*Note I received a game code for the Nintendo Switch for my honest review. Thank you to Odencat for the game code.
Bear's Restaurant starts off right with a trigger warning explaining that there are themes and situations that may be sad and upsetting. I appreciated that a lot because while Bear's Restaurant looks like a very cute game it is more than that. It is a game about death, dying, and memories we have of those we have lost. The game is very much story driven and is about the experience. You play as a cat that works in a restaurant with a bear. This isn't just any restaurant though. Bear is the chef for the dead and creates their last meal which happens to be their favorite meal when they were alive.
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| Bear creates a last meal for the dead. |
Cat assists Bear in the restaurant and Bear shows Cat around the area which is a train station where the dead wait for the train to Heaven. Here, Cat can talk to some of the people there and ask them probing questions that give some insight into their lives. When Cat is done talking with them, she receives a memory shard from the person.
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| Cat and Bear at the train station. |
Before Cat goes to sleep she can watch the memory shard of the person and it gives some insight into who they were and how they died. That second part is very sad, but each story is very well done. This also shows Cat what their favorite dish was as she sees their memories. She can then give this memory shard to Bear who makes the meal in no time and as the dead enjoy their favorite meal, they fade away peacefully from the restaurant chair they were sitting in.
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| Cat sees a memory. |
There are light puzzle elements to Bear's Restaurant, but the main focus is absolutely the story and the journey Cat and Bear are on. There are questions that come up such as who is Bear and who is Cat? How did Bear and Cat come to be at this afterlife restaurant? These questions do get answered as the story progresses and it is beautifully told showing the regrets that people can have and how they can come to terms with life not always being what they expected.
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| A beautiful area in the game. |
The pixel art style in the game is lovely and works with the storybook elements of the game. Although the story is sad it is also heartwarming as it shows that the power of love is an incredible thing and that the people we love live on in our hearts and memories. Bear's Restaurant isn't very long; I finished it in three hours, but in that short time it tells a good story.
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| Cat among the stars. |
*Bear's Restaurant is available on the following platforms: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC, and Mobile
*Join our community on Twitch as we play games and discuss mental health: https://www.twitch.tv/mothergamer
