[h1]Short Review[/h1]
DINNERDINNNER is one of the worst-running games I've played from Lu so far, and that's saying something considering there isn't a single demanding thing happening on screen. I was chugging along at around 10 FPS on a machine that handles AAA titles without breaking a sweat, and that happened consistently, not just in one bad area. The story is a bit confusing like most of Lu's work, but the ending mostly makes up for it, even if I wouldn't really call this a horror adventure game the way it markets itself. Mixed feelings all around, but the performance issues alone make this a hard one to recommend.
[h1]Full Review[/h1]
DINNERDINNNER is a horror adventure walking sim where you work a shift at a diner and run into a string of odd customers and even odder conversations. I've played a handful of Lu's games at this point, so I came into this one with a general idea of what to expect: short runtime, minimal gameplay, a story that leans more atmospheric than coherent. This one mostly delivered on that reputation, just with a much bigger asterisk attached than usual.
[b]The performance.[/b] This is genuinely one of the worst running games I've played from Lu so far. There is nothing remotely intensive going on here. It's a short walking sim with a handful of static rooms and character models, and yet I was sometimes moving at around 10 FPS. My computer runs full AAA titles without issue, so this wasn't a hardware problem on my end. It happened consistently throughout the entire playtime. For a game this small in scope, this is ridiculous, and it sort of influenced my entire experience before I even got to judge the story or atmosphere on their own merits.
[b]The story.[/b] The story is a bit confusing, which by now feels like a Lu signature rather than a flaw exclusive to this game. Things are vague, conversations feel disconnected, and you're mostly left piecing together the tone rather than any concrete plot. That said, the ending did a decent job of tying things together and left me with a better impression than the middle of the game gave me reason to expect. I will say, though, I wouldn't really call this a horror adventure game the way the store page markets it. There are unsettling moments and a general sense of unease, but if you're coming in expecting actual horror, you're likely going to walk away disappointed.
[b]The presentation.[/b] The wobbly, slightly off-kilter cutscenes are something I've come to expect from Lu's games at this point, but it felt like a bit much here. It's a stylistic choice that's worked better in other entries, and here it just added to the overall rough feeling of the experience, especially paired with the performance issues.
Overall, DINNERDINNNER isn't the worst thing Lu has made, but the gameplay and pacing felt lackluster for a good chunk of the runtime, and that's before even factoring in the performance. The ending helped salvage some goodwill for the story, but a walking sim this small in scope has no business running this poorly, and it's hard to overlook that. I can't recommend this one, but I didn't hate it either. If you're a fan of Lu's other work, you might still find something worthwhile here, just go in with tempered expectations.
[code]If you liked this review, then feel free to check out my [url=https://www.youtube.com/@VinroyIsViral]YouTube Channel[/url] for more reviews. I also have a curator group called [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43774503-The-Completionist-Crusaders/]"The Completionist Crusaders"[/url] that focuses more toward completionists. Thank you, and happy gaming![/code]
