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STORY
Running a restaurant in today's economy is serious business. Valeria is trying to make the best out of it, while her husband Evan doesn't seem as bothered with reality. Enter daughter Zoey and her corruptive friend Rachel - and the main cast of The Restaurant is here. The story starts off quite serious, but it's good to realize beforehand that developer Xell likes his stories a little silly. That doesn't mean the story writing isn't fun, but it won't always make sense realistically. Knowing that beforehand gives you a relaxedness that makes you enjoy the game more.
Zoey, as the college daughter, is influenced by a lot of things. Her parents who have their own secrets, Rachel who preys on her Zoey's mother as well as Zoey herself, bullies in class who make fun of her and grown-ups who try to take advantage of her. Most of the stories are experiences through either mother Valeria's or daughter Zoey's eyes and their stories are arguably the most important, although there's room to learn about Evan and Rachel if you wish to do so.
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As the story progresses, you realize the developer is actually having a bit of fun with this as it looks like some kind of magic or energy will be introduced into the next updates - as well as some kind of confrontation arc for the game's main antagonist. It's not always see-through and the game's dream sequences don't always help in telling a logical story, but the dialog is well written and doesn't mind making fun of itself at times. With developer Xell telling me he's looking to branch the story even further and wider, players would best strap up for a ride that takes them far beyond baking a burger in a restaurant.
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The restaurant is gorgeous in a cartoon kind of way. Xell really goes out of his way to create cinematic, expressive renders and all of the characters hit some type of stereotype or at the very least, their characteristics. Valeria is the uptight momager, Evan is the laidback father with a few issues, Zoey is the rebellious teen with a drive to learn and Rachel is the corruptive friend who tries to make life more fun by corrupting her friends. The game has no trouble distinguishing characters and renders look pretty awesome, if anything because the color scheme works with the game so well.
Intimate scenes get pretty graphic in this game, with cumshots and fetishes being outright shown in shots. Each character enjoys his or her own version of porn logic, as sometimes realism is traded in for dream sequences or simply silly sexual behavior. It all looks good though, and while the game is still in visual novel mode, plays like a continuing story. The silliness of the game does bleed into the character design, with a few characters having a couple exaggerations just for laughs. You can't really take a cowboy with a horse in a diner seriously, can you?
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When the sandbox-mode kicks in, the UI works surprisingly well to guide you into the new gameplay. There's even a tutorial that helps you on your way to the first events. This, together with the nice aesthetics of the game, make The Restaurant fun to play. Also, there's a voice option that lets the main characters speak out their voice lines. It wasn't for me because it still felt robotic, but to have the option is pretty darn amazing and must take a lot of work. Speaking of which, the game is packed with UI choices, galleries and extra options. This is a labor of love and definitely not a rush job like many other games.
If you can get behind the combination of slightly cartoon 3D characters with super-realistic particle effects, this game will actually give you a lot of fun already in its early stage. If you approach this game as a realistic cartoon game with anime logic, you'll have fun enjoying all the antics this world gives us.
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GAMEPLAY
So the first part of this game is actually a visual novel where you pick a few choices. These choices matter, but not as much as you think. It isn't until the sandbox-portion of the game opens that the game really shines bright and shows it's true potential. You can switch between characters and time of day, and certain quests can only be triggered by certain characters at a certain time of the week. This game will have you searching, skipping and experiencing while hunting the next piece of content.
The game isn't perfect and neither does it try to be, but the developers are striking a good balance between grind and story. Your family obviously needs money to keep the restaurant running and you will let characters take shifts in the restaurant in order to earn said money. Don't worry, you'll be skipping cutscenes soon enough as you figure out ways to let your characters earn more money. More money will allow you to buy different things, either for the story or your personal enjoyment. That last addition is pretty new to the series, but the way it's implemented tells us Xell has big plans for the in-game currency.
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OVERALL
The Restaurant is a pretty sandbox game with a story that might be a little niche. Get a feel for the tone through trailers or playing a bit and if it's your thing, enjoy the ride. The game is already showing promise, but it feels like the best days are ahead of it. We can't wait to see what kind of shenanigans the girls will be up to while Evan tries to keep his broken dream of a restaurant together. This game is at it's best when it's a little silly.
Rating: 7.5/10
Developer: Xell's The Restaurant
