Game update: 09/09/15

It's off to the Big Apple this week, with an update revolving around New York.

Introduction to New York goals

One of the most prominent cities in the world, there's so much to do in New York, not least a set of goals! Here's the complete list of new items, with everything unlocked at level 12.

Tables:

• Modern Steel - 7,200 coins

Chairs:

• Modern Steel - 3,200 coins

Floor decorations:

• Empire Statue - locked by goal
• Lady Liberty - locked by goal
• Hot Dog Vendor - locked by goal
• Central Picnic - locked by goal

Wallpapers:

• Cityscape - 2,000 coins

Floor tiles:

• City Sidewalk - 990 coins

Appliances:

• Hot Dog Stand - 20,000 coins
• Pretzel Stand - locked by goal

Counters:

• City Steel - 6,000 coins

So unusually there is no wall decoration in this goal update, although that is counterbalanced by having four new floor items, all of which are hidden behind padlocks. However you can get a glimpse of them in the teaser posted on the Storm8 Blog:

Items from update as shown on Storm8 Blog

Please note that there are a couple of pieces shown in this image which are not new with this update - the Poppy Divider and Poppy Princess from the Poppy Crate a fortnight ago are cheekily included.

Overall I think a New York update is an excellent idea. New York is one of the most vibrant and fascinating cities anywhere on the planet, so there's definitely the scope to go to town (or should I say the metropolis!) to do an update based on it.

Having said that, the sheer scale of New York also counts against it in a game like Restaurant Story. Just look at the Empire Statue and Lady Liberty above. The Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty are colossal entities which are famous as much for their size as anything else, and replicating that in the game is difficult. The models we have here are minuscule. Presumably they are intermediate goal prizes, and it seems that the game's developers are stubborn in their view that such items should remain relatively small. That's a real shame as it makes two potentially top drawer decorations completely ineffective.

I'll save further frustration for the goals content report, and move on to more satisfying additions. The Modern Steel table and Modern Steel chair are both winners in my opinion. Neither is particularly complex in design, with solid shades of grey applied to produce a pair of rather generic items. And that's absolutely fine with me! They don't exactly scream of NYC, but that means they can be utilised in all sorts of settings. Definitely a table and chair we'll be seeing in many diners before long.

Sticking with the dull tones, the City Sidewalk floor tile is as unimpressive as it gets. The fact that it draws comparisons with the Concrete flooring that is automatically installed when you make an expansion should count against it, but again I'm strangely happy. I've seen players creating a street scene on quite a few occasions (and have been tempted myself!) and this tile is perfect for lining the pavements. There are a lack of rough and ready floors available to buy, so this makes for a terrific alternative option.

For me the most exciting aspect of New York is the swarms of skyscrapers which reach into the sky. The Cityscape wallpaper is therefore another strong addition in my book. Depicting the skyline at night, there are loads of different shaped buildings shown, with glowing windows busily dotted around. It's a lovely scene, and could work for lots of surroundings. One specific use I've just though of is for the end of a road within your restaurant's walls. It's difficult to give that sense of depth that the road goes on beyond your wall, but a long view of the New York architecture might just do that job.

The last of the decorations freely available to buy in the market is the City Steel counter. Unfortunately this one is a flop, with what appears to be the structure of a building. The fact that the counter can only be so tall means that instead of having a skyscraper we have a block of flats which are boxy and banal. I'd have been so much more pleased to see the Modern Steel style used again for the counter.

Now let's turn our attention to the two appliances that come with the update. The Pretzel Stand is locked, but unusually the Hot Dog Stand is not, and appears right from the opening goal. And what is even more unusual is that both cookers are 2x1 in size. Indeed I think that may even be a first! It's nice to get something different, but I daresay we'll be hearing lots of complaints in the coming days over a lack of space for them!

To build these two appliances you'll need to make use of yet another two new parts.

Sauce Bottle and Steel

The Sauce Bottle and Steel are located at the start of the gift list, with the first utilised for the construction of the Hot Dog Stand. The Steel is such a generic part that I'm already calling it that it will be asked for again and again, much like the Mallet which is inevitably needed for the Hot Dog Stand.

Overall I'm pretty pleased with this update. There are some very useful items to be had, although not necessarily as part of a New York theme. Indeed the New York aspect of it looks to be somewhat botched, but I'll reserve full judgement until the goals content report, which should be released on Monday or Tuesday. In the mean time get to work on the quest!