Cooking Companions

## System requirements

**Windows*** **OS:** Windows 7/10
* **Processor:** 1.8GHz Dual-Core CPU
* **Memory:** 4 GB RAM
* **Video Card:** Integrated graphics
* **Storage:** 5 GB available space

**Mac OS X**

* **OS:** 10.9 or later\*
* **CPU:** 1.8GHz Dual-Core CPU
* **Video Card:** Integrated graphics
* **Storage:** 5 GB available space

**Cooking Companions** is a psychological horror dating sim developed and published by Deer Dream Studios after a successful Kickstarter campaign. An "Appetizer Edition" was released on October 6, 2020, and the full version a year later on October 7, 2021.

In the Main Game players are able to unlock 40 Steam achievements, many pieces of artwork, four vegan recipes and 7 endings.

A free "Chompettes Origins" expansion, was released in late July 2022 in which players can unlock 40 additional Steam achievements, more pieces of artwork and another 4 endings.

A standalone sequel, Dread Weight, was announced in September 2022, with the Kickstarter campaign for it launching in June 2023. It has its own Steam page here.

## Premise

*Unravel the mystery in this cute psychological horror VN, set deep in the woods of the Tatras Mountains. Will you wind up on the chopping block?*

Deep in the woods of the Tatras Mountains, supplies dwindle and flood waters are rising. It’s up to you to keep spirits high and make the most of your survival skills. Will you butter up the right person? Or will you wind up on the chopping block?

Featuring Eastern European folklore in an unexpected package, Cooking Companions is a “dating sim” psychological horror title you won't soon forget.

## Plot

### Main Game

Cooking Companions is set in the Tatras Mountains in Poland near the town of Zakopane. Four lost travelers by the names of Anatoly, Karin, Gregor, and Mariah stumble across an old cabin where lives the Protagonist. They all greet them, and according to the beginning, they apparently all "knew" them, which later proves to be false. However, The five friends all stay in the cabin, occasionally searching for food. Until, a heavy rain starts flooding around the cabin. After a few days, they run out of food and now everyone is nervous and scared. There are occasionally times the Protagonist has to make choices to talk with the travelers and increase their relationship with them. There are exactly 5 hearts they can fill out, maxing their relationship with any of the travelers. Now, the group comes to the conclusion that ONE of the people should go out there and try and find food. Nobody can decide, so they pick the shortest stick. Mariah, unfortunately, has the shortest stick, so she has to leave the cabin to look for food in the flood. She leaves, and there's a unsettling motif that comes with. (I am not done with this, I will continue some other day)

### Nightmare Mode

A non canonical mode filled with jumpscares from monsters that are references to other classic horror games. The story presented here starts after Karin is locked in the Basement.

## Achievements

* **Butter Them Up?:** Will you butter them up? Or wind up on the chopping block?
* **Chompette Captain!:** You found the Chompettes!
* **First Meal:** You cooked your first dish. Well done!
* **Meals and Deals:** You cooked your second dish. Congrats!
* **Bare Cupboards:** Crumby situation. Yikes!
* **Just A Dream:** …right?
* **They Call The Wind:** Max your relationship with Mariah.
* **Dead To Me:** Mariah has left the cabin.
* **Gregor the Glutton:** Max your relationship with Gregor.
* **Anatoly Analysis:** Max your relationship with Anatoly.
* **Caring about Karin:** Max your relationship with Karin.
* **Absent Anatoly:** Anatoly has left the cabin.
* **Goodbye Gregor:** Gregor has "left" the cabin.
* **Taking Notes:** You found all of the hidden notes!
* **Note Taken:** You discovered a hidden note!
* **Ravenous Beyond Repair:** You embraced the abyss.
* **Not Done Yet!:** Plenty of meat still on those bones.
* **A Downwards Spiral:** You ate meat.
* **The Right Decision:** You didn't assist Karin.
* **The Nightmare Is Over:** Finish nightmare mode.
* **Lesson Plan:** Finish the Chompettes Cabin Courses.
* **Jokes On You:** See the secret ending.
* **NG+:** Finish New Game Plus.
* **Nothing To Be Scared Of:** You decided to go into the basement.
* **Indoors Person:** You looked out the window.
* **Listen to Her:** You spoke with Raspberry.
* **Don't Be a Crybaby!:** You spoke with Onion.
* **No Laughing Matter:** You spoke with Bread.
* **Bad Ideas:** She's got a plan Anatoly!
* **I Think We're Alone Now:** Just us now.
* **I Want My Knife Back:** Finish one last job.
* **Sleeping On the Job:** Thanks for playing!
* **He's here?:** You found Cornbread!
* **Food's here!:** You found the first unlockable recipe!
* **Appetizer Apprentice:** You found another unlockable recipe!
* **Five Star Chef:** You found ANOTHER unlockable recipe!
* **Potato Gives Pause:** You found a recipe which should never be attempted.
* **Legendary Chef:** You found the final unlockable recipe! Well done!
* **Done With Hiding:** You've experienced some serious deja-vu...
* **Here We Go Again:** You witnessed something old and something new.

## Languages

Cooking Companions supports 3 languages:

* English
* Japanese
* Spanish - Latin America

## Trivia

* The Ukrainian word next to the green cauldron in the game's logo translates to "hunger".

## External links

* Cooking Companions on Steam
* Cooking Companions Kickstarter
* Cooking Companions Trailer