Calico

The game tries so hard to be Animal Crossing but fails miserably in every aspect.

74%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

stability, grinding

90% User Score Based on 2,505 reviews

Critic Score 50%Based on 10 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $11.99

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About

"Calico is a single-player, kids' open world game where you rebuild a cat café and fill it with interactive animals. With a laid-back, low-stress environment, players can create their own magical character and collect clothing. The game features stunning visuals and an ingenious soundtrack, but some grinding and bugs may be present. Calico aims to evoke warm, fuzzy emotions."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,515 reviews

story127 positive mentions

stability288 negative mentions

The game is incredibly cute and charming, with a delightful art style and a relaxing atmosphere.
There is a wide variety of animals to collect and interact with, including the ability to ride them and put them on your head.
The character customization options are extensive, allowing for diverse representations and unique designs.

The game feels short and can be completed in just a few hours, leading to a lack of replayability.
There are numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with character movement and interactions.
The quests often feel repetitive and lack depth, primarily consisting of simple fetch tasks.

story
613 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
75%
4%
The game's story is generally perceived as simplistic and short, primarily revolving around fetch quests that often lack depth and engagement. While players appreciate the cute aesthetics and charming characters, many express a desire for more substantial content, including additional quests and character interactions, as the main storyline can be completed in just a few hours. Overall, the narrative serves as a light backdrop to the gameplay, which focuses more on exploration and customization rather than a rich, immersive story.
- “The story is fun and I've replayed it 3 times.”
- “It's a safe haven, inclusive and LGBTQIA+ positive <3 The world is much more detailed and story-rich than it looks in the preview and I highly recommend!”
- “The story is very simple, and a lot of the game's heart is in the character interactions you get with the main story, but especially with the optional side quests that each NPC can give you.”
- “The story is really just 'oh no, all these areas are blocked off, go clear them by doing endless fetch quests and talking to people.'”
- “The main story can be completed in a few hours and the game is not at all difficult to 100% if you enjoy achievement hunting, but the world is still fun to return to and play around in after you have completed every task.”
- “The quests were all mostly fetch quests, which felt hollow and repetitive.”
graphics
384 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
56%
6%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming, pastel art style that many players find adorable and visually appealing, reminiscent of a whimsical, cozy world. However, numerous reviews highlight issues such as graphical glitches, low-quality textures, and awkward animations that detract from the overall experience. While the aesthetics are generally praised for their cuteness and creativity, the game's visual execution is often described as unpolished and in need of improvement.
- “The art style and world design are gorgeous, the soundtrack is lovely, and the gameplay is thoroughly enjoyable.”
- “The graphics are adorable, the colors are lovely, and the whole game is just... delightful.”
- “The art style is super cute and pleasing to the eye!”
- “The graphics are absolutely terrible.”
- “The graphics look much smoother.”
- “The graphics for the game make me very uncomfortable, and the running animation for your character makes me so uncomfortable, it's like watching a grown (wo)man run like a baby; like titans from attack on titan to be honest.”
stability
290 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
99%
The game is widely reported to be quite buggy, with numerous glitches affecting gameplay, such as character clipping, erratic animations, and issues with quest progression. While many players find these bugs amusing and charming, they can also be frustrating and detract from the overall experience. Despite the technical issues, the game's cute aesthetic and relaxing gameplay have led to a generally positive reception, with players expressing hope for future updates to address the stability concerns.
- “It's incredibly buggy.”
- “There are a lot of technical issues as it looks like many parts of the game could be further developed (e.g. the interiors of many buildings), and it glitches quite a bit.”
- “The overall concept is good, and I was looking for a cozy game to play, but the controllers here are a mess, glitches are everywhere and the way you move... oh lord, it's unbearable.”
gameplay
265 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
67%
10%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a mix of charming aesthetics and quirky mechanics, but it often suffers from repetitiveness and a lack of depth, primarily revolving around fetch quests and simplistic tasks. While some players enjoy the unique cooking mechanics and the cute character designs, many find the controls clunky and the overall experience marred by bugs and a shallow gameplay loop. Overall, it offers a relaxing experience but may leave players wanting more substantial content and polish.
- “I was kinda iffy about this game at first, but after a few hours of gameplay, I’m utterly addicted!!!”
- “The gameplay in Calico is a delightful mix of café management, creature collecting, and creative design.”
- “The art style and world design are gorgeous, the soundtrack is lovely, and the gameplay is thoroughly enjoyable.”
- “The gameplay is very basic; it consists of a series of fetch quests that get kind of tedious and exploration to find all the animals.”
- “The gameplay is dull and mostly consists of running from one place to the other.”
- “The core gameplay seems to be that you get a quest, do it if you can, and then wait and wait for another with nothing else to do in the meantime.”
music
227 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
43%
1%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful, soothing, and relaxing qualities, enhancing the overall cozy atmosphere. Many players find the soundtrack charming and enjoyable, although some note that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's appeal, making it a delightful experience for those seeking a calming and whimsical environment.
- “The music throughout the game helps to give a sense of calm and it being ethereal, making it feel like a special and safe place to enjoy and explore.”
- “The soundtrack is a soothing melody that perfectly complements the relaxed pace of the game.”
- “The music is beautiful and fits the game very well.”
- “The same overly repetitive song plays everywhere on the map until you just shut off the music altogether.”
- “It seems like there's only one song per area, which means that if you spend any extended time in a spot you should just mute the game.”
- “But since playing it for a bit, I struggle with the controls, there being no cursor is really disadvantageous, it keeps crashing, the music is very loud and there is no way to change it in-game.”
emotional
136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is overwhelmingly positive, with players describing it as heartwarming, cute, and wholesome. Many reviewers appreciate the relaxing gameplay, charming graphics, and the uplifting themes of friendship and creativity, which provide a comforting escape from reality. Despite some minor gameplay issues, the overall sentiment is that the game offers a delightful and cozy experience that resonates deeply with players, often evoking feelings of joy and nostalgia.
- “The emphasis on positive interactions, acceptance, and the joy of creativity creates an uplifting and heartwarming atmosphere.”
- “This game genuinely made me feel good.”
- “So wholesome it makes me want to cry, everything is so cute and sweet, out of a dream.”
humor
127 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charming and whimsical nature, featuring hilarious animations, quirky character interactions, and amusing glitches that often enhance the overall experience. Players enjoy the funny physics, such as ragdoll effects and absurd potion combinations, which lead to laugh-out-loud moments. Despite some technical issues, the lighthearted tone and cute characters create a delightful atmosphere that keeps players entertained.
- “Cute characters with fun personalities, adorable animals, absolutely batshit abilities (sure, let's cook a muffin by pinging oneself across the kitchen on wooden spoons), hilarious animations, and so much more.”
- “The ragdoll physics when you pick up a big animal made me laugh so hard I almost cried, please never change them xd.”
- “The only glitches we have experienced have honestly been super funny and just added to our love, as silly as that sounds.”
grinding
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
9%
84%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, primarily due to the reliance on fetch quests and slow movement mechanics. While some appreciate the lack of extensive grinding compared to traditional farming sims, many express frustration with the game's pacing and the introduction of unnecessary mini-games that detract from the experience. Despite its cozy vibe, the gameplay can feel like filler, leading to a mixed reception regarding its engagement and enjoyment.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “There's no farming, but that's okay; we don't always need to grow vegetables.”
- “Super cute if you are looking for a simple cozy game with a storyline and no farming.”
- “One thing that did stand out from the characters' dialogue a bit was a grinding work culture mindset, which I don't really think should be brought up in a supposed-to-be relaxing game.”
- “The missions are fetch quests to 90%, which is annoying because a good part of the game is spent traversing up the entire mountain, down to talk to someone, going back to your cafe to grab food and going all the way up the mountain again. Note that the characters walk really slowly; the mounted animals are a bit faster, but it's still tedious work.”
- “It is with a heavy heart that I say that this game can't even be played properly now as they added a bunch of stupid mini-games for the cooking that no one wanted or asked for. The cooking is really difficult, which is sad because I love how adorable all the goodies are, and it can get a little tedious.”
character development
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
49%
7%
Character development in the game is highlighted by its charming and diverse character designs, which many players find adorable and visually appealing. However, some critiques point to a lack of depth in character interactions and dialogue, making quests feel repetitive and less rewarding. Overall, while the aesthetics and customization options are praised, the actual character engagement may leave some players wanting more.
- “The character designs are awesome, I love the clothing and hairstyles of the NPCs, and I genuinely think every NPC has an interesting design and role in the game.”
- “Let me start by saying that I applaud the designers for implementing inclusive character design and diversity into the cast.”
- “I love the character designs and the fact that there aren't things like energy/bed times you have to pay attention to, unlike other similar games such as Stardew Valley or Harvest Moon.”
- “The character designs were very unique but the dialogue was lackluster and quests just came down to 'please go ask/find,' which did not feel rewarding.”
- “Instead, I was met with a weird and bland character design.”
- “And the character designs... don't get me wrong, I love diversity in games, but it just feels so forced for all the characters to be unique and different.”
atmosphere
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
47%
9%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its uplifting, charming, and therapeutic qualities, characterized by adorable character designs, a relaxing soundtrack, and a cozy environment. Players appreciate the game's focus on positive interactions and creativity, creating a soothing experience that feels safe and inviting. While some find the gameplay repetitive, the overall ambiance and delightful aesthetics contribute significantly to the enjoyment of the game.
- “The emphasis on positive interactions, acceptance, and the joy of creativity creates an uplifting and heartwarming atmosphere.”
- “I was not expecting to fall head over heels into this atmospheric wonderland - the characters, cats, and other animals suck you into this fantastic world.”
- “The game's atmosphere is genuinely very soothing; it feels safe and nice to just be playing it, and there is a familiar feeling here too for me personally, which I don't get from very many games.”
- “The atmosphere was pretty and charming, but the gameplay is just side quests that feel repetitive.”
- “I find that the pros far outweigh the cons of this game, as the dreamy atmosphere and surreal scenarios have brought me much delight.”
- “I really love the whole atmosphere of this game, I just wish it were multiplayer or had an online option to play with friends.”
replayability
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
54%
32%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the modding support and recent updates that enhance replay value, many express disappointment in the limited content and repetitive missions after completing the main objectives. The game is often described as enjoyable and worth playing through for achievements, but its short length and lack of varied gameplay lead to a consensus that it has minimal replayability. Players suggest that it may be more appealing if purchased on sale due to its limited longevity.
- “The game's modding support further enhances its replayability, allowing players to introduce their creative touches to an already magical universe.”
- “Recent major update made this game much more replayable!”
- “In this update, we were given (for completely free) new cooking mini-games which add so much more replayability, and have better scores to increase money!”
- “It doesn't have much replayability in my opinion, but I think it's still worth it to play through it and get all of the achievements.”
- “Sure it is fairly short and has no replay value once all is done.”
- “And it is not replayable because the missions are always the same and even if carried out in different orders always lead to the same results.”
optimization
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while it is praised for being playable without significant bugs and running smoothly on some systems, many players report issues with controls being primarily optimized for gamepads, an unorganized UI, and minor stuttering. Additionally, there are concerns about the game's overall performance being demanding on hardware, with some players describing it as unfinished and in need of further quality of life improvements. Overall, while some aspects are well-optimized, significant areas require attention to enhance the user experience.
- “I have not encountered any bugs while playing or performance issues, and we all know how rare that is these days.”
- “Played for just under an hour and am pretty pleased with the game so far - it's cute, not laggy, and the only real issue I've had so far is that sometimes my character gets a little wonky while going up inclines - all in all, not much to complain about performance-wise as of right now, which is more than a lot of games can say these days.”
- “I hope more quality of life and performance features will be added!”
- “The controls are very bad and only optimized for controllers; the UI/HUD is a bit unorganized and not very aesthetically pleasing. For someone with ADD or any form of ADHD or forgetfulness, not having a quest marker to indicate where to go on the map is irritating because the map is so big, making it easy to walk in circles.”
- “Besides the fact it’s an unoptimized hunk of junk that runs every computer I play it on harder than high graphics AAA games run on a computer from the 90s, it’s also just plain unfinished.”
- “Minor stuttering issues, and it isn't perfect.”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The monetization aspect of the game is positively received, as it features no in-app purchases, allowing players to enjoy the experience without additional costs. However, some users expressed disappointment with misleading advertisements that suggested a stronger focus on cafe management than what was delivered, leading to unmet expectations regarding gameplay features. Overall, the lack of microtransactions is appreciated, but the marketing could be clearer about the game's true content.
- “No in-app purchases.”
- “The refreshing premise and inclusivity of this game is everything I could've ever asked for to scratch the itch of returning to the cat games of my childhood mixed with some very low-stakes tycoon games without microtransactions, all as navigated by an adorable hyper-customizable magical-girl/boy JRPG protagonist.”
- “Really what killed this was the advertisement as a cafe management sim for me.”
- “There are some gameplay features that the advertisement alluded to that aren't present, such as cake decorating.”
- “My big flaw with the advertising of the game was the fact that I barely spent any time in the cafe (despite the store page claiming otherwise), and the NPCs turned out to be the real center point of the game (despite not really being mentioned).”

50%Critics’ scoreBased on 10 critic reviews

Buy Calico

7h Median play time

24h Average play time

5-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 28 analyzed playthroughs

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