I can distinctly remember stumbling upon the Kickstarter campaign for Coral Island. With every word I read of the pitch, I felt the giddiness in my tum tum bubbling. It spoke volumes to me, and apparently, I wasn’t the only one hearing voices. When it caught my attention, the funds had already been accumulated. Stretch goals couldn’t be thought up fast enough because they were being blown through immediately.

The hype was real, and okay, it might just be another farming simulator in a vast sea of them, but this goes to show that if you deliver a romp with a couple of interesting facets, it’ll pop. I friggin adore it, but it isn’t without flaws. There’s potential, though, which is why I’m leaning heavily into the feedback portion of this piece. That’s right, let’s spoil the ending of this review because I do recommend Coral Island, but with caveats.

THE YOUNG AND THE OLD!

If you’re a connoisseur of this genre, then the premise will feel familiar. After all, it’s the common cliche of taking on the family farm. That’s the overused launchpad for an otherwise lovely experience. The best spot to begin is with the children – they’re so cute. I watched as they sprinted through the village, playing tag and flying kites. I had the cheesiest smile at their many friendship events, which only solidifies how adorable they are. In my opinion, they play a massive role in giving Starlet Town a sense of liveliness.

The adults are almost identical. Like the kids, seeing them go to the beach and lounging, getting a nice tan, or doing little errands gave Coral Island an air of tangibility. If I yearned to see someone, I knew, more or less, where their routine took them. They had jobs and hobbies, cementing them as individuals. Some are nature fanatics, usually aiding the hurt wildlife, while others are obsessed with sculpting their body. I suppose you could describe their quips as generic, and I’d agree, but they also manage to nail a serene atmosphere.

 

FEELING A BIT LOVESICK!

I did, however, include the qualifier of almost, and that’s because when it comes to romance, the proverbial hammer drops. Before I explain how, I want to preface this critique by stating how much I legitimately enjoyed the backstories. During my session, I focused exclusively on developing a strong bond with Yuri, maxing out her heart meter. She is the ideal partner – after all, in Japanese, yuri correlates to a lesbian relationship. In all seriousness, she’s an absolute sweetheart with innocent motivations, has dope tattoos, and goes the extra mile to ensure her patients are on the road to recovery.

As I got to know her, though, the cracks began to appear. Each time her lore unfolds, the tragic nature of it becomes evident. I was ready to be enthralled, but that part forgot to happen. My intrigue might have been tickled, but a lustful explosion wasn’t in the cards. Her plot is shackled, never allowed to blossom totally. Sure, we get to learn why she ultimately chose her career path of being a doctor, but there’s a reluctance to explore the heartbreak that leads there. As is, it stays surface-level, preventing a deep connection from cultivating.

It’s a worrying trend that, sadly, proceeds her, carrying into the others. For example, the twin sisters of Alice and Suki share an aversion to getting down to the nitty-gritty. Whenever I see either of their heart scenes, there’s a nagging feeling that the meat of their history is withheld. Maybe it was done to inspire curiosity, or perhaps time constraints contributed, but whatever the hitch, my hunger wasn’t satiated. I’m aware that contradicts what I said not two minutes ago, and I maintain that literary prowess isn’t dreadful. It just isn’t realized, but it does make me happy – a testament to its wholesomeness.

To make it abundantly clear, what’s here is bloody fantastic. I’m simply hyper-analyzing methods to go about bringing it to new heights. Better yet, any alterations I’m suggesting aren’t a case of having to redo the script. Stairway Games has already managed to infuse emotion into the writing, as seen with Yuri. Coral Island has a charm that’s nigh impossible to deny. What I’m trying to establish is that to excel, it has to take that extra step by adding in dramatics and being a bit spicy. It has the pedigree to waltz onto the next plateau, turning into a benchmark, and slight changes would help.

When I covered My Time at Sandrock, a facet I praised, as dumb as it sounds, were the letters I received periodically. Coral Island continues that trend, especially with those from Grandma. They flesh out the world by mentioning unseen incidents occurring behind the scenes – my favorite saga is Ashley and her pregnancy. I can’t understate how crucial these flourishes are to the overall experience. To see such a commitment put forth to bring realism to the table perfectly exemplifies the passion poured into this project.

 

COUPLE GOALS!

You know, they say an impeccable marriage is when you’re locked into holy matrimony with your best friend. It’s full of butterflies, admiration, and banter. It’s the sweetest union and one that we’re going to be witnessing. With Yuri showering me with compliments, bashfully asking for cuddles, and referring to me by a pet name, it’s pure bliss. I had cavities developing as my session went on, but what’s important is it feels quaint. The variety is decent, too, and while lines eventually do repeat, having that daily interaction made my morning. Hell, I’m excited to see what tying the knot with the other eligible bachelorettes is like, particularly with Suki.

I reckon the release from early access was a success, and there’s a sturdy foundation to build upon. The 2024 roadmap outlines plenty of upcoming features, but what I hope takes priority is the relationship mechanic. It’s currently shallow, but with dating coming, it’s poised not to be. Since children are possible, I’d love it if, with the update, Yuri made subtle remarks about starting a family. If I bump into her while doing menial errands, have her ask about dinner – I’d be onboard for saucy double entendres for the adult demographic. Sure, these chats may be considered mundane, but they’d also be true to life, and isn’t that what Coral Island strives for?

LOST IN TRANSLATION!

I grew up in a Portuguese household, and my parents speak broken English. You’re likely wondering why I bring this tidbit up, and the answer is that Coral Island is much the same. The language barrier is responsible for mistaken punctuation, misspellings, or words being outright gone. Be that as it may, I never had difficulty understanding what was being said. I could always grasp the general gist because, despite the gaps, it wasn’t illegible. I also found a charm in the imperfection.

Here’s where I’m sure I’ll ruffle feathers, but tutorials are severely missed. I consider myself a savant in this genre, but thanks to studios having differing approaches to a mechanic, I occasionally am tasked with relearning specifics. Coral Island does a sufficient job explaining most, but it isn’t without outliers. For example, if I hadn’t indulged in titles like Story of Seasons, I would have no idea what a Greenhouse is. Not having that information alienates the casual crowd. It panders to a niche instead of introducing new players into the fold.

 

IT DOESN’T WORK LIKE THAT!?

My biggest qualm with Coral Island is the misguided choice behind storage boxes. They’re usually the bane of my existence unless they come with a nifty, and frankly mandatory, quality-of-life tweak. By default, the inventory space of my bag is limited, even after upgrades, compared to the heft of materials I collect. As such, I’ll have to place it elsewhere, and I happily would if this title didn’t punish me. You see, said boxes aren’t universally recognized, and despite there being an option I can toggle to make it so it theoretically should be, it doesn’t function. 

If I’m not properly conveying the gravity of the situation, allow me to illustrate. If I go to the carpentry and ask to construct a silo but don’t have the necessary supplies on my person, I’ve got to return home for them. However, that meant I had to memorize what was required, and as I’ve documented, my memory is abysmal. I frequently couldn’t, meaning I had to go back and forth between these two areas quite often, proving tedious. Plainly, it’s an accessibility issue, and granted, I could snap a photo, but I shouldn’t have to. If a title relies on outside forces to accommodate disabilities, that’s a problem.

I’m sure the burning question y’all have then is if there’s a fast travel system, and yes, I can confirm, but it won’t be entirely available out of the gate. The various stations are slowly unlocked by making offerings at the local Lake Temple. These bundles usually contain rare gems, fish, cooked dishes, or animal products. It’s a shockingly delightful distraction, and I lost myself trying to finish it all. Of course, it’s slow going and time-consuming, but in lieu of that, I honestly enjoyed having a tangible goal to work towards.

 

A DESIGNER’S EYE!

What had me extra enamored and spending a tsunami of hours tinkering with is customization. As a creative bloke, just the notion of reshuffling the layout of my land is arousing. Having the capability to decide if a pond should sit beside a tree or shed is strangely addictive. Whenever I had a substantial cash flow, I would push up my sleeves as I redid everything. In a session that, so far, sits at 180+ hours, it got visually stagnant. I needed a scenery shake up, and luckily, Coral Island is a playground that’s at the mercy of my imagination.

It won’t end there, as I can outfit my avatar, Katarina, in a plethora of trendy and cute clothing. I will be blunt, but as a 34-year-old man, this prospect has me chuffed. The whole concept of dressing her in skirts or crop tops spoke to my internal fashionista. The selection of attire isn’t exactly a slouch, either, as there are many. If I had to have a single gripe, and it’s disgustingly subjective, it’s that hats are awful. They’ve got zero basis in reality because if I have long hair, tossing one on suddenly gives me a buzz cut – it doesn’t sit atop my luscious locks. It’s a silly oversight that caused me to ignore them altogether.

Another hiccup is that some pieces of furniture won’t display. There’s a hanging plant that’s invisible when placed and yet registers as an object. It’s here in home design where further woes rear their ugly heads. See, I had a bare counter that I wanted to accessorize, and so I bought a bowl of fruit. Said bowl of fruit, however, can only be inserted on the ground, which looks awkward as hell. When talking about slice-of-life, this facet is possible, by default, in damn near each one, but Coral Island must’ve missed that memo.

 

A BIT OF HISTORY!

Museums continue to be a constant in Farming Simulators, and that persists in Coral Island. It’s not trying to differentiate itself from the crowd, though, adopting the tried and true formula of bringing in artifacts. Where it’ll slightly differ is a quality-of-life enhancement that’s, even if it’s tiny, rather beautiful. If I were to locate something yet to be donated or meant to be offered at the Lake Temple, it’ll be noted in the description. As someone known to accidentally sell important things, having this warning, even if it’s missable if I’m not paying attention, manages to save me lots of headaches.

POINTS AND CRAFTING!

An advantage of having been around the block is that I’ve seen several variations on mining. Well, call me a hipster since nothing holds a candle to the traditional take of bashing rocks. Yeah, there’s mindlessness to it, but man, it’s so soothing. It isn’t just ores that I’m spelunking for as fossils and geodes are on the menu, too. If I find a duplicate, my inclination would be to sell but hold your horses because if I instead sacrifice them at an altar, I utilize their essence to imbue my tools with perks.

Coral Island also borrows an element from Rune Factory in that, with repetitive actions, I gain a skill point. In other words, by being adamant with my cows and chickens, my talent for ranching increases. I can then spend it on an assortment of passives that help make these tasks easier. Not to mention how it’s a pretty smart way to emulate personal growth. Leveling up, in general, may also grant a recipe. 

Yup, crafting is once again taking the forefront. There’s an immense number of blueprints, and even after the length of my play through, I’ve yet to catch’em all. In that same breath, I’ve not swooned every resident of Starlet Town. It could be that what I’ve yet to see is intrinsically linked to mingling, further incentivizing chatter, thus creating a neat ecosystem that cycles into itself.

A SOCIAL GATHERING!

I’ve got to confess that typically, in any slice-of-life adventure, I tend to forego festivals. They’re pointless in my eyes, but Coral Island, be it by black magic or blood ritual, convinces me of the opposite. Thinking about why that is, I can only conclude that what reels me in are the mini-games. From smashing pumpkins to bobbing for apples, there’s fun to be had. Thanks to the simplicity, I never felt my sense of relaxation wane as I partook. It doesn’t pose a challenge unless you’re trying to throw hula hoops at plastic skulls. That activity is annoying, and the RNG is bull.

 

ALL THE SMALL THINGS!

Cosmetically speaking, it’s a treat. The vibrancy slaps me square on the jaw, and the brightness has me squinting. What really makes it pop are the intricacies of the kitchens, shelves, and the Knick Knacks scattered about. I never mistook a sofa for a futon, thanks to the well-shaped model. I’ve got to give Stairway Games their flowers – their meticulous nature has paid off in spades. My eyes were ravenous for the graphical fidelity, a compliment that can also be levied towards the characters and their appearance.

When picking a partner, we have a wide buffet of attractiveness. There are also several versions of their portraits, each depicting a vast array of expressions, from sadness to happiness, bashfulness, and neutrality. Since there isn’t voice-acting, these do a lot of heavy lifting when communicating the intended tone dialogue is said with. It’s so endearing to see them with their blemishes on full display, too, like Suki and her stretch marks. It grounded her as an individual.

TECHNICALLY, IT’S A MESS!

Performance is the category where the bulk of the caveats reside. I never found it unplayable, and with 180+ hours, that much should be obvious. To say my session was flawless is a bald-faced lie, though. Before I rattle off the list, allow me to preface that I’m playing on the PlayStation 5 and have had no crashes. That can’t be said for my Xbox and PC homies, as they’ve suffered. I didn’t have my save file corrupted or erased, but they have. After seeing the complaints, I can only surmise that the PS5 seems the most stable, but that’s not saying much.

The first mishap is minimal as it occurs when looking at the map. Humans and animals alike have markers to show where they are at any given moment. The thing is, the latter group is blank. We then dive right into deep waters and into a pop-in crisis. It’s rampant but tends to be noticeable with the shadow effects primarily. As for the frame rate, well, it stutters consistently, but thankfully, it isn’t nauseating. It also has a nasty habit of dropping to single digits for a brief duration when slashing with my sickle. It bounces back, but a smoother affair must be a priority. 

I wish I could get into the following section, but I can’t, in good conscience, do that. The reason is that the jitteriness impacts an action as non-extensive as opening a menu. When I’m trying to look at what fish I can catch during a season, it fumbles. It feels so weird because it’s not a sophisticated thing. We’re talking static imagery that shouldn’t be tough to render for a juggernaut processor like the PS5. Yeah, I stand by it being the optimal edition, but it’s still pretty woeful.

The anomalies continue, bringing along the disappearance of an in-game online shop. For a chunk of my session, once I crafted a PC, I had access to Amazon Coral. I could buy what I had to from the comfort of my bed. I was thrilled and placed a ton of orders. Then, I decided to move the PC a single space to the left, and that’s when it happened. Amazon Coral went bankrupt, I guess. I had to now sprint to the General Store, which, if you’re keeping track, is my exact complaint with those non-universal storage boxes, but is negligible. It also seems that this blunder was the result of a patch screwing with it, so fingers crossed that it’s rectified sooner than later. 

I’ve saved the worst for last because Katarina, while cleaning the ocean floor of garbage, completely froze. I was swiping away with my Sickle as normal, and while yeah, chugging was present, nothing was overly alarming until, bam, she’s a statue. Fortunately, it was a soft-lock situation. The clock was still ticking, meaning I could wait until 2 am and pass out, forcing her to be whisked to bed. If I lack patience, I can reboot Coral Island, losing that day’s progress. It does suck, but at least it occurred once in my session.

 

YOU HEAR THAT?! ME NEITHER!

I’m a sucker for white noise, specifically rain, wind, and thunder. When I hear it, goosebumps cover my body, and chills are sent through my spine. It puts me into a tranquil mindset and is why slice-of-life romps are regularly called calming. Stairway Games understood the assignment, and the ambiance was incredible. Musically, however, it’s a disappointment, but not because the score is lame. What I heard is actually sublime, but the issue is that for the majority of those 180+ hours that I invested, the soundtrack was utter silence. I could hear the weather effects, but that’s it. 

AND THE SEEDLING VERDICT IS…

Coral Island is a diamond in the rough that may be caked in dirt, but a good spit shine can bring out its true majesty. What’s already here is amazing, and the foundation is sturdy. No features are offensively terrible, and while the relationship aspect isn’t up to snuff, the customization is fantastic. Here’s hoping that future updates bring new shirts, pants, and dresses. I stumbled on a couple of half-baked ideas. It seems their implementation hasn’t been fully applied. Still, I don’t regret the time I put in. Hell, I got to immortalize my dog. To say I’m ecstatic about what’s ahead is an understatement, but 2024 is Coral Island’s year. Oh, and make Raina dateable, guys.

Graphics: 8.0 I was delighted by the bright colours and the detail. Animations were fluent but had their struggles. I suppose a bit more expressiveness could be put on the 3D models, but due to the camera angle, that never registered as an issue.	Gameplay: 8.5 Nothing will ever beat classic slice-of-life formula. The mini-games of the festivals are all fun except for one. I loved harvesting my best crops and entering them into a competition to see who is the top farmer. Customization is stellar, but the performance issues do get annoying.
Sound: 7.0 It was hard to peg a suitable score because the music is amazing. What hurts is that more often than not, nothing plays. When it does, it won’t loop. The track cycles through in its entirety and then silence. This section can easily be a lot higher if not for this gigantic fault.	Fun Factor: 9.0 What’s here works and I loved it. I was always diligently working towards meeting people, making offerings at the Lake Temple, and got genuinely excited whenever areas unlocked. Coral Island is amazing, and the full vision hasn’t been cemented, meaning that it’ll only get better.
Final Verdict: 8.5

Coral Island is available now on PS5, Xbox Series S/X and PC.

Reviewed on PS5.

A copy of Coral Island was provided by the publisher.