Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge
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Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge Media
Critic Reviews for Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge
I left the demo at PAX East eager for the completed game, and now that I’ve played it, it delivers well on the idyllic simplicity of building ponds and befriending frogs, even if the simplicity is a bit too simple at times. I’ve never seen a game put so much effort into making an actual statement on ecology and biodiversity, but Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge shows a cute game about photographing frogs can be so much more than that.
Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge is a delightfully charming, remarkably in-depth eco-management sim. I figured it would be a pretty chill game with some intense parts of difficulty for me because that’s where I’m at these days. What I got was better than anything I expected. It’s not confusing, there is very little stress involved, and it is easy to get lost spending hours at a time meeting new frog friends and saving the wetlands. The expansive help section is especially appreciated. The game goes at the pace you choose. It was actually so overwhelmingly chill it was a bit easier to overlook some of the parts I did struggle with.
Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge is a uniquely fun farming sim fueled by heart, a message of conservation, and a whole lot of frogs.
The game feels like an escape into nature where players are also able to make meaningful change at their own pace, and is a lovely way to wind down at the end of a long day. It's certainly not a cozy game that can be played indefinitely - or, in truth, even for more than perhaps 10 hours at the very most, depending on how fast players opt to progress - but the time that is spent is overall quite endearing. With charming visuals, calming music, and a bevy of adorable frogs to be adopted and given silly names, Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge offers a fun, amphibious twist on a well-trodden format.
While cute and cozy, Kamaeru can definitely become frustrating if played for longer periods of time with little variation in gameplay.
Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge combines cute frogs and wetland development to create a refuge management experience you will never forget. The frogs are adorable and collecting them all is enjoyable. Customising your frog refuge and the extremely low chance of failure let you pursue your goals as you wish. While the game is not at all challenging and doesn't have the best UI in late-game areas, it's still fun to play. By far the cosiest frog simulator you will ever encounter, Kamaeru is perfect if you're wondering how you can save our planet.
Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge blends its real-world science with a method of show-don’t tell that makes it less intimidating than Apico, a game which I adored and which also reminded me how much I’d forgotten from my science classes so many decades ago. It’s also committed to a soft, comfy aesthetic that, even if you’ve never looked at frogs as cute before, this game will teach you why so many people just love froggies. I think my only silly quibble is the lack of audible ‘ribbits;’ just give me a vague background cacophony of happy, croaky little noises. It’s possible it’s something I’ll find as I get even deeper into the game! But that’s so minor and specific to me and isn’t a real complaint at all. The prettiness of this game and its lack of interest in stressing you about time is going to make it a soothing experience for a lot of people. The only way in this game is forward, but at the pace you choose. Pick up and play, or hyper-focus on it; it’s all entirely up to you! The frogs will love you to bits no matter what.
