Over the past weekend, I was fortunate enough to engage with one of Summer Game Fest’s top-tier RPGs – Dosa Divas: One Last Meal, developed by Outerloop Games, known for their work on Thirsty Suitors. The game revolves around two sisters journeying home accompanied by a spirit-mech, battling against the encroaching corporate influence of their youngest sister who aims to control everyone through her fast-food empire. Essentially, it’s about defeating corporate thugs in turn-based combat and preparing mouthwatering dosas for the people you encounter during your travels. Dosa Divas is a game that centers around themes like community, food, family, and the struggle to return home.
Fight corporate power, build community, and cook some great meals in Dosa Divas
In a world filled with battles, Samara and Amani navigate atop their celestial vehicle, often referred to as ‘Goddess’. This world is dotted with numerous items and towers of crates that one can pass through, producing a delightful crunch and scattering remnants. I found immense joy in this basic feature, which reminded me of those toy ads from my youth, where children effortlessly demolished a mysterious wall of colorful squares to showcase the new toy’s cool factor. The vibrant mech seems to perfectly embody that nostalgic spirit.
Regarding battles, the game Dosa Divas mirrors the approach of Thirsty Suitors. It maintains a similar turn-based system, yet it adds depth to its timing mechanisms and strikes. Unlike some RPGs where you can casually press buttons and gradually progress, combat in this game hinges on precision. Timing is crucial; pressing A at the optimal moment increases damage, while correctly using it as a block shields you from any harm. However, it’s not merely about memorizing an enemy’s timing. Throughout my 30-minute demo, basic foes repeatedly switched their attack patterns. As I engaged them, closely monitoring for the signal to block, I quickly noticed that these enemies would frequently attempt to mislead me and throw off my timing, making it seem as though they were about to strike, only to lure me into a poorly timed defense. In the early stages of combat, even a few full-strength attacks from these foes almost depleted my party’s health.
The enemy attack sequences in this game are incredibly well-designed. Just when I think I have the basic enemy figured out, he does something completely unexpected, like sliding along the ground like a snake, which throws off my timing. If it were just the same thing, I’d be too busy laughing at how snake-like and unpredictable the character looks.
The next level of enemy had an attack where he tossed his briefcase at me. Later on, he did a juggling act with the briefcase to trick me into thinking he wouldn’t throw it. He would even point up in the air and then point at me before throwing the briefcase, which sometimes caused my reflexes to react prematurely due to the unexpected timing.
These tactics make for great gameplay, but they also perfectly capture the sneaky, tricky nature of these corporate goons, always trying to outwit me.
In the game, there are five distinct flavor preferences, such as salty, sweet, spicy, and so forth, and each enemy has a particular taste preference. Use the right abilities or attacks to make your opponent feel full. Once filled, an opponent’s defenses weaken, making them temporarily unable to attack. In every fight, you can utilize boost points to slightly alter each character’s attack style and inflict additional damage. Your team also has a meter that grows round by round, ultimately leading to a powerful group attack, which is extremely destructive.
As a gamer immersed in the world of “Dosa Divas”, I’ve been pouring countless hours into mastering the combat mechanics, but let me tell you, this game is not just about battling it out. In fact, during my demo run, I stumbled upon a small fishing town under threat from an evil corporation. They’d signed a shady deal that left them powerless as the company swiped their fish with some monstrous vacuum device. To save their livelihoods, my party was tasked with a mission: locate some construction workers and serve them a hearty, energizing meal. It wasn’t all about swords and spells, but it sure felt rewarding to use the power of food for a good cause!
During the demonstration, I collected items from around the world that resembled ingredients. Onions sprouted from the ground, peppers grew on a tiny plant, even a fun fishing game provided some fish for my collection. The spirit-mech, Goddess, is built to assist in preparing the perfect dosas. To start, pick a primary ingredient and a few extras, then it’s a series of mini-games. Time the pepper mill twists correctly, chop the knife at the right instances, and prepare other ingredients. The success of these mini-games and your chosen ingredients determines the temporary bonuses you receive.
By assisting the fishing village with delightful meals and creating an ad-free, eco-friendly atmosphere, I’ve been earning the townsfolk’s admiration and respect. As my standing within the community grows, I find myself acquiring remarkable combat skills in Dosa Divas. In the demo, I unlocked two fascinating abilities: one that allows me to inflict massive damage by exchanging a cooking pan between me and an opponent with precise button presses, and another skill that increases damage output the longer I hold down a button, but eventually loses potency beyond a certain threshold. I can’t wait to discover what other extraordinary skills and abilities await me in Dosa Divas.
During my time with Dosa Divas, I came across a charming canine in the open world, and fortunately, Goddess had the opportunity to stroke it. This dog seemed quite fond of Goddess, as it began following her around, though I’m unsure if it would have done so under different circumstances. There are some attractive alternate skins for Goddess that are worth checking out, but her original appearance is undeniably legendary. Furthermore, I managed to run the demo on a Steam Deck, which confirmed my belief that this game will be perfect for portable gaming systems and consoles alike.
I’m really fond of the idea behind “Dosa Divas“. It offers an authentic way to strengthen people’s connection with their culture and community by means of food, while simultaneously advocating against corporate dominance. This approach beautifully illustrates how these ideas are usually intertwined. The sisters Samara and Amani are truly dynamic personalities, and I can’t help but wonder about the climactic encounter they will have with their corporate sister. Regardless of the outcome, I’m excited to follow their journey. I trust that “Dosa Divas” will weave an intriguing tale encompassing all these themes harmoniously.
As a gamer, I’ve been following the buzz around Project Dosa for a while now, and last week, we finally got a taste of what’s to come with the title reveal: Dosa Divas. Unfortunately, there’s no anticipated release date this year, but fingers crossed it’ll drop early in 2026. The game is set to debut on PC via Steam, and I can only hope it expands to other platforms as well. If you’re excited like me, go ahead and add Dosa Divas to your wishlist!
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2025-06-14 02:02