Loan Shark

About

Loan Shark is a single player simulation game with horror, mystery and thriller themes. It was developed by Studio Ortica and was released on August 8, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

In "Loan Shark," you play as a debt-ridden angler who encounters a mysterious talking fish offering riches at a dark price. This brief, atmospheric fishing horror game combines tense underwater action with surreal choices and a haunting tale of desperation. Beware—the lurking dangers beneath the surface threaten more than just your wallet.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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86%

Audience ScoreBased on 371 reviews

story38 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Loan Shark offers a unique blend of horror and social commentary, effectively critiquing capitalism and the struggles of debt through its engaging narrative.
The game features a charming atmosphere with simple yet effective gameplay mechanics, making it an enjoyable experience for players despite its short length.
Multiple endings encourage replayability, allowing players to explore different choices and outcomes, enhancing the overall experience.

The game is very short, typically taking only 30-60 minutes to complete, which may leave players wanting more content and depth.
Some gameplay mechanics, such as the gutting of fish and fishing controls, can be janky and frustrating, detracting from the overall experience.
There are issues with translation and bugs that can break immersion, such as dialogue switching to Italian and graphical glitches.

story
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
48%
4%
The game's story is generally described as a straightforward yet engaging moral tale, often critiquing capitalism and exploring themes of ambition and existentialism. While some players appreciate its simplicity and multiple endings, others find it lacking depth and complexity, with a few noting that it could benefit from more content and replayability. Overall, the narrative is seen as enjoyable and atmospheric, making it a worthwhile experience despite its brevity.
- “The story itself is really cool, especially the way you have to unravel it.”
- “One of the coolest and most unique horror experiences I’ve played in recent years, wrapped in a story that runs far deeper than you’d expect at first glance – way beyond the usual 'evil spirit hunts you' cliché.”
- “Great atmosphere with an intriguing and meaningful story.”
- “The story is very bland and rather flat.”
- “It needed even one or two other story beats to really drive itself home.”
- “Its a bit buggy and has a lot of issues, plus the gameplay and story is pretty mediocre and boring.”
gameplay
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
66%
17%
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and occasional bugs, with mechanics like fishing and gutting being straightforward but often frustrating. While some players appreciate the relaxed atmosphere and story, many criticize the lack of depth, repetitive nature, and limited content, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite its low price point, several reviewers feel that the gameplay does not justify the cost due to its aimlessness and lack of engaging mechanics.
- “Sound design, story, and gameplay are all very relaxed; it's not a 'scary' game, more of an existential game with a very slight glimmer of hope hidden here and there.”
- “Gameplay is simple but the story moves along at a reasonable enough pace to distract from that.”
- “Really loved the fishing mechanics and some of the events that happened just below the water.”
- “The gameplay itself can be a tiny bit buggy; I've had a couple of issues when I've alt-tabbed, and once the knife got stuck under the gutting board, so I had to blindly shake my mouse around hoping to gut the fish. A little bit of jank isn't wild to see in a small, few-dollar game, and it wasn't super constant or even all too frustrating.”
- “The mechanics are very simple; the fishing has no real depth to it, and the entire game takes place on one small fishing boat.”
- “The gameplay is incredibly boring, and there's no repeatability.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
55%
17%
The game's graphics are generally praised for their simplistic, cohesive, and haunting aesthetic that aligns well with the game's atmosphere. However, several users reported significant graphical issues, including bugs that disrupt gameplay and performance problems, particularly with AMD graphics drivers. Despite these drawbacks, many players still appreciate the visual design, noting it as one of the game's strengths.
- “This game's graphics match exactly what the aura of the game is; simplistic, haunting, and cohesive.”
- “The graphical feel of the game is consistent and cohesive.”
- “The sounds and visuals of the ocean after your first few casts are so ominous and tense.”
- “There was also a graphic issue at one point where a black void ate my whole POV, but it was fixed by looking around frantically.”
- “Devs don't care enough to fix graphical bugs; it looks like my character is having an epileptic stroke whenever I try to play.”
- “Be warned, just because it's cheap doesn't mean it has bad graphics. I thought that, and even at the lowest graphic settings, it still runs at like 3 FPS, and when the camera switches to the bait underwater, the entire screen goes black, so I can't even see the fish.”
atmosphere
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
78%
5%
17%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its ability to evoke feelings of dread, suspense, and humor, creating a compelling experience that immerses players in a haunting underwater world. Reviewers highlight the eerie ambiance and effective storytelling, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics and length. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's horror elements and emotional impact.
- “The game is a spiraling descent into desperation and madness, all wrapped within a short-but-sweet package with great atmosphere, surprising humor, and a dread that ebbs and flows with the tide.”
- “This is an incredibly short game that manages to create a truly wonderful atmosphere of deep sea suspense.”
- “Atmosphere is great and the horror is well-executed, no true jumpscares, just an eerie atmosphere and the occasional scary sight.”
- “The uneasy atmosphere of fishing scenes would probably work more if navigating the rod wasn't as weird of a mechanic.”
- “There is a horror element with the atmosphere alone but really no jump scares; what really sucks is there’s basically one ending where you die no matter what.”
- “The fishing was extremely basic, the gutting is very wonky and doesn't work well, but this is the kind of game you play for the story and atmosphere.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding it both funny and engaging, often highlighting its unexpected comedic elements amidst a backdrop of horror and madness. Many reviews note the game's ability to blend humor with tension, creating a unique experience that keeps players entertained, even during moments of dread. Overall, it is described as a short yet hilarious adventure that successfully balances comedy with unsettling themes.
- “I may have been biased at first, watching someone I find to be funny playing it, but now playing through it myself I still enjoy the game pretty much the same.”
- “The game is a spiraling descent into desperation and madness, all wrapped within a short-but-sweet package with great atmosphere, surprising humor, and a dread that ebbs and flows with the tide.”
- “Super short, but pretty freaky and most definitely hilarious as well.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
Overall, players find the game offers solid replayability, particularly for its price, with some noting the potential for multiple endings and varied dialogue choices to enhance the experience. However, some feel that the game could benefit from additional content to further increase replay value. The average playtime of 40-50 minutes suggests a manageable length for multiple playthroughs.
- “Buy Vampire Survivors for a dollar less and have days of replay value.”
- “The story is good, but could have done with multiple endings to help add some content and replayability.”
- “Good price for what the game gives you along with replayability to see how other dialogue choices may play out.”
- “It's somewhat replayable and takes roughly 40-50 minutes to beat.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is marked by occasional bugs, such as issues with alt-tabbing and objects getting stuck, which can disrupt gameplay. While some players find these glitches to be minor and not overly frustrating, others report more significant problems, like a persistently spinning camera. Overall, the stability is inconsistent, with a mix of minor and more severe issues affecting the experience.
- “The gameplay itself can be a tiny bit buggy; I've had a couple of issues when I've alt-tabbed, and once the knife got stuck under the gutting board, so I had to blindly shake my mouse around hoping to gut the fish. A little bit of jank isn't wild to see in a small, inexpensive game, and it wasn't super constant or overly frustrating.”
- “Cons: it is buggy (for me, the knife kept sinking into the board).”
- “However, the camera is horribly buggy and won't stop spinning; I'm not touching my mouse at all, it just keeps going like that.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a strong emotional impact from the game, with some expressing deep feelings such as crying during pivotal moments, particularly when overcoming challenges like debt. However, technical issues, such as a buggy camera, detract from the overall experience.
- “This game made me cry 10/10.”
- “When I finally paid off my debt, I cried.”
- “I've gutted pixelated tuna with more emotional investment than I've put into real-life relationships.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
The music in the game is appreciated for enhancing the overall atmosphere, contributing to a sense of loneliness and tranquility that players find captivating. While some feel the developers could have put more effort into the music, it still resonates well with the game's vibe and story.
- “The game is so short you can finish it in 20 minutes and get a total refund, but I genuinely won't because I love it. I love the story, the vibe, the loneliness, the silent night, our little boat, the beer, and the lovely music. I wish I could stay here forever!”
- “The music perfectly complements the atmosphere, enhancing the emotional depth of the experience.”
- “The soundtrack is beautifully crafted, making every moment in the game feel more immersive and memorable.”
- “It doesn't feel like the developers are trying too hard in any aspect of the gameplay or music.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some users noting minor optimization issues and bugs that are still being addressed, while others still consider it a great experience overall.
- “The only drawbacks are the minor optimizations that some players are requesting and the bugs that are being patched up, but overall, it's a great game.”
- “The optimization in this game is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
- “I appreciate how the developers are actively working on optimization, making the game more accessible for everyone.”
- “Only drawbacks are just the minor optimization others are requesting and the bugs being patched up, but still, great game.”
- “Poorly optimized.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be basic and somewhat tedious, yet not overly frustrating. Despite this, the charm of the game encourages replayability to explore different endings and learn more about its content.
- “I plan on replaying this a few times to get more of these endings and learn more about the game, because it ultimately is very charming while not being tedious or frustrating to any extent.”
- “It is tedious, it is basic, and there's nothing immediately scary to speak of whatsoever.”