-----Introduction-----
Papa's Mocharia is the fifteenth entry in the long-running Papa's Pizzeria series of restaurant simulation games from developer Flipline Studios. In this title, the player controls a barista who has been hoodwinked into serving coffees and cannoli to hundreds of eager customers. Now is as good a time as any to look back and analyze Mocharia's successes and flaws, as well as give a final word on whether or not it's worth the price tag.

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-----The Negatives-----

Special Recipes
The special recipes in Papa's Mocharia are unfortunately very homogenized. All of them are large lattes, with no syrup on the bottom of the cup, one mix-in after the espresso, one mix-in after the milk, and two toppings to finish it off. Why must they all stick to such a strict formula? Even the special logos feel somewhat formulaic. Perhaps it is just the fact that special recipes are no longer a new addition to the series, but they do not feel nearly as exciting in Mocharia as they did in the titles closer to their debut.

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Foodini Games
Foodini's Mini-Games are perhaps the weakest they have been since they were introduced in Pancakeria. Hallway Hunt and Spin N' Sauce make a comeback, which is unfortunate because they are two of the worst Foodini games ever. Slider Escape, while a good game, is lackluster here because it's just a stripped-down version of Slider Scouts, a fully-fleshed out mobile app that Flipline fans presumably already have. Foodini really could have used a brand-new game or two to round out the lineup, but unfortunately his mini-games this time around are nothing to write home about.

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Mix Station
By far the largest issue with Papa's Mocharia is that it fumbles the time-management gameplay that the series is known for. In the Brew Station, milk will always take the same amount of time to froth, no matter how much milk the customer ordered. Because both the timing of the milk and the timing between orders stays identical, every single day will follow the same schedule. Unlike in previous games, astute players will be able to fully predict and plan for when each of their Brew Station alarms go off. This doesn't take away from the fun of the Topping and Build Stations, but it definitely hurts the overall pacing because the game does not provide any opportunities for the player to think on their toes.

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-----The Positives-----
Making Use of the Platform
Traditionally, the food that is being served in each Papa Louie restaurant corresponds with the new feature of its respective game. For example, the Dining Room was first introduced in Papa's Pastaria, which makes a lot of sense since pasta places are rarely takeout-only. The most notable aspect of Papa's Mocharia is that it is the first mainline game in the series to be mobile-exclusive. This makes it the perfect game in which to serve coffee orders, which are usually quick, small, and made on the daily. What better food could there be for a platform that is used every day for simple tasks and that fits comfortably in the palm of one's hand? The setting of New Pepperton - a cozy, hipster-ish village - also fits that sleek, early-iPhone-brand aesthetic. Mocharia being complementary to its platform carries over to the gameplay as well. The Brew Station, while very flawed, has one thing going for it. In certain situations, the player can perform four different actions with each of their fingers all on the touchscreen. To attempt this multitasking trick requires a level of awareness and physical skill that can't be replicated on the PC Gamerias, which grants a sense of real satisfaction when it's actually pulled off.

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Graphics
Overall, game dev Tony Solary's artwork is on par with the rest of the Papa Louie series. However, I would be remiss not to mention the incredible amount of detail that went into the color mixing of the latte in the Build Station. The syrups, powders, milks, and espressos all combine in gradients that feel natural and pleasant, even when they should be inherently ugly. The seasonal ingredients also have a very strong visual identity. Even the perpetually awful New Year's ingredients are only mildly hideous this time around. Specifically, I was impressed by the creativity of the seasonal cannoli shells, most of which fully embodied their respective holidays in a unique, vibrant way.

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Ingredients
When the player unlocks syrups, they are used in both the Build Station and the Topping Station. Likewise, the whipped cream and shaker ingredients are used both to top lattes as well as fill cannoli. Reusing these ingredients in two distinct ways is an efficient method of increasing the amount of order possibilities. On a different note, unlocking crushed ice halfway through the game was a very special experience. It reminded me of unlocking Chocolate Whipped Cream in Papa's Freezeria, where an ingredient that you had always taken for granted suddenly has a new counterpart.

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-----The Verdict-----
As always, Flipline Studios have delivered a high-quality, well-polished restaurant simulation game. The music, challenges, clothing options, character customization, interior decorating, and overall presentation are all as solid as ever. Prospective buyers should know that they are getting a standard Gameria experience in Mocharia. While it would have been nice to see a bit more innovation, it is understandable that Flipline would opt to play it relatively safe for their first mobile-exclusive game in the series. 

Is Papa's Mocharia worth it for $1.99? Absolutely. For players looking for better time-management mechanics, however, I would recommend trying other games in the series.