Game update: 09/12/15

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

Introduction to Christmas 2015 goals

It's goals week in Restaurant Story, and that means a fresh quest. Christmas is of course the theme, and there's a snowy outlook to this goal set. You need to be at level 12 or above to access both the goals and all the content that comes with it. And on that note, here's a list of all the goodies added in this update...

Tables:

• Icicle Table - locked by goal

Chairs:

• Snowy Chair - 2,100 coins

Wall decorations:

• Frozen Garland - 8,900 coins

Floor decorations:

• Silver Skates - 3,000 coins
• Jack Frost - 4,800 coins
• Frozen Pond - 9,000 coins
• Snowy Owl - 22,000 coins
• Frosty Feast - locked by goal
• Nutcracker - locked by goal

Wallpapers:

• Snowy Night - 800 coins

Floor tiles:

• Snow Gust - 4,300 coins

Appliances:

• Open Fire - locked by goal
• Chocolate Stove - locked by goal

Counters:

• Frosty Counter - 17,000 coins

That's a strong selection of stuff you can add to your diner for the festive season. The focus does seem to be more on wintry items than out and out Christmas pieces, with lots of snow on the go. That's something that doesn't bother me. In fact it's probably a good move by Storm8 as it means a lot of the content will still appeal to players who don't celebrate Christmas. Plus it can be utilised throughout the Winter months rather than exclusively in December.

Let's step into Christmas then, starting with some of those floor decorations. The Frozen Pond is the one that stands out to me with it's two happy bots wrapped up warm as they enjoy a skate on the ice. There's nothing too complicated about this item, and it's all the better for it. And it's the kind of item that would typically be a gem buy, so to have it added with goals - and thus for coins - is very satisfying.

The 22,000 coins for the Snowy Owl is actually quite high for a 1x1 sized decoration, but again we should be delighted that it's for coins at all. Here we have an owl perched on some tree stumps, with a patch of snow at the bottom. This is a really nice little piece which can help add to your chilly atmosphere. And is that owl wearing blue mascara?!

Next is the Jack Frost. I'm well aware of the concept of Jack Frost sprinkling the frost overnight, but until now had no idea that there were films and TV shows had been made about him, including Rise of the Guardians! This version of Jack is certainly based off the character in the aforementioned movie, and he is attacking a snowman with his magic. To be honest I'm slightly confused - why is he firing sparkles at the snowman? Is our carrot-nosed friend threatening to melt? Whatever the case this is one of the more specialised additions and will do well to feature in my place.

Then there's the Silver Skates which features a pair of shiny ice skates contained in a glass box mounted on a wooden plinth. The big question here is of why these skates are so coveted - were they worn by a champion skater? Are they made of solid silver? Does Action Chef Lee just have a very fancy shoebox?! Whatever the case there's something quite nice about it. If you've splashed out on the likes of the Cherub Statue, Champion Trophy and Crown Jewels (not to mention the Art Gallery LTO) then there's scope for a really unique museum theme.

 Christmas 2015

 02/12/15 Initial update

Meanwhile the Snowy Chair is a diminutive seat with a Christmas tree on the back. It's called 'snowy' because of the covering of white on the seat itself - not sure how this will go down with the customers! Overall I'm not all that impressed by this chair - it's a bit lacklustre and doesn't have the cheeriness of some of the past festive seats.

The option on the wall is the Frozen Garland. This is an interesting take on the standard wreath that we've seen all too often over the years. Here it has been frozen to ice, with any holly and pinecones turned to flakes. At first I brushed over this wall decoration, but on reflection it looks the part - the fact that icicles are forming from it is a fantastic touch. This is definitely a cool alternative to the traditional Christmas wreath.

When it comes to arranging your Christmas buffet, it's the Frosty Counter that will be the likely location for all the feast. The frozen surface has been designed really well - there's a shine to it that really conveys the slippery texture. Be wary of placing your Christmas turkey on there! The sides have stripes of blue in varying shades, ultimately giving a really cold feel. It's not often that I get excited about a counter, but I really do like this one!

Those counters could be positioned on a floor of Snow Gust. This is quite an expensive floor tile at 4,300 coins each, but it's definitely a good option. For a long time snowy flooring was a notable absentee from the game, and although the Reindeer Tracks from last year's goals has dealt with that somewhat, I believe there was still a gap to be filled. This tile does that with a pattern of light and dark flakes on a icy blue background. Again the gamemakers have kept it simple and that leads to a polished and clean finish.

Last on tonight's agenda is the Snowy Night. Unlike the flooring this wallpaper is cheap, and depicts some bare trees at the centre of a snowstorm in the night. It's another good addition, with the darker background helping to really bring out the white of the snow. In my heart of hearts I have to say I prefer the slightly more serene scene of the Snowy Field from this time last year (now removed), but that doesn't mean this wallpaper doesn't get a thumbs up.

The remainder of the stuff in this update needs to be unlocked through the goals. Consequently you'll have to wait until early next week for my goals content report for the analysis on them. In the mean time you can check out my dedicated post on the goals here.

I have to say that I am thoroughly pleased with this goals update. It contains plenty of impressive items, and there's not too much of a Christmas bias. I certainly have no problem with that, and I do think the game's developers have done a solid job of tailoring the additions for both those who want to deck the halls and those who just want some wintry chill.

The strongest indication that Storm8 have been successful with their Christmas designs is that I'm pondering including quite a few bits and pieces in my restaurant, despite the fact I've already done my big makeover. I'm always open to making adjustments, and none more so than for the festive season!