Developed by Malaysian indie studio Weyrdworks, Weyrdlets is a virtual pet game that harmonizes relaxation with productivity. With a $0 price tag and selected in-game purchases, Weyrdlets is a great starting point if you’re looking to jump into the world of productivity games.
Developed by: Weyrdworks
Played on: Steam
Length: N/A
A review key was provided by Weyrdworks.
Weyrdlets feels like a callback to a simpler time. When I first launched the game, my mind brought up memories of being in high school and installing the Shimeji Browser Extension on my desktop. Watching these tiny anime characters climb around and multiply across my screen brought me so much joy — and I felt that familiar, simple joy as I loaded up Weyrdlets for the first time.
Unlike recent gamified productivity apps, Weyrdlets feels the most like a game at first glance. Its main gameplay involves taking care of your Weyrdlet, a Tamagotchi-like virtual pet that comes with its own health, hunger, cleanliness, and joy meters. The game begins by giving you two pet options: a Dinosaur named Wagyu, or a Rabbit named Mochi; each one cuter than the next.
With my very own Wagyu in tow, I quickly explored everything else the game has to offer. For my fellow Animal Crossing fans, you’ll be delighted to know that the game comes with a house and island that you can design however you like. Each decoration can be custom-sized and rotated, and the developers even included a “freeze” option for those who want to experiment with mid-air designs.
Essentials and decorations can be purchased using in-game currency through the in-game shop, such as food and toys for your Weyrdlet, decorations and accessories that refresh daily, collectible stickers for your scrapbook, and even new pets to add to your island home.
What’s worth noting is that the game has a generous $0 price tag with no real pressure to purchase more in-game currency, unless you want to fast-track your decorating game (or support the developers!) Otherwise, you can earn in-game currency through daily logins, completing daily quests, or waiting for your pet to dig up treasure.
But where Weyrdlets truly shines is its desktop mode, which imports the entire virtual pet management game to your desktop. Besides adding an adorable companion running around your screen, it also allows you to keep track of your productivity through a simple to-do list and pomodoro timer.
As an avid productivity tool user, I have to admit that Weyrdlets’ approach is a little simplistic. I had hoped for more gamification elements, like a clearer indication that you’re earning EXP from completing pomodoro sprints or clearing your to-do list.
Despite that, Weyrdlets generally serves its purpose as a productivity app especially with its unobtrusive UI design on desktop. Most features are hidden in the collapsible menu, with the option to pop-out your to-do list, your Weyrdlet’s stats bar, and a few other features depending on your preferences. That being said, the option to make your Weyrdlet smaller on the screen, or more visual options for the pomodoro timer would be much appreciated.
Once you’re past all of the tutorial stages, Weyrdlets is a largely passive experience. Besides checking in on your pet once in awhile, the game doesn’t demand much from you, making it a great companion to keep in the background while you go about your day. If you’re not too fond of the frequent check-ins with your pet, you can even send them out fishing for a few hours and earn bonus rewards while you’re at it.
As a bonus for livestreamers, Weyrdlets boasts a pretty solid Twitch integration which allows viewers to enter chat commands that directly impact the game. From one command that increases your Weyrdlet’s size on-screen, to another command that spawns the viewer onto the screen as a tiny frog, it’s perfect for coworking or art streamers who want to add an element of interactivity without sacrificing their work.
While we did experience a few minor gameplay bugs on launch day, they were quickly patched out and we really appreciate the Weyrdworks team being on top of bug fixes. While it’s still the early days, we look forward to what new features and content Weyrdworks will be adding to this adorable little productivity tool.
Verdict: Our favourite new colleague
Developed by Malaysian indie studio Weyrdworks, this virtual pet game meets productivity tool is our favourite new addition to our work cycle. For those who struggle with boredom at work, Weyrdlets is cute enough to keep you entertained, but not obtrusive enough to get you distracted. With its $0 price tag and plenty of ways to earn in-game currency, Weyrdlets is a great starting point if you’re looking to jump into the world of productivity games.
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