NOTE: This review was originally posted on October 1, 2024, on Animehouse.moe. However, since the owner of the site disappeared, I am reposting my review of one of my favorite games here on my new site. I had originally planned to rewrite it, but I think it’s nice to preserve my thoughts on the game as I experienced it for the first time. Additionally, the nature of Enjoy the Diner makes it a “less is more” type of review anyway. Though I did edit some parts of it.

Enjoy The Diner is a game created by Monthly Wetlands that was released on Steam on July 31st, 2023. We follow a character who after studying for an exam decides to go out in the middle of the night to get food from a diner known as Moon Palace. While out for that late night snack we end up stuck in this odd diner and quickly realize we cannot leave.

The game doesn’t hide the absurdity of this clearly-not-right diner at all, as the small area that it inhabits feels like a gate into a different world. Vending machines that sell weird drinks like penguin soda. A restaurant with no exits. A pitch black void with only the moon visible. The monotonous environment of the diner is also where you’ll meet our quirky characters.

Hey Fellow Diner

King, a character who comes from some time in the past exudes an aura of nobility and mystique. Chelonica, the newest member of the diner, who arrived just before you. He’s a smart man trying to find a way out- just like you- and he has a fun side to him. Glasspan, a veteran of Moon Palace who seems a bit aloof, but her eyes convey a certain sadness. She claims to have been here for thousands of years. And Chenes, the longest patrons stuck here and the most enigmatic as she has hidden herself inside a room through her entire time here. These four are the only characters you can talk with throughout the game.

Hard to Describe. You Have to Experience It Yourself

Considering the above, Enjoy the Diner is a unique experience and one that is quite hard to describe without spoiling anything- thanks to many of the story’s elements meant to be derived from probing the other characters, resulting in a slower burn. It’s a strange thing to say, considering it’s four-hour playtime. The game is a visual novel, and all you do is click around until you get more prompts to ask the patrons trapped with you about the place, themselves, or simply whether there’s cake in this damned diner (there is not).

I didn’t know what to expect when I played Enjoy The Diner for the first time, aside from the very unique and minimalistic presentation it offers. The simple line work and two-tone shading look distinctive even though they’re quite simple. Together they create a surreal vibe that feels hazy, almost like a fever dream, especially if you play it all in one go, as I did.

As you navigate through this eerily unchanging restaurant it can drive you mad, like you were there yourself. The game presents you with hilarious moments, tragic scenes, and some extremely lore-intensive and emotional beats. It nearly covers every sense of your experience, from the weird visuals all the way down to the versatile story it’s trying to tell. The game also greatly rewards those looking for extra lore, so I highly recommend you use up all your dialogue options if you have them left. You’ll be doing a lot of reading in this game, and I don’t recommend you skip any of it.

Final Thoughts

Enjoy the Diner is a bizarre, short experience that has left a lasting impact on me. With its charming characters and its unique way of conveying themes of time, stagnation, and love, it’s one of those games you must experience for the first time without knowing much. It presents a sense of purgatory that will eventually become a comforting feeling throughout the game.

The creator, @oississui, is on Twitter, and I would love for you to check him out. He’salso working on a new game called METRO PENGUIN EUTOPIA which should be releasing this year, and if it’s as good as this game, I’ll probably be writing about that too.

–
Now back to present-day me here! As I reflect on this review, I still think this game is just as good as ever and carries a great message it wants to share. A lot has happened since I wrote the original review you read. Heck, it’s not even on the same site anymore. I’m out of school now and looking for a job. I’m not really sure where my future will lead.

I think sometimes you just have to live and see where things go, even when it feels hopeless or endless, much like what many of the characters in this game experience. Find someone to connect with and forge a path forward.