Koi Farm
- February 26, 2021
- Job Talle
- 7h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Koi Farm is a game where players can create and collect beautiful koi fish through selective breeding and exploration of procedurally generated patterns. The game allows players to store their favorite koi as trading cards and generate codes to share and spawn koi in other players' games. The koi book guides players towards discovering new undiscovered mutations." - Steam ID: 1518810.
Mac OS
PC
Linux
Reviews
- The game is very relaxing and has a calming ambiance with soothing nature sounds.
- There are many unique combinations of koi colors and patterns to discover, making it engaging and fun.
- The game allows for a casual playstyle, perfect for multitasking or as a background activity.
- The game can become tedious as it requires a lot of time to breed specific fish, and some colors are very rare.
- There is limited storage for fish, making it difficult to organize and find specific ones in a crowded pond.
- The game does not progress while minimized, which can be frustrating for players who want to multitask.
- gameplay40 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and relaxation, focusing primarily on breeding koi to create various colors and patterns, which many find surprisingly addictive. While the mechanics are straightforward and accessible, some players feel the experience can become monotonous due to a lack of depth and variety, suggesting the addition of more interactive elements and challenges. Overall, it appeals to casual gamers and those seeking a zen-like experience, but may leave more dedicated players wanting additional content and complexity.
“The breeding to create new patterns and colors mechanic is deeper than I expected; it's pretty sophisticated.”
“Koi breeding mechanics are remarkably complex, and it's strangely addicting trying to get that one combination or elusive color.”
“Super-simple relaxing gameplay, which hides a deeper system for crafting patterns and color variations.”
“The gameplay loop is very small; don't get this game unless it's on sale.”
“It's cheap, so I won't leave a negative review, but the entire gameplay is dragging koi into ponds and hoping you get the required mutation.”
“There isn't much to it gameplay-wise.”
- graphics31 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and polish, contributing to a relaxing and aesthetically pleasing experience. Players appreciate the simple yet charming visuals, which are complemented by soothing audio, creating an immersive atmosphere. Overall, the game's graphics are considered a standout feature, enhancing its appeal as a casual and enjoyable title.
“The visuals are beautiful and the whole experience is very polished.”
“You can tell all of the love and joy that went into making this game - beautiful graphics and fish.”
“A very worthy game, graphics are simple but amazing, the sounds are so relaxing, there are a lot of colors and combinations possible, in conclusion highly recommended!”
“Porting mobile games to computer often makes the controls painfully clunky or the graphics ugly, delivering a frustrating experience.”
“I've played many 'relaxing casual' games on Steam that actually make you want to smash your computer in a rage because of some design aspect gone horribly wrong (annoying sounds, music, or graphics; broken controls).”
“Koi farm displays and presents users with a variety and constitutional amount of koi, its immense use of graphical design and calming music softens the gamer in.”
- music18 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and relaxing qualities, often described as a soothing backdrop that enhances the overall experience. Many players appreciate the absence of intrusive music, allowing for a focus on natural sounds like rain and water, which contribute to a tranquil atmosphere. Overall, the combination of serene soundscapes and beautiful visuals creates a peaceful environment ideal for relaxation and casual gameplay.
“Love the colors and the soundtrack, as well as the rain soundtrack which isn't too intrusive and is nice and relaxing.”
“The visuals and music line make it easy to relax and de-stress.”
“It doesn't have music, makes room for your own peaceful music along with the natural thunder and rain or sounds of splashing water.”
“No music, just extremely relaxing nature sounds with lovely variations in the weather.”
“I've played many 'relaxing casual' games on Steam that actually make you want to smash your computer in a rage because of some design aspect gone horribly wrong (annoying sounds, music, or graphics; broken controls).”
- grinding11 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the initial gameplay is enjoyable and relaxing, it can become tedious as they work to complete the journal and collect specific fish. The limited goals and slow progression, particularly with koi growth, contribute to a sense of grindiness that may detract from the overall enjoyment for some players. Despite these critiques, many still appreciate the game's charm and simplicity, especially those who enjoy farming simulations.
“Only critique I have is that it can be a bit difficult to get specific fish from the pond, and that it becomes a little grindy eventually.”
“It's really fun for the first hour, messing around and seeing what new colors and patterns you can get, but once you start going deeper into completing the journal, it gets very tedious very fast.”
“However, the book you collect the cards in is very limited, and once you've done that, the goals are entirely self-driven, which can lead to it feeling grindy and joyless.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its relaxing and immersive qualities, enhanced by charming visuals, nature sounds, and dynamic weather changes. Players appreciate the calming presence of koi fish and the subtle interactions with the environment, which collectively create a serene and enjoyable experience. However, some elements, like the fish book task, can disrupt this tranquility.
“I really enjoyed the calm atmosphere, the sounds of nature implemented in the game, the cute and simple design that the koi's body has.”
“This game's relaxing atmosphere is ruined by a fish book where you are tasked with tallying fish markings/coloring.”
“The atmosphere is so relaxing, the kois are so genuinely cute, and it's so fun and rewarding to see new patterns and colors!”
“The wind moving the grass, occasional plop on the water, garden ambient noises, occasional rain... it all contributes to creating the most relaxing atmosphere.”
- story6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with some players feeling it resembles a mindless task akin to "Candy Crush." However, a few users highlight an epic narrative, suggesting that experiences may vary significantly among players. Overall, the story aspect appears to be a mixed bag, with many finding it tedious and underdeveloped.
“Epic story.”
“I like playing 'Candy Crush' for the story.”
“There's remarkably little to do for how specific the quests are.”
“I started to have a nice time making different combinations, and then spent a tedious time throwing hundreds of genetic misfires away while trying to fill the quest book.”
“This game has no story.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
While the game offers limited replayability through its chill gameplay, features like randomly generated tasks and an export system for sharing fish across accounts provide opportunities for extended engagement. However, many players feel that additional elements, such as cosmetics and achievements, are needed to enhance replay value significantly.
“The export system for sharing fish across accounts is a simple feature that adds nearly endless replay value.”
“Overall, it's fine to chill out with, but the actual replayability is very limited.”
“Randomly generated tasks, pond cosmetics, or achievements would all give this game some much-needed replay value.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is well-optimized, featuring great visuals and audio while maintaining smooth performance even on older PCs. Users find the controls satisfactory, and many agree that the game's performance justifies its price.
“The visuals and audio are great, the controls are fine, the performance is fine.”
“Lightweight game, runs smoothly on old PC.”
“It runs smoothly and is well worth the asking price.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its wholesome design and emotional engagement, creating a charming experience that encourages players to connect positively with the game’s elements, particularly the fish. Despite moments of frustration in gameplay, the overall sentiment is one of joy and satisfaction, making it highly recommended for its emotional appeal.
“This game is wholesomely upsetting in the sense that I can sit down for 5 hours straight trying to get one specific color or size and not get bored. Adorable! 10/10 would recommend!”
“The game design is very wholesome and well-thought-out in that you cannot be mean to the fish.”
“This is a wholesome little game that you can play on just about any graphics card.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized as light-hearted and amusing, contributing to a relaxing gameplay experience. Players find the comedic elements enjoyable, particularly in the context of koi breeding.
“Haha, the koi breeding is hilarious!”
“It's a funny and relaxing little game :)”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users have reported issues with stability, including freezing and sound glitches, though the developers have acknowledged these problems and are working on fixes.
“I want you guys to fix the bug where everything just freezes.”
“There are some troubling issues, such as sound glitches, but the developer has already stated that they will be fixed.”
