Delicious Deluxe 2 Review by Meryl
Whatever you call those Diner style games, Delicious 2 Deluxe falls under that group. The company behind the game tacks on “Deluxe” at the end of all game titles, and this one is the sequel to Delicious Deluxe. Quick lowdown of this one for seasoned diner players:
- Character: British redhead Emily
- Business: Family-run restaurants
- Tasks: Fulfill orders quickly, clean tables or lose potential customers, manage kitchen and take the cash.
- Goals: Reach the minimum profits to advance and reach the expert score for bragging rights.
- Extras: Decorate the restaurant and earn rewards for decorating taste.
What I love about Delicious 2 Deluxe is its variety. You don’t just manage a restaurant throughout the game adding locations or changing décor. The game comes with five restaurants beginning with the park stand. On top of that, the menu changes with each locale.
In the park, Emily sells ice cream and hot dogs. The bistro menu resembles what you find in coffee shops. Furthermore, the menu changes after you spend a few days in a specific locale. The Italian restaurant menu begins with spaghetti and tomato sauce, bread, and drinks. As you progress, the game adds spaghetti with mushrooms, anchovy pizza and pepperoni pizza. These surprises kept me interested and boosted the game’s fun. I liked upgrading only the décor and not the kitchen and menu.
Like most casual games, Delicious 2 Deluxe comes in two modes. However, you can’t play “The Happy Customer” mode until you’ve completed all ten days in the park. So its unavailability isn’t a limited thing for those trying the game — it affects the paid version.
Once you move up to the bistro, then you can manage the park in “The Happy Customer” mode all you want. Other restaurants become available in “The Happy Customer” as soon as you complete ten days in each one. Another feature for added challenges is the trophy case. You can earn trophies for accomplishing things in the game such as earning $X in tips, completing ten days in the park and having X number of happy customers.
Those who have played Diner Dash games won’t feel like they’re playing more of the same with Delicious Deluxe 2 because it plays differently and offers different features. The whole game tells a story as you see cut scenes between days and between restaurants. The storyline involves Emily helping Uncle Antonio with his debt problems thanks to his son’s Marcello gambling and dealing with mob guy, Freddie Fries. If stories don’t interest you, you can skip it.
I use game hints when I play a game for the first time. Delicious 2 does a great job of helping the player learn the game and adds guidance as new things pop up without driving you crazy with too much help. The only time the guidance didn’t help was showing me how to make pizza. I messed up the first time pizza joined the menu, and it took a little time to figure out the pizza making process. Making pizza isn’t hard, but it isn’t instantly obvious.
As your restaurant gets busier, you ask (really, beg) a friend to help clean the tables and another to entertain the guests. Your bus person is Francois, who is also an interior decorator. He’s doing Emily a favor. Entertainers include street guitar player Ziggy, a friend of a Marcello’s and Uncle Antonio. I didn’t care for the cheesy clown juggler, but the others worked nicely.
Though many diner style games have come out, Delicious 2 Deluxe offers a different and original experience. The surprise and diverse elements keep the game stimulating and the player hooked.
We give Delicious 2 Deluxe a 4.5/5 diamond rating
