Review of Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge: Visit it to aid in the restoration of nature

Our Verdict

We had a ribbeting time with Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge as it offers a wholesome story with a goal to work towards - restoring the wetland and welcoming plenty of amphibians back to bask in nature.

Nothing beats a fun indie game with an animal theme, which is why I was drawn to Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge. I had a great time playing it, so check whether it's for you by reading on if you like frogs and cute, easy small games.

You immediately enter a charming environment with a pleasing visual aesthetic, where you meet Cleo, a girl who is tired of her desk job and is looking for a change. She goes back to check on them after remembering the marshes she used to frequent as a child with her buddy Axel. This begins a new profession of gathering frogs, in which you have to restore the wetlands and provide a haven for all the froggies.

The game is very cute. There are, of course, colorful frogs wherever you look, just waiting for you to take a photo of them and record it in your diary. You tackle the tasks at hand to restore the marsh region gradually but steadily. You discover a researcher who can assist you in breeding novel frogs, a furniture shop where you can sell your creations, and a few more NPCs that provide top-notch services.

You need to establish ponds, berry bushes, and other plants to revitalize the wetland region. These will enable you to collect food that you can sell and bugs that you can use to feed your frogs. Frogs may also unwind in the ponds and on some of the movable furnishings, such as baths, logs, recliners, and more.

The gameplay cycle in Kamaeru is quite compelling: you search for frogs, gather stuff, make goods, sell them, and then purchase more items to draw in more frogs. After spending many hours on it, I think I've created around one-third of all the conceivable frog combinations—or frogbinations, as you would call them—in terms of colors and patterns. I may take pictures of every one of the more than 500 that are out there eventually.

The game clings a little bit if you move swiftly across the map all the time, like I do in my frog-finding frenzy, but overall, performance on the Switch could be a little better. A keyboard and mouse would probably make decorating simpler as well, but a Switch may be easily learned to use.

Do I now feel like an authority on frogs? A novice? Perhaps. According to what little I know about amphibians, all frogs are nice little fellows who should be well-cared for in our refuges. A fun little indie game, Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge will appeal to fans of frogs, healthy adventures, and revitalizing nature settings.

If you want to keep hopping around as an amphibian, you can also check out even more frog games on Switch or give these farm games a go.