Note: I didn’t play earlier versions, so my feedback is based only on the current build.
Upgrade System
- I like that there’s a clear upgrade path, and the tooltips are very helpful. It’s easy to understand what each upgrade does before buying it.
- Upgrades didn’t always feel impactful. After ~45 minutes and several purchases, the difference in progression wasn’t as noticeable as expected, especially early on when players are still forming their sense of momentum.
- The dragonfly stood out here. Saving up for it felt like a meaningful milestone, but in practice it only drops food occasionally and didn’t feel worth the cost. This might just need tuning (price vs. drop frequency).
Pacing
- Being able to purchase multiple koi at once definitely helps the pacing and supports more active play.
- Overall, the progression feels a little slow. That may be intentional for a chill idle game, but I expected to see more visible or financial growth within the first 45 minutes. Stronger early feedback on how upgrades affect income or growth could help.
- A clear visual and sound cue when a fish reaches adulthood would be great. Something like a small particle sparkle + short sound cue would make it immediately obvious they’re ready to sell.
Music
- The music matches the vibe of the game very well. It fits the tone and mood.
- The main issue is that it’s very simple and repetitive. Expanding it with more layers/details, or a few additional short tracks that fade between each other would keep the atmosphere fresh without requiring complex compositions.
Sound & Atmosphere (adjacent but relevant)
- There’s a lot of opportunity to deepen immersion with environmental audio to help the pond feel more alive and textured.
- water ambience (lapping, soft stream/waterfall)
- light nature sounds (insects, subtle wildlife)
- more interaction sounds