Kinoko

About

Kinoko is a single player casual puzzle game. It was developed by robin lawrence and was released on July 24, 2020. It received positive reviews from players.

"Kinoko" is a relaxing, 15-minute third-person experience where you help a forest spirit clear snow and plant flowers to bring about spring. With no saving system, you'll complete tasks in each forest area to unlock stone pillars and progress. The game, created by ThunderLime, offers a calming experience with guidance from four forest helpers and is best played with a controller.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 647 reviews

graphics75 positive mentions

optimization13 negative mentions

Kinoko features beautiful graphics and a relaxing atmosphere, making it a visually stunning experience.
The game is short and sweet, perfect for a quick escape into a charming world filled with cute creatures.
The soothing soundtrack and simple gameplay provide a calming experience, ideal for unwinding after a long day.

The game is poorly optimized, often resulting in low frame rates and performance issues, even on capable systems.
Controls are primarily designed for a controller, leaving keyboard and mouse users frustrated due to lack of clear instructions and functionality.
The gameplay is very short, lasting only about 15-30 minutes, which may leave players wanting more content.

graphics
120 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
34%
3%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful art style, charming character designs, and relaxing visuals that create an immersive atmosphere. However, several users report significant performance issues, including low frame rates and lag, which detract from the overall experience. While the aesthetics are generally well-received, the lack of customizable graphics settings and optimization concerns are notable drawbacks.
- “The visuals are beautiful, I loved the many flowers and plants at the end of every stage when Kinoko awakens the land bit by bit.”
- “Visually, the game is really stunning with a lot of detail in the artwork.”
- “The graphics are stunning, and the little woodland creatures are very adorable.”
- “Trash game freezes over and over; most of the time this game stays below ten fps. It works like a PowerPoint software. It's unbelievable how terrible the graphics lag and freeze this frequently.”
- “Some of the artwork is very low quality, with a mish-mash of different polygon counts used on various assets.”
- “There's no way for gamers to try to improve the mediocre graphics beyond a 'low, medium, high' graphics setting.”
music
111 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
27%
4%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and pleasant qualities, enhancing the overall relaxing atmosphere. Many players appreciate the gentle soundtrack that complements the beautiful visuals and immersive environment, although some note that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the music is considered a significant highlight, contributing to the game's charm and appeal.
- “The music is light and pleasant, and the scenery is beautiful — I ended up taking tons of screenshots.”
- “The music is a gentle and fitting companion.”
- “With lovely visuals accompanied by a beautiful and calming soundtrack, the game proves to slow down time and relax one's soul.”
- “The music was underwhelming.”
- “There's limited, simple music, no real plot outside of finding the things you can thumb a button at to continue, 0 character building, and while you can explore a little there's little to gain from it.”
- “Monotonous background ambient music.”
gameplay
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
56%
7%
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and accessibility, making it suitable for quick, casual sessions, typically lasting around 20-30 minutes. While many players appreciate the relaxing exploration and charming aesthetics, some criticize the repetitive mechanics and lack of depth, suggesting that the gameplay could benefit from more variety and improved controls. Overall, it offers a cozy experience, though it may not satisfy those seeking more complex gameplay.
- “The gameplay is enjoyable and tasks are simple but fun, perfect for the amount of time it takes to finish the game.”
- “An excellent, beautiful game with gameplay based around exploration rather than combat.”
- “Short, simple, intuitive gameplay, with levels of difficulty and reward for completion -- all the basics of satisfying gameplay.”
- “Despite that, however, there are also numerous issues with the game in terms of keyboard and mouse support and overall quality of life factors regarding the gameplay.”
- “The game itself is basically a pretty third-person walking simulator with extremely basic and repetitive puzzles that are only hard due to the controls being ridiculous at times and because of the terrible tutorial island that tries to explain the mechanics through random symbols.”
- “Often repetitive gameplay and sometimes the buttons wouldn't work at all.”
optimization
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
44%
38%
The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting frequent crashes, low frame rates, and significant performance issues, particularly for keyboard and mouse users. While some users noted smooth graphics and enjoyable visuals, the overall experience is marred by poor optimization, making it difficult to recommend for those seeking a stable gameplay experience.
- “I had no performance issues myself, and honestly the graphics, animations, and overall experience were more than I expected.”
- “The artwork and sounds of this game set you at ease, animations are pretty smooth, and performance is silky smooth.”
- “Bit more optimization and gameplay options would only improve this little gem.”
- “But sadly it's a highly unoptimized game.”
- “The game's performance leaves much to be desired, with constant stutters and drops in frames.”
- “Keyboard and mouse controls are clunky and frustrating to deal with, and the performance is just sad, overall a pretty hostile experience for non-controller users and that's a bummer.”
story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
50%
10%
The game's story is generally described as simple and short, focusing on themes of nature and seasonal change, which some players found relaxing and enjoyable for a brief play session. However, many reviewers noted the lack of depth and character development, with some expressing disappointment over the absence of a more intricate narrative. Overall, while the visuals and atmosphere were praised, the story's brevity and simplicity left some players wanting more.
- “I loved the story, the music, and the gameplay.”
- “The story is pretty simple, bringing summer to the world, but that doesn't take away from how relaxing it was to play.”
- “10/10 amazing design, story and music and everything just syncs together in a perfect seamless way that makes it feel like another world.”
- “There's limited, simple music, no real plot outside of finding the things you can thumb a button at to continue, 0 character building, and while you can explore a little there's little to gain from it.”
- “There is no story, you inhabit an alien-like creature who goes around various islands bringing spring back and clearing the snow.”
- “The game is also very short, which I found disappointing, and there was no actual story.”
emotional
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players describe the emotional aspect of "Kinoko" as overwhelmingly wholesome and heartwarming, often evoking real tears and smiles throughout its short playtime. The game is praised for its beautiful visuals and relaxing music, making it a perfect choice for those seeking a tranquil and feel-good experience. Overall, it delivers a gentle, cozy adventure that resonates deeply with players looking for a peaceful escape.
- “This game is beautiful, I cried (real tears!)”
- “Very heartwarming and gentle if you're a casual cozy game kind of person like me!”
- “It's honestly so pretty and wholesome to play; it's a naturalistic feel-good game with pretty details around every corner.”
atmosphere
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
76%
10%
14%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its relaxing and charming qualities, featuring beautiful visuals, calming music, and adorable character designs. Players appreciate the serene environments and delightful sound effects, which enhance the overall experience despite the game's short duration. Overall, the game creates a peaceful and immersive atmosphere that invites players to return and enjoy its aesthetic appeal.
- “A very relaxing atmosphere with really beautiful scenarios full of extremely cute creatures.”
- “This is a gorgeously atmospheric game with lovely visuals, relaxing music, and charming sound effects to match - from the delightfully real crunch of the snow as you walk, to the crack of your staff on tree trunks, to the shimmery magical sounds of blooming flowers.”
- “The game, although short, was incredibly beautiful in every aspect: the music, the graphics, and the atmosphere, down to the little details of the animals and characters.”
- “The music really helps with the relaxing atmosphere that I didn't mind listening to it for a long time.”
- “The character designs suited the atmosphere and plot of the game, and the graphics were good.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is notably inconsistent, with many users reporting significant bugs, particularly when using keyboard controls, which can lead to freezing and unresponsive gameplay. While some players found the experience enjoyable despite these issues, others struggled to progress due to frequent glitches. Overall, the game may be worth trying, especially since it's free, but potential players should be prepared for a bumpy experience.
- “Was looking forward to playing but I couldn't even get past the start because it was so buggy.”
- “It's free, so it doesn't hurt to try it if you're interested, but just know it's kind of buggy and depending on your setup, even if it's a very good one, it may not work for you.”
- “Later tried talking to a stone and froze again, so basically anytime you have to talk to someone, the game glitches and doesn't respond to keys anymore.”
character development
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
Overall, the character development in the game is praised for its unique and cute designs that complement the atmosphere and plot effectively. While the player character's color choice received some criticism, the charming designs of the forest creatures and the art style were highlighted as standout features that enhance the overall experience. The combination of appealing graphics, music, and sound design contributes to a delightful and immersive environment.
- “I love the character designs of all the forest creatures; each one is so cute!”
- “This game is super simple and easy to follow, and the character designs are just so cute!”
- “The character designs from this game are very unique with a cute art style, and it works very well with the in-game environment.”
- “The character designs from this game are very unique with a cute art style, but the character development feels shallow and lacks depth.”
- “While the character designs are charming, the character development is minimal and doesn't allow for meaningful growth.”
- “The game has adorable character designs, but the lack of character development makes it hard to connect with them on a deeper level.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers note that the game's replayability is hindered by easily fixable issues, suggesting that improvements could enhance the overall experience and encourage players to return.
- “The lack of meaningful choices makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and experience it again.”
- “The game offers no new content or variations in gameplay on subsequent playthroughs.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as cute and endearing, eliciting squeals and a desire for affectionate interactions with characters. However, technical issues and lack of optimization detract from the overall experience, suggesting that while the comedic elements are appreciated, they are overshadowed by gameplay frustrations.
- “My husband thought it was cute and hilarious that I kept squealing at them during my gameplay and wanting to hug them and give them all head pats.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization model is appreciated for being free and ad-free, despite the game's short length.