This post is part of a (new?) series where I review media, including games, books, movies, and more, that doesn’t have a direct connection to Japanese fashion, but it shares enough similarities that I want to recommend it.
Name: Campfire Cat Cafe
Studio: Hyperbeard
Price: Free with in game purchases
Systems: iOs, Android
Great for: quick game sessions, cozy gamers, cute art lovers
Campfire Cat Café is a cute restaurant simulator with adorable art and simple game play. You’re helping a harried chef run his restaurant by making sure patrons have places to sit, are served quickly, and have a menu that has items they want. The game has a loose story that plays out in mini cutscenes and on screen dialogue. The staff and patrons are all cute animals.
While others have described this game as “relaxing” I’m not sure that I would say the same. Patrons arrive one after the other, so there is constantly something happening on screen. If you don’t serve a patron fast enough, they leave in a huff. The faster you get everyone fed, the faster you can get new patrons in the door!
Your café can get various upgrades that depend on your resources, rating, and time. The game has some events that are determined by time spent in the game.
The game is fueled by microtransactions. While not my favorite pay structure, I understand the necessity of the steady income stream that microtransactions can provide. You also have the option to watch ads to get in game credits, which seems like a nice trade off so the game isn’t cluttered with on screen ads.
Overall, I found this game a charming way to pass short amounts of time during a work day. I think it’d be great for people looking for something do on a commute, during breaks, or waiting around at a convention. I think the art and concept are really cute and the game didn’t feel very “grindy” in the 7 days or so that I put in. I’d recommend this game.