Cast 'n' Chill Review

Cast 'n' Chill - Another steam sale, another dent in my wallet…

Platform(s): PC, Switch (soon), Switch 2 (soon)

As much as I love my epic, heart-wrenching, save-the-world, RPG escapades, I find myself drawn to cozy casual games more and more. Cast n Chill is wears its cozy cardigan classification to-a-T. It’s a short affair, but it packs a whole lot of charm into its diminutive package. It might not be for everyone though

It was a moment of weakness. I had just finished a big game and had nothing else lined up to fill the void. Hesitant to take on another 40+ hour marathon, I popped open steam to be greeted with another steam sale. But this one was different, it was the spring Fishing Game sale. It was like Valve made this sale for me and me only.

The list of games included was short. The handful of “popular” modern fishing games at the top, then a few interesting indie games followed by a heap of early access drivel. Cast n Chill was one of the few games that stuck out to me with its instantly charming art. I never understood the draw of idle games, but I had never played one either. If I was going to give it a go, then this seemed pretty perfect.

One thing that is nice about the game is the ability to make the game as easy or challenging as one desires. You want the idle experience, choose a lure and location and just let the game do its thing for you. For a middle of the road experience, you control your boat with the ability to see underwater to locate and fight your target species. Those looking for a real challenge can just not look underwater at all, simulating a more realistic fishing experience.

Once you’ve found your fish, it’s up to you to figure out what kind of lure and lure size they’re biting on. You’ll also need to cast to the proper depth. You can reel in a little bit to slow the rate that your lure sinks to keep it in the zone for those mid-water fish. Probably a lot harder to do if you aren’t looking underwater. Reeling in is simple enough. Keep your line tight and only reel when they’re facing you. It’s easier said than done though. Each fish has its own fighting tendencies, and the bigger ones can put up a frustrating yet rewarding fight.

And that’s pretty much the game. Once you’ve caught everything there is to catch or just bored with an area, head back to the tackle shop to purchase a new license, upgrade your gear, rinse and repeat. There are just species of fish and lures combinations to keep things interesting for a while, that is if you aren’t idling.

The fact that idling is even an option in the game is probably my biggest nag. I left the game running while I ran some errands. I even let it run all night a couple of times, just to see how much money I could accrue. I know I didn’t have to do this, but once I did, the game ruined me. It completely killed my drive to play anymore. I did it for science though. I don’t think idle games are for me.

Other than wanting a few more fish, lures, doggos, character customizations, I had a lovely, if not short time with Cast n Chill. (The devs have released a few since I played) There isn’t a ton here, but what it does, it does really well. I fear adding too much more to the game would turn it into something wholly different. I’m just going to keep liking it for what it is.

At its core, Cast n Chill is a cozy idle game, though you are always free to do the fishing yourself. You and your trusty doggo set out on your rickety boat for a relaxing day of fishing. Your starting boat is small, your rod and reel is weak, and your selection of bait and lures is essentially non-existent. Your goal is to catch fish to sell back to the nice old man at the bait shop to upgrade your gear and purchase new licenses that unlock new fishing spots and regions.

Each region contains a handful of set spots you can access, with only 5 species of fish to catch in each. You unlock new fishing spots by chatting (and tipping) with the bait shop owner. The bait shop is also where you can buy new lures and gear upgrades. Once you’ve saved up enough dough, you can also purchase new fishing licenses that unlock whole new regions, of which there are 5.

Before we dive deeper into the gameplay, we gotta talk about the vibes. In short, immaculate. The art is freaking gorgeous. I especially love how your surroundings reflect off the water. There’s something about how the realistic reflections mesh with the pixel art that makes the game feel vast while being tiny in actuality. It really captures the feeling of being small that only nature (and probably space) can do to you. Top it off with ambient plucking of a banjo and it’s just perfect!

One thing that is nice about the game is the ability to make the game as easy or challenging as one desires. You want the idle experience, choose a lure and location and just let the game do its thing for you. For a middle of the road experience, you control your boat with the ability to see underwater to locate and fight your target species. Those looking for a real challenge can just not look underwater at all, simulating a more realistic fishing experience.

Once you’ve found your fish, it’s up to you to figure out what kind of lure and lure size they’re biting on. You’ll also need to cast to the proper depth. You can reel in a little bit to slow the rate that your lure sinks to keep it in the zone for those mid-water fish. Probably a lot harder to do if you aren’t looking underwater. Reeling in is simple enough. Keep your line tight and only reel when they’re facing you. It’s easier said than done though. Each fish has its own fighting tendencies, and the bigger ones can put up a frustrating yet rewarding fight.

And that’s pretty much the game. Once you’ve caught everything there is to catch or just bored with an area, head back to the tackle shop to purchase a new license, upgrade your gear, rinse and repeat. There are just species of fish and lures combinations to keep things interesting for a while, that is if you aren’t idling.

The fact that idling is even an option in the game is probably my biggest nag. I left the game running while I ran some errands. I even let it run all night a couple of times, just to see how much money I could accrue. I know I didn’t have to do this, but once I did, the game ruined me. It completely killed my drive to play anymore. I did it for science though. I don’t think idle games are for me.

Other than wanting a few more fish, lures, doggos, character customizations, I had a lovely, if not short time with Cast n Chill. (The devs have released a few since I played) There isn’t a ton here, but what it does, it does really well. I fear adding too much more to the game would turn it into something wholly different. I’m just going to keep liking it for what it is.

8/10