Outerloop, an independent game development studio, gained attention a few years back with their game “Thirsty Suitors,” which combined role-playing battles, cooking, and skating in a story about a young woman reconnecting with her family and dealing with a quirky group of ex-lovers.
Their latest release, “Dosa Divas,” stays true to their previous work but refines the experience to convey a more assured narrative of family reconciliation against a vibrant and fantastical backdrop. However, one notable drawback is that players may feel a desire for more content, including additional rhythm-based battles, cooking challenges, and deeper character stories.
The game primarily follows the tale of two sisters, Samara and Amani, who once ran a family restaurant. Amani returns home after a decade away, aiming to mend relationships with Samara and the rest of the family. Meanwhile, their younger sister, Lina, has built a successful business selling a paste-like food product, leading a movement to eliminate traditional cooking.
The storyline sets up a stark contrast between familial bonds and corporate greed, with themes of connection and camaraderie facing off against profit-driven motives. As the narrative unfolds over approximately 10 hours of gameplay, players delve into the complex history of the sisters, their retired parents, and former restaurant colleagues.
Additionally, the game introduces a subplot involving Goddess, a robot-food truck hybrid, who accompanies Samara and Amani on their journey and participates in battles as a third party member. The encounters with other DIVAs, sentient robots allied with the main characters, provide challenging boss fights and weave a mystical element into the grounded narrative of the sisters.
“Dosa Divas” gameplay revolves around exploration, turn-based battles reminiscent of classic RPGs, and cooking dishes to serve the game world’s inhabitants. Players must time their attacks and defenses effectively during battles, enhancing the strategic aspect of combat. Cooking involves gathering ingredients and completing mini-games to prepare various dishes with specific flavor profiles.
While the battle mechanics are solid, the cooking segments may feel less polished, requiring some trial and error before mastery. Despite minor flaws, the gameplay loop of exploration, cooking, and battling offers a satisfying progression experience.
The game’s narrative depth is somewhat limited by the studio’s small team size, as some storylines feel underdeveloped. Nevertheless, the game touches on dark themes such as exploitation and family dynamics, presenting a raw and honest portrayal of reconciliation amidst fantastical elements.
“Dosa Divas” may not match the complexity of high-budget RPGs, but its poignant storytelling and thematic depth make it a compelling experience. Players are left anticipating Outerloop’s future projects with eager anticipation.
“Dosa Divas” is currently available for PC and major gaming consoles.
