Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | – | 0 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 79% | 74 | 71 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 72% | 68 | 24 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Jan 22, 2026) · 24 reviews sampled · 22 total reviews in window · weighted 12 up / 4.7 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (7)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 64
“While there are elements here of a good idea here, mixing exploration, cooking, and crafting together, there are better options out there”
read full review ↗ - 40
“Space Chef isn't a meal I'll want to eat again. The slow, frustrating progression system and boring content aren't appetising.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Colorful experience that mixes a restaurant manager, light survival RPG, and a life sim in one go”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Overall, Space Chef is a cozy game with a mechanical backbone. Its open-ended structure, layered systems, and emphasis on discovery make it more demanding than most games in the genre, but also more rewarding for players willing to engage patiently. While directionless design choices and time cycles can be frustrating, the exploration and crafting are quite fun and create an entertaining experience of being a Space Chef.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Space Chef has all the right ingredients for a cozy space adventure: charming art, creative alien creatures, and a satisfying restaurant-building loop. But ultimately drowns them in tedious inventory management and glacially slow progression.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“Space Chef is a tangled mess of good intentions that end up being hampered by a flawed interface on several levels, as well as a progression system that is unfun, bureaucratic, and boring. While the exploration, the discovery of so many variables, and the handcrafted visuals work well with the game's nonsensical premise, and each mechanic has its own merits, the soup seems to lack salt, pepper, and balance. The final result is bland and, at times, hard to swallow.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Space Chef is a mix between a space-themed Stardew Valley and Plate Up! that entertains at first but ultimately fails to hit the mark as it should. Behind a lighthearted and fun concept hides a game that quickly becomes repetitive and limiting, especially in crafting aspects that should be less restrictive. It’s a shame, because the lively art direction and irreverent humor deserved a much better final result.”
read full review ↗
Nindie Spotlight
GameGrin
PS3Blog.net
Saving Content
Output Lag
PSX Brasil
Console-TribePatch history
- Patch v1.0.26Jan 22, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- The Quality Of Life UpdateDec 11, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Chef Update: Summer supper update!Jun 6, 2025
- Chef Update: Cooking up a Love StoryFeb 14, 2025
- Chef Update: It's Looking Sunny Side Up!Nov 15, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- New Romance Options Await in Our Latest Dev UpdateSep 5, 2024significant · resets scoring window