Review of Magical Delicacy

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S

Initial release date: 2024

Developer: Skaule

Engine: Unity

Genres: Platform game, Adventure game, Indie game, Adventure

Publisher: Whitethorn Games

The publisher, Whitethorn Games, describes Magical Delicacy as a cooking and metroidvania-lite game, but after playing it, we feel like it also fits under another well-known genre.

You have to admit that this game has a comfortable vibe all over it—the fantasy setting, the ability to interact with the quaint townspeople, the light farming, trading, and crafting—as well as the lovely 2D pixel art style and lovely, twinkling music.

Start working on Magical Delicacy now.

Players assume the character of Flora, a young witch who has chosen to live abroad in order to further her education and ends herself in the enchanted land of Grat. Upon arrival, you partake in the well-known ritual of being welcomed by the town administrator and shown to your new residence, where you are informed that you will be able to reimburse the exorbitant cost of said residence when the time comes. Your new house has a kitchen with standard appliances (a pot and sink), a garden for growing produce, and a squatter—or housemate—Hina who won’t go.

You quickly discover that part of your job as a witch is preparing meals for the locals using food you can grow in your garden, acquire from tradespeople like the local baker, or forage from around the town. As the game progresses, you can make your way from being the town’s takeout chef and delivery service to a true witchy chef by concocting magical potions. Since Magical Delicacy revolves around cooking, it is worthwhile to take some time to talk about how this is done and how it differs from other crafting games you may have played.

The townspeople will ask you to prepare dishes that fall into one of seven categories, such as baked goods, soups, and stews, and have names like mushroom goulash, nut tart, and vegetable sandwich. These are made according to a recipe that can be purchased from craftsmen. Alternatively, you could just combine ingredients and cross your fingers. You will need a variety of cooking tools, such as the cooking pot and others you may purchase from the blacksmith, like an oven, juicer, and pestle and mortar, to prepare the food.

So far, so recognizable. But what makes cooking in Magical Delicacy unique from other games is that every item has unique capabilities and falls into a separate category (fruit, herb, vegetable, nut, etc.). These include whether they are common, rare, exotic, or a relic, as well as flavor qualities like bitter, sweet, or delicate. Numerous recipes require you to ensure that the dish has a single overall flavor profile or includes a component that is prepared in a specific way. This requires you to solve some puzzles as you try to figure out which specific ingredients to utilize.

Construct something enchanting.

You don’t know what flavor profile your food will have until it’s cooked, or at least not until the beginning of the game, nor do you know which flavor profile is greater than another. This meant that it was frequently difficult for us to provide the right food and please our patrons. But early on in the game, you have the option to sell any undesired dishes to recoup some of your initial investment. Speaking of money, you can acquire it by breaking pots and selling dishes while jogging through the town.

And we did a lot of running around town. Should we make a mistake in a specific recipe, we could have to walk all the way across town to get a substitute ingredient. Alternatively, we might believe we were ready to manufacture something and then realize we were missing a necessary element. We also believe that there is room for improvement in the game’s ability to find the ingredients. A certain component may be purchased from a tradesperson or foraged from a specific location; there is no way to know for sure, therefore you will have to do a lot of exploring and chance-finding to find out.

The platforming element of Magical Delicacy distinguishes it from other games of a similar nature. To meet customers and exchange ingredients, you must navigate the town by jumping onto various platforms, some of which move, dissolve when stepped on, appear and vanish, or appear only at night. Your level of enjoyment with 2D platformers will determine whether you find this component enjoyable or quickly grow tired of it, as we did. Fortunately, the accessibility settings include the opportunity to make the platforming part easier. This feature, along with many other choices for changes, will be much appreciated by many.

Somewhat of a platforming move? Yes, exactly.

The addition of a map that highlights the many areas of the town you have visited helps you navigate around it. The map has been simplified to a certain extent; sites are represented as boxes joined by connecting lines that indicate the routes between them. Initially, it can be somewhat annoying to see locations that are just out of reach due to towering platforms or impenetrable vines blocking the path, but as you advance, you’ll be able to access new spots by unlocking additional skills or potions.

The time it takes to go from one end of the map to the other increases with its size, therefore the ability to use various forms of rapid transit is greatly appreciated. Though it still required traveling via nearby areas to get there, some of which were very time-consuming due to the large amount of platforms in them, we would have preferred to see more quick travel portals, ideally one in every site.

Magical Delicacy includes a core storyline and a number of side quests, all of which depend on your ability to complete your recipe requests. This is to be expected. We found ourselves skimming the dialogue as fast as we could because the plot is uninteresting and there is no voice acting. A number of requests will appear at once, and you won’t be able to fulfill them all because some components are only accessible once you’ve unlocked particular regions of the map. Though we can see why the creator was unable to disclose this information, as it reveals locations that are yet to be discovered, spoiling the surprises in the game, this was extremely aggravating because there is no way of realizing this without being provided with knowledge about each ingredient.

There are some delectable components in Magical Delicacy.

There are some delectable components in Magical Delicacy. The game has an amazing visual aesthetic, and it’s thrilling to see more of the world appear as you find new, previously inaccessible places. We value the simplicity with which some things, like farming, are maintained. This game doesn’t require you to water hundreds of squares; all you have to do is plant a seed in the ground and watch it grow. We had a great time cooking, and the ability to create and employ magical potions definitely adds some spice to the situation.

But there are a number of irksome features that we simply cannot ignore. For instance, you can only make potions at night; you cannot go from day to night—you can only do it the other way around. You’ll have to return later, when it has regrown, and after you’ve forgotten where it was, if you require more than one foraged item. Furthermore, even the most ardent platforming enthusiasts would become weary of spending so much time traveling across the same sections of the map repeatedly, especially with the option of quick travel once acquired.

Review Overview:

Gameplay – 85%

Story – 70%

Aesthetics – 88%

Content – 80%

Accessibility – 90%

Value – 84%

Overall Rating – 83%

Very Good

Summary: Magical Delicacy is a delightful blend of cooking and potion-making set in a whimsical, magical world. The game features intuitive gameplay with a wide variety of recipes and ingredients to explore, supported by charming visuals and an enchanting art style. While the story is light and serves more as a backdrop, the game excels in accessibility and value, offering a satisfying and engaging experience for players who enjoy cooking-themed adventures. Overall, it’s a magical journey worth embarking on.