Intro
I don’t know if you’ve noticed recently but the cozy gaming genre has exploded after the last several years. Tons are people are getting into cozy games that lower the blood pressure and give you more of a wholesome gaming experience. Many of these games have rich storytelling, engaging characters, and addicting mechanics that stimulate an enjoyable gaming experience. One of the more recent examples of this description is Coral Island.
A farming life sim that released in the November of 2023 this game has everything you could want in a cozy life sim and so much more. This farming life sim takes the basics of the genre and polishes them into a fun, wholesome, and stress free experience that will have you longing for farming in the tropics.
New to Cozy Games?
However, the cozy gaming sphere is not everyone’s cup of tea and that’s valid. If you’ve never tried farming life sims and have been curious about Coral Island you may be wondering if this is a game that you should try. This article is here to help you cut through the confusion and see if Coral Island is right for you. So, let’s jump into the deep end and see if you should play Coral Island.
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Story
The story starts off with you, a wanna be farmer. Who moves to a little tropical island out in the middle of the ocean known as Coral Island to inherit your grandparents’ old farm. Upon your arrival you discover a beautiful but trashed island that has been the victim of a recent oil spill. What was once a high traffic tourist destination has become an F rated island forgotten to the public.
Of course, that’s not all. As you venture through the island and meet the locals you uncover an ancient magic belonging to Coral Island that has since been thought to be a myth. Work your farm as you cultivate the land and relationships with your fellow townsfolk. Restore Coral Island to its once beautiful glory and create a home that you can be proud of. But be warned, not everyone is onboard with saving the island and there are some who will try to stand in your way.
Right off the bat I can tell you that this game has a lot of love and hard work put into it. While this game is the first launched by the newly formed game development company known as Starway you can tell a lot of hard work went into making this game possible. The characters that you meet are diverse and interesting to the point where it feels good to socialize for once.
Feeling Flirty?
There are about 16 romanceable options in this game and all of them are diverse. And when I say diverse, I mean DIVERSE. Like, not necessarily human diverse. There isn’t anything groundbreakingly dramatic that happens with the characters or with the story rather you see them go through the ebbs and flows of life as you progress alongside them on the island.
Due to this, Saving the island becomes even more of a priority as the people you meet make you want to rebuild a better home for you and everyone else. The game’s story is a relaxing and wholesome experience that will heighten your love for the sea and lower your blood pressure as you play it. There’s nothing high stakes rather the warm feeling of creating your story while doing the right thing.
Gameplay
The game has all of the things that make a farming sim wholesome, from farming, fishing, diving, catching bugs, socializing and mining. While many of the game’s mechanics are very similar to games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing, Coral island perfects them. Everything that you do is connected to helping your farm, your neighbors, and the island at large.
In setting up the game this way nothing feels wasted and you can enjoy doing whatever you like with the knowledge that it’s for the greater good. Donate fish, bugs artifacts, and fossils to the museum. Mine for resources to help level up your farm. Or make offerings at the temple to save the magic of the island. The two biggest enhancements to these well-known gaming mechanics are diving and fishing.
Real’em In
Diving is a fun experience where you clear trash, meet sea creatures, hunt for artifacts, and enjoy another asset to the game’s landscape. Fishing has also been polished as Coral Island uses a method of tension to reel in fish. This makes fishing in the game feel closer to how it would be in real life and emulates the thrill, and frustration, of trying to reel in a big one.
While all of this is great the number of options for how to spend your time can feel overwhelming. Though this game does not have as rigid time restraints as other farming sim games it can still be a bit of a challenge to decide where to spend your time. This isn’t necessarily a drawback so long as you do your research if you’re new to farming sim games.
What’s the Catch?
Another aspect of this game is that it’s a bit allergic to tutorials and pointing out aspects of the game. The game does assume that the player has previous experience playing these types of games and, while there are some helpful tutorials, it might take some players some trial, error, and research to figure out how the game works.
Nothing in the game is rocket science though so don’t be intimidated if you’re thinking about picking up this game. For veteran followers of the genre this game takes the basics of farming sims and revamps it in a way that is addictive as well as wholesome.
Pros
- Wholesome story
- Stress relieving (if decision overload is not an issue for you)
- Beautiful aesthetic
- Fun characters
- Great story
Cons
- Might be a bit of a learning curve if you’re new to the genre.
- Deciding how to spend your time can be overwhelming.
Conclusion
Coral Island is a relatively new game in a genre that is seasoned enough to the point where many games like it can start to feel stale. However, Coral Island brings a fresh and interesting twist to the genre while also including many of the aspects that people love about farming sim games. While those such as, green cozy gamers, those with decision fatigue, and people who hate wholesome content, may want to think before buying this game, many others should consider purchasing this game.
Ready to take the plunge? Get Coral Island for PC at these online retailers:
Steam: Buy
Humble Bundle: Buy
Coral Island has been one of my favorite games of 2024! All the activities are fun and engaging and the collector in me gets so much dopamine from playing this game. Awesome take!