Hell's Kitchen: The Game is a time management cooking video game based on the reality competition show of the same name. It was developed by Ludia and published by Ubisoft. It features the host of the show, Gordon Ramsay as the A.I. and places the player as a chef under his guidance, while serving customers at the restaurant. It was initially released in September 2008[1] on the Nintendo DS, the Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS.
| Hell's Kitchen: The Game | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Ludia |
| Publisher(s) | Ubisoft |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | iOS January 28, 2009 |
| Genre(s) | Simulation |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
The game received mixed reviews, with it being praised for the enjoyment, but scolded for the reported poor controls and the short length.[2] Ludia conceived the game after the release of its video game version of The Price Is Right. Shortly after Hell's Kitchen was released, it was followed by Ludia's next game, Where's Waldo? The Fantastic Journey.
Gameplay
editThere are two basic modes to Hell's Kitchen, Career and Arcade. In Career mode, the player builds their diner into a five-star, prestigious restaurant. As their rank increases, so do the star rating, recipes and difficulty. Career mode takes place over 36 days, in which the player can earn 5 unique ranks from Dishwasher, Apprentice, Junior Cook, Cook and Senior Chef. In levels the player is rated on a scale of 0-5 stars; if they get 0 stars, they lose the round and Ramsay exclaims "Do not touch another thing in this kitchen!"[3] The game mainly focuses on quality of food and is used to calm impatient customers. After completing each level, Ramsay awards the player with a free recipe from his own with 35 in total. The jobs completed in the game include cooking, serving, waiting and showing people to tables.[4]
There are also Kitchen Tests that take place every Monday. In these tests, the player has to complete a challenge from Ramsay and use both Team Red and Team Blue kitchens (it is possible to cook two meals simultaneously).[5]
In arcade mode, the player must complete every recipe in time. If the player fails this, Ramsay will become infuriated and close the restaurant.[5]
Much like in the real show, Ramsay may verbally abuse the player if they fail a task, sometimes using profane language (although censored).[4]
Development
editLudia first started development on October 25, 2007, when Granada America allowed the Hell's Kitchen property to Ludia.[6]
The game was intended to be released to coincide with the fourth season of the Hell's Kitchen TV show in 2008.[6]
Marketing and release
editWhen promoting the game, Tony Key, the vice president of marketing and sales praised the game's development and the involvement of Gordon Ramsay with the game.[1]
After release, some players wanted a less tame Hell's Kitchen game. In response, Ludia released a limited "Uncensored" version for download that was only available until the finale of the show in July 2008.[7]
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| DS | PC | Wii | |
| Metacritic | 48/100[8] | 50/100[9] | 57/100[2] |
| Publication | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| DS | PC | Wii | |
| Eurogamer | 6/10[10] | N/A | N/A |
| IGN | 5/10[11] | 5/10[12] | N/A |
| NGamer | N/A | N/A | 49%[4] |
| Official Nintendo Magazine | 21%[13] | N/A | N/A |
| Variety | N/A | N/A | (average)[3] |
The Wii and PC versions received "mixed" reviews, while the DS version received "generally unfavorable reviews", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[2][8][9]
References
edit- ^ a b IGN staff (July 10, 2008). "Ubisoft Serves Up Hell's Kitchen: The Video Game". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Hell's Kitchen for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on February 17, 2019. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ a b Alexander, Leigh (September 22, 2008). "Hell's Kitchen (Wii)". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on July 3, 2017. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ a b c Gapper, Michael (December 2008). "Hell's Kitchen: The Game review (Wii)". NGamer. Future plc. p. 62. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ a b Bissainthe, Margie (June 3, 2008). "Hell's Kitchen Tips Walkthrough". Gamezebo. Archived from the original on October 19, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ a b GamesIndustry International (October 26, 2007). "Ludia Cooks Up Deal With Granada For "Hell's Kitchen" Video Game Across All Major Platforms". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on July 9, 2022. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ Bell, Erin (June 4, 2008). "Hell's Kitchen - Uncensored!". Gamezebo. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ a b "Hell's Kitchen for DS Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
- ^ a b "Hell's Kitchen for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
- ^ Gibson, Ellie (November 26, 2008). "Celebrity Chef Showdown: Gordon vs. Jamie". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
- ^ Ocampo, Jason (December 17, 2008). "Hell's Kitchen Review (DS)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
- ^ Ocampo, Jason (December 8, 2008). "Hell's Kitchen Review (PC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
- ^ "Hell's Kitchen Review (DS)". Official Nintendo Magazine. No. 36. Future plc. December 2008. p. 100.