Penguin Isle
- August 26, 2019
- Habby
- 5h median play time
Need some healing? Sit back and watch your penguins grow in Penguin Isle.
iPad
iPhone
Phone
Android
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and adorable penguins, making it visually appealing.
- It offers a relaxing gameplay experience with soothing music and animations.
- Players can progress without feeling pressured to spend money, as ads are optional and provide rewards.
- The game becomes repetitive and grind-heavy after a certain point, making progress feel slow and tedious.
- Many players experience issues with ads not loading, which prevents them from claiming rewards and progressing.
- The decoration limit is too low, restricting players from fully customizing their islands.
- monetization2,577 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 2 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing frustration over the heavy reliance on ads for progression. While some appreciate the optional nature of ads that provide rewards, others find the frequency and length of ads intrusive, often feeling that they spend more time watching ads than actually playing the game. Additionally, the subscription model to remove ads has been criticized as overly expensive, leading to a perception that the game prioritizes ad revenue over user experience. Overall, while the game offers a cute and relaxing experience, the monetization strategy centered around ads has drawn significant criticism.
“In-game purchases are not overly intrusive; you can easily play without spending money.”
“There's no ads appearing while you're playing; you only watch ads if you want to - to receive prizes or free stuff.”
“No ads unless you choose to watch ads, and it's very cute.”
“If you want all optimal rewards you will be constantly watching 30 second ads with 15 seconds of gameplay between them.”
“The amount of ads versus actual play time will question why you play it.”
“You have to watch lots of ads to make progress, but they often fail to load.”
- graphics907 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their adorable and charming aesthetic, with many users highlighting the cute animations and vibrant colors that create a relaxing atmosphere. While the visuals are generally considered beautiful and well-designed, some players have reported performance issues, such as lag and freezing, particularly on older devices. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a delightful experience for players who enjoy visually pleasing environments.
“The graphics are amazing, and the little penguins and activities they do are just so darn cute!”
“The graphics are beautiful and the music is soothing.”
“I love the graphics, it is also very relaxing.”
“The graphics are very cute, but the game is really laggy even on low quality settings.”
“It's incredibly laggy no matter what graphics settings I choose, making it frustrating to play.”
“The graphics are simple, but they can be quite choppy and slow, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- music765 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and soothing qualities, enhancing the overall relaxing experience while playing. Many users appreciate the beautiful soundtrack that complements the adorable graphics and animations of the penguins, creating a peaceful atmosphere. However, some players express a desire for more variety in the music, as the repetitive nature of the tracks can become monotonous over time.
“The art is gorgeous, and the music complements the visuals perfectly!”
“The music is soothing, the gameplay is smooth, and everything is exactly how I wanted it to be.”
“This game is adorable and the music is very calming.”
“The music is so calming and the animations of everything just look great.”
“The music is very soft and calming; clicking the little penguins and leveling them up puts me at ease.”
“The music is relaxing, and the progress of gradually building up the island of penguins is satisfying for me.”
- gameplay353 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this game is characterized by its simplicity and relaxation, featuring cute penguins and soothing music, which many players find enjoyable. However, a significant number of reviews highlight the overwhelming presence of ads, which often dominate the gameplay experience, leading to feelings of tedium and frustration as players are required to watch numerous ads to progress. While the graphics and overall aesthetic are praised, the repetitive nature of the gameplay and reliance on ad viewing detract from its long-term appeal.
“But overall the gameplay is relaxing, the penguins are cute and well designed, the user interface is not a pain to look at, great job devs! Hoping for great updates and events.”
“Amazing game, very calming and equally addictive with a great progression arc and hours upon hours of gameplay.”
“The gameplay is easy and relaxing.”
“Gameplay is a bit dull as you have to just sit and watch ads in order to progress in the game.”
“The gameplay is so limited, there's nothing to achieve and no sense of meaningful progression.”
“The gameplay literally doesn't have anything to do with improving because the production that constructions provide are absolutely insufficient.”
- story238 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 83 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engaging narrative, with many players noting that it feels repetitive and monotonous. Most missions revolve around upgrading specific habitats, particularly the fishing spot, which detracts from the overall enjoyment and sense of progression. Additionally, the requirement to watch ads to complete quests has been a significant point of frustration, leading to a perception that the game prioritizes monetization over a compelling story experience.
“The story and game is fun and addictive.”
“It's so adorable and calming, the quests don't feel forced or inauthentic, I'd recommend it to everyone!”
“I love how the penguins can interact with you through camera missions, and I would love to see much more on how to get to know those cute lil' guys down there~!”
“The game gives you quests which force you to watch advertisements, and some quests are completely bland and monotonous.”
“The quests are repetitive and you will have to watch a million ads to advance in the game at any reasonable pace.”
“It's a good game, but seriously, the majority of the missions being leveling up the fishing spot 10-20 times?”
- stability95 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 5 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with many reporting frequent freezes, glitches, and unresponsive elements, particularly during mini-games and ad interactions. While some players have experienced smooth gameplay without issues, the overwhelming feedback highlights a persistent problem with bugs that disrupt the overall experience, leading to frustration and loss of progress. Despite the game's appealing graphics and concept, the stability issues have prompted many to consider uninstalling or reducing their playtime.
“No glitches to speak of and the interface is very easy and intuitive.”
“Runs great.”
“No bugs, no glitches.”
“Latest update caused a lot of glitches; one being, after finishing the jump jump mini game, a glove hand appears tapping the middle of the screen and can only force the game to close and restart.”
“The app freezes when you take a snapshot, when you claim the whale gifts, the shop doesn't scroll down, when you try to claim the photo bonus you can't turn off the camera and continue playing, the graphics are very slow.”
“It's just constantly watching ads, an in-app mini game that glitches/lags constantly even when my Android phone was brand new, and broken ads that force you to reboot the app sometimes as often as every 5 minutes, which I've sent in multiple reports about over the course of many updates and have never been addressed.”
- grinding94 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is generally viewed as a double-edged sword; while many players find it engaging and relaxing at first, it often becomes tedious and overly time-consuming as they progress. Users express frustration with the slow pace of earning resources, the necessity of watching numerous ads to advance, and the lack of new content, leading to a repetitive experience. Overall, while the game offers charming visuals and a fun premise, the grinding can detract from long-term enjoyment.
“It's engaging but not too tedious.”
“I love how you can progress without grinding, and it's not pay-to-win.”
“There is absolutely no point or fun in grinding for months, knowing that the next update will make everything much easier and add a new unattainable goal.”
“The grinding, however, is off the charts.”
“Fun and relaxing at first to get you hooked, but after a certain point it gets so grindy that all you can do is open to watch ads, either that or you have to pay a boatload of money.”
- humor92 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding the penguins' antics, animations, and interactions to be both cute and hilarious. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to provide a relaxing yet entertaining experience, often eliciting laughter through the penguins' clumsy behaviors and funny costumes. Overall, the game's lighthearted tone and charming graphics contribute to its appeal as a fun and enjoyable experience for players of all ages.
“I really enjoy this game; it's cute, relaxing, and funny.”
“The antics of the penguins have me and my family laughing hysterically!”
“It's adorable, and I find the penguins quite funny.”
- emotional67 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is overwhelmingly positive, with players describing it as incredibly wholesome, calming, and heartwarming. Many users express deep emotional attachments to the penguins and find the game's atmosphere, music, and visuals soothing, often turning to it during difficult times for comfort. However, some players note frustrations with progress limitations and the impact of ads, which can detract from the overall emotional experience.
“I have become very emotionally attached to some of my penguins.”
“I was having a very terrible start of an emotional breakdown and I needed to ground myself, so a friend recommended me this game and it worked to calm me enough, so thank you, will continue to use it :)”
“When I first played this game, I cried because the music and the cuteness are so good (tears of joy).”
- optimization56 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag, with many users reporting significant performance issues, especially on lower-end devices, leading to battery drain and stuttering during gameplay. While some players experience smooth animations and improved performance after initial loading, others express frustration with lag and crashes, particularly when the game becomes more complex. Developers are encouraged to enhance optimization to improve user experience and reduce the impact of ads on gameplay.
“Overall game optimization feels pretty noticeable; more fluid frames on my outdated device, less heat when running the game, models are smooth and the colors are pretty.”
“The animations run smoothly, and the notifications aren't a bother.”
“It runs smoothly, and ads aren't really a problem.”
“But if you want to just watch penguins have fun, good luck because the app is poorly optimized and drains the battery faster than any other app I've used.”
“I'd normally give four, or even five stars to this app, but left quite disappointed regarding the app optimization (specifically memory related) where it's getting to a point I can't watch any advert without the game crashing since the beginning of this year.”
“Very poorly optimized, lost 50% battery in 30 minutes.”
- atmosphere54 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its calming and relaxing qualities, enhanced by soothing music and appealing graphics. Players appreciate the serene environment it creates, making it a perfect choice for those looking to unwind, although many express frustration with intrusive ads that disrupt the overall experience. Overall, the game successfully fosters a peaceful ambiance, particularly through its charming penguin theme and ambient sounds.
“The sounds are soothing and the overall atmosphere of the game is calming.”
“I love this game because while playing it creates a pleasant atmosphere around us and the sounds of water and the surroundings make me feel good.”
“The atmosphere of this game relaxes my entire soul.”
“Music gets repetitive over time; therefore, there should be at least three soundtracks representing three atmospheres in the game.”
“Very nice calming game, but I hope they change some of the sound effects because they are obnoxious, especially for a game that is supposed to have a calm atmosphere.”
“Might be okay, but you just can't enjoy the atmosphere when there is ad after ad after ad.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users feel that the game's replayability is hindered by an overemphasis on ads, suggesting that additional playable features could enhance the experience and encourage players to return.
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the graphics and character designs, particularly for the penguins, are praised for their adorability, there is no specific mention of character development in the provided text.
