AerielMy favorite theme in visual novels, and stories in general, is baking. This often includes cafes, patisseries, bakeries, and cute food. When it comes to games, there are often fun baking mechanics included, too. So put on your apron and get ready for these five baking-themed games!
5. Patisserie Academy
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux (itch.io)
Synopsis
You play as an aspiring dessert chef looking to gain the trust of 3 lucky confections into giving you their coveted recipe secrets~
Patisserie Academy itch.io page
Patisserie Academy is a romance visual novel made for NaNoRenO 2022 which takes place in a school for aspiring bakers. There are three love interests: Strawberry, Mochi, and Green Tea. These quirky, unconventional love interests are what make this dating game one of a kind.
This game has a lot to offer, and that’s pretty impressive for a jam game. The map navigation reminds me of Monster Prom, and overall, there is a lot of replay value in this game, thanks to how many scenes there are.
4. Pie O’Clock
Platforms: PC (Steam)
Synopsis:
Welcome to Pie O’clock! In our cafe, you will find the best coffee, the tastiest pies and… The sweetest girls! A non-linear visual novel. Warning, content may be disturbing.
Pie O’Clock Steam page
Pie O’Clock is an upcoming visual novel about delicious baked pies, cute girls, and a mysterious disappearance. You can play as a waiter, a detective, or a student in your quest to find the missing girl, Candice.
If you like deceptively cute visual novels, then keep your eyes peeled for Pie O’Clock, because this may be right in line with games like Cooking Simulator with unexpected and disturbing visuals. Personally, I’m hoping there are baking minigames.
3. Appetité Amor
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux (itch.io)
Fianna is good at anything she puts her mind to — which usually involves trying to max out her stats, inhaling copious amounts of food and doing her best in avoiding getting into Guild House brawls. A pleasant twist of fate leads her to find Cafe Amor and its otherworldly — quite literally — chef, Leon.
Appetité Amor itch.io page
Appetité Amor is a fantasy otome game about an adventurer and a chef whose paths meet at Cafe Amor. Chef Leon in a frilly pink apron is guaranteed to be the cutest thing you’ll see all year.
The art design for this game is 10/10 for the sprites, the CGs, the backgrounds, and the UI design. All of the designs are so flawless that it feels as though I’m looking at a medieval anime show on pause. Fantasy, romance, and baking are all of my favorite things blended into one game, and I love it.
2. Mima and Nina’s Chocolate Workshop
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux (itch.io)
Synopsis:
Mima and Nina’s Chocolate Workshop is a chocolate-making visual novel. Test different ingredients and decorations to tailor your chocolates to the tastes of the people you want to give them to.
Mima and Nina’s Chocolate Workshop itch.io page
This yuri visual novel is centered around making chocolate for Valentine’s Day. The goal is to make chocolates for that special someone, but the question is, who is that special someone for you?
I am in love with the fact that you can make chocolate in this game. This is the first game I’ve stumbled across that has chocolate-baking minigames, and it’s very well put together. There are multiple endings, and you can enjoy a choice between platonic or romantic routes.
1. Baked With Love
Platforms: Windows, Mac (itch.io)
Welcome to your friendly, local, magical bakery! The sun is shining, there’s the smell of fresh bread in the air, and it’s your very first day of work. Despite your nerves, you’re sure it will be fine.
After all, what’s the worst that can happen? You accidentally poison yourself and end up falling in love with your cute new boss? Haha, don’t be ridiculous.
Baked With Love itch.io page
Baked With Love is about a new bakery employee who isn’t certified to do magic, but decides to take the job at a magical bakery.
The game assures you that working at a cute bakery isn’t so bad, because at least it’s not a nugget shack, and I have to wholeheartedly agree. Bakeries are cute, and as I mentioned above, anything with romance, bakeries, and fantasy is automatically at the top of my VN list. In Baked With Love‘s case, this game is so on point with the comedy that I couldn’t resist playing more.
Anna Mirabella
