Dead Plate

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Wait tables for a week at a 1960s bistro and learn what the chef is hiding.

Platforms: PC, Mac
Stores: itch.io
Price: Pay what you want
Rated: Rated 4.8 of 5 on itch.io from 3,237 ratings
Length: about 1 hour 30 minutes per ending, up to 3 hours for everything
Players: 1
Controls: Arrow keys to move and face, Z to interact
Made by: racheldrawsthis, Rix and STUDIO INVESTIGRAVE
Released: 2023

Not on Linux. Dead Plate is on itch.io, PC and Mac. It is not in the Linux part of the site you came from.

What frightens A waiter working a week at a fancy 1960s French bistro slowly finds out what its charming chef is hiding. The makers warn of graphic death, blood, gore, violence, cannibalism and disturbing imagery and audio, and the cheerful serving shifts give way to scenes where Rody is caught and has to struggle to move.
Content: gore, blood, graphic death, violence, cannibalism, disturbing imagery and audio, eyestrain.

Dead Plate is a short 2D horror game made in RPG Maker, set in a fancy bistro in 1960s France. You play Rody, a waiter trying to earn as much money as he can in a week under the charismatic chef Vince, serving tables by day while the story turns to blood and gore. It has four endings and is free to download on itch.io, with pay what you want.

About Dead Plate

Dead Plate is a story-led horror game by racheldrawsthis and Rix of STUDIO INVESTIGRAVE, with music and sound by BellKalengar. It is set at La Gueule de Saturne, a fancy bistro in 1960s France owned by Vince, a charismatic and successful chef. You play Rody, a lively waiter who has a week to make as much money as possible.

Most days are a restaurant tycoon game: you take orders, carry plates, clear tables and keep customers patient against the clock, then spend your tips on items such as cologne, skates or a watch that make the shifts easier. Between shifts you talk with Vince and the rest of the staff in illustrated visual novel scenes, choose what to say and poke around the restaurant's rooms. The makers count more than 70 illustrations, eight maps and over 8,000 lines of dialogue.

The horror grows out of that cosy routine. The bright, busy dining room sits next to a place where something is wrong, and the game's warning lists graphic death, blood, gore, violence, cannibalism and disturbing imagery and audio. It relies on dread and a few sudden scares rather than on monsters, and on how much you come to like the people you work with.

It is short: about an hour and a half for one ending and up to three hours for all four. Fans of RPG Maker story games such as The Coffin of Andy and Leyley or Angels of Death will find the same mix of dark humour, likeable characters and gore. The comments on its itch.io page carry spoilers, so finish it before reading them.

How to play Dead Plate

Download Dead Plate from its itch.io page (name your own price, Windows or macOS) and unzip it.
Run the game and play the tutorial shift to learn serving: use the arrow keys to face a table or counter, then press Z to interact.
Take orders, bring dishes from the kitchen pass and clear plates before customers lose patience, to earn money each day.
Spend your earnings in the shop on items that help, such as cologne for patience, skates for speed or a watch for longer shifts.
Talk to Vince and the staff between shifts and explore the restaurant; your choices over the week decide which of the four endings you reach.

Screenshots

Dead Plate cover art: the waiter Rody and the chef Vince in oval frames above a plate, cutlery and the title

Chef Vince asks 'What do you want.' over the kitchen staff, with Rody's dialogue choices below

Illustrated scene of Rody arriving soaked from the rain while Vince reads a clipboard

The shop catalogue on day 1, offering cologne, skates and a watch that help with shifts

Rody drawn in red against a black frame with the prompt 'Press Z to try and move'

Dead Plate film-style poster: Rody, Vince and Marieanne under the title, presented by STUDIO INVESTIGRAVE

Tips

If you cannot interact with something, press the arrow key toward it first so Rody faces it, then press Z.
If a table will not clear, try pressing Z from the bottom right side of the table, as the makers advise.
Talk to everyone between shifts; extra dialogue and hidden details change between playthroughs.
Avoid the comment section on the itch.io page until you finish, since it has spoilers.
The makers link an official endings guide on the page if you want to see all four endings.

Questions

Is Dead Plate free?

Yes. It is name your own price on itch.io, so you can download it for nothing or leave a tip for the makers.

How long is Dead Plate?

The makers estimate about 1 hour 20 to 30 minutes for one ending and up to 3 hours to see everything.

How many endings does Dead Plate have?

Four, according to its itch.io page, with different dialogue and hidden details along the way.

Is Dead Plate on Steam?

No Steam store page for it could be found; it is sold on itch.io for Windows and macOS.

What engine is Dead Plate made in?

RPG Maker, as its makers tag it on itch.io.

Is Dead Plate scary?

It starts as a busy restaurant game and turns dark. The makers warn of graphic death, blood, gore, cannibalism and disturbing imagery and audio, and players mention sudden scares.