le games are getting harder to review as there’s really not that much going on to talk about. And, to give context on how Kernelbay works as an idler is that you leave it running on your desktop, either always at the front, or discreetly in the corner of your screen while you write an article, watch YouTube videos, or finally learn how to implement a macro in your Excel documents for work.
What’s rather pleasant about Nexant Games’ little venture is that there is a focal point. While similar titles such as Whimside, DriveWave or Deadline Savior can be left, and every now and again you check in to see what you have unlocked, I found myself watching my lil’ fisherman more often than not. With the screen firmly in front of everything else, including this window in which I’m typing this, I’m currently watching my bloke napping in his rowing boat.
If you hadn’t guessed, Kernelbay is a fishing idler game. Unlike more recent trawler-based experiences, this is a minimalist rowing boat parked up next to a picturesque scene of tranquillity. You have no direct control over them and can only move the screen around your workspace or shrink it. Playing in 1440p, I’d have liked it to be a little larger, or have a solid colour or similar in the background, rather than see my Excel worksheets and folders ‘to sort’.
You can, however, have a rolling wallpaper that adjusts according to the location you are currently located in, which disappears when you exit the game. There are six areas to choose from, which are unlocked through earning money from the livestock you catch. Again, this is automated, so you sit back and watch as your fisherman catches a variety of species, then sells them off to the outside world through a drone.
Equipment can be upgraded, from the rod to the boat, as well as stock and, of course, your drone. This makes everything more efficient, but a polite reminder: there’s no rush. While I insinuated that you might be watching YouTube with most idlers, I found the background music relaxing, along with the related ambience. There’s something calming about this spectatorship, and again, no rush in you making progress, unlike clicker-based games that demand your attention, if hardly taxing.
It’s quite easy to change things up in Kernelbay, as you can jump to the map and select a new area and effectively leave it running as a screensaver. Each biome has a quota – not in the fisheries sense, but you can get a visual on how much progress you’ve made for that specific area. Additionally, a fishing logbook lists what species you’ve caught thus far and how many dollars you’ll get by the time the drones come in to sell them. Despite starting off saying there’s not much to write about idlers, well… there you go. A really pleasant experience, and pending my laptop doesn’t struggle with breathing, I’ll happily use this as my default screensaver – ambience included.
Available on Steam from the 13th May.
