It is noteworthy when a game is created by a solo developer, and even more so when that developer is female, which instantly makes Lemon Cake stand out amongst the sea of baking-themed adventures. A friendly ghost owner adds to the curiosity factor and heralds excitement for what other features will emerge in this cafe simulator.
Those who dislike horror need not fear; the ghost in charge looks cute and is kind natured. They make jokes about being dead, which are amusing if a little obvious, and the friendly banter matches the high cosy vibes. Certainly working for a supernatural being is unusual, but it acts as human as the protagonist and is a fair employer.
The initial character creator has a surprising range of choice for both physical appearance and clothes considering Lemon Cake is an indie game. Each cafe look has cheerful backgrounds with equipment thoughtfully laid out. It’s the small details that elevate it from a good game to a great one, like the way ingredients are harvested from the greenhouse and sent to the kitchen once the feature is unlocked.
The reasonable time it takes to unlock recipes and new features is correctly balanced. A bit of grinding is required but it doesn’t feel onerous, and the joy of having a new recipe flash up is satisfying. There is an ability tree, creating choice in what is upgraded next. If expanding the cookbook is desired then focusing on the recipe branch of the ability tree is ideal. Those who favour customer service improvements can upgrade the service branch. Creating choice instead of forcing everyone to upgrade facilities in a set order is an example of the developer knowing what consumers want from this style of game.
One thing of note that adds to the enjoyability is that it is possible to play just one day and then stop. This is ideal for those short on time, or who just want a quick rest from life by serving those in their cafe. Of course it can also be played for hours on end too. In the beginning the minutes fly past as main features unlock and a rhythm of baking is found. There are a few moments of despair mid to late game when the wrong ingredient is selected or an item that no one asked for is made. These mistakes are reflected in the end of day summary of items sold and lost, but it is easy to earn more the following day when more attention is paid to correctly selecting requested food. Furthermore, hunger for sweet treats is an inevitable enjoyable side effect of gameplay.
Initially there feels like a lot to take on board, but after a few in-game days play confidence blooms. After that point every new element is easily assimilated and proficiency reigns in the cafe. It is here that there is, in some ways, less concentration required for gameplay, which increases the relaxed atmosphere.
