Diner Dash
The premise behind the game is quite simply really. Flo, a business executive, decides to quit her job in order to pursue her dream of opening up and running a diner. It's not the most fascinating story in the world but it does lend its way to some amusing elements throughout the game. Really though, this is one of those titles that doesn't need a story to be entertaining. It stands on the simplistic and addicting gameplay that will keep you coming back for more.
When Diner Dash fires up you're presented with a few options but basically you're going to be getting right into the action no matter what you pick. While there are multiplayer modes and an endless shift, I found the Career Mode to be the meatiest of these tasty morsels.
In Career Mode you start out small, with a run down shack that you call a diner and build your business. Along the way you'll make design decisions and expand your workspace to allow for more clients. It's a simple premise that constantly builds and is fun enough to keep you going to see what else you can do.
The basics of gameplay are straightforward like the game's overall design. As Flo you'll process through the whole ordering process. A customer will walk in the door, you'll sit them, they'll look at the menu, you take the order to the cook, bring the customer the food, clean up after them, and collect the money. This is the flow of gameplay you can expect repeated a hundred times over. The funny part is that once things begin to heat up and you have to get through a lunch rush the gameplay becomes intense and frenetic.
Coming from my work history in the restaurant industry I have to say that even though the presentation here is quite crude the game is very accurate. Families will bring their screaming babies, people get pissed off when they have to wait, and some customers are just poor tippers. These elements all play out in Diner Dash and even in the thick of your rush you'll still have to balance what kind of guests you have to take care of. Needless to say if you enjoy busy work then you'll feel right at home here.
The only problem with the PSP version is that while the PC edition allowed for point and click gameplay, this one doesn’t. In order to get around the dining room and perform the fundamental tasks that make up the game you're going to be using the shoulder buttons and d-pad. You basically have to cycle through options in order to get what you want. For instance if you want to seat a guest you'll need to press the L-button and select them and if you want to bring the dirty dishes to the trash you need to press the R-button. It's not as fluid as the other versions of the game but it is functional after you've spent some time with it.
When the Career Mode begins to go dry you can always try out the Endless Mode which runs just like it sounds and some Multiplayer. Unfortunately there is virtually no variety in either of those and the same gameplay will last throughout. If there is anything that hurts this title it's the lack of variety because you're going to be doing the exact same motions from the moment you start the game until the moment you finish. Sure it's addictive and fun for a while but extended play with the game makes it repetitive and boorish.
Like the gameplay, the graphics in Diner Dash are very straightforward and simplistic. Small characters populate a tiny world and there is very little in between to make things very exciting. This game may have looked good on cell phones and it might have been ok as a small downloaded package for the PC but on the PSP it's downright unimpressive. Then again, I suppose a title like this doesn't really have to wow with amazing CGI and an outstanding presentation but a spruced up experience would have been nice.
Like the graphics, the sound in Diner Dash is minimal at best. The same, simple tunes keep looping while you're playing through stage after stage. Sound effects help to break up the monotony but even those are few and far between. This is one of those titles that again, doesn't need a sweeping score though a little more would have gone a long way.
Diner Dash is a simple and addictive arcade-style game that is easy to get into. I understand where its roots lie but all around the experience didn't feel complete somehow. The gameplay yields little to no variety, the graphics are painfully simplistic, and the sound is very repetitive. This may be a fun one to take on the road with you but unless you're a fan of the series I'd say this is a rental at best.