New Horizons, and Stardew Valley Rolled into 1 Whimsical Adventure
When gamers think of Overcooked, the first word that likely comes to mind is “chaos.” No matter how good a group’s relationships are prior to entering the kitchen of the hectic co-op title, someone is likely to get angry during the shift, as simple mistakes and a little miscommunication can cause everything to fall apart fast. At the same time, getting into a good flow and succeeding at Overcooked is incredibly satisfying, explaining why it’s one of many popular options that the friendslop genre has to offer. It is, however, hugely different from the cozy game staples Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which is why the Steam game Pao Pao being comparable to all three is so intriguing.
Stardew Valley is the king of farming sims, so naturally, farming mechanics are integral to its gaming loop. However, it’s just as popular for its standout NPCs, as years of memorable interactions with them saw the internet going into a frenzy when ConcernedApe announced new marriage candidates for update 1.7. And practically everyone knows the story of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, as gathering dreamies and designing one’s ideal island was the main source of joy for many during the COVID pandemic. For the lucky players who enjoy all three of these games — especially primary influence Overcooked — Pao Pao is a game that they’ll immediately want to add to their Steam wishlists.
Per the Pao Pao Steam page, the game is set to release in Early Access at some point during Q2 2026.
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Pao Pao Features at a Glance
- CUSTOMIZE your creature protagonist, choosing from cats, foxes, raccoons, and “other furry critters.”
- MANAGE a restaurant, cooking and completing orders quickly to keep customers fed.
- ENJOY mini-games for each and every task, keeping players on their toes.
- COMPLETE quests for NPCs, unlocking special ingredients to be used in your restaurant.
- EXPERIENCE a full day-night cycle, with mornings for fishing and hitting up shops while nights are used for relaxation.
- DISCOVER a curious mystery involving a lighthouse and other surprises within an open world.
Enjoy the freedom to explore, build, and create in a cozy open world as a fluffy chef with a kitchen knife. Discover islands, take on quests, grow crops, find rare items, and decorate your restaurant.
Fit the 9 games into the grid.
Pao Pao Blends Cozy Gaming With Co-Op Chaos
While Pao Pao can be fully enjoyed solo, the game offers co-op mechanics for up to four players. And for anyone looking to recreate the Overcooked vibes, this is surely going to be the path to take, as players will be doing mini-games and completing restaurant orders side by side. Like with Overcooked, customer service seems to be the main mechanic, only there’s far more depth to Pao Pao on top of that. Instead of levels that end once the orders run out, once players complete their shifts in Pao Pao, they’re free to do other activities. Sure, they can sleep to get a speed bonus for the next shift, but they can also go fishing for cooking materials, explore the village to solve mysteries, and wait until morning to hit up the NPC shops at the crack of dawn.
Like Stardew Valley’s NPCs, the characters inhabiting the world of Pao Pao are more than just a stock of inventory. These “quirky” characters will offer quests to the player that reflect their personalities and give them things to do outside the usual gameplay loop. Examples listed include overhauling one’s restaurant to impress a VIP who is visiting the area, while a competition against other chefs is also mentioned via the description of this upcoming Steam title. And of course, like any good Stardew-like, players will be able to tend to a farm, which seemingly sits outside their restaurant.
Farms are hardly the only addition Pao Pao players can make to their eatery, though. In addition to extensive character customization comparable to Animal Crossing’s Villager outfits — chef hats, bandanas, etc. — players will be able to design the interior of their restaurant. After each week of work, they’ll receive a restaurant bill, getting better rewards depending on how satisfied their customers were during that period. With these funds, they can add extra space, greenhouses, and aquariums to their place of work. And while this all sounds great, once Pao Pao leaves early access, it will offer something even more Animal Crossing-like: a player village.
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Pao Pao Should Only Get Better With Time
As with most Steam early access projects, Pao Pao is leveraging the feature to get player feedback from forums and surveys. It will launch with all the core systems, which are “cooking, customer service, fishing, and farming.” A portion of the city will exist, and there will be NPC interactions, but early access adopters can expect these systems (and the core mechanics) to deepen as updates are released. Content will be released in phases, with the goal being for the final version of the game to offer independent progression, inventories, and skills for players. Additionally, mechanics akin to Stardew Valley’s festivals, seasonal events, and gift giving are mentioned as ideas that are in development. However, it’s the player village that sounds most exciting.
Pao Pao’s developer, ArtDock, has mentioned that the final price of the game could differ from the currently unknown early access price. So, anyone interested in cozy games and/or friendslop may want to consider getting Pao Pao sooner if they’re interested.
While Pao Pao’s player village is only briefly mentioned in the early access blurb on the game’s Steam Page, that mention is surely going to be enough to pique the interest of any big fan of the Animal Crossing franchise. This village will feature player homes that can be “customized inside and out,” providing more space for gardens and some additional activities. The idea of returning to a village where all of your friends live in the same neighborhood after a hectic day of work sounds incredible, especially if Pao Pao can create a rewarding loop where players use their paychecks to buy a ton of decorations for their homes. With some top-tier influences, a charming art style, and a clear roadmap for future content, Pao Pao is undoubtedly a game worth watching.