Everybody Loves Chocolate
Whether they'll admit it or not, nearly everyone has a sweet tooth and one of the best ways to satisfy this craving is with some deep rich chocolate. It's a multi-million dollar industry and for good reason... haven't you ever wanted to get in on this dough? Well now you can with Chocolatier, a fantastic role-playing type offering available here at Spintop Games.
If you're the kind of person who is intimidated by fast acting arcade titles, then you're most definitely in luck, because this game is decidedly more methodical than the frantic clicking you may experience elsewhere. At the same time, action junkies will also find their fix, because there are portions that provide arcade-style mechanics that increase in speed with your continued success. It really is like having the best of both worlds, all rolled up into one. It's like having a dark chocolate fondue: the sweetness of fruit for some people and the mild bitterness of the chocolate for other people. A perfect blend.
Managing Tasks, Traveling the World
You take on the role of an apprentice to a master chocolatier. By traveling the world and chatting with the various people involved in the process, you will learn much about the chocolate-making industry. Fans of the Tradewinds series, for example, will feel right at home here because the way that this game is played is quite similar. Within each town are a variety of storefronts and other buildings, each serving a rather specific purpose. You gather information from the shop-keepers, purchase the items that you need, and grow that business.
Unlike Tradewinds, however, you thankfully don't have to deal with any dastardly pirates or thieves. Instead, the determination of success or failure lies solely in your hands. Will you become a master chocolatier like your wise guru or will you fail miserably with chocolate stains all over your pants?
The Business of Happy Faces
There are three main stages involved in the creation of the chocolate bars. First, you must gather up the appropriate recipe. There are nearly as many different types of chocolate bars as there are people to eat them! You start out with just a single recipe for a basic chocolate bar, but as you talk with other chocolate lovers, you soon gain the knowledge to create everything from Mint Chocolate Bars to Special Trinidad Cacao Chocolate Bars. Is your mouth watering yet? I'm sure the boss won't notice if you take a taste, right?
The second step involves the collection of ingredients. Now that you have the recipe, you know exactly what components are involved in any particular type of chocolate bar. The basic one, for example, requires one part sugar and one part cacao beans. Visit the appropriate vendors to buy these items, but be aware that certain ingredients can only be purchased from certain areas. There might be some international travel involved.
Third, you visit the chocolate-making factory and get the actual bars made. This is where the arcade action comes into play. There is a launching device and one of the core ingredients is shown in its center. You send this ingredient to any of the awaiting hoppers rotating around the wheel. Each of these hoppers must adhere to the recipe (displayed on the right of the screen). The more of these hoppers are properly completed, the faster the wheel spins, and the better pace will be set for chocolate-making with that machine. If you produce more chocolate, you make more money!
A Very Delectable Treat
Delicious. Simply delicious. This game really does have it all, because it blends in so many critical elements to make for a great success. The speedy arcade portions are well designed, the cerebral challenges will keep you on your toes, and the main screen layout is intuitive and easy-to-read. Your current task is always shown at the top of the message box, so you know exactly what you need to do.
It's masterful. Just try not to pack on the pounds with all that delectable goodness.
