Cake Mania 2 Review

<B>Platform:</b> PC
<b>ERSB:</b> E Everyone
<b>Genre:</b> Simulation
<b>Number of Players:</b> 1
<b>Publisher:</b> Majesco Sales Inc. and Sandlot Games
<b>Release Date:</b> 10-23-2007
<a href=”http://www.sandlotgames.com/”>Official Website</a>
<b>Writer:</b> Vainya

56a8d2; font-size: large;”>Rating: 7.0

Jill’s back and better than ever. Better at what you say? Well what she always does, bake cakes! Not much has changed in the gameplay sense. Some call it work, some call it play. Some call it a puzzle I’d like to say simulation but I digress.

In Cake Mania 2, instead of helping your grandparents out to re-open your bakery, you are reaching personal goals. Mostly you’re helping your friends out but that’s okay. They never really pay you back anyway.

Graphics:
For once I have to praise the developers on the graphics. I was comparing the graphics between the first Cake Mania and this game and the details are amazing. Where the graphics were clunky and blurry in the first one, they have made up for it in this sequel. Also, the levels have variety. Instead of looking like you’re in the same room, baking cakes on the same equipment with fewer differences, everything’s beautifully done and really gets you in the mood for whatever task you’re helping whatever friend with.
Graphics score: 9 /10

Controls:
Well the controls are basically the same. You click on a person who wants to order, click on the oven, bake the cake, frost it, decorate and serve. But it’s very much less clunky and you just might not get frustrated and actually become addicted. It’s not a big enough change for me to change the score that I gave the DS version, but the PC version has definitely got it.
Controls score: 9/10

Flow:
Ah flow! Yes you’ve heard my cries. The flow is lovely. Okay well, it’s pretty much the same as in the previous game. This time you actually have the freedom to help whomever you want. At the beginning of each level there is a map. This map shows the general world you are working in. Yes, it is much more realistic than in the first game. Anyway, there’s a choice of which you want to help after a story explaining their circumstances. You only help them for a year and then you’re free to do whatever else it is that you want to do, whether that be helping the person you didn’t help before or doing something else. You pick everything. Even though the game’s the same essentially, this and the endless mode where you fill endless orders with limited resources make the game flow that much more interesting.
Flow score: 5/10

Fun Factor:
This game is known for making playing it seem like a task and unwanted work. But this? Well, it feels the same. Even though there is some variety to the levels, individual goals to work with, or impossible conditions to meet, the game still isn’t as fun as it should be. Sure it’s fun if you want to play it for a few minutes and then put it down. But in the long term, it gets quite boring and the game play seems repetitive no matter how many upgrades you purchase.
Fun score: 6/10

Female Aspect:
As always, this game excels in this area. There are not many games with females as the main character working toward some goal. Jill is seen as positive and really the gaming world needs a lot more characters like her.
Female Factor score: 9/10

Replay Value:
I highly doubt that you might want to play this game a second time, because the game’s length is outrageous, and once you finish it, you’ll probably be happy to have explored all the options in the game just that once.
Replay Score: 2/10

Vainya’s comments: As you can see, I have not changed the ratings much from the first Cake Mania review that I did for the DS version. This game is not horrible enough to skip, but it is definitely a bargain bin buy.