The level of customization for your restaurant is quite satisfying and you can implement a genuine style and make separate establishments in your empire really quite different. The choice of décor seems quite large at first but soon feels limited, as is inevitably the case with games like this. The style is aping The Sims but the polish is lacking and textures and animations are not as strong. Visually this game is based on the same engine as the original 2003 release Restaurant Empire. These feel somewhat awkward and provide an unwelcome distraction from the business of running your restaurants. There are occasional diversions in the form of mini-games which help Armand with his TV chef appearances. Sadly the AI is very poor with limited path finding skills and some kind of pathological rudeness problem. The better they are at their job the more they expect to get paid. You’ll need to hire all kinds of staff including kitchen porters to wash dishes and servers to carry the food out to customers. Staffing is another vital part of your business. As the game progresses you can purchase secrets, new recipes and train up to improve your menu. Since you aren’t very good at making things you should decrease your prices accordingly or your customers will get upset.

You also have to set up a menu and your skills as a chef will be limited at first. The detailed interior and limited exterior options are reminiscent of Casino Empire. You can also do up the exterior of your establishment to a limited degree which helps to attract new customers. The trick is to create a layout which minimizes collisions between patrons and keeps the traffic flowing while also creating somewhere it is pleasant to spend time. You can purchase various functional and decorative items for the interior of your restaurant or café.

Money and skills are initially limited and finding the right balance to attract customers and turn a profit is tough. It is essentially a tycoon style game with a challenging campaign in which you have to meet monthly targets for your new businesses. Restaurant Empire 2 plays exactly the same as the first game so if you have played it you’ll pick this up instantly. There is a back story and an attempt to inject some character and dialogue but this title is really all about setting menus, laying out eating establishments in an effective way, hiring the right staff and getting your pricing correct. Your challenge is to guide French chef Armand LeBoeuf and his new wife Delia to success with their restaurant and café businesses. This is quite an involved business management simulation which challenges you to run a successful catering empire.

Restaurant empire 2