FROGS. sooo many frogs. they are all so adorable!
many things to do and discover. many things to learn so it does require patience XD
i have yet to learn how to breed new frogs but the whole system looks intricate and clever which i love.
the controls are easy
the inventory system is unique, especially where you can open multiple boxes at the same time to transfer items.
demo is still available, give it a go <3

Excellent and charming puzzle game once you get into it - it has more depth than it looks on the surface

Pros:

* Charming graphics and designs, frog puns and riffs everywhere
* Solid writing for a game where that's not a focus
* Fun puzzle / exploration mechanics are more involved than you expect

Cons:

* High recommend adding the "Run Faster" mod - the game's base speed is too slow IMO
* Early game is a bit confusing

as a huge fan of apico, i was absolutely stoked for mudborne to come out and i wasn't disappointed.

mudborne is another fantastic experience; the frog breeding is extremely satisfying, and the mechanics are different from those of apico and i believe are more beginner-friendly (so if apico's breeding system was daunting, start here!). nevertheless it was so much fun to find every breed and variant through trial and error and mashing mushrooms together. the mushroom mechanics are also an absolute joy - the maths is straightforward but sometimes i was really scratching my head to figure out combinations and having proper eureka moments when i did!

mudborne is rich with a storyline and lore, and i really enjoyed actually following the storyline all the way to it's conclusion. the goals are all clearly set out but it's not like you can make a mistake - often exploring and getting a bit lost led you to more scrapbooks, chests and goodies and little hidden parts of the maps.

the art?? absolutely beautiful. i'm a huge fan of pixel art games anyway and mudborne is visually stunning. the UIs and menus are once again, magnificent, and i played through the game using a controller and only hit a couple of snags (for example, if hopping along the lilypads and i wanted to interact with an object or machine, it wasn't really possible as the interact button (A) mapped to another lilypad, rather than the object, but controllers are less free-moving then MKB anyway). these snags were barely an issue though and it was super quick and easy to quickly change to MKB in game, then change back, so it's not really an issue and the game is definitely playable with a controller. the game is extremely polished anyway - i don't think i came across any bugs personally and i played it on release - but regardless, the developer is extremely helpful and quick and rolling bug fixes out, and is very active in the discord.

all in all, another fantastic experience and game; a perfect mix of adventure, puzzle, and a unique 'farming' aspect in the breeding and mushroom harvesting. it's cosy but it's unique from the other games usually found within this genre - i couldn't recommend it enough!