Recently I had the pleasure of visiting the newly opened "Diner" by Retsy and like most customers I thought to leave a review about my experience.
The first thing that grips you when you start the game is the atmosphere, from the menu screen you realize that you have something special in front of you. The diner stands as a cozy fortress surrounded by harsh weather and is calling you to enter and get warm. But will it stay warm until the end? We'll see!
Gameplay - Diner Dreams is simulation/management game blended with visual novel segments and a dash of character development. Seems like a bold move at first but everything is done in the right proportions and it manages to come out just right. The action in the diner is done from an isometric perspective and it flows really well. It is complex enough to offer a standalone simulation experience without being too grindy. Cheats and game items are available to maintain the cashflow and make this part as easy or as hard as you want. After understanding the mechanics I've found myself wandering around the diner with my chosen characters just to relax. There is also a small sims-like part where you can buy furniture and assets and you can also hire new staff. The new employees are not just generic characters as they also unlock more content, but more on that later. The second part of the game are the human interactions. While the options to influence characters behavior is more limited than in Retsy previous games, you are given just the right amount of freedom to push the right buttons and take the story in the direction you want and there are many such options and als the posibility to revert and start a new path. From all points of view the gameplay is flawless so I must give it a (10/10).
Graphics - The game offers a modern and pleasant graphic presentation. The scenes are well blended together and the transition from one game mode to another is almoust seamless. People who played Retsy's previous games will notice that his classic animation style is blended with the new one from Cruise Quest and the one present in the CCTV series. Overall the graphics are pleasant to watch and play a huge part in creating the atmosphere.
A special mention goes to the characters who are well designed, the MC in particular that looks like that waitress or sales person from a grocery store, that we all met at one point and who left an impression on us without neighter of us realizing. Verdict (10/10)
Atmosphere - A huge part of this gaming experience is offered by the atmosphere. The sound and visuals blend together to create the feeling of warmth in the space where the characters interact and soon after playing this feeling with be transmited to the player Verdict (10/10)
Sound - It's rare for me to include the sound in my reviews. I never had anything to say about the sound the the other games made by Retsy because it was never too good or bad enough to be commented, except for the Cruise Quest main theme that stand on its own as a really great song. The sound effects were always on point without any flaws. In Diner Dreams however things are taken to the next level. Each sound and tune is perfectly chosen and played at the right time to build the atmosphere of the game. From coffe grinder sounds and the tv chatter to the sound of wind and rain outside everything is there to imerse the player into the gaming experience and along with the visuals blend together to create a perfect atmosphere. The sound also have an incredible relaxing effect that enables the player to keep on playing this game for hours without getting tired. Coupled with the diner simulation part, one can easily use this game to relax after a day of work, just like having a massage;) Verdict (10/10)
Story - Not wanting to give too much here, the plot appears simple at the first glance, a single, divorced mother, working to support herself and her son at a very old diner building inherited from her family. The characters are relatable and easy to like. However after a while the player will realize that the plot is nothing but simple and the story can branch and twist in many unpredictable ways. In the quiet mountain town from a nameless post-communist eastern-european country where the action takes place nothing is at it seems, an idylic situation can quicky turn desperate or even dangerous and most people are not who they pretend to be, some could even work for *spoiler a terrorist organisation. Verdict (10/10)
Erotica - Leaving the best for last and you to discover the dirty details I would that that the erotic content is top-notch and in abundence. A lot of fetishes are covered and I would say that many will find what they like in this game. The relations are made in slow-burn mode, starting like a romanic comedy at first and rising towards the more juicy events;) The choices that lead to these events are really obvious and its very easy to avoid the parts you don't like. Also the game mechanics allow the avoidance of seeing any erotic content based on the choices made and just relax by enjoying the life in a small town and taking care of the diner in the simulation part that stands really well on its own. Verdict (10/10)
In the end I couldn't find a single flaw to this game. it it will ever appear grindy, the player is provided with a walkthrough and many cheats to customise the gaming experiance however you like it.
An awesome game for newcomers into the unique universe of the games created by Retsymthenam (Retsy-verse) and veterans alike. I would tell you even more but I'll let you discover the rest because a sexy red-haired waitress has just arrived with my order;)