Creature Kitchen

Unexpectedly comforting. The creatures are better company than most people, and the cozy, slightly strange atmosphere makes the game hard to forget.

Just finished up my playthrough of Creature Kitchen and thought it was absolutely fantastic. A short game about feeding and befriending cryptids in the woods. The gameplay loop is fairly simple. Explore the surrounding area looking for new recipes, gather miscellaneous ingredients, use said ingredients to cook up a whole host of delicious meals to feed our cryptid friends. There are a few low effort puzzles here and there just to mix things up but nothing overly taxing. Creature Kitchen really nails this cosy yet unsettling atmosphere. I spent the first hour or two very cautiously tip-toeing around the cabin, expecting something to jump out and scare me. After a while I settled in and enjoyed spending time with the colourful cast of critters. Still keeping my eye on them, juuust in case. Exploring the house is great fun - there's a very satisfying progression system by way of keys earned from feeding the cryptids their favourite meals. Some recipes are a little harder to come by and require vague thinking out of the box, but again it's a very accessible and pretty straight forward experience. Overall a really enjoyable experience with a wonderful ending that made me feel all warm inside. Good job, team!

Aside from a few jumpscares (mostly from creatures suddenly walking up to you), this is an extremely chill and cozy game despite it's initial vibe. The music is beautiful, and this old-gen artstyle completely speaks to my childhood nostalgia. Absolutely love the little story and the concept behind this game. A must play if you like cooking, little critters, solving puzzles, and more importantly: making unexpected friends. <3