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) | – | 81 | 7 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 95% | 90 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 86 | 4 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 93% | 87 | 2 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 88.6, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 2,865 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 7 reviews sampled · 5 total reviews in window · weighted 3.8 up / 0.3 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (22)
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.
- 80
“Battle Chef Brigade is the first game of its kind, a rarity in this day and age. Everything about it is fresh and original, from its story to the handrawn graphics, to the brilliant voice acting. The combination of fast-paced action, RPG-style gear collecting and puzzle elements wrapped into a game about cooking is something that sounds absurd but works incredibly well. Like a well-made dish, each element of Battle Chef Brigade's gameplay is perfectly prepared. You could separate out each of the three main components of this game and have the foundation for something intriguing on its own, but it's the combination of them that forms something truly memorable. Whether you think you'd like this or not, we recommend at least giving it a look. Battle Chef Brigade is a must-play for all Switch owners.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Battle Chef Brigade is very entertaining and no Nintendo Switch owner should be without. The production quality is a bit on the cheap side when the story is being presented, and some of the background art can be a bit on the amateurish side, but there really is nothing else like this. Mina is a very likeable character and proves to not only be an awesome cook, but a decent fighter, too. This is an unlikely recipe that turned out to be a real hit. Whether it is in the kitchen or the battlefield, nobody can beat Mina.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Those complaints don’t harm the main campaign, which is fantastic through and through. Mina and the rest of the cast are genuinely fun to spend time with. Battle Chef Brigade is an absolute feast of a game on Switch, with a highly polished story and a brilliant fusion of match-three and action. It might be coming out in a busy time of year, but this is a game not to be missed.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Trinket Studios clearly put time into Battle Chef Brigade’s art, story and voice acting, but the gameplay often feels lackluster. The sidescrolling combat is often repetitive, lacking a sense of progression as you continue.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Battle Chef Brigade is yet another wonderful addition to the Nintendo Switch library of games. Its quirky dialogue, clean art style, and clever implementation of gameplay mechanics make the game stand out. That being said, the game is a bit guilty of a monotonous grind and the puzzles become more of a nuisance rather than entertaining.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Take a slice of side scrolling action game, add to that some match-3 elements, and mixes it all with a pinch of visual novel. The result is Battle Chef Brigade, a beautifully crafted game about cooking that delivers something unique due to its complementary gameplay and engaging narrative.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Battle Chef Brigade successfully mixes genres to create something wholly engaging. The charming art direction and characters, creative combat, and clever puzzle mechanics help put Battle Chef Brigade squarely in its own genre. Despite a few storytelling stumbles and some minimal repetition, the sunny disposition of Trinket Studios’ puzzle/platformer/beat ‘em up ultimately shines through.”
read full review ↗ - 80
- 80
“Battle Chef Brigade is as glorious a concoction as its characters make to become part of the titular task force. Part Action RPG, part puzzle game, all charm, Trinket Studios’ release is a special blend of monster guts and magic that will make you smile from start to finish. This is our Battle Chef Brigade review, for the Nintendo Switch.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“I love the premise of this game, which folds together so many of my favorite things: platformers, mobile-style brain-suck puzzles, sexy orcs and overly complicated meals. And I love so, so much of its execution, especially the gorgeous art and music...But everything feels, from top to bottom, like it knows it ought to be a movie instead of a game, at times, it even comes off like it’s apologizing for not being one. Some titles can walk this line between movie and game, soaring with cinematic intensity while the gameplay itself enriches the plot. Battle Chef Brigade, sadly, isn’t one of them.”
read full review ↗ - 91
“People looking for a short romp to fit in between major titles will definitely enjoy Battle Chef Brigade. Some players might find the modes outside of the story mode something they can come back to. Hopefully if a sequel were to come to fruition, the studio will be able to implement some of the features which were missing from this title. They have a solid entree; they just need a couple more appetizers to make this the ultimate meal.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“A delightful snack-sized game that combines its disparate elements in a whimsical, entertaining way. I loved the style and the occasional clever puns. The kitchen battles to be a lot of fun, especially because they were timed, and used match-3 mechanics in an innovative way. If you’re a fan of Iron Chef, Studio Ghibli, or both, you’ll like enjoy this foray into the world of Victusia.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
Cubed3
NintendoWorldReport
Fandom
Switch Player
IGN
Destructoid
GameSpace
Polygon
Gaming Age
GamesBeat…and 10 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- 🍜Battle Chef Brigade Deluxe - Patch 1 (Rev 14725) 🍜Sep 17, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Battle Chef Brigade DeluxeAug 28, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Deluxe Patch Notes Preview!Aug 25, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Appetizers and Exterminations: Patch 2 (Revision 13519)!May 3, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Now serving: Patch 1 (Revision 12394)!Dec 6, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Now serving: Patch 1 (Revision 12394)!Dec 6, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Kickstarter Update #46: Thrashing at Full PowerJun 30, 2017
- Kickstarter Update #46: Thrashing at Full PowerJun 30, 2017