Like Ikea trips for them, games like Overcooked are littered with fights between previously loving couples. Instead of arguing over utensils or pieces of kitchen utensils, these fights arise over who made the unforgivable mistake of chopping more onions instead of removing the burning meat from the frying pan. These games are more about communication And coordination than anything else, and while they can be stressful, they can also be incredibly rewarding once you get into the rhythm.
The Overcooked games are fun, but so are my favorite of the genre BordUp!, which is now available for free to Xbox Game Pass subscribers and can be purchased on PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch. (It is also currently 50% off on Steamfor just $9.99 – so it’s just a good time to pick up the game in general.) BordUp! builds on many of the ideas from the Overcooked franchise and adds a compelling roguelike twist that makes it an endlessly replayable and entertaining restaurant gaming experience.
In BordUp!Up to four players start a restaurant and work together to get through 15 chaotic days without messing up an order. There are plenty of options when it comes to the kitchen (maybe you’re starting a hamburger joint, a salad restaurant or a pizzeria) as well as the layout of your restaurant. Every day you get a fixed number of customers who come in and place orders. Your staff has to take them, cook their food and deliver it – pretty simple stuff, right?
Image: Yogscast/PM Studios
The roguelike mechanics really take, though BordUp!‘s strategy and replayability to the next level. Each day you finish, you’ll be given a range of equipment and inventory options to add to your restaurant, such as a new sink, a better plate rack, or a faster cooktop. Every three days you choose between one of three cards that will permanently change your run and give you bonus XP. One card makes your customers eat more slowly, increasing the time it takes to seat new guests. One card adds a new item to your menu, changing your ability to prepare everything in advance. The most chaotic card I’ve played with allows customers to change their orders after they’ve placed them, completely throwing your plans into disarray in the kitchen.
The most fun I’ve had BordUp! is in a group of four – it’s actually a fantastic double date game. We normally have one pair as the front of house team, taking customer orders and serving them their food, while the other pair is in the kitchen cooking up a storm. At its best, the game feels like an elaborate, wordless dance: eight rounds in, and we’ve mostly achieved a rhythm in our strategy that results in a satisfying gameplay loop of preparation and execution.
It helps that BordUp! is also quite stupid. Seasonal events help you mix things up with new costumes and ingredients, and the game encourages pun-based names for your restaurants. It always starts you with one, which you can change at any time, and boy do I take advantage of that, including an ongoing segment of vampire-themed names during the game’s Halloween event.
There are many games that welcome groups of four, but not many of them appeal to the preferences of different players. By combining cooking simulation and roguelike genres, BordUp! presents a winning recipe for fun group gaming, whether you’re on a double date or just hanging out with friends. (The game supports online, local and mixed co-op). And now that it’s more widely available than ever, it’s time for you to start stirring up a storm, too.