Koi Farm

About

Koi Farm is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by Job Talle and was released on February 26, 2021. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,110 reviews

gameplay26 positive mentions

grinding22 negative mentions

The game is very relaxing and has a calming ambiance with nature sounds.
There are many combinations of colors and patterns, making breeding fish enjoyable and engaging.
It's a great game to play while multitasking or as a background activity, providing a soothing experience.

The game can become tedious as it requires specific combinations to progress, which may lead to frustration.
Limited storage space for fish and only two ponds can make organization difficult, leading to overcrowding.
Some colors and patterns are hard to distinguish, which can be challenging for colorblind players.

gameplay
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
63%
4%
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 limited interactions and a lack of depth beyond the breeding system. Overall, it appeals to casual gamers and those seeking a zen-like experience, though suggestions for additional features and variety have been noted to enhance engagement.
- “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.”
graphics
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
42%
6%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and simplicity, contributing to a relaxing and aesthetically pleasing experience. Players appreciate the polished visuals and soothing audio, which enhance the overall atmosphere of the game. While some users desire more graphics settings, the general consensus is that the visuals are charming and well-executed, making it a delightful experience for casual gamers.
- “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).”
- “Some more graphics settings and louder audio would be nice too.”
music
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
64%
8%
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 without being intrusive. Many players appreciate the absence of irritating music, opting instead for natural sounds like rain and water, which allow for personal music choices. Overall, the combination of serene visuals and gentle soundscapes creates a tranquil environment perfect for relaxation and casual gameplay.
- “The visuals and music line make it easy to relax and de-stress.”
- “The music and graphics are lovely, casual and calm so you can relax and gently create your koi farm.”
- “The 'music'/ sounds are calming, the weather changes, you constantly hear water.”
- “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).”
grinding
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game enjoyable and relaxing initially, but many note that it becomes grindy as they progress, particularly when trying to complete the journal and obtain specific fish. The repetitive nature of filling the quest book and the slow growth time for koi can lead to a tedious experience, detracting from the overall fun. While the mechanics are simple and accessible, the self-driven goals may feel joyless for some players after the initial excitement wears off.
- “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.”
atmosphere
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its relaxing and immersive qualities, enhanced by soothing nature sounds, charming visuals, and dynamic weather changes. Players appreciate the calming presence of koi fish and other interactive elements that contribute to a low-pressure environment, although some find certain tasks, like tallying fish markings, disrupt the overall tranquility. Overall, the game successfully creates a serene and enjoyable experience that invites players to unwind.
- “I really enjoyed the calm atmosphere, the sounds of nature implemented in the game, and the cute and simple design that the koi's body has.”
- “The atmosphere is so relaxing, the kois are so genuinely cute, and it's so fun and rewarding to see new patterns and colors!”
- “This game's relaxing atmosphere is ruined by a fish book where you are tasked with tallying fish markings/coloring.”
- “The wind moving the grass, occasional plop on the water, garden ambient noises, occasional rain... it all contributes to creating the most relaxing atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is pleasing with occasional weather changes and the koi fish changing up their slow schooling around their pond.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth, with many players feeling it is minimal or non-existent, likening the experience to playing a casual game like "Candy Crush" without a compelling narrative. While some users found enjoyment in the gameplay mechanics, the overall quest structure was deemed tedious and unengaging.
- “Epic story.”
- “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.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers limited replayability, primarily due to its lack of diverse content, though features like randomly generated tasks, pond cosmetics, and achievements could enhance it. However, the export system for sharing fish across accounts significantly boosts replay value, providing players with nearly endless opportunities to engage with the game.
- “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.”
- “The export system for sharing fish across accounts is a simple feature that adds nearly endless replay value.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game is well-optimized, running smoothly even on older PCs, with great visuals and audio. Users report satisfactory performance and controls, making it a worthwhile investment.
- “Lightweight game, runs smoothly on old PC.”
- “It runs smoothly and is well worth the asking price.”
- “The visuals and audio are great, the controls are fine, the performance is fine.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game to evoke a strong sense of wholesomeness and emotional engagement, highlighting its thoughtful design that encourages kindness towards the fish. The experience is described as both charming and frustratingly addictive, allowing for long play sessions without losing interest. Overall, it leaves a positive emotional impact, making it highly recommended.
- “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.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized as light-hearted and amusing, with players finding it both funny and relaxing, particularly in the context of koi breeding. Overall, it contributes to an enjoyable gaming experience.
- “Funny and relaxing little game :)”
- “Haha, funny koi breeding”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users have reported significant stability issues, including frequent freezes and sound glitches. However, 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.”
- “I want you guys to fix the bug where everything just freezes.”