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 (OpenCritic) | – | 70 | 3 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 85% | 78 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 60 | 8 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 75% | 71 | 76 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Aug 13, 2026) · 46 reviews sampled · 76 total reviews in window · weighted 23.2 up / 7.6 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (10)
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.
- 67
“While I've played quite a number of cooking games over the years ranging from the likes of Cooking Mama to mobile games to Overcooked I can't say I've played anything quite like Cooking Simulator...”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Like the original, Cooking Simulator VR is best enjoyed in short sessions if you're playing the campaign mode. It takes such a long time for things to ramp up that you'll want short sessions so you don't get burned out on the game. The sessions are going to be filled with fun, as you're either crafting chaos or preparing dishes that closely resemble the techniques you'd do in real life. Cooking Simulator VR is a solid VR game and stands as a good example for how to port simulators to the VR space.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The simple fact that Cooking Simulator does what it says on the label makes it a must-have for anyone who loves cooking as much as they love gaming.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Cooking Simulator is a really fun game that I can definitely see players getting a lot of laughs out of. I know I certainly did. The road to getting great reviews from critics is a lot more complicated than it seems, as food must be served on time as well as be tasty, of course! I found this to be way easier said than done! If you’re looking for a game that will test your skills, give you a good laugh, or have you immersed in the chaotic culinary world, then Cooking Simulator might just be the game for you!”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Limited but fun while it lasts. Slicing, blending, and frying is a lot of fun, although not quite as much as causing enough trouble to make Gordon Ramsey wince. Great to pick up and play to let off some steam, but don't expect that appetite to last.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Cooking Simulator is a bit of a mess on the Nintendo Switch, with the sketchy visuals and awkward controls making the simplest of tasks feel unnecessarily complicated. It’s something that’s made all the more frustrating given how unforgiving the difficulty of the experience can actually be, with cooking demanding precision and quick reactions if you’re going to be successful. It’s a shame too because I actually liked the gameplay. Sure, it could be a bit tricky in places and there are a few glitches that kick in here and there, but the process of cooking and running the kitchen was actually pretty rewarding. It’s disappointing then that everything else in the game felt so short of the mark, with Cooking Simulator feeling more like a Hell’s Kitchen calamity that a Masterchef delight.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“In spite of the fumbling control, which requires pixel-precise working, I am now able to turn meat and fish in the pan quite well.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Cooking Simulator is an entertaining simulation game that allows you to cook to your heart’s content without the real-life mess and can easily consume a few hours of your time, but does suffer from several glitches, can feel repetitive, and is in need of future optimizations.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Cooking Simulator is fun, despite its tedious career mode. There’s a lot of detail tot he different recipes and it takes a lot of focus to be successful. This is partly so because of the controls which aren’t always too responsive and some technical hiccups. Cooking Simulator isn’t a full meal, but a great snack.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“To be honest, I was looking forward to giving Cooking Simulator a shot. Unfortunately, the game will make you go through some unnecessary loops to understand what to do or how to do it such as cutting ingredients. Once you finally graps the concept, it’s pretty enjoyable for what it is, but gets old fast.”
read full review ↗
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CompletexboxPatch history
- 🎮 New Controls & Controller Support, Challenges & more! | Patch 7.5.0Aug 13, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- PATCH 7.4.1Jul 2, 2026
- PATCH 7.3.3May 12, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 7.3.2Apr 23, 2026
- Hotfix 7.3.1/310326/42c4400Apr 2, 2026
- 📰 Surprise Free Update - Pretzel Challenge!Mar 27, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 7.1.0 ❤️ Love Is in the Air – New Update Available!Feb 3, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 7.0.6 is out Now! 🫑Dec 18, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- New fixes and improvements BBQ PATCH 1.4Oct 30, 2025
- NEW IMPROVEMENTS AND FIXES - BBQ PATCHOct 23, 2025
- YOU SPEAK WE LISTEN - BBQ PATCH 1.1Oct 21, 2025
- YOU SPEAK WE LISTEN - BBQ PATCH 1.0Oct 17, 2025
- Patch 6.1.0 out now 🧑🍳💫Jul 9, 2025
- Cooking Challenge Update 👨🍳🏆May 15, 2025
- Easter Event and Patch 6.0.17 live now! 🐣🐰Apr 10, 2025
- ⚙️ New update in Cooking Simulator! 🍣👀Mar 13, 2025
- Update 6.0.13: Cooking Simulator Winter Update & SaleDec 19, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Update 6.0.12 & Steam SaleSep 12, 2024
- Update 6.0.11 is liveAug 8, 2024
- Patch 6.0.9 and a full changelogJun 26, 2024
- Patch 6.0.7. brings some much requested fixesJun 21, 2024
- Patch 6.0.4. brings a couple more fixes :)Jun 14, 2024
- Cooking Simulator Sushi DLC Update(s)Jun 14, 2024
- Valentine's Day update out now! 💘Feb 13, 2023
- Hotfix is now available! 🔥Nov 7, 2022
- BBQ Recipe pack out now! ☀️🥓🍹Jun 23, 2022
- Pizza Improved available now! 🍕🍕🍕Jun 9, 2022
- Small update. Patch 5.1.51 out now!Feb 24, 2022
- Free Valentine's Day update available now💖Feb 10, 2022
- Patch 5.1.45 out now!Jan 20, 2022
- Cakes and Cookies - broken saves hotfix 💾✔️Dec 27, 2021
- Free Christmas update! 🎄🎄🎄Dec 22, 2021
- Patch 5.1.4 out nowDec 16, 2021
- Patch 5.1.3 out nowDec 9, 2021
- Shelter Patch #2 - out now!Nov 29, 2021
- Shelter Patch #1 - out now!Nov 22, 2021