Overcooked! 2 – Surf 'n' Turf (Nintendo Switch) Review

By Tomas Barry 13.10.2018

Review for Overcooked! 2 – Surf

When Cubed3 stuck a fork into Overcooked! 2 back in August, it was praised for its unpredictable levels, an impressive range of recipes and restaurant themes, as well as the addition of online play, something the original instalment sorely lacked. Two months down the line and Overcooked! 2 receives its first helping of DLC content, in the form of Surf 'n' Turf. This side order, priced at a very reasonable £4.49, introduces twelve new campaign levels, some new chefs and recipes, and even a new mechanic or two. Surf 'n' Turf sees players embark on a new culinary adventure, this time, island-based. After being exiled to the Stilton Resort by the Onion Kingdom's Culinary Council, because of the 'raising the unbread' incident, the Onion King tasks the player with touring the island and acquiring new recipes, which he can in turn present to the council to regain their favour.

Considering the meagre asking price, Surf 'n' Turf is great value for money. The twelve brand new story levels are a nice extension to the existing single player campaign, and aren't simply ad hoc additions that cash in on the success of the base title. It comprises of three new chapters to sink your teeth into, which are split into four levels each, not including two secret extras. The DLC features two new chefs - Parrot chef and Island chef - as well as one returning chef, in the form of Boof. The resort-themed aesthetic of Surf 'n' Turf is very pleasing on the eye, and the hazards found within each stage, such as waves that pull your dishes into the ocean, are suitably themed. Likewise, the charming music that accompanied the original receives a laidback island slant here, which makes for very pleasant listening. It's quite reminiscent of Super Mario Sunshine.

Surf 'n' Turf presents a few new concoctions, ingredients, and variants on existing dishes, to keep things feeling fresh. On this vacation resort, smoothies are all the rage. They are reasonably straightforward to make, but feature differing combinations of pineapple, strawberries, watermelon, and pineapple, meaning the player must keep their wits about them to get the order right. Then there are kebabs, a lighter source of protein for the more self-aware islanders, looking to keep their figure for the beach. Last of all, in the way of new recipes, some existing orders have new twists, such as burgers. They can be double-stacked now, and they come with a pineapple garnish rather than lettuce and tomato, in accordance with the island theme.

Screenshot for Overcooked! 2 – Surf 'n' Turf on Nintendo Switch

While these new ingredients and extra dishes are nice, the real interest of this DLC is its mechanical additions, of which there are two. Firstly, the player is armed with a water pistol. This can be used to clean dishes and put out fires, both of which you will be doing plenty of. As with the addition of throwing ingredients in the base Overcooked! 2 experience, getting used to this new ability takes a while. Players might sometimes forget they can clean their plates in this way, or make a mad dash for a non-existent fire extinguisher, before realising they are only wasting time. The other new mechanic is the introduction of bellows, which are used to stoke the barbeque flames, to speed up the cooking time of kebabs. This creates another unnerving element of time management in the kitchen. Overall, these are great tweaks that only enhance the madness and the fun.

While the twelve stages in Surf 'n' Turf are more compact than those seen in the base game, that's not to say they are less complex. In fact, especially given the new mechanics that take a while to embed in the mind, if anything this DLC content is more of a challenge than anything the main experience throws up. For this reason, it's recommended that players finish and master the main story mode before indulging in this. It can be a real test of players' teamwork, skills, and patience. Earning a three-star rating on even the earliest collection of levels can be extremely difficult, which underlines how painstaking it gets. That doesn't present a difficulty and balance issue, however, as this content follows on from the main story, and it should maintain the sense of challenge built-up throughout that original experience.

Screenshot for Overcooked! 2 – Surf 'n' Turf on Nintendo Switch

Cubed3 Rating

7/10
Rated 7 out of 10

Very Good - Bronze Award

Rated 7 out of 10

Overall, Overcooked! 2 - Surf 'n' Turf is a fantastic dessert for players already full on the core experience. Its island theme is a refreshing aesthetic contrast to the main game, with brighter and more vibrant visuals and a soothing island resort soundtrack. Not only this, it conjures some interesting new mechanics. The managing of barbeques with bellows creates even more time management chaos. Also, the addition of the water pistol, used to extinguish fires and spray the dishes clean from afar, adds a new layer of freedom, teamwork, and versatility. At a meagre price, Surf 'n' Turf brings a lot more to the table than might be expected. It may only be a handful of stages, but they are well-crafted and provide a challenge that fans will salivate over. This sets very high standards for the future inbound DLC of Overcooked 2. Get your island gear on!

Developer

Ghost Town

Publisher

Team17

Genre

Party

Players

1

C3 Score

Rated $score out of 10  8/10

Reader Score

Rated $score out of 10  0 (0 Votes)

European release date Out now   North America release date Out now   Japan release date Out now   Australian release date Out now   

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