Overcooked 2

⭐ 9.5/10

(Originally written by Joseph)

I've played tiny bits of Overcooked for years, and have always loved it but have never committed to actually beating it. But Jess and I have long been looking for things to do together at home that isn't watching TV, and co-op games have been something we've tried, but with mixed results. Mostly I feel like we will play things together when we make ourselves, but mostly prefer to play single-player stuff. That all changes now!

We were always looking forward to having 30 minutes to play a few levels during evenings. This game is the perfect couch co-op in every way. The puzzles are tough enough where you really need to work together, communicating, and coordinating your efforts. The game is unique, it's cute, and really smart! It really is perfect.

We played it at a perfect time too, which is to say after watching The Bear. Our kitchen definitely sounded just as profane as Carmy's, yelling things at each other that I won't utter here. This game is stressful, so your partner will always drive you insane, but also it's great for team building. There would be pure elation when we'd squeak out 3 stars or deliver an order at the buzzer. The highs were incredible, and the lows would sometimes bring out our worst, but mostly it was just funny Gordon Ramsey impressions. Plenty of both "that's fire, chef" and "you absolute Donkey" coming in equal measure.

So yeah, I think this was my favorite co-op gaming experience with Jess. There was an Xbox sale for these, so we bought everything that's available, hoping to play until Mario Wonder comes out. Totally recommend, and if you can get 4 players, it's an absolute riot.