It’s always fascinating what kind of game one can make by combining two disparate genres, or an unexpected genre and theme combo. The Chef’s Shift, by Indonesia-based indie devs Panitia GameDev, is doing the latter by making a typing game themed around a restaurant theme.
In The Chef’s Shift, you run a variety of different eateries where you are both the cook and the waiter. You must prepare the delicacies as demanded by each new customer, serve them, and have them pay at the counter which you also need to attend to. And to complete any of this action, you must type the words above the specific stations.
Typing games usually are straightforward, where you are challenged by time pressure to make you type faster. The Chef’s Shift brings a different dimension into this challenge, you need to juggle between orders, which is even more frantic due to the amount of words that can be on the screen at the same time. It’s not just about typing faster, you now have to think about the order of the words you need to type.
Mavis Beacon did not prepare you to avoid overcooking food while rushing to complete a customer’s order whose patience is running thin, and gun down mice.
Charmingly, navigating the menus will also require players to type out a highlighted keyword.
The Chef’s Shift has a demo currently available now on PC (Steam) though no release window has been announced yet. The game is showcased at Indie Jam 2024, as well as currently live Steam Cooking Fest.