-order bonus.[8]
Overcooked 2 received "generally positive" reviews, according to review aggregatorMetacritic. Several reviewers noted that while it did not feel like a significant evolution of the formula established by Overcooked!, it was a strong sequel.
Jordan Devore of Destructoid called Overcooked 2 "one of the best co-op titles around" while praising the dynamic level design and frantic gameplay while taking minor issue with the basic recipes and a lack of snappy feel in the Nintendo Switch port.[15] Johnny Chiodini of Eurogamer recommended the title, writing, "Overcooked 2 may be more of an improved recipe than a completely new menu, but it remains an excellent sequel and a delightful co-op experience", and praised the increased difficulty.[18] In comparing the title with its predecessor, Andrew Reiner of Game Informer praised the title for its online play and for being less frustrating due to more forgiving scoring and level gating. Michael Leri of GameRevolution gave the game a 9 out of 10 and praised the game's ability to consistently remain fresh with teamwork-rewarding cooperative gameplay, dynamic level mechanics, and soundtrack.[23] Kallie Plagge of GameSpot praised the throwing mechanic, writing, "The new throwing mechanic, too, adds a new dimension to both strategy and the inevitable chaos without overcomplicating things."[17] Sam Loveridge of GamesRadar+ criticized the lack of visual clarity during chaotic bouts of gameplay and the sluggish controls while stating, "...when you're in the midst of a level, all of the frustrations melt away, because after all this is really an experience that you aim to have with friends."[13] Mitch Vogel of Nintendo Life and Stephen Tailby of Push Square praised the improvements in presentation and performance the game made over its predecessor.[14][19] Chris Schilling of PC Gamer criticized the chaotic interface and inconsistent level gimmicks while saying that the game felt more like an expansion than a sequel.[16]
^"Your 2018 Winners". Australian Games Awards. December 19, 2018. Archived from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
^"Nominee List for 2018". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. February 11, 2019. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
