Plateup! Review – Fun’s on the Menu

Everyone’s had the idea at some point: why don’t I open a restaurant? I know how to make steak, I can put together a sandwich, how hard can it be? Turns out, and to nobody’s surprise, it’s harder than expected. Developed by It’s happening, PlateUp (stylized PlateUp!) is a roguelite restaurant management game that proves that in the most fun way possible.

Originally released on Steam, it was just recently ported to consoles, including the PS4 and PS5. In PlateUp! you and up to three others (locally, I might add, happily!) are in charge of all restaurant responsibilities. From taking orders to taking care of dishes and back again, it’s a busy job. But with enough trial and error, and a few different restaurants, you’ll get the hang of it. And thankfully you won’t have to destroy your credit in the process.

Gameplay

First of all I want to say I love the gameplay here. If you’ve ever played a restaurant sim in the days of online flash games, imagine that but a thousand times better. You start each endeavor by picking your floor plan and your main dish, easy enough right? Once you’re placed into your restaurant you’re given full control over the arrangement of everything from your kitchen to the dining room. You really get full control over your restaurant and its functions.

Then you open shop, and the real fun begins. If you’re playing solo, like I started with, you will be in charge of everything, and that means literally everything. You’ll be taking the orders, preparing the meals in many ways, delivering said orders, and bussing the tables. You’ll also be required to do some extra cleaning too if you want everything to go smoothly. Grease on the floors will slow you down, and dirty tables will prevent patrons from having a seat. Oh, that reminds me, just one unsatisfied customer will shut down your whole operation. I’ve never been more terrified of a Yelp review.

Need a Hand? – Multiplayer

The entirety of gameplay is a delicate balancing act wrapped in a nice, colorful package, and playing solo is incredibly enjoyable. Multiplayer is where the game shines at its brightest though. As I mentioned before, couch co-op is a big thing in PlateUp. Me and my fiancée found loads of entertainment in running our quaint little restaurant. We would take turns between kitchen and server duty each day, and once we got into a groove, it was smooth sailing.

We hadn’t managed to get past the 5th day, but that’s because I goof around too much. Plus I seemed to continuously pick the hardest modifiers. PlateUp aims to be a fun game to play with friends, and it hits the mark. It’s right up there with Gang Beasts in my book. All it’s missing is some matchmaking, because I can only imagine the chaos that would bring.

Graphics and Sound

The entire game is reminiscent of some of my favorite indie titles of the past years. It has the cuteness of Untitled Goose Game and the movement animations of a more focused Gang Beasts. It has the graphics and art style to perfectly compliment and enhance the premise and gameplay. The coloration of everything is absolutely eye-catching as well. All in all it’s a wonderful game to look at.

The sound design follows a similar principle. The sounds of your different activities have a cuteness to them. Chopping up veggies isn’t just a dull clank of a knife on a cutting board, and cooking something has a satisfying sizzle to it. It’s pleasant to the ears and makes the audible feedback a joy to listen to. The music is just as nice, and as a whole I could spend quite a while in this game’s world.

Replayability

With all things considered, I see myself coming back to PlaeUp time and time again. When playing with friends, especially, as it makes for a fun party game. It fits right in with the Moving Outs and Goose Games of this day and age. It takes a feeling I missed so much from my youth and dials it up to 11. Each attempt is made more or less difficult with modifier cards throughout. Patrons can become less patient, messes can be made less of a big deal; the possibilities are basically endless. On top of that, you’re constantly unlocking new dishes, floor plans, and utilities. Like any rougue-like, these constant changes keep the game consistently fresh.

As further updates are made, there’s no telling what other crazy things will be added. One look at some of the team’s Reddit AMAs makes it clear that practically anything is on the table. I saw some pretty cool ideas being entertained by one of the developers. If any of those updates make the cut, I’ll be super excited. On the topic of updates, if any of the devs are reading this: please let me pick up cats in the apartment. I need that feature.

Conclusion

PlateUp is an experience that will feel both warmly familiar and excitingly new to a lot of players. Whether you’re looking for a couch co-op experience or want to relive days of managing a flash restaurant with a twist, there’s something anyone can enjoy about this game. Even for a fighting game fanatic like me, I found peaceful refuge in the world of PlateUp. From it’s beautiful aesthetic to relaxing, yet challenging gameplay, it’s a wonderful experience all around. PlateUp is an excellent case of good, wholesome, cooperative fun! Just make a plan, grab some friends, and get to cooking!