Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale interview: Whipping up something special

Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale is a new VR game centered around player cooperation. Up to four players can work together to prepare and serve meals for constantly needy customers. Cook-Out is big on chaos and laughs, and we got in touch with the developers to learn a bit more about the game. We spoke with Gustav Stenmark, a Producer on Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale for a peak behind the curtain.

Throughout the years there have been several games that have involved cooking and sandwich-making including the classic Burger Time, and more modern games like Cook, Serve, Delicious. Were any of these an influence on you when coming up with the concept for Cook-Out?

On top of making delicious sandwiches, there's also a fairy tale aspect to the game. Where did the idea to blend the two concepts come from?

What will a typical game of Cook-Out look like? Is there a core game type or will it be chock full of mini-games?

Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale is a multiplayer VR game that challenges up to four players to work together to serve sandwiches to a forest full of hungry fable creatures, from mice to werewolves and everything in between. Cook-Out’s fairytale restaurant gives each player a different selection of ingredients from which to compile sandwiches for a hungry crowd. No individual player will have everything they need, requiring them to work together to assemble incoming requests perfectly - and in the right order - to keep famished tummies from rumbling. As players progress through increasingly hectic levels, they not only prepare meals but also need to fight off a number of difficult customers who seem absolutely set on making trouble -- like jesters who hide parts of orders, or thieves who keep pilfering ingredients. The game has several hours of content (50 levels spread out across 18 towns), plus an endless mode that can be played over and over. The game play can be quite intense from time to time, so in order to play longer sessions you may need some stamina. While the game is focused on cooperative play, solo players are able to enjoy the experience with the help of one simulated partner, making sure there’s always a team to tackle tough orders and restore the calm to this wild kitchen. The game is highly accessible and inclusive, but there is more to it. Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale is easy to pick up and learn, but calls for collaboration and strategy to fully master. It’s fast. It’s fun. And it’s messy!

What kind of unique obstacles did you face making this for VR platforms?

We have had the opportunity to work on this title for a while, and that means we have had time to implement a lot of interactions that are not there in many other titles. Most things in the game and its environments can be picked up or interacted with. For example, not only can you put ketchup on the sandwich, but you can have fun and start a food fight by squirting one of your fellow chefs. We realized early in development that having a virtual food fight between rounds was (almost) as fun as the rounds themselves. But a really unique aspect of this game is how fast a disciplined team playing a good round can fall apart quickly in a hectic kitchen. Part of the challenge of creating such a game with all of these details (some subtle, some not-so-subtle) was making sure they didn’t get in the way of the game. When showing Cook-Out to people, it can be really challenging to even communicate with them within the first few minutes because there are so many things to explore.

What is your perfect sandwich? Please describe it in intricate detail.

If Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale seems like something up your alley, the game can be purchased in the Oculus Store for $19.99 USD.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_

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September 23, 2020 3:45 PM

Donovan Erskine posted a new article, Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale interview: Whipping up something special