When I saw Dosa Divas while scrolling the massive list of Steam Next Fest demos a few weeks ago, it spoke to me. Originally, I was going to include my impressions in a mini-roundup, but two issues emerged. 1. There's a specific theme I had in mind for that piece, and Dosa Divas didn't fit. 2. Dosa Divas is awesome and deserves a bigger spotlight to explain that when this game (hopefully) drops in April? People will notice. As someone who's been hankerin' for a dynamic turn-based combat system, I finally found that craving satisfied! (Yes, expect food-based puns. That's just how life goes.)

What Is 'Dosa Divas'?

Good question you definitely asked, dear reader! Dosa Divas is an RPG developed by Outerloop Games (THEY MADE THIRSTY SUITORS -- I KNEW THERE WAS A REASON I KEPT THINKING ABOUT THAT) and published by Outersloth, featuring two sisters: Samara and Amani. You see, Amani just rolled back into town after a prolonged absence. Since she's been gone, her other sister, Lina, has fully embraced capitalism -- turning their once-humble fishing village into a corporate hellscape where freshly-cooked meals have been replaced by... fast food. Seriously, this isn't me going on my usual pro-proletariat rant again. A major part of the story is Samara and Amani bringing heartfelt meals back to their community!

Together with their sentient food truck mech, Goddess, they have to defeat Lina's legion of crooked lawyers and other corporate ghouls, stopping them from controlling the last group of villagers willing to fight back. In line with Outerloop Games, our core characters will have to unpack their feelings and traumas, learning about reconciliation and forgiveness. Outerloop is good at that, trust me. Also, yeah, there are spirit mechs running around. They emote. It's cute.

That's A Spicy Mech-a-Ball!

I'm going to do the annoying games journalist thing because I can. Basically, Dosa Divas is Paper Mario meets Cooking Mama meets Sea of Stars in a magical blend of turn-based, context-sensitive chaos and cooking shenanigans. You have your basic RPG staples here: standard attacks, skills (requiring different inputs to successfully utilize), items, cool-ass ultimate moves, etc. But Outerloop can take the familiar and put their own fun spin on it, so if you properly time your block against an enemy's attack, you can take reduced damage -- or even take nothing with a Perfect Block. You also have "Boosts" you can earn, which increase the number of hits you land on an enemy. Each character has a flavor-based moveset, meaning that you have five potential weaknesses (Sour, Sweet, Salty, Spicy, and Savory) to exploit, which can stun your foes and skip their turn.

Dosa Divas' other major feature is cooking! You can whip up some delicious meals for yourself or your friends, as long as you have the ingredients to spare. There are ingredients scattered throughout the vibrant villages you'll explore. However, you'll often have to fight some mooks to get the good stuff (as is tradition). Once you have a solid range to work with, you can prepare a recipe that outlines everything you'll need. Or if you're feeling bold, you can try "Freeform Cooking," allowing you to experiment and come up with wacky outcomes. To keep this process fresh, you'll play a few quick minigames to determine the amount and quality of the meal. In the demo, there's a healthy rotation of various minigames, and hopefully, Dosa Divas adds more in the full release!

'Dosa Divas' Will Have You Coming Back For Seconds (And Thirds)

Outerloop Games has clearly taken everything they learned from Thirsty Suitors and transferred it here with aplomb. The combat is challenging, there's an interesting "Village Progression" feature with a wide range of rewards, and the characters are memorable! All those singular ingredients come together to make a hearty, delightful stew I can't wait to indulge in when Dosa Divas graces us with its launch in April!

No, I'm not going to spoil any of the rich narrative nuances. Just trust me, give the demo a try! (You can even customize your mechs; I love a good customization suite!)