Hungry? Enjoy a Delicious Slice of "Project Pizzaro Deep Dish"
Light on the cilantro, please…extra light.
Never did I think "date a pizza clown" would be a priority for me when it comes to finding fun visual novels. That said, my search took a delightfully unexpected turn when I stumbled upon the silly little game known as Project Pizzaro Deep Dish. A visual novel created by batensan, the story follows Anne Chovy, a woman who works at her parent’s fish market in the fictional world of Cal Zone. It is after one of her shifts where she meets a silly clown named Pizzaro, along with several other characters in this freshly baked (and dare I say, cheesy) tale.
Is the story golden brown in our eyes? Did we encounter any charred toppings or doughy spots along the way? Let's take a look at the notes.
Setting the Stage: "Project Pizzaro Deep Dish"
I’m getting this out of the way before anything else: Project Pizzaro Deep Dish has one of the most adorable start screens I’ve ever seen. You'll need to see it when you boot up the game, but it is incredibly cute. The pizza slice cursor, the raining pizzas, the twinkles in the sky watching the polka-dot clown put their hand out for the main character…it's fantastic. Easily one of my top favourite start screens in games.
Going past the play button, you are immediately transported into the Cal Zone's fish market, owned by Anne Chovy's parents. Personally, I've never had a slice of pizza and thought, "Yes, my favourite topping: anchovies," but this game uses that very ingredient to set the scene, and I think that just adds to the darling factor to "Project Pizzaro Deep Dish."
The Cheese That Pulled Me In
The story itself gave me the same warm feelings I experience when biting into the perfect slice of pizza, fresh from the oven and sprinkled with the perfect amount of red pepper flakes. A spice kick here, a fruity taste over there — it was divine from start to finish. For me, these were the superstar features of the game:
⭐ A delightful and tasty soundtrack. The BGM for the entire game was beautiful. Relaxing and calm, with just the perfect amount of cheery. I sometimes found myself keeping the game on without realizing it, because I enjoyed the soundtrack that much. From scene to scene, the devs knew exactly how to set the mood for each part of the story, and I feel like that enhanced the game experience very well.
⭐ Beautifully designed characters. Soft, glowy, and wonderfully shaded, the outfits for each character are stunning. Anne’s dress was especially gorgeous, and really did remind me of a tin of anchovies. Other characters like Pizzaro (the clown), Cilantro (Anne’s childhood friend), and Benjamin (some normal-looking gentleman) also have their own outfits with special little touches to make them uniquely theirs.
⭐The cutest UI of any visual novel I’ve ever read. Resembling the top of a piece of notebook paper, I really loved the added touch of cute little stars in the corner. The tattered edges add a nostalgic and light-hearted touch, blending in nicely with the hand-drawn backgrounds and characters. Usually when I read visual novels, their UI design is very intricate and polished. This one is done very simply — no fancy borders, no extra buttons, none of that. Simple, well-constructed, and super adorable.
The Toppings, They’re Slipping!
As much as I want to continue blabbing about how delightful and fun this game is, I need to shed light on some of what I think are some of its…less appealing qualities. Here are a few fallen stars I caught along my adventure:
🌠 Contrasting character designs that also broke the fourth wall. I noticed in the beginning of the game that some characters were drawn in different art styles. At first, I was a bit confused, as I typically see consistent styles across characters and background images. It wasn’t until I reached one of the "fourth wall" breaks mentioning it that I realized the differing art styles were intentional. While I do understand that it was meant to be a humorous bit, The initial feeling of confusion didn't give me the chance to enjoy the joke to the fullest.
🌠 Clunky story pacing. There were moments in the game where I found myself progressing through the story at a much faster pace than I would have liked. Information and backstory about the world of Cal Zone was revealed in a way where it felt too convenient for the progression of the plot.
Let’s not forget that this is a clown dating sim, as well. As much as I love the thought of immediately getting into a dating situation with a clown (my favourite type of people ever), I actually wanted to see some sort of friendship between Anne and Pizzaro before the Romantic Decision towards the end of the game. From what I read, some of the dialogue seemed very rushed (relevant to the plot).
🌠Minor grammar cracks. From a grammar perspective, the script as a whole could have also benefited from a few commas here and there, but that’s more of a nitpicky critique.
Let’s be real – sometimes pizza does get a bit burnt. Some people like it, others not as much. I leave it to you to decide on your preference.
The Superstar of the Show
To no one's surprise, the one person I’m head over heels (or in this case, clown shoes) for is the very normal man Anne encounters while at the park:
💖 Benjamin 💖
The sheer beauty of his face spectacles melted my heart like fresh mozzarella on a slice of margherita pizza. His presence is brief in the game, yet it made a lasting impression on me. I almost wished he was part of the story for longer than he was, but I guess (fictional) distance does indeed make the heart grow fonder.
So, How Was The Food?
A fun story with silly characters and a colourful town, Project Pizzaro Deep Dish is a cute game that can put a smile on anyone’s face. Despite a few holes in the plot, the game is a fresh take on the typical dating sim, truly a gem for anyone looking for that niche experience of dating a funny little guy with a red nose. Add in the gorgeous artwork and melodic soundtrack, and you’ve got yourself one heck of a tasty game.
Now let me get the check — the food’s on me.
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