Desktop Fishing

About

Desktop Fishing is a single player action game. It was developed by Ostend Games and was released on June 16, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

A mysterious algae infestation is spreading across the waters, threatening the fish population. Your goal? Rescue as many fish as possible before it’s too late! You can style your frog however you like, with a wide range of outfits, accessories, and colors to create your perfect fishing buddy! You can catch over 50 different types of fish – and with a bit of luck, you might even …

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 186 reviews

graphics4 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Charming and cute design with a variety of customization options for the frog, making it a delightful desktop companion.
The game provides a relaxing and enjoyable experience, allowing players to engage with it casually while working or doing other tasks.
Developers are responsive to feedback and have made significant improvements to the game, enhancing its idle mechanics and overall enjoyment.

The game can be frustrating due to frequent interruptions when catching rare fish or items, requiring player interaction that detracts from the idle experience.
Some players have experienced progress loss or character resets, leading to dissatisfaction and concerns about the game's stability.
While the game has potential, it currently lacks depth and content, with limited fishing locations and grindy achievements that may deter long-term engagement.

gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The gameplay of Desktop Fishing is characterized by its minimalistic and passive mechanics, appealing to players who enjoy light strategy and collecting without the pressure of fast-paced action. While some users appreciate the idle nature and simplicity, others feel that the lack of a timer and deeper mechanics may limit its long-term engagement. Overall, it offers a pleasant experience for those seeking a casual and relaxing gaming environment.
- “These mechanics give the game a light layer of strategy and keep you checking in just often enough to stay engaged.”
- “While the gameplay is intentionally minimal, that's also part of the appeal.”
- “For those who appreciate a bit of passive progression, or who enjoy the satisfaction of collecting without the pressure of fast-paced gameplay, the experience is consistently pleasant.”
- “There are at least 10 games with the same mechanics!”
- “Update: now after even more hours of playing and still no update for the poor mechanics of not having a timer!”
- “Edit: as per the dev comment in response; the changes have made it considerably more of an idle game, with only 'new' and chests causing a complete stop to gameplay until interacted with - much better though there's still work to do to make it more balanced long-term for those going for all achievements etc.”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
45%
11%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful hand-drawn aesthetic, featuring warm colors and gentle animations that create an inviting atmosphere. Players appreciate the creative designs and humorous descriptions of collectibles, particularly the fish, which enhance the overall visual experience. However, there are some concerns regarding performance issues that may affect the graphics quality.
- “The hand-drawn aesthetic is warm and inviting, with soft colors and gentle animations that help it blend seamlessly into the corner of your screen.”
- “I really love the artwork and descriptions/designs of the fish; they always give me a good chuckle.”
- “The artwork is beautiful.”
- “It may be my AMD graphics card or a game bug.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The story aspect of the game is criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with players expressing frustration over the reliance on daily quests to progress. While the visuals, such as the frog character, are praised, the limited number of quests available each day hampers the overall narrative experience. Players feel that the real-life timer for shop and quest resets detracts from the enjoyment of the story.
- “You get missions to level up (example: catch x fish and catch x shiny fish).”
- “Story is disappointing.”
- “I found the aquarium; it took me a while to realize I had to level up through the daily quests and unlock the forest region.”
- “The frog looks really good and you can buy it new clothes, but the only way to level up is by quests, and you only get 2 quests a day it seems.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is criticized for being excessively tedious, with players feeling that the required achievements, such as catching 100,000 fish, create an overwhelming sense of frustration. While some enjoy the grind, many express that it becomes unmanageable and leads to a loss of progress, ultimately resulting in a recommendation against the game for those who prefer a more balanced experience.
- “I get that the game is supposed to be grindy (which I enjoy), but after 700 hours I’ve only caught about 21,000 fish – one achievement asks for 100,000.”
- “Was a really good game till after 20 hours of hard grinding for 20 hours to lose every bit of progress needing to hard reset. I will be uninstalling and I recommend if you don't want to get invested, then don't get this game.”
- “I’m switching this to not recommended because there’s no point in grinding it anymore.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its charming characters, particularly a funny frog and his fish, along with creative and amusing descriptions of various fish. Players appreciate the cute artwork and the variety of accessories, contributing to an overall lighthearted and entertaining experience.
- “This funny little frog and his fish will save my undergrad degree, I know it.”
- “The artwork is nice, I like the variety of little accessories, and I'm loving all the creative and funny descriptions of each fish.”
- “Very cute and funny!”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game is highly praised, with users reporting smooth performance and minimal impact on system resources, leading to an overall positive experience.
- “Arguably the best thing to exist since sliced bread; genuinely awesome, with minimal performance cost!”
- “It runs smoothly, and I haven't encountered any issues.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its cute and wholesome elements, evoking feelings of warmth and joy among players.
- “So very cute and wholesome :) <3”