fishy

The core elements of fishy are sound, but this visual novel is far too short for its own good. Finding one’s confidence makes for a great tale, but players just don’t have enough time to connect in this aquatic world.

85%Game Brain Score

gameplay, atmosphere

graphics, replayability

88% User Score Based on 178 reviews

Critic Score 70%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

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About

fishy is a single player casual simulation game with horror, drama and thriller themes. It was developed by Sokpop Collective and was released on January 17, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Fishy is a heartfelt visual novel about friends, enemies, acceptance, and monsters. Explore the aquarium, face your fears, and maybe make a friend.

Skip User Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 178 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Charming, cute, and visually appealing minimalist art style with smooth animations that create a relaxing and cozy atmosphere.
Simple, fun, and addictive gameplay centered around growing by eating smaller creatures, with multiple areas to explore and achievements that encourage replayability.
Accessible controls (especially with controller support), satisfying progression from being a small fish to a dominant pond creature, and a calming ambient soundtrack.

The game is quite short, with limited content and minimal narrative, leading to low replay value after completion.
Frustrating late-game enemy mechanics, particularly the octopus encounters which can lead to repeated loss of progress and block game progression.
Lack of customizable controls and no tutorial or instruction on controls, causing difficulty especially for players using keyboards; also some bugs and optimization issues.

gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
43%
21%
The gameplay is praised for its charming, engaging mechanics centered on eating to grow, combining exploration, growth, and survival in a relaxing and visually appealing environment. While some find the controls intuitive and enjoyable with added puzzle elements, others criticize the graphics and simplicity, noting that the core mechanics may feel familiar or occasionally frustrating. Overall, it offers a fun, straightforward experience that appeals to fans of minimalist, casual gameplay.
- “Released on October 10, 2019, the game offers a delightful blend of exploration, growth, and survival mechanics, all wrapped in a soothing and visually appealing package.”
- “Its blend of exploration, growth, and survival mechanics, combined with its minimalist art style and soothing atmosphere, make it a standout title for those seeking a relaxing yet engaging gaming experience.”
- “One of my favorite Sokpop games, I think because the gameplay formula in this one doesn't simplify itself into frustrating bluntness or lack of understandable controls compared to others.”
- “Bad graphics, bad controls, simplistic gameplay.”
- “I tried restarting a few times, and no matter how big I got each time, what direction I pulled, or if I boosted with the ball chain in the fish's mouth, I couldn't get the mechanic to work.”
- “One of my favorite Sokpop games. I think the gameplay formula in this one doesn't simplify itself into frustrating bluntness or lack of understandable controls compared to others (for reference, I bought their entire collection, and not every game of theirs is a winner).”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The graphics are consistently praised for their cute, simple, and minimalist art style with soft colors and cozy, inviting aesthetics. While some find the visuals charming and fitting for a relaxing experience, a few users consider the graphics basic or unappealing. Overall, the game's visual design effectively complements its puzzle and exploration mechanics.
- “Visually, Sokpop S06: Fishy employs a minimalist art style characterized by soft colors and simple shapes, creating a serene and inviting atmosphere.”
- “I really like the simple art style that Sokpop has for their games, and that applies here as well.”
- “I really enjoyed the cute, simple graphics for the game.”
- “Bad graphics, bad controls, simplistic gameplay.”
- “God, sokpop makes aesthetic but absolutely unplayable games.”
- “It's a nice, short game with a simple concept and graphics.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The game offers a charming and simple experience with limited but notable replay value, primarily due to multiple endings and achievements. While it can be completed quickly, its addictive nature encourages playing across multiple sessions. Overall, replayability is moderate but present.
- “Very cute and simple game, but replayable and I love the graphics.”
- “Surprisingly addictive and replayable.”
- “There are multiple endings and achievements to unlock, encouraging replayability.”
- “Not much replay value but definitely worth your time.”
- “Can beat game in 5 mins, very simple, no replay value, fun for first playthrough only.”
- “Was able to beat in 35 minutes but it contains a decent amount of replay value.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music is generally praised for its calming, ambient, and chill qualities that enhance the relaxing atmosphere of the game. However, some users find the soundtrack to be repetitive and wish it were more varied or extended to better match the game's engaging pace.
- “The soothing visual design is complemented by a calming ambient soundtrack that enhances the game's relaxing vibe.”
- “The music is great, and honestly I like it much more than in many other Sokpop games.”
- “The music is chill, the design is lovely, the game is fun and relaxing.”
- “But this game is too much fun, and I just kept playing it... but the music also is a very short and repetitive loop.”
- “The only criticism I have is that I feel like the music could have been fleshed out.”
- “Soundtrack - okay.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The story aspect is minimal and lacks depth, with more focus on gameplay than narrative. It offers a simple objective alongside feeding, but players note it feels more like a basic framework than a developed story mode.
- “If you want Feeding Frenzy but without the frenzy, a fishy story mode instead of arcade style.”
- “Story - not really a story”
- “If you want feeding frenzy but without the frenzy, a fishy story mode instead of arcade style.”
- “There’s a bit of story and objective, besides eating.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Sokpop s06: Fishy features a minimalist art style with soft colors and simple shapes that create a serene and inviting atmosphere. This calming environment, combined with its exploration and survival mechanics, offers a relaxing yet engaging experience.
- “Visually, Sokpop S06: Fishy employs a minimalist art style characterized by soft colors and simple shapes, creating a serene and inviting atmosphere.”
- “Its blend of exploration, growth, and survival mechanics, combined with its minimalist art style and soothing atmosphere, make it a standout title for those seeking a relaxing yet engaging gaming experience.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is hindered by several bugs and glitches, including fish spawning issues, unresponsive fish hooks, and creatures getting stuck in the environment, which negatively impact the overall experience.
- “This game is as short as it is buggy.”
- “There are a few glitches; such as big fish spawning and getting stuck in drainpipes, fish hooks not responding after a while, fish swimming through solid rock who are unable to get back into the water.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from optimization issues, causing occasional significant slowdowns during gameplay.
- “However, it's a little unoptimized, so the game sometimes slows down incredibly.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is extensive, requiring 10-19 hours before reaching the final area. Players face challenging enemies like the difficult octopus, making the grind feel demanding.
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is noted for its humor, offering a funny and enjoyable experience that players are encouraged to check out.