Beastro wants you to remind you the power of a really good meal

by

Awards season is a great time to discover hidden gems – games we might not otherwise hear about. The concentration of the gaming industry in Los Angeles allows independent developers to showcase their work to the press. One example is Beastro from Timberline Studios, a unique game that blends farming simulation, roguelite deckbuilding, and RPG elements into something truly original.

The game can seem a bit complex at first, but it’s built around three main parts. First, you run a farm, taking care of animals and plants and buying supplies. Next, you use those ingredients to create a daily menu, cook the dishes, and serve customers. This helps you learn new recipes, upgrade your restaurant, and improve your skills. Finally, you carefully select dishes to give to a Caretaker, which strengthens their abilities for adventure-based RPG levels. Dishes with flavors that go well together can create even more powerful effects.

Beastro combines elements from games like Story of Seasons, Atelier, Moonlighter, and Recettear. You choose ingredients to create meals based on the tastes of your caretaker, and these meals become abilities you use in battle. You can use flavorful attacks to counter enemies, overpower them, or combine cards for even stronger effects. It’s hard to fully understand everything Beastro offers – previewing complex RPGs is always a challenge. However, the game clearly has potential if its core gameplay loop proves engaging.

The main challenge lies in how well some of the game’s features will actually come together. Growing crops and raising animals seems straightforward, but it’s unclear if the card battles will be fun and fit well in the finished game. The same goes for the Mario Party-like minigames, which will impact how good the final dishes are. It’s also hard to predict if the story will be compelling enough to hold my attention, especially since so much of the game takes place within the limited setting of Palo Pori.

To be honest, I’m still on the fence about picking up Beastro when it fully releases. 2026 is already shaping up to be a huge year for RPGs, and I’ve got a ton of other games I’m really excited to play soon. But I’m hoping that when Beastro finally comes out next year, I’ll be able to make time for it and give it a proper try. I’ll keep you updated with my thoughts as I get a chance to play more!

Read More

2025-12-21 09:26