Lemon Cake

Ever since the weird and wacky days where the Cooking Mama series ruled the roost, the cooking sim genre has soldiered on in her absence. The genre has seen mainstream titles like the Overcooked series take centre stage, whilst more niche titles like Cook, Serve, Delicious and Cooking Simulator have also seen some success in this field. However, there have been few titles that have focused on the art of baking above all else. Well, here we have the wonderfully vibrant and wholesome title, Lemon Cake.

This game has a format that looks rather like the Overcooked series. However, it also has aspects of it that make it similar to Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing and mobile titles akin to Restaurant Story. However, we aim to find out if this game manages to create a unique experience of its own that will entice bakers everywhere to play. Here is our review of Lemon Cake.

A Cute and Cosy Bakery

Let’s begin with the aesthetic, shall we? The art style of this game is your typical cute chibi style models thrust into a pastel-coloured world of confectionery. The presentation is nauseatingly bright but not to the point of excess. The player will be able to explore and expand their bakery at their own pace. They can add their own personal touches to the shop and overall, the art style is perfect for the game in question.

However, this chill and relaxed atmosphere is not a constant within this game. Often you will have to be on top of your game to meet the mass of orders that will come from the customers, not to mention staying on top of your cleaning responsibilities. It has that Overcooked style chaos, however, it’s much more dialled back so that you are challenged but rarely overwhelmed, which personally, is much more preferable.

A Delicious Filling

The game might look great but under the surface, it’s also got tonnes of content for the playe to get involved with. The player will have to become adept at running the business side of the bakery, they will also have to learn how to become a master baker. You’ll have to tend to your animal to ensure you have the freshest ingredients for your products and you’ll have to make the store spick and span to ensure that customers will come back for more of your tasty treats. Each activity is designed well enough and the core mechanics are very accessible. Admittedly, the gameplay does become quite repetitive as you become accustomed to the routine of the bakery owner lifestyle. The game never really grows in scale or difficulty, meaning that if you expect to be challenged progressively throughout, we regret to inform you that this game might not be for you.

The Verdict

Overall, this game sets out with the intention of offering a much more calm and collected version of the Overcooked series, with a hint of customisation and just a dash of resource management.

We would say that the game managed to achieve its goal but it doesn’t have the same ‘wow factor’ that the aforementioned series does. It feels hollow and without its own unique personality at times. Meaning that after the initial stages of this game, the player soon realises that the game has little more to offer and after that, there is little reason to return.

Pros:

• Cute and vibrant visuals
• Accessible core mechanics
• Plenty of content in the early stages

Cons:

• Becomes predictable and repetitive
• Lacks it’s own unique personality