When most players hear the phrase “cozy game,” images of farming, fishing, crafting, and cooking spring to mind. Beastro, the forthcoming title from indie developer and publisher Timberline Studio, embraces all these staples while adding a distinctive twist: tactical deck-building combat.
Life in Palo Pori: managing a bustling eatery
Set in the charming town of Palo Pori, Beastro centres on Panko, a talented yet anxious chef entrusted with running the local eatery. Life in the village is peaceful, but trouble brews beyond its walls. When Panko’s boss disappears, an injured god named Flambé arrives in town, seeking refuge and recovery. Players must manage every aspect of restaurant life, from tending crops and gathering ingredients to decorating the eatery to attract diners. Crafting also plays a role, allowing players to create everything from planting beds to meat tenderisers and enticing table settings. While decorating can increase earnings and attract more customers, there is no pressure to optimise furniture or aesthetics to succeed meticulously.
Cooking is at the heart of Beastro, with preparation and ingredient management—known as mise en place—taking centre stage. Players will chop, simmer, and stir their way through short, playful minigames reminiscent of Cooking Mama. Frying a fatty cut of meat requires careful movement of the pan to avoid burning, while boiling water becomes a fast-paced, carnival-style challenge. These brief kitchen activities break up the pace of the game’s otherwise leisurely life-sim mechanics. Even if players perform poorly, the minigames primarily offer bonus rewards rather than penalising failure, keeping the experience light and accessible.
From kitchen to battlefield: How meals shape combat
Beyond satisfying the town’s residents, Panko must also feed the Caretakers, the powerful guardians of Beastro’s walled villages. Although Panko does not venture outside the town, he learns about the Caretakers’ exploits through the Puppet Theatre, which introduces the game’s combat system. In this section, the game shifts to a 2D perspective and incorporates deck-building mechanics. The dishes served by Panko generate the Caretaker’s combat deck, with each card representing a flavour trait such as sweet or spicy. Some traits counteract others, while certain combinations amplify their effects. Battles require careful planning and strategic thinking, though not every turn will offer ideal options, and occasional setbacks are inevitable. Combat remains engaging without overstaying its welcome.
The Puppet Theatre is home to a variety of whimsically intimidating creatures, from prancing wooden pigs to forest animals empowered by flaming tomatoes. The papercraft-style visuals are a standout feature, particularly the design of umami Caretaker Oyshi, a yeti-like figure with a broad grin, a drool streak, and a crown of browning banana peels. Elsewhere in the game, character designs continue to impress, with gentle-eyed purple livestock and squirrels sporting leafy tails populating the vibrant villages.
After several hours with Beastro, it is evident that the game offers much more than its introductory activities. The occasional bursts of roguelite combat provide an energetic contrast to the predictable rhythm of farm-life simulation, keeping gameplay fresh and compelling. With multiple surrounding villages in need of Panko’s culinary skills, the game promises dozens of hours of content for players willing to explore its world.
Beastro is scheduled to launch in spring 2026 on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X, and via Xbox Game Pass. The combination of cosy life-sim mechanics, creative cooking minigames, and strategic combat positions it as a unique entry in the genre, appealing to both casual and tactical gamers alike.
