Game of Thrones goals (in full)

Please note that this set of goals expired on Tuesday 12th December 2017.

You're in the great game now. But it need not be terrifying! The latest update brought with it a Game of Thrones theme, complete with a quest.

The goals had 15 days on the clock upon release, which means you should have until Tuesday 12th December 2017 to complete them. After this time they can only ever return as Wights, and we wouldn't want that would we?! There are at least three floor decorations awaiting discovery along with two appliances and six recipes.

So here is the (incomplete) list of steps:

• Step 1: Winter is Arriving
• Step 2: Of Spice and Fire
• Step 3: We Bake Together
• Step 4: Oats of Fealty
• Step 5: For the Long Nights
• Step 6: Hear Me Cook!
• Step 7: Snow Falls and the Wind Blows
• Sidestep A: Hold the Door Open
• Sidestep B: Children of the Restaurant

Bonus goals 'Beyond the Wall' (unlocks after Step 4):

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3

Game update: 28/11/17

When you play the game of Restaurant Story you win, or you end up with lots of spoilt food. Game of Thrones has landed!

Introduction to Games of Thrones themed goals

The TV phenomena previously made an appearance in Restaurant Story 2, and ever since I've wondered if the gamemakers may one day put together an update for the original title in the same vein. That day has arrived, and brings with it goals. Here's the full list of additions:

Black Friday 2017 analysis

After four days Storm8 finally lowered the shutters on Black Friday. This year's event has been a very interesting experience, with the drama spread out over the entirety of Thanksgiving weekend. So get yourself a hot mug of cocoa and settle down - here's my overview and analysis of Black Friday 2017...

The fun and games commenced as early as Tuesday when everyone received a pop-up window which teased that 'something special' was on the way come Friday:

First notification for Black Friday 2017

This is a fairly standard notification in the lead-up to Black Friday, but nevertheless it is always a source of great relief - confirmation that the game's developers will be getting involved in the shopping mayhem and hopefully sending us all to the nearest cash machine wallet in hand. This was compounded by a second teaser on Thursday, perhaps designed as a reminder for anyone who since Tuesday had forgotten about what was coming (as if!)

Turkey Cooker goals (in full)

Please note that this set of goals expired on Tuesday 28th November 2017.

On Thanksgiving Day the game's developers saw fit to pull us away from the feast and indulge in a new update which includes a flash set of goals.

This is a five day special, with the Turkey Cooker from the 2014 autumn goals returning and three new recipes added to it. On top of that there's a large floor decoration to be gained, so abandon your turkey and hop to it!

Here is the complete list of steps:

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4

Please note that Part 4 requires a 22 hour recipe to be prepared. Therefore you will need to make sure to get to that final step with at least one day remaining on the clock.

Game update: 23/11/17

What a busy couple of days we've had! My dissection of Black Friday (so far!) will be with you a little later - for now the focus is on a flash goal set which was released late on Thursday.

Notification for Turkey Cooker goals

This is a five day quest much like the popcorn themed one which was released in October. That means that an old appliance is at the hub of things, and in this case the machine in question is the Turkey Cooker. Originally introduced as a goal prize three years ago, now everyone has another opportunity to utilise it. But even if you already have it there's something to play for, since there are three new recipes have been added to it and a large floor a decoration is also up for grabs.

Thanksgiving goals content report

This year's Thanksgiving goals expire on Thursday, so time is of the essence if you haven't yet completed the numerous tasks. I have (sort of - more on that later!) so thought I'd offer up some of my thoughts on the content which was available exclusively through the quest.

Introduction to Thanksgiving 2017 goals

First up, a comment on the cost of the various items which need to be bought along the way in these goals. This is becoming a recurring theme, but it has to be said - the goals are getting very expensive. Costs are escalating to a point where players are struggling to see much profit, largely because their counters are overflowing. I've still got over 15,000 plates of Boiled Lobster and 9,000 plates of Baked Scallops stinking the place up from the second set of Halloween goals.

It all comes to a head with the appliances, which are serious coin guzzlers. In the case of this quest, the Harvest Oven comes with a 42,500 coin price tag, while the Leaf Oven is a 57,500 coin buy. The latter is the fifth most expensive cooker of all time, and the most expensive since the Lemonade Fountain was added in June last year.

Suggestions Box (Nov 2017)

Every month I list five things I'd like to see added, altered or abolished from the game. Because even though my long time of playing Restaurant Story clearly shows I love it, that doesn't mean it's perfect. Some of the ideas I'll air will be significant game changers while others will be low-key and irrelevant in the eyes of many of you readers.

You can share your own suggestions too via the comments. If I like them, I may even include them in the next instalment!

In no particular order, here are this month's entries...

Black Friday is closing in

We've reached that most wonderful time of the year when the talk of the town is Black Friday. Marking the beginning of the holiday shopping season, this sales event originated in the US where it is celebrated on the fourth Friday in November - the start of Thanksgiving weekend. The event has become a brand, with many household names participating around the world, and Storm8 are no exception.

As far back as 2011 the developers of Restaurant Story have made Black Friday a special day in the game, with various different sales and events which have led to delirium and despair down the years. And although there can never be any guarantee that 2017 will take up the reins, you should be preparing for the possibility.

 Previous special sales

 26/11/16 Black Friday 2016
 28/11/15 Black Friday 2015
 20/12/14 Christmas 2014
 29/11/14 Black Friday 2014

 30/11/13 Black Friday 2013

And to help you be set for the big day, I've cobbled together a 10-point Q&A outlining some of the goodies that could be coming our way on the 24th...

Thanksgiving 2017 goals (in full)

Please note that this set of goals expired on Thursday 23rd November 2017. For details pertaining to the five day Thanksgiving goal set see here.

The goals just keep on coming in Restaurant Story, and this time it's Thanksgiving which is on the menu.

A 15 day quest, you should expect to see it vanish forever on Thursday 23rd November. Until then you've got an opportunity to unlock six floor decorations, two appliances and six recipes, all exclusively available through these goals.

Here is the complete list of steps:

• Step 1: Leaf It To Me
• Step 2: Better Brussel Sprouts
• Step 3: Victorious Valenykis
• Step 4: Stuffing It All In
• Step 5: Too Kale For School
• Step 6: Pumpkin Pasta
• Step 7: Display of Thanks
• Sidestep A: Harvest Hellos
• Sidestep B: A Leap of Faith

Bonus goals: 'Full of Thanks' (unlocks after Step 4):

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3

Game update: 09/11/17

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the end of the second Halloween goal set signalled the true kick off for autumn in Restaurant Story, marked by another quest centred on Thanksgiving.

Introduction to Thanksgiving 2017 goals

I've made no secret in the past of my passion for autumn in the game - it has been covered beautifully at times down the years, with some really well crafted content and memorable updates. So I have high expectations coming into this!

With that in mind, let's have a look at the full list of items introduced in this update:

Second Halloween goals content report

Around the community Halloween decor has mostly been packed up and sent into storage for another year. So to round off the Halloween season, here is a lowdown of the unlockable content from the second set of goals.

The goals were a surprise in themselves. We'd already enjoyed one comprehensive update which included a quest, so to get another for the same theme was nearly unprecedented. The only previous example of such an occurrence was in January when Storm8 first started tampering with the timeframes for goals. Back then it was winter themes which featured twice in a row.

Everyone's got their own take on the quick turnover of goal sets. For some it's great news because it means there's always something to do and additional stuff to be unearthed. But I'm firmly in the camp that feels this is all a tad too much. My preference would have been to see the latest content introduced via a regular update without the accompanying challenges. There's nothing wrong with goals, but too many leaves us with very little time for freestyle cooking and playing the game on our own terms. This is particularly significant as Black Friday approaches and every last mastery gem that can be earned needs to be squeezed out.

RS2 News (Nov 2017)

It's that time of the month where I throw a tantrum over the state of Restaurant Story 2. Since the Rock Star Life cruise event (which I covered in last month's edition) we've had one cruise, have started another, and endured two more batches of Lani's tedious tasks.

So let's cast our minds back to the Halloween cruise event which arrived late on Friday 20th October. The increasingly late start times for events not only in the sequel game but also the original is frustrating for me. Here in the UK it can be midnight or later before stuff drops, and despite typically still being up at that time I tend to miss the beginning of cruise events.

Main window of Halloween cruise event