I’m back for one more post about Creature Kitchen (The Rat Zone) because it left such an impression on me. In yesterday’s post, I mentioned how I really appreciate a short, curated experience that has a strong direction/vision. And cute animals. I can’t overstate how adorable these creatures are, and how much I enjoyed feeding them.
The beauty is in the simplicity. There were a few puzzles in the game, yes, but they always had a purpose (usually to give an ingredient and/or recipe). The devs made it really easy to follow along, and there was only one time I had to look somethinig up. I’m still not sure if what happened was a glitch or what the devs intended, but either way, it was no big deal. It would have been a big deal, of course, if it had blocked me from progressing, but it did not.
The music is great and really fits the theme, too. I’ve included another track on the OST below. It’s very atmospheric, and the track I included today is under a minute long. All the tracks are vibrant and evocative; I’m impressed by it as much as I am by most of the other aspects of the game.
I know I’ve said it before, but I love a game that has a vision and carries it out well. I’m much more forgiving of a small indie team that is dedicated to their game than I am to a huge AAA team that, well, it’s not fair to say they’re not dedicated to their game. I would bet they are dedicated as well. It’s just that those games aren’t as interesting to me*. The last AAA game I played was….I can’t even remember what it was. I think it might have been Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch Productions) at the end of 2024. I gave it a 6.5/7, which is at least 2 points less than most people’s rating of it.
I know to keep my mouth shut when people are gushing about something. I may just say it’s not my style or my kind of _______, but i rarely go on at length about it unless asked. One time in the Discord I’m in, people were raving about Pulp Fiction. I mentioned that I got dumped because of my opinion on it, and I said I’d leave it at that because I did not want to yuck anyone’s yum. One guy said it was one of his favorite movies, but he was curious to know my opinion. So I gave it to him. He said it was fascinating to read, and he thanked me for it.
With GTA VI, I just say it’s diplomatically not my kind of game and leave it at that. I watched Ian play a chunk of the fifth game on stream, and I hated everything about the game–especially Trevor. I don’t like pop culture that does not have a single redeemable character. I didn’t like Fallout 3, either, in a large part for that reason.
In this game, I adore all the critters. They each have their own personalities, and they are all so sweet. I really came to care about them, even though they didn’t say a word. In fact, no one talks. There is a radio, but I turned it off after listening to it for about ten seconds. It was too distracting, and it was too like local talk radio.
I keep mentioning how this game had heart, but it really did. So far this year, there are a few games that have engrossed me, and they are all indie games. Oh, and Dark Souls III (FromSoft). Which is definitely a AAA game.
I was going to say that I hope there will be DLC for this game, but you know what? I don’t need DLC for this game. I’m not sure I even want it because it was such a great self-contained experience. And the ending was definite, so the devs would have to retcon it if they wanted to add DLC. I guess they could go for a prequel, which would be interesting. There’s a hint of life before me (the player character) in this game, and it could be fun to play as the previous caretaker.
I’m not sure it would add much, though. There wasn’t much of a story in the game, and I would feel weird if the prequel had more story than the base game did.
I’m ready to put this game in the done category and move on. I don’t need more from it, and I appreciate the several hours of delight it gave me. I’m still smiling as I’m thinking about it.
Putting FromSoft games aside, I cannot think of another AAA game that has recently moved me and/or delighted me the way indie games have. Going through my recent A Quick Looks, Ghost of Tsushima was the last AAA game** I reviewed–and that was in December of 2024.
I will fully admit that when I think of GTA VI, I sigh heavily and roll my eyes. I don’t get why people are so excited about it, but, again, that says more about me than other people.
I am not looknig for DLC for this game, but I am eagerly anticipating their next game. I’m sure it won’t take as long as this GTA (thirteen years if it actually comes out when it’s slated to come out), and I expect it’s going to be whimsical, charming, and quirky (but NOT creepy. Ahem). This is not their first game, but I have not heard of the other two. One is a fast-paced platformer–which, no. The other one is a first-person horror game, which is not my thing. Not because I’m easy to get scared, but because of the opposite, actually. I don’t get scared, so horror games bore me.
It’s like ASMR. I’m one of the people who gets angry at hearing ASMR. It makes me want to punch someone in the face. I know other people love it, and it gives them happy tingles. That’s how I feel about horror anything. If it’s not psychological horror, then it does absolutely nothing for me.
I am so happy I heard about this game and played it. I can heartily recommend it for anyone who likes cooking sims, games with animals, and crunchy pixels. What a lovely little game and exactly what I needed at this time.
*Obligatory ‘unless they’re From games’ disclaimer inserted here.
**I did buy and try Nightreign–and I did A Quick Look of it–but I don’t count that.