Cooking Simulator 2: Better Together

Cooking Simulator 2: Better Together launched after years of anticipation but has received mixed to negative feedback from players. Many feel the game is rushed and unfinished, with numerous bugs, poor optimization, and missing key features from the original, such as free cutting and physics-based chaos. The tutorial and recipe systems are often described as confusing and unintuitive, making the learning curve frustrating. Multiplayer, a major selling point, suffers from desyncs, lag, and connection issues, limiting cooperative play.

However, some players appreciate the game’s move towards a more realistic kitchen simulation, with improved plating mechanics, a larger ingredient variety, and progression systems involving kitchen upgrades and custom recipes. The graphics are cartoony but generally regarded as decent, though some complain they are inferior to the first game. Despite its flaws, the developers have been responsive with hotfixes and updates, offering hope for future improvements. Currently, the game is seen as a step sideways rather than forward in the series.

Highlights

Players praise the game’s attempt at a more authentic cooking simulation with less physics chaos and more structured mechanics. The introduction of plating stations and custom recipe creation adds depth and creativity. The graphics, while cartoony, are colorful and appealing to some, and the game offers a large variety of ingredients and customer types. Multiplayer mode is considered fun when it works, and the game’s progression system with kitchen and skill upgrades adds longevity. Responsive developers and frequent hotfixes indicate ongoing support.

Criticisms

Common criticisms include poor optimization and numerous bugs such as freezing, stuttering, and game-breaking glitches that prevent progression. Many players find the UI clunky and hard to read, and complain about the removal of free cutting and free pouring, which reduced player freedom and fun. Multiplayer is plagued by desyncs and connection problems. The tutorial is seen as unhelpful, and career mode pacing is too slow with customers arriving infrequently. Some feel the game lacks polish and content compared to its predecessor.