TasteMaker

Release Date: April 21, 2023

Strategy, economic, isometric view, indie games, simulation elements, singleplayer

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An economic strategy with simulation elements, in which we manage a restaurant. TasteMaker tasks us with building and expanding the place, decorate the interior, compose the menu, hire employees, keep the restaurant clean and the guests not waiting long.

Plot
Mechanics
Technical aspects

TasteMaker is an economic strategy with simulation elements. It's the debut commercial project of Jelle Booij, an independent Dutch developer.

Plot

TasteMaker isn't too story focused. We play as a restaurant owner, developing our business through a number of scenarios, turning it into a famous, thriving establishment.

Mechanics

TasteMaker makes use of the isometric perspective. We start the game with modest funds to spend on building a small restaurant. After constructing the building we must decorate the interior, prepare the basic menu while pricing the food accordingly, hire our first employees, set their priorities and wait for the customers. If we do everything correctly, their numbers will start increasing overtime, bringing us more money. It can then be spent on expanding the restaurant, on new decor, hiring more qualified employees and adding new meals to the menu.

Even lavish decor and a vast menu, however, won't help if the customers wait ages for their orders to be taken - we need to take care of that. We must also make sure the premises are clean and provide an adequate number of restrooms. Otherwise our restaurant will quickly become infested with rats, while waiting too long in line for the restroom may cause guests to... handle their business in the dining room, other customers be damned.