Food in Games

[AgentFransis]

Been playing a lot of Patrician 3 lately. As the game is packed to the brim with flavor and charm it's not surprising the devs also added a cellar beneath the town hall that serves no game purpose whatsoever besides displaying the daily special served by the cellar. Examples include:
- Turbot baked in a bed of herbs with fennel and borage
- Poulard with truffle and mushrooms cooked in red wine
- Stuffed goose with honey crackling, served with red cabbage and apple puree
- Mangolds and leeks braised in onion and lard dripping and seasoned with basil
- Rabbit stew with belly pork cooked in garlic, cloves and red wine
- Saddle of venison brushed with herb butter of thyme, rosemary, sage and marjoram and roasted on a spit
- Spicy beef ribs crisply roasted and served on egg pastry strips

Delicious. For the full experience one must imagine sitting in a traditional German cellar. Wooden table, mug of beer, fireplace and busty wenches serving you.


Another game that does great service to food is Stardew Valley. In this game where you manage a farm you can also discover recipes and use the produce of your farm and efforts in fishing to produce delicious looking and sounding dishes.

There's something very satisfying with using the fruits of your (virtual) toil and transforming them into delicious, albeit simple, meals. Playing this game always makes me want to go and cook something.


An honorable mention goes to Skyrim for one thing:

Because one can't look at a perfectly charred slice of Salmon and not want to eat it.


What are your favorite depictions of food in games?

 

[Hellion]

Quest for Glory 2 had some nice flavor text to describe the meals the hero was served at the Kattas' inn.

Tonight's meal is honeyed lamb with almonds and curried chicken.

I have prepared a meal of rabbit with apricots and roast chicken with sherbet for this night's meal.

Here is lemon chicken with garlic and lamb stewed with herbs.

Lamb Felafels and soured cream, along with a rabbit curry, are part of the meal for tonight.

The supper tonight is Saurus stuffed with grapes and saffron rice, and honeyed rabbit.

Tonight I have prepared something especially for you so that you do not become too homesick. It is knockwurst and sauerkraut.

Here is your morning meal of warm bread and honeyed butter, fresh fruit, and tea, just as you prefer.

Fortunately, the Coles have evolved from that and now strive towards perfecting the depiction of Cowladins in their game.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Dragon's Crown (2013) has a food-related game mechanic in which the party occasionally has an opportunity to select ingredients while camping and receive certain benefits for the next level depending on what meals are eaten. The luscious artwork tends to arouse hunger in the player.

 

[SoupNazi]

In Ravaged Marches: Codex edition, one of the party members once bought a whole roasted pig and the assorted sides but nobody appreciated it, let alone said thanks.

 

[Frank Capicoli]

Dragon's Crown (2013) has a food-related game mechanic in which the party occasionally has an opportunity to select ingredients while camping and receive certain benefits for the next level depending on what meals are eaten. The luscious artwork tends to arouse hunger in the player.

There's something about Japanese games and food.