FOOD TRUCK SIMULATOR REVIEW - SERVING UP BUGS WITH A SIDE OF POTENTIAL
Ever since video games discovered cooking, we've virtually flipped enough burgers to feed a small continent. Now Food Truck Simulator rolls onto Steam with a promise to spice up the formula by adding actual driving between cooking sessions. But like most food truck first days, this one's got some serious teething problems.
THE FAMILY BUSINESS
The setup hits all the right emotional notes - you inherit your old man's food truck after his passing, tasked with restoring both the vehicle and its reputation. It's a solid hook that actually makes you care about scrubbing floors and fixing equipment, even if the story later evaporates faster than water on a hot griddle.
DRIVING MISS GRAVY
Unlike other cooking games that keep you chained to your kitchen, Food Truck Simulator actually makes you navigate a decent-sized city between serving sessions. The driving feels about as graceful as a drunk elephant on roller skates, but there's something oddly satisfying about finding the perfect spot to park your culinary dreams.
THE KITCHEN CHAOS
The actual cooking should be the main course here, but it's more like a mixed bag of leftovers. When it works, there's genuine satisfaction in managing your tiny mobile kitchen, juggling orders while keeping your ingredients fresh and equipment clean. You've got burgers, pizza, and sushi on the menu, each with their own preparation quirks.
But then there's the sushi minigame - somebody decided that cutting rolls should require inputting four-digit codes like you're disarming a bomb instead of making California rolls. It's the kind of design decision that makes you wonder if the developers have ever actually eaten sushi, let alone made it.
BUGS IN THE KITCHEN
The game's technical issues are more numerous than health code violations at a budget buffet. The cutting mechanics regularly decide to go on strike, leaving you helplessly watching your knife float into the sunset. The food spoilage system is more aggressive than a hangry customer at closing time, and running out of ingredients can trap you in an unwinnable state like a rat in a grease trap.
Achievement hunters beware - the system's more broken than a food truck's AC in August. You might get your prestige levels, or they might vanish into the same void where all those missing customer orders go.
SERVING POTENTIAL
Yet despite everything, there's something oddly compelling here. The city's got atmosphere, with different neighborhoods attracting different crowds and order types. The progression system keeps dangling new equipment and upgrades in front of you like carrots on a stick, and when all the systems align - which happens just often enough to keep you playing - managing your mobile restaurant feels genuinely rewarding.
The customization options for your truck are surprisingly deep, letting you tweak everything from the paint job to the kitchen layout. Though given the game's current state, it feels a bit like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Food Truck Simulator reminds me of that questionable food truck you see at 2 AM - it might serve you the best meal of your life, or it might give you food poisoning. Right now, it's a game best approached with tempered expectations and possibly a strong stomach for bugs.
For every moment of satisfaction - like perfectly timing a rush of orders or finding a primo parking spot - there's a game-breaking bug or baffling design decision waiting to spoil your appetite. The developers seem to be listening to feedback, but updates have been slower than a frozen POS system.
Score: 6/10 - Like a promising chef working with faulty equipment: the talent might be there, but the execution needs serious work.
We at NLM received a key for this game for free, this however didn't impact our review in any way.