Shadowdrops are always a great surprise. Time on Frog Island, developed by Half Past Yellow and published by Merge Games, made its way to Stadia alongside other platforms. As of late, Merge Games has been highly supportive of Stadia, with DEATHRUN TV releasing as a Pro title last month as well. Without further ado, let’s begin our Time on Frog Island Stadia review.
Let’s get froggy!
After a shipwreck, we wake up on an island in the middle of the sea. Said island is home to a group of anthropomorphic frogs. Time on Frog Island gives us control of the captain. A mysterious character that’ll need all the help he can take from the habitants of the island. The story of the game is not that important. In fact, there’s barely any plot at all. Aside from running errands and exploring the island, we only see some background plot through our character dreams while sleeping. The main point of the game is exploring and having fun along the way. Getting to know all the characters, their interests and motivations, and helping them. This way, we’ll get their help in compensation.
Time on Frog Island is extremely chill. There’s no need to hurry (unless you want some achievements). It’s the kind of game that benefits from playing in short bursts. Enjoying a couple of in-game days in every session. NPCs usually will have a quest for us, which we can do fairly easy. Dialogue is quite limited, with characters only speaking trough illustrations. Some difficulty comes from understanding what our quest is. Aside from that, there’s also not a quest log nor a map. At the start, that can be quite annoying, but the more I played, the more I appreciated it. The island, despite being somehow big, is packed to the brim with memorable landmarks.
Being the toad’s tool
Your time on Frog Island will most probably be extra chill. As previously stated, the game doesn’t force you into any quest. Your main objective is to fix your wrecked ship, and leave the island. To do that, you’ll have to explore the island, and lend a hand to the villagers, so they help you back. Of course, not every task will result in you repairing your ship. There are a lot of side missions that will fetch you extra items and secrets. This will help you learn more about Frog Island and the relationships between all the frogs. Sometimes, it’s not all about ourselves, but rather, helping the others for the sake of it, and feeling better. It’s great to have the option of running more errands, for those who want to spare some more time on the island.
Gameplay is fairly simple, in a good way. Such a relaxing game like Time on Frog Island doesn’t need convoluted controls or deep gameplay mechanics. The basics are there. Being able to control our character with ease and fluid movement. We have the ability to jump and grab items, which we can put down or throw. Some objects grand us special perks, like being able to glide, or run faster for a while. Grabbing items is a key element of the game. This way we can complete most of the quests, since most of them are fetch quests. Another great addition are the achievements, which prompt players to discover secrets, and replay the game in order to focus on other aspects.
Quite the nice view
The game looks great, It has a lot of charm, and the simplistic presentation fits well with its chill vibes. The designs of the characters, specially the frogs, are unique and bode well with their personalities. The island itself, despite being low poly, feels alive. There are a lot of areas to explore. From the coast, to snowy mountains, forests, and ruins. Some days, it might even rain. At start, it might look like it is only a visual change. However, the rain can unlock some secrets too.
The game doesn’t take long to beat, with around five hours required to complete the main task and fix the boat. However, those who want to keep enjoying their time on the island, are able to. There are a handful of side quests to complete and secrets to uncover. Running around and messing with the frogs can also be quite fun. The music that plays during our adventures is, for the most time, catchy. Sound effects are cute, specially the gibberish the frogs speak. Everything ties up to be quite the charming package.
Conclusion
It is a sweet and relaxing game where we explore quite a huge island and run errands for a nice set of characters. Cutesy art-style and a simple presentation, help fall in love with the world of the game. The main gameplay can be enjoyed by everyone. There’s no hurry to fix the ship. Explore the island and help the frogs with their issues. Running around and searching for secrets can also be quite fun. Additionally, those who seek a relaxing game to enjoy in short bursts before going to bed, will not be disappointed.
Time on Frog Island
Summary
Time on Frog Island presents us a varied cast of frog characters that we need to help in order to repair our ship. Cutesy art-style and a simple presentation help bring home the whole chill vibe.
