Enjoying this game quite a bit despite some minor (and some not-so-minor) flaws. There are several annoying interface issues even after today's patch, which adds mouse functionality for the main menu. Although the UI design is very clean and attractive aesthetically, it's not very functional; the worst offender is how there's just not enough at-a-glance information available while scanning through large lists of food items. Browsing the recipe catalog is cumbersome because you can't actually see prices (or even the name of the food) until you click on the item to view its description in a separate screen. There's also no way to view food descriptions/prices anywhere but inside the recipe catalog; it would be nice to be able to see this info through your restaurant's daily menu offerings. These interface shortcomings are especially surprising in light of the fact that CSD1 actually provided options to quickly view prices and other useful info on its lists of recipes. Fortunately the post-release support for the first game was excellent, so I'm confident that the lingering UI bugs will eventually be patched out if nothing else.
Interface issues aside, the core gameplay definitely feels like a meaningful evolution from the first game. Obviously the biggest addition is the new Holding Stations mechanic that allows preparation of large batches of entire dishes or individual ingredients in advance, as well as new Side Dishes that are ordered alongside main entrees and extend customers' wait timers. With effective use of the Holding Stations, it's possible to compose a daily menu of large-volume recipes that are all prepped ahead of time and ready to serve with a single keystroke, making heavy lunch and dinner rushes much easier to handle. I haven't had a chance to try CSD2's new co-op mode, but the idea of one player handling prep at the Holding Stations while the other cooks the finished recipes sounds very intriguing.
Unfortunately CSD2 feels a bit thin on extra content right now, though the developer has already announced plans for future content updates. Aside from growing your own restaurant, the campaign's other major focus seems to be the new "Cook-For-Hire" levels that take place across several other restaurants located in the Teragon Supertower. Each restaurant has a particular theme, such as Italian food or barbecue, and you can select from a list of daily shifts with different food options. Completing certain optional objectives during a shift earns a Bronze, Silver or Gold medal, and these can unlock additional recipes as well as other items for your restaurant. Speaking of which, CSD2 adds the ability to customize the look of your restaurant with hundreds of unlockable objects, wall and flooring options; this is a welcome addition after the very limited aesthetic options in the first game. The game's general art style has also been given a nice overhaul with some truly mouthwatering representations of the different ingredients and recipes you can serve.
Overall I'm very pleased with the new core gameplay and have high hopes for the additions of future content. With a little more fit-and-finish and a few extra game modes, CSD2 could easily surpass the high bar set by the first game for me personally.
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