Fishbowl Is a Charming and Heartfelt Indie You Won’t Want to Miss (Review)

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March 2026 saw a lot of new game releases, from small independent titles to major blockbuster games. April, however, is shaping up to be a quieter month. This is a great opportunity to play some games you may have missed and discover exciting new indie titles. If you enjoy emotional visual novels, be sure to check out Fishbowl, which launches on PC (via Steam) and PS5 on April 2nd. I recently had the chance to play an early version for review.

Fishbowl is a story-driven game created by the indie team at imissmyfriends.studio and published by Wholesome Games Presents – the folks behind popular titles like Minami Lane and Is This Seat Taken. The game follows Alo as she navigates the challenges of a new job and the grief of losing her grandmother. Fishbowl offers a touching and emotionally powerful experience, combining a compelling story with engaging gameplay.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Pros Cons
Powerful, emotional story about grief and growing up Gameplay can sometimes feel a bit repetitive with daily tasks
Engaging gameplay elements with varied immersive mini-games A few minor translation issues in dialogue boxes
Charming pixel art style and character designs

Fishbowl Might Be The Most Interactive Visual Novel I’ve Ever Played

Growing up with a love for both reading and video games, I expected to enjoy visual novels. However, I often find it hard to get fully invested because they need to strike a good balance between telling a story and actually feeling like a game. If the interactive parts aren’t engaging, I often wish I was just reading a book. I’m fine with games that have a lot of text, but I want to feel like I’m playing something, and that the story is worth my time. It’s a difficult balance to get right, but Fishbowl does it perfectly.

Though the game centers around its story, it cleverly incorporates lots of mini-games and interactive elements to fully immerse you. This is especially notable because the story unfolds over a month during a pandemic lockdown within Alo’s home. Fishbowl keeps things interesting with a diverse range of mini-games. Everyday activities, like cooking or having coffee, require you to perform a series of button presses that vary based on what’s being made or how Alo is feeling. As Alo sends and receives packages, you’ll solve unpacking puzzles to move the story forward. Her work also includes a surprisingly fun and challenging matching game.

While the game can become a little repetitive with daily tasks, it’s also surprisingly rewarding and truly lives up to the ‘interactive fiction’ label. Every mini-game directly impacts the story’s progress. Completing daily self-care activities improves Alo’s mood, and a mood tracker encourages you to keep her spirits up despite her grief. Your choices are affected by her mood, making that tracker feel important. The unpacking mini-game specifically unlocks new story details as Alo remembers her loved one, Jaja, and connects with friends. I rarely find visual novels that blend gameplay and story so seamlessly, and Fishbowl really impressed me with its simple yet engaging mechanics.

Fishbowl‘s Story Made Me Cry (And Yes, That’s a Good Thing)

As a visual novel, the story is the most important part of Fishbowl. Without giving away any key plot points, the game deeply explores themes of grief. The protagonist, Alo, is coping with the loss of her grandmother, Jaja, while also navigating the challenges of starting her first job after facing many rejections. All of this is happening while she’s stuck at home due to pandemic lockdowns. It’s a really moving story that deals with difficult emotions, and I personally found it very touching – it even made me cry, which I think is a good thing!

As I said before, the story blends seamlessly with how you play the game. Your decisions affect Alo’s emotional well-being and how she relates to the people she cares about. You control her actions and dialogue, directly influencing the story’s direction. Alo, along with her friends and family, are all well-developed and compelling characters with realistic personalities and lives. Even though the story primarily takes place at home, with Alo connecting with others through her phone and video calls, they make it feel full and engaging. Fishbowl expertly tells a story confined to a single location, but still manages to feel vast and immersive, using things like memories and dreams to transport you to different times and places.

This story beautifully explores self-care, mental health, and the importance of forgiveness – both for yourself and others. It really touched me and motivated me to prioritize my own well-being. Fishbowl is a captivating and well-crafted story that will stay with you long after you finish it. And at only $10, it’s a great value – less expensive than many books, and it combines a powerful narrative with engaging gameplay that truly pulls you into the experience.

The game Fishbowl will be available on PlayStation 5 and PC starting April 2nd, priced at $9.99. We received a PS5 code from the publisher to use for this review.

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2026-03-30 19:17