Kitchen Sync: Aloha! Review - A Deliciously Sweet Treat

I love trying new foods. Growing up, like many kids, I was at the whim of whatever my parents would feed me. It wasn’t until I got older than I started to try things like sushi, Indian food, Thai food and more. There’s an entire beautiful world out there with millions of unique meals and snacks to enjoy, and when games like Kitchen Sync: Aloha! cross my path, it always has me craving new things. 

Kitchen Sync: Aloha! is a cozy cooking game from developer Lemonpepper Games. The game follows two siblings Kala and Kai who have inherited their Auntie’s restaurant, the Aloha Pearl in Maikai, Hawaii. The two siblings have fond memories of enjoying the delicious food that the Aloha Pearl had to offer in its heyday and they hope to bring it back to its former glory while spicing it up with some modern flair. To do that, they’ll have to build up a team of chefs, make a name for themselves among customers and create a mouthwatering, memorable menu to bring people back again and again. 

When Kai and Kala first arrive in Maikai, the Aloha Pearl has been closed down for some time. With the help of their Uncle, the two siblings are able to decide on a few recipes for their opening menu and hire on some extra help in order to get approved for their restaurant license. From there, players will be able to continue through the game’s story as the Aloha Pearl continues to grow and becomes a pop-up restaurant, traveling to all different locations around the island. 

The main gameplay for Kitchen Sync: Aloha! takes place in the kitchen, of course. During the day you’ll decide which quest to take on, whether it’s part of the main story or a side quest, and you’ll go to that location and be given certain parameters. You don’t have to meet every parameter that the game sets - one goal might be to have a particular chef help with every order. If you don’t complete that goal, you’ll still receive money and experience for the day, but you won’t receive an extra bonus. Once you’ve set up to try and hit as many goals as possible by filling out your menu and choosing which chefs will work, the day will begin. 

Gameplay once your day starts is pretty simple. You’ll control whichever chefs are in the kitchen by moving them around to different stations. The recipes that you choose before you begin your day all require certain steps - just like a recipe in real life. Spam Musubi, as an example, will need to be fried in a frying pan and then be given sauce at the sauce station. You’ll grab your ingredients from the fridge, and place them at the frying station and assign a chef to complete the task. Meanwhile, you can have your other chef working on something else. Efficiency is key in the kitchen after all! By switching chefs back and forth, you can achieve combos and build up your sync meter which can boost your scores even more. Sometimes juggling the two chefs back and forth across the kitchen gets a little confusing but once you get used to it, it becomes second nature.

As your business grows you’ll have to recruit more people to help out, from a laid back surfer bro to an experienced chef and many more friendly faces. Each chef comes with their own “Sync Style” and, by using the right strategy and the right sync style, you can maximize your scores while you’re in the kitchen. At the end of the day, any two chefs that worked together will also get a boost to their friendship meter. When you first meet someone new you’ll have a low friendship meter with them, but the more you work and spend time with them, or give them gifts, the closer you’ll become. You may even find that the closer you get to someone the more of a chance there is for a bit of romance. You never know what love can blossom over a bowl of delicious Saimin.

There are even more unique ways to increase the score you’re able to achieve in the kitchen. You can add twists to your menu which adds an additional step to your recipe, but these recipes will have a higher star rating. You can also pay attention to what’s trending that day and be sure to include those recipes on your menu. Additionally, you can upgrade your kitchen tools to increase efficiency, meaning faster service and more satisfied customers. 

When you aren’t cooking in the kitchen for the game’s main story, Kitchen Sync: Aloha! has loads of side quests and mini-games that you can play. You can go on fishing trips or hikes to enjoy the beautiful scenery and wildlife of Maikai while also strengthening your bond with your friends and colleagues. Many side quests offer new recipes to unlock or give players a deeper look into the characters and story.

While some of the gameplay elements of Kitchen Sync: Aloha! may sound complicated, the game manages to pace things really well so that players aren’t overwhelmed with a bunch of different things all at once. You’ll start with only a handful of recipes and moderately small, uncomplicated kitchens. You can also go at whatever pace you like, completing side quests and mini-games before moving on to the main story if you feel like it. There’s no pressure to push forward if you’re having fun doing other things around the island. And there’s a lot to discover on your own that tutorials don’t touch on. I didn’t realize, at first, that you could give gifts to your friends, until I opened up a shop menu and saw a lei for purchase, so it’s worth poking around at the start of the game and just seeing what surprises there are. 

Kitchen Sync: Aloha! is a brilliantly cozy, genuinely enjoyable cooking simulator with a sweet story, fun art style, and easy to learn gameplay. It’s heartwarming and funny and that’s something I think a lot of us could use after a long day. There are three difficulty options as well, if you’re one that would rather relax and enjoy the story instead of challenging yourself in the kitchen. And, if you’re a fan of cooking, there are some mouthwatering recipes you might just be inspired to try yourself. 

Breakdown

Name: Kitchen Sync: Aloha!

Developer: Lemonpepper Games

Publisher: Lemonpepper Games

Availability: PC

Accessibility:  

• Three difficulty options

Reviewed on Steam Deck

Final Thoughts

I previewed Kitchen Sync: Aloha! back in February and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it for the full release. I haven't been disappointed. I’ve played quite a few hours of the game and still haven’t completely finished it because there’s just so much to do and enjoy. The vibrant setting is gorgeous, the story is heart warming and fun and it’s easy to pick up for an hour or two and then come back to later. If you’re a fan of cooking games, this one should definitely be on your radar.