Battle Chef Brigade

 Switch
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. Edge Magazine
    Jan 9, 2018
    70
    It's insubstantial but sweet, then: Trinket Studio's game may not linger long on the palate, but while it lasts, this delicate confection leaves a pleasant taste indeed. [Issue#315, p.118]
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  2. App Trigger
    Nov 30, 2017
    70
    Trinket Studios clearly put time into Battle Chef Brigade’s art, story and voice acting, but the gameplay often feels lackluster. The sidescrolling combat is often repetitive, lacking a sense of progression as you continue.
  3. Polygon
    Nov 20, 2017
    70
    I love the premise of this game, which folds together so many of my favorite things: platformers, mobile-style brain-suck puzzles, sexy orcs and overly complicated meals. And I love so, so much of its execution, especially the gorgeous art and music...But everything feels, from top to bottom, like it knows it ought to be a movie instead of a game — at times, it even comes off like it’s apologizing for not being one. Some titles can walk this line between movie and game, soaring with cinematic intensity while the gameplay itself enriches the plot. Battle Chef Brigade, sadly, isn’t one of them.
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  1. Kotaku
    Nov 20, 2017
    Battle Chef Brigade delivered exactly what I wanted out of it: an engaging, but light game between visual novel segments with eccentric fantasy chefs. It’s a delightful way to while away subway rides when, at home, mountains of heavy-lift AAA games are piling up.

Awards & Rankings

42
#42 Best Switch Game of 2017
86
#86 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2017
70
#70 Most Shared Switch Game of 2017

User Reviews

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User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 46 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 46
  3. Negative: 5 out of 46
  1. JJ1990
    Nov 23, 2017
    9
    Imagine a fantasy world where Humans , Orcs, Dwarves and other fantasy characters travel to exotic locations to hunt diverse monsters such asImagine a fantasy world where Humans , Orcs, Dwarves and other fantasy characters travel to exotic locations to hunt diverse monsters such as dragons and rhino-buffalo only to cook them and Prepare them into delicious cuisine moments later and compete to see who has the best chops in a global tournament . This is the world of Battle chef brigade.where you play as Mina an optimistic Human in this fantasy world who dearly wishes to leave home and compete in this years tournament. You'll join her as she begins her quest , meet new friends, and try to uncover a deeper plot .

    The presentation of this game is great from the voiceovers which bring all of the quirky characters to life (I love the two headed Cyclops who banters with himself? his brother head?) . Mina herself is both relatable and adorable a woman who can bring down a dragon but has a hard time conquering her alarm clock . The art aesthetics of the game are great too , I almost feel like I'm watching an anime or reading a Manga at times , Everything looks and is Hand Drawn . Unfortunately there is a lack of animations which some might find immersion breaking but I have yet to find a place where I think an additional walk cycle here or more frames of animation there would amplify my experience. Lastly the music is great , subtle but much like the art and voiceovers it keeps you sort of energized as you balance the diverse mechanics of the gameplay .

    The core gameplay for Battle chef brigade centers on two primary mechanics 2D brawling / platforming for hunting and collecting ingredients and a matching puzzle game for the actual cooking .portion . I Expected this to be a Puzzle game with a tacked on crappy action sequence but truly the fighting feels fantastic and it requires more than just button mashing . Doing a 4 hit combo into a dodge move before unleashing your whirlwind magic to get some ribs for your entree will definitely happen .

    The puzzle-focused cooking is great too . There are gems of thee element types ( Water, Fire , Earth) and by combining the gems you can level up and amplify the flavor and quality of each ingredient in your your entree. Even this is deeper than I expected though as The type of pans you cook in can determine if it becomes a match two or match three sequence , you can implement sauces which will change gyms and by mixing special non-element Items you can further enhance your dish .

    So you've spent a few minutes hunting , you have spent a few minutes preparing your dish , now what? Time to present your Meal to the judges ! I think the actual inclusion of Judges makes this game even more Awesome. Before each round in the tournament your character and opponent get a small ceremonial intro , the Judge is presented and they mention what flavors they enjoy and you are given a meal theme item to implement . once You've finished prepping the meal they will evaluate your opponents Dish and then yours and whoever scores highest wins the round . The dishes when finished look delicious and have made me legitimately hungry and hearing the judges critique your and your opponents dishes feels real as they talk about the flavors they like but perhaps the lack of presence in the theme item .

    Much like the theme of this game it's mechanics it provides and stirs together enough different aspects in its own unique way that it feels fresh , fun , and fulfilling . My only gripe is that an " Arcade mode" or quick tournament ladder mode of some sort would be amazing but for what it's worth the game does provide a daily cooking challenge so that you can compete against other players and two " free modes" where you can practice just hunting or just cooking respectively .

    As someone who went into Battle Chef Brigade not knowing a ton about it it has been an absolutely delightful and appetizing experience.    … Full Review »
  2. AllySky
    Jun 12, 2018
    10
    Game had so much charm, it should have been an anime. We desperately need a Battle Chef Brigade 2, because the first one is a must buy.
  3. Kingphazer
    Jan 21, 2018
    6
    I finished playing BCB (Battle Chef Brigade) yesterday and gave myself time to reflect on the game itself. I bought this when the day the gameI finished playing BCB (Battle Chef Brigade) yesterday and gave myself time to reflect on the game itself. I bought this when the day the game was released, but with finals and adult responsibilities I put off playing the majority of the game until recently. That being said, the game is not long by any means and if you don't completely suck at bejeweled-like puzzles, the game should take you no longer than 10 hours to finish the story.

    Without spoiling too much of the story, 100 years ago monsters had wiped out most of the animal population which led to a chef and a soldier creating a culinary school designed to train "chef-soldiers," to fight monsters and cook them. You play as Mina Han, a young cook who's dream is to be free from her nest and showcase her cooking, through join the brigade. She makes a few friends on the way while weaving through twists and turns at almost every corner.

    BCB in its basic form is a puzzle game tied together with a side scrolling brawler, with some elements of RPGs included. During hunting portion of the game, players are required to go kill these monsters for monster parts, in which the parts will be made into some delectable creations. Each monster part has a combination of 1-4 orbs ranging from 3 different colours. During the cooking portion of the game, the player "stirs" the dish and combines orbs of the same colour. You are given cooking utensils and accessories to assist you in your conquest to be there best chef at the brigade, as well as items that help you out while hunting.

    BCB does a lot of things right. It's a lighthearted, fun adventure and the art and scenery fit hand in hand with the overall theme of the game. The dishes in which you create look awesome and I found myself trying new ingredients to see just how many dishes I could create. While there's not a lot of actual animation, the game looks tremendous and the attention to detail is incredible. The voice acting was unexpected, but I thought it was well done and add a bit of depth to the characters. Unfortunately, that's everything positive for the game.

    The game is short on actual things to do. Yes the cooking and hunting is fun when combined, but when you're not battling to be the best chef, part time jobs are offered for you to make money, and split the core game into hunting, stirring, and puzzle solving on their own. Without the competitiveness of a timer and trying to score higher than your opponent, these mini versions of the game fall flat.

    The story starts off good, but becomes a tangled mess through the end. I won't spoil anything, but I will say you don't change characters suddenly when you're like 70% through the game already, and then change again. It breaks the flow and narrative already established. And kind of a nitpicky thing for me, there were times when I was playing the game undocked and I couldn't hear the voice acting over the music. I know this is something small and not really game breaking, but if you add voice acting, it's sloppy if you can't actually hear what the actors are saying.

    This is a clear indie game, and I had high hopes coming into this. I love cooking and was hoping this would scratch an itch for me, but I was overall disappointed. If Trinket studios were to revisit the world of Victusia, I think they can do better. Mix the sound better, make a story that flows and if you want to take the game to the next level, let me make my own character. I thought Mina's story was fine, I just wished I got to customize her appearance a bit, you know, give me a little bit more freedom.    … Full Review »
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