i supported coral island as a backer when the kickstart for it first launch! i am really happy it's become such a gorgeous game! i'm in the discord server and its nice to be able to see the updates ongoing and hear the game dev details and! even! give feedback to them and see it instituted in the game. (ie. pronoun inclusivity and sprinkler systems and in game RNG, etc.)
i really like the graphics (most farming sims are too 8bit or kiddish for me) and the customization of the farm and the variety of relationships and the plot line itself of cleaning up the ocean. it feels very satisfying to play. i think a lot of the mechanics still need to be worked out (mining and fighting and cooking and such) but overall, i'm very happy with it and look forward to seeing its final version.
i will say though, i don't know if anyone else has experienced this, but i run a microsoft laptop that is not really built for gaming and i've had to stop playing coral island because it is mmmm graphics intensive and the devs've only upped the system requirements as they've worked on the game. luckily, i bought a second code, so when that comes out on switch in a year or two, i will be back at it!
I bought it when it first released in early access. The environment/characters are super cool, but I found the game a bit daunting overall (my comparison would be someone taking every idea they had for a farm/life sim and trying to work it into the game).
I only played it for two hours though - may not have given it a fair chance. I see there has been updates since then.
Any starting tips?
for starting tips, i really recommend taking your time through the game! it certainly can be daunting! what i do is explore just one area a day or do one task a day at the beginning of playing. ie. one day i water my crops and then see how mining works and then end the day. just to get a hang for things. check the map frequently to get a sense for where you are and really utilize the 'find villager' function. also, build lots of storage bins and organize them/use signs to remind you what's in them. it pays to keeps things tidy.
i don't know if you've done this but changing the in-game speed is also SUCH a life saver. it really allows you time to experience the breadth and depth of the game. i think viewing the whole island itself as less of a pure farming sim and more a island living sim with farming in it, is maybe the way to go.
