Wombat Brawler’s Cast n Chill is a cozy idle (and active) fishing game where you explore serene lakes, rivers, and oceans. Catch rare fish, upgrade your gear, and reel in legendary catches, all with your loyal companion by your side.
Developed by: Wombat Brawler
Played on: Steam
Length: ~20 hours
As a chronic workaholic, I’ve welcomed the trend of idle gaming with two open arms. Whether its Weyrdlets running around my screen, or attracting Spirits with lo-fi beats, I’ve dipped my hands into every pond at this point. Then Wombat Brawler’s Cast n Chill comes around with an actual pond, and river, and ocean to explore.
Cast n Chill is one of the more laid-back idle games I’ve played, although your pace is entirely up to you to decide. The game has an Active Mode that keeps you involved in every part of the process from casting to reeling, or you can turn on Idle Mode where your character does the fishing for you in the background, and you can check in once in awhile to upgrade your gear and unlock new locations.
Unlike other games from its genre, Cast n Chill truly puts the idle in its Idle Mode (or the chill in Cast n Chill). The entire fishing process can be automated including your character swapping out rods, lures, and fishing spots to complete your logbook. There’s also options to turn off Auto Lure, or set a timer for Idle Mode to kick in, if you’re looking for a little more autonomy over your fishing experience.
For the most part, Cast n Chill sacrifices gameplay structure for pure vibes. While the logbook and map acts as a loose guide, you can also opt to chill at your favourite fishing hole and waste away the day. The game shines for its pixel art landscapes that evolve based on the time of day, making for a beautiful addition to your second monitor or to be tucked away in the corner of your screen.
There are currently a total of 13 fishing spots and a total of 50 unique fish to catch, with more content coming in a free update this September and other planned DLCs on the way. Even with the base content, it takes upwards of 20+ hours to complete your logbook. This doesn’t include fishing for trophy weights or legendary achievements, which might intrigue the completionist fishers out there.
For coworking streamers (such as yours truly) who are looking to stream Cast n Chill, the game also makes for a perfect backdrop that feels interactive without requiring you to lift a finger. Although the game isn’t technically built for streaming, nor does it come with any stream integrations, I’ve personally had a fun time checking off my logbook on stream.
Also, you get a dog! (No explanations required.)
Verdict: An Interactive Wallpaper, In The Best Way Possible
If you’re fishing for your next idle game, Cast n Chill is a strong contender with perfectly chill vibes. The game features both an Active and Idle Mode that you can toggle based on your playstyle, with upwards of 20+ hours of content in its base game. Featuring gorgeous pixel art landscapes that evolve based on the time of day, it also makes for the perfect addition to your second monitor or to be tucked away in the corner of your screen.
Wishlist or buy Cast n Chill on Steam, and top up your Steam Wallet on Codashop to earn bonus rewards.
