"Time on Frog Island" is a sandbox-style adventure game where you, a shipwrecked sailor, must trade resources with talking frogs to repair your boat and escape the island. The game features a variety of puzzles, characters, and hidden treasures to discover as you explore the island. You can try out the prologue for free on Steam.
The game features charming graphics and a delightful atmosphere, making exploration enjoyable.
The unique communication style using images instead of text adds a creative twist to the gameplay.
The fetch quests, while repetitive, can be relaxing and provide a sense of accomplishment when completed.
The lack of a map, inventory, or quest log makes navigation and task management frustrating.
Many players found the gameplay to be overly simplistic and repetitive, leading to a lack of depth.
Bugs and glitches can disrupt the experience, causing players to restart or lose progress.
story
140 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
80%
7%
The story in "Time on Frog Island" is minimal and primarily conveyed through images, lacking dialogue and depth, which leads to a simplistic narrative experience. Players engage in a series of fetch quests that can feel tedious due to the absence of a quest log, map, or inventory, making navigation and quest completion frustrating. While the game features a charming art style and some emotional undertones, many reviewers felt that the story could have benefited from more development and coherence.
“The sad backstory is what teeters this into the recommendation zone for me.”
“The story is cute, and a little bit sad, but the overall tone of the game is jolly good fun and almost a childlike experience of exploration and adventure.”
“The story definitely hit deeper than what I was expecting, which was a great surprise.”
“Imagine a game without any story and barely coherent dialogue.”
“There is no text, so you must guess what you need to do for each mission. There is no way to track the quests you have gathered as you attempt to explore the space you are in, and although it isn't hard to play, it's boring.”
“The game offers nothing but fetch quests but made more inconvenient, harder, primitive, and annoying to stretch out gameplay and to justify the steep price.”
gameplay
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
59%
13%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a simplistic and repetitive fetch quest mechanic, which many players found lacking in depth and engagement. While the charming visuals and relaxing atmosphere are praised, the limited mechanics, such as carrying only one item at a time and the absence of a mini-map, detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration and a sense of aimlessness. Overall, while it may appeal to those seeking a casual escape, the gameplay is often described as tedious and not worth the price, especially when compared to more robust alternatives in the genre.
“Gameplay consists of some very mild platforming and exploration around Frog Island, as you help the denizens with their various requests, all the while trying to get your shipwreck back in shipshape so you can ship out to new adventures.”
“Time on Frog Island offers an experience that combines a subtle narrative with beautiful visuals, relaxing gameplay, and touching moments (like picking up the tadpoles, of course).”
“I loved the visuals of the game and its mechanics; I felt like they played really nicely into each other, making it feel easy to play and interact with the world.”
“The gameplay lacks depth, offering little incentive for replay once you’ve completed the primary objectives.”
“The game offers nothing but fetch quests but made more inconvenient, harder, primitive and annoying to stretch out gameplay and to justify the steep price.”
“Visual style is the only field where the game scores any points for me; it falls severely short in the gameplay department.”
graphics
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
56%
7%
The graphics of "Time on Frog Island" are widely praised for their charming and colorful art style, featuring adorable character designs and smooth animations that enhance the exploration experience. While the visuals are considered a highlight, with many reviewers noting their appeal and cuteness, some criticize the PC port's quality and the overall gameplay experience, suggesting that the graphics alone may not be enough to compensate for gameplay shortcomings. Overall, the game's aesthetic is described as cozy and visually captivating, making it a delightful choice for those who prioritize art style over gameplay depth.
“Time on Frog Island's highlight is its wacky graphics and smooth animation, which in the first few hours makes exploration a joy.”
“It's a really charming title with nice graphics, great characters, and lots of cute interactions.”
“The colorful art style of the game makes it very visually appealing.”
“Time on Frog Island is a console game, and while the visuals of that console game seem okay, the PC port of that game is particularly bad.”
“The art style is incredibly cute, but the game just isn't fun at all, and with the lack of a proper narrative, I don't even want to help my character in Frog Island.”
“All around, if you are just looking for a game with cute graphics, then this could be for you on sale, but if you don't want to deal with the lackluster gameplay, I recommend a different, more charming, relaxing, and fun game like 'Lil Gator Game' or 'A Short Hike'.”
grinding
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the fetch quests and achievement requirements tedious and frustrating. While some appreciate the casual nature and potential of the game, the lack of efficient item management and the repetitive nature of tasks detract from the overall experience, making it feel more like a chore than an enjoyable adventure. Overall, the grindy elements may appeal to completionists, but they can be off-putting for those seeking a more streamlined gameplay experience.
“No handholding; exploration is fun and not tedious at all.”
“There were a few things the devs did to extend the length of the game that proved tedious additions rather than fun ones.”
“The achievements are grindy, and it doesn't make sense since I don't like to repeat a game just to get an achievement. In my view, the achievements should be tied to the game itself, but it feels like the game isn't about the story but more about the achievements since they introduced so many.”
“Additionally, the large map combined with many fetch tasks can make traveling feel tedious.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
9%
27%
The music in "Time on Frog Island" is widely praised for its relaxing and pleasant soundtrack, which enhances the game's charming atmosphere. Reviewers noted that the background music complements the exploration and whimsical design, evoking nostalgia reminiscent of classic games like Spyro. Overall, the sound design, including sound effects, contributes positively to the gaming experience, despite some criticisms of the gameplay itself.
“Add the slow, relaxing background music to that and you'll feel at home.”
“Between the graphics that are a cute 3D, to the music that accompanies the adventure as a serenade.”
“A creative and relaxing game with good music and an adorable cast of characters.”
“The music is forgettable and doesn't add to the overall experience.”
“While the graphics are cute, the music feels repetitive and uninspired.”
“The background music is too subtle and often gets lost in the gameplay.”
monetization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of this product is criticized for being misleading, as it presents itself as a game while primarily functioning as an advertisement for "Time on Frog Island." Users express frustration over the practice of publishing demos or ads as separate games, arguing it detracts from genuine developers and misleads consumers, ultimately questioning the value of such content in their game libraries.
“This isn't completely relevant because this is not 'Time on Frog Island', it's just an advertisement for it, so it's not correct to try to review that completely distinct product.”
“While it might seem like an innocuous mistake, publishing demos and advertisements as if they are full games is misleading and in some ways harmful.”
“Often developers may choose to incorrectly publish demo/advertisements as separate games as a cheap way to bypass paying Valve for marketing presence on the Steam front page, which may seem clever to them, but it's harmful behavior and it's not good for gamers.”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its wholesome and heartwarming narrative, complemented by beautiful visuals and relaxing gameplay. Players appreciate the touching moments and small interactions that evoke a sense of warmth, although some find the experience can become tedious at times. Overall, it is celebrated for its cute art style and the ability to provide a chill, enjoyable experience.
“Time on Frog Island offers an experience that combines a subtle narrative with beautiful visuals, relaxing gameplay, and touching moments (like picking up the tadpoles, of course).”
“The small interactions with objects and the environment are heartwarming.”
“With a touching story and a cute art style, this game is definitely one you can sit down and enjoy for a few hours.”
character development
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
While players appreciate the charming character designs and overall art style, many feel that the character development lacks depth and feels underdeveloped, leaving the characters feeling less fleshed out than they could be.
“First and foremost, the game is beautiful; it is sweet, and I really like the character designs and exploration.”
“Very cute game; I like all the character designs and juicy movements.”
“I love the art style and character design, but the game doesn't feel fleshed out.”
“The designs in this game are a joy; both the character designs and the buildings have so much charm, as well as the overall art style.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a charming and jovial vibe that effectively contrasts with its underlying melancholic story, creating a relaxing and captivating experience. Players appreciate the chill vibes, adorable animations, and enjoyably silly elements, making it a worthwhile, albeit simple, gameplay experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is a highlight, contributing significantly to its appeal despite some frustrations.
“Adorable game, great atmosphere, and lovely animations!”
“Perhaps because of its jovial atmosphere that hides a somewhat melancholic story, and an entertaining but extremely relaxed gameplay.”
“Moving on to happier things, the atmosphere of Time on Frog Island is extremely relaxing; it captivated me from the start without much trouble.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in "Time on Frog Island" is characterized by its quirky and whimsical designs, contributing to a chill and oddly comforting atmosphere. Players appreciate the game's lighthearted tone and amusing quests, which enhance the overall adventure experience.
“Time on Frog Island is a very good adventure game where you explore a land full of frogs with multiple quests, some funny designs, and a nice soundtrack.”
“The game has a very chill, funny, weirdly downbeat yet comfy vibe to it.”
“Anyway, I'm glad I finally got to know why that funny-looking dude cares so much for his plants!”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with multiple users reporting frequent bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, such as being locked out of quests and requiring restarts. While the game has potential, these issues detract from the overall experience, leading many to recommend waiting for a sale before purchasing.
“I cannot honestly recommend it based on my buggy experience, which is a shame because if it had worked right, I think it's a really fun indie gem.”
“The game is super buggy.”
“I would say definitely get it on sale because it's very short and has a few glitches (I had to restart my game because I got locked out of a quest), so playing with a guide is kind of needed.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The game's replayability is limited, as many players feel that once the main tasks and exploration are completed, there is little incentive to return. However, some optional quests and achievements can extend gameplay, offering a modest level of replay value for those who choose to engage with them.
“This game can be longer if you decide to do a number of optional quests and achievements, so it has some replayability, which I quite like.”
“The replayability value of this game severely suffers from having to run everywhere several times.”
“Replay value: once you’ve completed the main tasks and explored the island, there’s little incentive to play again.”
“This game can be longer if you decide to do a number of optional quests/achievements, so it has some replayability, which I do quite like.”