The Island Castaway

"The Island Castaway is a single-player Simulation game with delightful graphics, featuring an interesting plot of surviving and escaping a deserted island. However, the game can be very grinding and contains lots of bugs. Players must hunt, fish, and solve over 200 quests to uncover the island's mysteries and find their way back home."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 9,950 reviews

story290 positive mentions

monetization86 negative mentions

story
661 mentions
44 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game's storyline is generally well-received, with many players finding it engaging and interesting, particularly the narrative of survival among a group of castaways. However, frustrations arise from the implementation of timed quests that often do not allow enough time to complete tasks, leading to a reliance on in-game purchases to progress. Players express a desire for more updates to continue the story, as many feel it is incomplete or has stalled after certain chapters.
- “The story is very interesting and it's not pay to win!”
- “The storyline is nicely done and executed.”
- “The best adventure simulation story game I have played so far!”
- “There is no story until we get an update; just collect food and trophies and complete the daily tasks.”
- “The game ends in a state where the story is left hanging, and updates require things only available by purchase, because the game hasn't offered them yet.”
- “Do not waste your time or money; the game just stops mid-story and promises an update that has not happened for years!”
graphics
228 mentions
70 % positive mentions
26 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising them as "nice," "great," or "amazing," while others feel they could be improved or are "not the best." Some users appreciate the art style and clarity, noting that the visuals enhance the gameplay experience, while others express a desire for more realistic graphics. Overall, the graphics are generally well-received, but there is a consistent call for enhancements to meet modern standards.
- “The graphics are so amazing, the sounds are great as well, and just the whole game in general is awesome!”
- “Best adventure survival game I've ever played, the graphics are great and clear, the story is brilliant and the controls are so simple it's unreal.”
- “I love the graphics, and it helped me fall in love with the game.”
- “Graphics are okay but nothing special.”
- “Not a bad game, I just feel it's lacking a few things and the graphics could use some work.”
- “Too many ads, too slow of gameplay and they talk too much.. graphics are that of a beginner designer, felt like I was playing Oregon Trail for the 90's PC.”
monetization
109 mentions
6 % positive mentions
16 % neutral mentions
79 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has drawn mixed reviews, with many players expressing frustration over frequent and intrusive ads that disrupt gameplay, particularly during critical moments like entering caves or completing timed quests. While some appreciate the minimal presence of ads compared to other games, the reliance on in-app purchases for essential resources like gems and inventory expansion has led to complaints about a "pay-to-win" structure, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, players desire a balance between monetization and gameplay enjoyment, with calls for fewer ads and more options for earning in-game currency without spending real money.
- “No ads, and so far no need to pay for anything.”
- “Had an earlier version on my tablet and loved it - had no in-app purchases, just fun.”
- “Its very good and no ads that's good I love this game.”
- “Ads and pay to win ruined the experience; I used to play it back then and none of these were an issue.”
- “You have to use gems to finish some quests, and gems are hard to come by, so you basically have to pay to play. Of course, you have to watch advertisements on top of that with no compensation.”
- “It's horrible; there are too many ads, and I think it should only be a thing to earn gems or pearls!”
gameplay
61 mentions
64 % positive mentions
28 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
Overall, the gameplay is praised for its smoothness, simplicity, and engaging mechanics, making it fun and addictive for players. Many users appreciate the collection and crafting elements, as well as the continuous storyline, although some express frustration with inventory limitations and microtransactions that can hinder the experience. While there are mixed opinions on updates and certain gameplay aspects, the majority find it enjoyable and well-designed.
- “Smooth gameplay, collecting is fun, feelings of accomplishment when building new facilities for base camp.”
- “The mechanics of this game are perfect and the story is very interesting.”
- “Absolutely love the gameplay, amazing experience and one of my favorite games.”
- “Bad updates done to the gameplay.”
- “The timed quests are a mess and the inventory limits really hamper prolonged gameplay and exploration.”
- “There is a significant lag to the gameplay.”
stability
34 mentions
9 % positive mentions
12 % neutral mentions
79 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting frequent glitches and freezing issues, particularly during mission completion and autosave moments. While some players have experienced smooth gameplay without problems, the overall sentiment indicates that stability concerns significantly detract from the gaming experience, leading to frustration and repeated loss of progress.
- “I love The Sims; so far, no glitches and definitely what I expected.”
- “Runs great.”
- “No glitches so far.”
- “I hope it gets fixed, but every single time I complete the mission, it freezes when I hit OK... please fix this.”
- “Autosave freezes the game, can't click some items on the ground, and if you accidentally tap the water, you will automatically start fishing, wasting bait if you're in a timed quest.”
- “Now I just get frustrated doing the same thing over and over again just to make some progress; it freezes and takes me back to where it autosaved, and I have to repeat.”
grinding
14 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often describing it as "samey" and time-consuming, particularly when it comes to tasks like farming and gathering resources. While some appreciate that the game doesn't force them to spend extra money to progress, the overall sentiment leans towards frustration with the grind, despite enjoying the game as a whole.
- “It just became tedious having to gather pearls every time you had a task.”
- “For every 3 minutes of tedious timed nonsense.”
- “It is nearly impossible to do cooking or farming unless you spend the hard earned emeralds.”
music
8 mentions
38 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many users highlighting the amazing soundtrack and its addictive nature. However, some players have noted issues, such as the absence of speech sound alongside the background music, suggesting a need for updates to improve the audio experience.
- “This game is really very addictive with amazing graphics and mind-blowing music and an amazing story.”
- “Love the music.”
- “Very nice soundtrack!”
- “Background music is playing, but there is no speech sound. Please solve this issue.”
- “Music would be nice.”
- “I really like the nature, the song graphics, and freestyle. I've never played such a game, but please update and bring the rest of the story.”
humor
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with players highlighting its funny scenes and overall comedic tone. Many reviews note that the game is not only easy to follow but also delivers a delightful and impressive comedic experience. Overall, it is regarded as a very funny game that enhances the enjoyment of gameplay.
- “Seems like a great game! I need to play more, but the easy-to-follow instructions and funny scenes make it enjoyable.”
- “It's a really funny game; it really impressed me!”
- “The game is easy and funny.”
optimization
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game runs smoothly on their devices, though there are suggestions for improvements such as adding a timer for crops and updating the storyline.
- “The game runs smoothly on my phone.”
- “Game runs smoothly 👌 although it's nice to see a timer above the trees and other crops found in the island. Hope you can upgrade that and update the story please.”
atmosphere
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its nostalgic 90s atmosphere, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience. Reviewers highlight the effective creation of a captivating and immersive environment.
- “Great game atmosphere.”
- “It's a simple game with a 90s atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking any real immersion.”
- “Despite its potential, the game fails to create a compelling atmosphere that draws you in.”
character development
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's engaging story and character development, highlighting it as a key aspect that enhances the overall survival experience. The combination of fun gameplay and well-crafted characters contributes to a compelling narrative that resonates with many users.
- “Fun, easy to play, great story and character development.”
- “I really like this game for its story, survival, and character development. Keep it up because many others and I enjoy this survival story.”