by Victoria Blackburn

Created on: February 06, 2009   Last Updated: February 09, 2009

Chocolatier: Decadence by Design is the third instalment in the Chocolatier series of games developed by Big Splash Games. Once again you are helping restore the chocolate empire that was Baumeister Confections. In Decadence by Design, we have moved forward through time from the 1920s when Chocolatier 2: Secret Ingredients took place. In the second instalment, we were introduced to Alex Tangey and in this latest instalment, she needs our help again. It is post World War II 1946 and Baumeister Confections is struggling. The great depression and the war have taken their toll on the chocolate company.

Alex is now married to Sean Fletcher, who is missing in action and presumed dead. Alex believes her husband is still alive and is going to find him, which is where we come in ... our role in Decadence by Design is to be able to win over the Board of Directors of Baumeister Confections, all Baumeister family members. In the process, we will be resurrecting Baumeister Confections to its previous glory and also gathering hints to help Alex in her hunt for her husband. Once we have all the Board members on our side, Alex will sign over the chocolate empire to us and she will be free to search for her husband.

As with the two previous games, players travel the globe in search of ingredients and to complete tasks that move them forward through the storyline. As you become more successful, further areas are opened up and modes of transport improve. Also, you are able to create your own special concoctions in a secret lab from rare ingredients you collect on your travels.

The graphics are good and although similar to the other games, enough tweaks have been made to bring it to the right time frame. The music and sound effects create the right ambiance for each situation. The story is very good and keeps you engrossed as you play. The sense of urgency created by the story is really the winning point of this game. Keeping track of who needs what and where, your inventory levels and buying and selling product, makes the game feel like you really are creating a chocolate empire. As with the other two games, this game is highly addictive and you will find yourself saying "Ok, just finish this one task and I'll stop", only to find yourself still playing much later.

I am a big fan of all the Chocolatier games, so I knew from the outset that I would be buying this even before I played the 60 minute trial. I definitely recommend this game to anyone and everyone as it makes a nice change from the many games out there. Overall, I give this game a 4.5/5.

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