Developer: kopiforge
Platform: PC (Reviewed)
Genre: Action, Adventure
Publisher: Isolated Games Publishing, IndieArk
SEDAP! A Culinary Adventure is a co-op cooking combat adventure game. This game was developed by kopiforge and published by Isolated Games Publishing, IndieArk. SEDAP! Takes inspiration from games such as Plate Up and Overcooked. This game is currently only available for Windows.
SEDAP! Begins with a story followed by two friends by the name of Gon and Som, who are walking along a beach yearning for adventure when they come across a mysterious cookbook. Upon reaching money from their family business, they end up travelling in their food truck to the magical island of Khaya. On the island, you have to search for new recipes, battle/chase your ingredients, and serve customers.
SEDAP! A Culinary Adventure is a co-op game where you can play alongside someone else either locally or online. You have the choice to pick between the hunter Gon or the cooker Som. As for the co-op experience, it was smooth with no noticeable delays, and it felt that playing it either online or locally is accessible to anyone. What I would like to see is the option for open online lobbies; that way, you can play with a random person besides your friend if you ever do wish to go online. The co-op factor for SEDAP! is outstanding, and nowadays, it’s hard to find a game that keeps you roped into playing with someone else.
However, there is the option to play the game by yourself. On some levels, playing by yourself was manageable, and the mechanic to switch between the two characters to boost their skills was quite fun, but after reaching the harder stages of juggling, everything became a bit too hectic. I would recommend that you play with someone else; it makes the game so much more exciting, but if you are looking for a challenge, then delve into the game by yourself!
In terms of controls for SEDAP! It is highly recommended to play with a controller for more flow to the controls, but I felt that the keyboard and mouse make the attack (especially as someone who played Gon) much easier. Both methods of control work effectively, and there are hardly many buttons you need to get used to.
SEDAP! Features a beautiful art style that makes the characters and creatures stand out. A colourful, warm and inviting palette embraces the ambience of bustling Southeast Asian kitchens and markets, which is depicted so nicely. I love the character designs and environments having realistic elements in a cartoonish world. The game has charm and clarity, which enhances the whimsical tone. You will encounter environments with luscious green leaves, serene beaches and, most importantly, fantastical elements that blend culinary ingredients with creatures such as a pineapple turtle-hybrid to a devil-like pepper. By far, my favourite thing in this game is the level of detail in the ingredients, as well as the menu cue cards that will make you drool looking at them. Each dish represents cultural dishes, and I love the fact that as you go from level to level, you will almost always unlock a new recipe from Southeast Asian cuisine. Complementing the visuals is a culturally infused soundtrack that incorporates traditional Southeast Asian instruments and melodies. You have jingles in the game that you can enjoy as you play. Sound effects, such as the clatter of woks and the sizzle of cooking, enhance the immersive experience, making players feel as though they’re in a lively kitchen environment. I especially love how the game features expressive animations that make the game feel so much more lively and chaotic.
At first, you would assume that SEDAP! Would be a clone-like Overcooked game, but this is so much more different and fresh. Rather than chopping your average ingredient and letting it cook in a pot on its own, you need to go out and collect each ingredient. I was surprised and found this mechanic to be so much fun. Whether that be chasing around a ginger root, killing chickens, or collecting eggs, it was so interactive and new to other cooking games. You implement a sense of combat to amp up the atmosphere and make it even more chaotic. Cooking itself requires several steps and is nicely detailed. That can be from chopping up mangos to chicken or brewing tea in a pot before serving. One of my favourite levels in the game was the boba tea brewing, which visually just looked appealing and was loads of fun. We also really enjoyed the mini-game-like interactions when chopping or cooking food in the pot. It felt like you were always doing something in the game.
The only thing is that food does go bad relatively quickly, so ingredients tend to ‘spawn’ at a cooldown rate where you really need to plan what’s needed; otherwise, you will waste time on certain dishes. After each level is completed, you receive stars out of 3, and reading the customer complaints or compliments to the right is always so funny.
Occasionally, you will have humorous dialogues between the characters, and you will employ yourself in a chaotic kitchen, but even with its hurdles, it’s hard to quit this game. There were so many instances where I would find myself trying to cook a recipe, and a chicken would be attacking me from the back. It was absolute chaos, and at times myself and my sister were yelling at each other for missing out on ingredients. I like how the two characters have a different ‘class’, which increases their skills. Gon the hunter does more damage whilst fighting and chops much quicker, whereas Som the cooker is much quicker at cooking food. You can play to your ability, which adds another interesting mechanic to the game.
When we first played the game, there were a few lag issues as well when attacking the turtle with the pineapple or any other creatures; being able to dodge after an attack was extremely difficult. It seemed as though a few days after the game got a few bug patches, which seemed to have improved the attack dodge and made it so much easier to get ingredients. Bar the combat: I would say the concept for SEDAP! is wonderful, but challenges seem to always occur during a level. For instance, there was one level where trying to navigate to get ingredients took two minutes. I do like that you come across obstacles, such as having someone hold open a gate or running over a wood log, though at times, it becomes extremely chaotic. I think the developers made a good choice in adding teleport statues to send ingredients, but I wish there was a way to a mini-map just to show where ingredients may be.
SEDAP! A Culinary Adventure is a delightful game that anyone can jump into. It offers a good mix of challenge and charm, making it the perfect game for you to grab your friend. From whipping up mouthwatering Southeast Asian dishes to managing the hustle and bustle of your food truck whilst chasing after ingredients, SEDAP! Lets you live out your foodie dreams in a vibrant, fast-paced setting. Master your recipes and serve up satisfaction, so be sure to check out SEDAP! A Culinary Adventure!
Overall: 9/10
This is S & S. We are world game explorers. We play games. We have played over 10,000+ games! We travel, we write reviews AND we play more games!!!!
