Calico Review (plasmafire)
Pros:
- This game is super adorable and comfy. The setting is beautiful, the music is soothing, and all the NPCs are super kind and likable people.
- You can RIDE THE CAPYBARAS.
- Character customization is great! I kinda wish outfits were more expansive, but as for colors and physical body details as well as the unlockable patterns and designs, it’s spectacular.
- I love the variety of animals. Like, I went in expecting mostly cats, and there are indeed a lot of cats on the island — but there’s a wide variety of cats, and beyond that, there’s also possums, capybaras, an alpaca, a red panda, pigeons with hats, dogs of all shapes and sizes, magical animals, sheep, goats, deer, cows, polar bears — I love it. I never get bored of running around the map and then suddenly sprinting up to an animal to pet it, because I never know what to expect.
- The cooking mini games are fun! Even when they’re a little tedious (tart filling pool my beloathed), it’s fun to launch myself around the kitchen and carry around eggs as big as you are.
- The representation!! There’s so many characters of color, and WLW, and nonbinary people, etc.!
Wishes:
- I really, really wish this game had PlayStation controls. Like, it’s possible with the XBox controls, but it took some serious trial and error, as someone unfamiliar with the XBox buttons.
- I wish the animal accessories (ears and tails) had a few more options. Specifically, I wanna be an owl like Maia and Freya, or a MOTH!! Fuzzy antennae and a cape/shawl would be all it took for both.
Cons:
- The cooking minigame times can be frustrating. Even as I’ve come to understand the controls and actions better, I haven’t been able to rank above silver on the simplest recipes.
- Some people say the controls are janky — they can be in a few places? Honestly, the game is MASSES better when played with a controller rather than a mouse/keyboard. Literally one of the biggest reasons I bought a controller was to play this game easier, and it definitely paid off.
- It is really short. I’m almost done 100%ing it and I haven’t even hit 8 hours yet. I wish there was some kind of major endgame / postgame content.
Overall, I really recommend this game! I think it’s super fun, super comfy, and a definite addition to my list of comfort games. It’s soothing and sweet and the perfect game to destress with.