A kitchen on fire, a friend yelling that someone needs to chop the onions, and a friendship starting to crack.

On gut feeling, with no criterion, Overcooked! 2 doesn't convince: it beats only a quarter of games. And look where it breaks. Fun falls very low, ahead of barely 12% of titles, when fun is supposed to be its whole reason to exist. Attachment does worse still, around 11%, and it's the most solidly voted criterion here, across nine duels. Controller feel and art style do better, around the lower middle, as does the urge to rediscover it. Desert island and soundtrack sit low, but on two votes each, so treat that as early signal.

Here's the gap: this is a game that doesn't exist on its own. Its value comes from a couch, four controllers and people arguing while laughing. Away from that table, compared to games you keep for yourself and that leave a private mark, it has little to offer.

So who is it for? For you if you want a loud evening, something to share with people who don't play, joyful chaos in thirty minutes. Much less so if you play alone, or if you're after a game that stays with you for years.