As a rule, I generally try to avoid simulator-based games, unless they are on the absurd end of things. The thought of spending my free time driving semi-trucks without causing as much havoc as I can, mowing lawns, remodeling houses, or cooking just sounds too much like work, since it essentially is. On the flip side, I will play just about any game that remotely touches on the horror genre. I know, I am a strange animal, much like Happy’s Humble Burger Farm. 

This is equal parts Outlast and Overcooked, which is a mashup I never thought I would see in my lifetime. If you choose to accept the position, you’ll split your time between exploring a semi-open world that often feels like a neighboring town to Silent Hill, thanks to the PS1-ish style graphics, and the overall empty feeling that seeps from every area while working in the titular fast food joint. What sets this apart is that fast food establishment is basically infested with Mogwai that makes your job that much more difficult. If this was real life, I would change my stance on these workers deserving a $15 an hour minimum wage, and I’d finally understand why my order is wrong every single time I visit Taco Bell.

The recipes start off small, with basic burgers being the main course. As each day progresses, more and more gets added, and this all takes place while being timed. If you manage the random issues that pop up during your shift while completing your orders accurately, all is well. Make three mistakes though, and the titular mascot Happy comes for you with a vengeance. If you’re caught, you can mash buttons to break free or risk being dragged off to your demise, only to respawn at the beginning of the day. It’s a stressful experience that increases in leaps and bounds at a rapid pace, as you’re upgraded to a full menu rather quickly and have absolutely no help outside of your co-worker and best-friend Toe; a Sloth looking bloke who stands around staring you down as you work with his thumb up his ass. This really added to the immersion for me as I know quite a few people like this.

The cooking aspect paints a true-to-life fast food experience in the year 2021 – the lines are long, you’re understaffed, the customers are massive Karens who throw fits if you get their orders wrong, and the five-second rule seems to be a thing of the past. It’s pretty straightforward, but has a steep learning curve due to the ever-expanding menu and issues that pop up during your shift. Lights will start shutting off on their own, the breaker gets flipped, you’ll see fires, clogged toilets, and these beings that I can only describe as people who were so impatient they took off their clothes, come behind the counter, and then explode in massive fart clouds that poison you. You are able to consult your handbook at any time, but this does not pause gameplay or the timer, so the micromanaging hits you even harder. The only issue I personally had was figuring out exactly what topping was what since a few of the options look identical in the trays, and once slapped onto a bun, don’t become any clearer. Despite the retro-look and feel, the majority of your tasks are clear if you look out for the massive signs designating what buttons do, even if the objectives don’t spell it out for you in bright neon lights.

As you progress, you’ll earn cash that can be traded for buffs, cosmetics, and tools that slowly open the world a little more with each passing day. Once you clock out, you’re free to explore this as much or as little as you choose, as you’ll have to walk back home to sleep and start the next cycle. This was much more enjoyable, and in most cases, creepier than the actual cooking. It’s not a situation where you have monsters just wandering about freely, everything just feels off. NPCs are present, but ignore you and act in a way that alludes to something being wrong about them. I personally wished the cooking aspect was optional and not a prerequisite for progression due to most of my failures stemming from forgetting small specifics of orders, resulting in having to start the night over, in some cases multiple times.

Outside of the stress factor and still not being 100% sure which bucket pickles originate from, my only lasting gripe is how everything is thrown, not placed. Most of the food assets click into place if thrown within the right area, but at the worst of times, I always ended up throwing something only to have it clip a corner or miss my target by a smidge. It would then land on the floor, and in some cases require me to start a multi-step item over from scratch. Eventually, I managed to get a system going that mitigated this, but it’s on a learning curve and unlike most games out there, it’s possible to come up with your own loose system of managing this. When I started, I got in the habit of cooking everything, throwing it on the table next to the bags (this is the step where I typically lost everything), and then bagging it later; however, opening your bag first is a massive time saver, so I would recommend getting in this habit early.

Happy’s Humble Burger Farm didn’t change my stance on most simulator games – I still find Overcooked to be more work than fun, but the overall weirdness and light horror elements tipped the scales to make the stress worth it. Barely. If you’re someone who enjoys the thought of cooking within a video game while being chased by a bloody mascot, this one is worth the cost of admission that is on par with what a value meal will cost us in 2022.

9 out of 10

Pros

• It Always Feels Like Something Is Off Just Below the Surface
• A Unique Premise
• The Open World Areas
• Duke Nukem is There if You Listen Closely

Cons

• No Five Second Rule
• Stressful
• WHERE ARE THE PICKLES?!?!?!
• No Placement Option
• Everything Cooking Related is Timed

Happy’s Humble Burger Farm was developed by Scythe Dev Team and published by tinyBuild. The game is available for PC, PS4, X1, and XSX, and will be available on NS at a later date. The game was provided to us for review on X1 and played on a XSX. If you’d like to see more of Happy’s Humble Burger Farm, check out the official site.

 

Here at GBG we use a rating method that you are more than likely familiar with – a scale of 1 to 10. For clarification, we intend on using the entire scale: 1-4 is something you should probably avoid paying for; 5-7 is something that is worth playing, but probably not at full price; 8-10 is a great title that you can feel confident about buying. If you have any questions or comments about how we rate a game, please let us know.

 

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