Koi
- February 22, 2019
- Dotoyou Games
- 24h median play time
Koi is lovely to look at and listen to. It's also only an hour long, has pointless stealth mechanics, no consistency in puzzles, a nonsensical plot, and generally just feels like a totally empty game.
Get on Steam"Koi is a single-player action game with wonderful graphics and excellent music. As a lone koi fish, players embark on a journey to purify polluted waters and bring back serenity to the lotus pond. Overcome obstacles, solve puzzles, and restore the ecosystem in this mesmerizing and immersive experience."
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
PlayStation
Playstation Vita
Reviews
- Koi features beautiful graphics and a lovely soundtrack that create a relaxing atmosphere.
- The gameplay is simple and intuitive, making it accessible for casual players looking for a short, calming experience.
- The game offers a charming narrative that unfolds through collectible puzzle pieces, enhancing the overall experience.
- The game is very short, with some players feeling it lacks depth and replay value.
- Sound design is poorly balanced, with no options to adjust music or sound effects, leading to a frustrating experience.
- Some puzzles are tedious and can disrupt the otherwise relaxing gameplay, with certain mechanics feeling unnecessary or poorly implemented.
- music18 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while many players appreciate its beauty and ability to enhance the atmosphere, others criticize it for being overly repetitive and lacking adjustable volume controls. Some highlight the soundtrack's pleasantness and its effective accompaniment to the visuals, but there are concerns about sound design balance and the overall engagement of the gameplay. Overall, the music is seen as a strong point, though it could benefit from more variety and customization options.
“The soundtrack is lovely and beautifully accompanies the visuals which are charming in their own special way.”
“It is engaging and has nice music that sets the mood really well.”
“Lovely little gem, beautiful graphics, great sound and music.”
“Music is absolutely, mindbogglingly repetitive, to the point where the first song repeats the same note throughout the entire piece.”
“I wished there was a way to turn down the music volume (and the sound effects! I jumped every time my koi fish was electrocuted!).”
- graphics15 mentions
- 87 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and charm, with many reviewers highlighting the relaxing art style and colorful effects that enhance the overall experience. While some found the visuals simple, they were generally considered clean and effective, contributing to a soothing gameplay atmosphere. Overall, the combination of beautiful graphics and a lovely soundtrack received significant acclaim, making it a standout feature of the game.
“The soundtrack is lovely and beautifully accompanies the visuals which are charming in their own special way.”
“Relaxing and beautiful art style and the control is so fluid and smooth.”
“This game offers outstanding music, mesmerizing graphics and colorful effects as well as super simple and smooth controls that all added up to a whopping 98% score from me!”
- story9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The story in the game is simple and minimalist, revealed through the collection of puzzle pieces that depict a fairy-tale-like narrative. While the plot may feel unclear and abrupt without thorough exploration, the charming illustrations and progressively darker setting contribute to an emotionally resonant experience. Overall, it serves as a relaxing backdrop to the gameplay, enhanced by soothing soundtracks and engaging quests.
“The setting gets progressively darker as the koi approaches the end of the story, and the level in the night sky is beautiful.”
“Despite its minimalist approach to storytelling, Koi manages to be quite an emotionally loaded game.”
“A linear puzzle game with a storybook fairy-tale quality to it.”
“The ending is abrupt and the story is incredibly unclear unless you find every single puzzle piece.”
“The story is revealed when you collect puzzle pieces, revealing one image per level.”
“Despite its minimalist approach to storytelling, the game manages to be quite emotionally loaded.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and relaxing nature, making it easy to learn and enjoyable for short sessions. However, it suffers from a lack of depth, with repetitive mini-games and inconsistent mechanics that detract from the overall experience. While the audiovisual design is cohesive and engaging, the gameplay ultimately feels shallow and underdeveloped.
“I found some of the memory sequences pretty hard to remember, but overall the gameplay is smooth, intuitive, and pleasant.”
“The gameplay gets more and more immersive as well.”
“[Calm, soothing gameplay, easy to learn, play, fun, bright visuals].”
“Sound design is poor at best, with random water droplet sounds that correspond with ripples on screen, which have nothing to do with the gameplay itself.”
“It's also only an hour long, has pointless stealth mechanics, no consistency in puzzles, a nonsensical plot, and generally just feels like a totally empty game.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for being pleasing and lovely, contributing positively to the overall experience. Additionally, the smooth and simplistic controls enhance this enjoyable ambiance.
“The controls are smooth and simplistic, and the atmosphere is pretty pleasing.”
“The atmosphere is really lovely.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players have noted the presence of a persistent and unusual advertisement for an anime that appears in the corner of the main menu, which detracts from the overall experience.
“There was a weird advertisement for an anime that would pop up in the corner on the main menu on loop for whatever reason?”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Koi effectively conveys deep emotional experiences through its minimalist storytelling, resonating strongly with players despite its simple narrative approach.
“Despite its minimalist approach to storytelling, Koi manages to be quite an emotionally charged game.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to repetitive memory puzzles that can detract from the overall enjoyment.
“The grinding feels like an endless cycle of tedious memory puzzles.”
“I spent hours grinding, only to realize it was just repetitive and boring.”
“The game forces you into grinding that feels more like a chore than fun.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users generally find that the game offers very short gameplay with little to no replay value, indicating a lack of incentives to revisit once completed.
“Very short, with little to no replay value.”
“The game lacks depth, making it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
“Once you've completed it, there's little incentive to return.”
Critic Reviews
Runnin' down a stream: Koi review
Koi is peaceful, smart, and minimal, showing the cleansing journey of a special koi fish working against the odds and the forces of filth and darkness. Simple, but short, Koi is a refreshingly fun casual game that feels like a true video game without losing any of the casual qualities that make up the genre. If you’re an angry gamer, human, or just someone needing a break, Koi is worth a try.
75%Koi PS4 Review
Koi comes close to being a remarkable indie title. The audiovisual design work is incredibly cohesive, and despite the gameplay simplicity, it does enough to keep your attention for its short play time. Koi’s issues lie with the weak delivery of its environmental message that unfortunately highlights the shortcomings found in such a simple game.
65%Koi Review - Sleeping Because of Fishes
Koi is lovely to look at and listen to. It's also only an hour long, has pointless stealth mechanics, no consistency in puzzles, a nonsensical plot, and generally just feels like a totally empty game.
30%
