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:

Tables:

• Leafy Table - 23,500 coins

Chairs:

• Leafy Chair - 25,500 coins

Floor decorations:

• Turkey Cutout - 22,500 coins
• Harvest Turkey - locked by goal
• Turkey Display - locked by goal
• Glowing Turkey - locked by goal

Wallpapers:

• Leafy Walls - 8,500 coins

Floor tiles:

• Leafy Tiles - 7,500 coins

Appliances:

• Harvest Oven - locked by goal
• Leaf Oven - locked by goal

Counters:

• Harvest Counter - 22,500 coins

That's 11 additions, although we can expect a 12th in the form of the prize from the bonus goals. At the core of this collection of new decor is the looming shadow of Bakery Story. A number of the items in the list have made the perilous journey over from the sister game, although it has to be said that it is only a number of them - plenty of the content is original.

Of those that can be bought freely in the market from the start, the Turkey Cutout is perhaps the most eye-catching. A 2x1 sized piece, this is an illustration of the majesty of the turkey tail feathers, with a large circular spread. But in truth I'd have liked to have seen a three dimensional turkey decoration, much like the Rustic Turkey already in the market.

Then there's the Leafy Tiles which is fairly expensive at 7,500 coins each, although is still down on the 9,000 coins asking price for the Peaked Flooring released in the last update. A leaf is located in the centre of this tile, with segments of another leaf in each corner. Consequently joining adjacent tiles together will result in a smooth pattern. The truth of it is that any autumn flooring will disappoint me given that the Leaves tile exists. It was added in 2015 and with its wild and realistic appearance might just be my favourite floor tile of all time. In contrast the Leafy Tile looks downright dull.

And I'm not going to perk up at the sight of the Leafy Walls. A wallpaper consisting of two leaf forms printed on a yellow background, this is such an uncreative effort. There's no spark about it which is disappointing. The slightly sickly yellow tone isn't really helping, and ultimately this is a resounding thumbs down.

The Leafy Table and Leafy Chair turn my mood around somewhat thanks to their lack of rigidity. In each case we have red and orange leaves packed together into the form of a table or chair, but it's the absence of sharp edges which I'm nodding my approval at. There's a rustic approach to this design, and that's an accurate portrayal of autumn in my book - it's a harsh and untidy season, and that is reflected succinctly here.

The Harvest Counter takes a different approach, with a box form. The dark brown wood texture has that perfect autumn shade, although I'd personally have opted against the glossy streaks on top. Glass panels on the sides give a sight of something within, although it's difficult to put a finger on exactly what. Presumably it's some product of the harvest, but beyond that the best thing I can come up with is potpourri, and I'm not aware on any autumn connection there.

So based on what we've seen so far I'm feeling a little let down. I'm certainly hoping that those decorations hidden behind padlocks at present are able to pull this update round. And before I call it a night there's something else well hidden that we need to discuss - a trio of Thankgiving themed recipes!

Re-released Thanksgiving themed recipes

A 4 hour Basic Oven recipe, the Glazed Turkey was originally added in 2012, and as you can see from the image above I failed to gather either of the mastery gems available. You can bet I'll be ensuring I get them both this time! Meanwhile the Bacon Roasted Turkey and Gobble Up Cupcakes entered the fray in 2013, and both have been present ever since on iOS. But on Android only those players who downloaded a special edition of the app at the time had access, so now everyone has the opportunity to cook these dishes.

There has been no notification of these foods' return at the time of writing which is odd, and with no timer within the recipe list we can't be sure whether this is temporary return, and if so how long for. My gut feeling is that they are all going to stay permanently, but that could be a dangerous assumption. And if you're braced to go on a mastering spree with these three just note - there's a very good chance they'll be involved in the bonus goals down the road so it may be best to hold yourself back on that one!

And talking of the goals, you can get all the details on them in my dedicated post here. A goals content report will follow once I complete the quest, where we'll dissect the floor decorations, appliances and recipes which are accessed via the numerous challenges. Time to get cooking!