Little Dragon’s Cafe is an adventure game and restaurant simulator rolled into one. This game is an amazing adventure that can be played by players of all ages. It is relatively easy to grasp but difficult to master. As the player grows to understand its intricacies it becomes an even better game. I was expecting something light but its a little more fleshed out than what I was expecting.
Little Dragon’s Cafe starts with a prologue about two children and their mother. These two siblings live in their mother’s restaurant and inn, the Little Dragon’s Cafe. This inn is a special place and is chock full of innate loving magic. Now that’s not magic but it’s been crafted and grown into the business it is because of love. The player’s mother wakes the kids up one morning to teach them about running the restaurant. This opening prologue is a solid tutorial into what players will be doing throughout the game. It’s great to take the steps one by one and get used to all of the mechanics. This is a nice and easy way to get into the game, as there are quite a few things the player will be responsible for. Plus it warms the player up to the hero’s imminent journey and it makes the moments, after all, the more interesting.
The tutorial consists of chores that the player is going to be repeating throughout the game. While it might seem tedious at times I always feel fulfilled completing these steps. They include waiting on tables, hunting for ingredients, and crafting recipes. These little actions might not seem too important but done together they help push our characters along and guide them towards their ultimate goal. After completing the tutorial the player’s mother is sent into a coma. A magician pops up and spawns a dragon’s egg which is supposedly going to help the mother wake up. This egg soon hatches and the real adventure begins. This dragon will lead these children to discover the world and will help them change a few lives along the way. A magic beast gifted by a weird old man is sure to change the people it comes in contact with.
It is up to the protagonist to raise this dragon and help the people they come into contact with. At first, the cafe won’t be all the rowdy but soon enough it blossoms. The player must roam around the wide world, collecting ingredients for the dishes they will craft. The world is pretty vast and the main character is only a child so they won’t necessarily get far the first few days. Players need to take that into account and plan accordingly. Players will find many ingredients out in the world. They can shake trees, forage, fish, and even find egg birds. The egg birds do run away after a few days so pick them up whenever possible. The resources are finite unless players buff them with Dragon manure. Though dragon manure is an even more finite resource so use it accordingly. There is also a magic garden connected to the house that will provide a lot of ingredients. I always end using the manure to help the garden because it gives a good amount of different ingredients from fish to veggies to meat.
Player’s also must raise a dragon throughout the game. The can cook dishes for it to restore stamina and pet it too. The dragon slowly but surely gains power as the game moves forward. The dragon follows the player everywhere they go and is always ready to help out. This little cutie grows from a baby to a titan before the player’s eyes and gets more abilities as the player continues running the cafe. By the end, it is quite the titan and can even fly the player around which is sure to cut travel time in half. This game is not about training the dragon. As the beast grows it simply learns the skills to pay the bills. Though the player can customize their beast by feeding it different dishes. Players will start with either a red, green, or blue dragon. By feeding it certain dishes players will be able to change it to 12 different colors. There is even an item that allows players to change the dragon’s age if they so choose.
At first, there are only a few times where customers come to the restaurant so players can play easily. As the game progresses and the cafe’s renown grows, there will be more and more customers. It’s surprising how many customers come to the restaurant. As the game continues the restaurant does become quite the hotspot. It warms my heart seeing these kids do the impossible to make this place the best it can be. The kids are not alone in their endeavors, they soon meat a few weirdos who offer their help. Billy might be a lazy musician but he works hard when push comes to shove. There’s the impetuous Ipanema who seems to go super Saiyan or something like it when she is angry. The orc chef Luccola who is quite the narcissist. These three characters will be there for the player and will help their sister take care of the restaurant.
It can be hard to run a restaurant when the leader of the outfit is out an about. The game will tell the player if their workers are slacking. This often puts me in a rush to return to the restaurant. As long as the player keeps the restaurant stocked their friends should be good to go. It’s all about balance and making sure the restaurant has what it needs to survive. Cooking is a big part of this game. Player’s will look through their ingredients and select the best. It’s good to stock a lot of different items and easy to pick up all sorts outside. Every time the player cooks they play through a rhythm mini-game. The rhythm mini-game is a highlight as there are multiple different songs. The song changes based on what is being cooked up. Sometimes it’s fast and catchy while other times it’s slow and enchanting. The player never knows what song is going to pop up. The music in this game is great and changes depending on the area. Though the rhythm game music is the best part. Some of the songs are so jazzy while others are so elegant. I always got so excited about crafting new recipes because I was excited to hear what type of music would play. It just adds another layer and I hope it affects everyone who plays the game. With cooking comes making a menu. Player’s must balance a menu with the stock of ingredients. Customers will want all sorts of dishes so they have to stock accordingly. Sometimes it’s best to remove dishes from the rotation until the stock is fulfilled. As players make the dishes themselves they can add them to the menu so Luccola can make them. It is a cornerstone of running the cafe right.
This game also has a story for the player to play through. There are twelve different chapters for the player to play through. Each chapter tells the story of a wayward soul who happens to come to the cafe. Helping them out sends them on their way and helps them become better people. Each of the characters is very different and they all have nice stories with short cutscenes interlaced between the exploring. The stories in this game are also quite charming. For instance, the first story revolves around a child who just wants to be a hero. He thinks he has to be strong to be a hero and with the help of his new friends learns a thing or two. The stories always end up warming my heart and I appreciate that. It’s not always so easy for games to warm the heart so I love that this game does so. The player is also going to need to fill up their cookbook. As they explore they will find boxes laid about. These boxes are filled with a piece of a recipe. Players will find them all over and sometimes will need to come back to certain areas to find more. With 100 to collect its a challenge worth completing. Plus with more recipes comes more chances to make the perfect cafe menu!
Little Dragon’s Cafe is a magical storybook adventure game. A game that tells a story of two young children who have to break a hefty curse. These kids are going to get through this and a dragon is going to save them. With adventure, rhythm cooking, and a baby dragon to raise, how could anyone not want to take part? These kids just want to wake up their mom, will the player help them raise a dragon to save her?
Disclaimer: A review key was provided