Loddlenaut

Loddlenaut is a relaxing yet engaging game that tasks players with cleaning up an abandoned ocean planet once exploited by a massive corporation. You play as an interstellar custodian sent to revive the planet's environments and care for its local axolotl-like inhabitants called “loddles.”

With its vibrant art style and smooth gameplay, Loddlenaut makes tidying up pollution surprisingly fun and rewarding. It's an easy-going experience that still provides a decent challenge. Fans of simulation/management games like Stardew Valley will feel right at home in this undersea cleanup crusade.

An Adorable Intergalactic Cleanup Effort

Upon arriving on the planet GUP-14, you'll find it polluted from the mega-corporation GUPPI's past industrial exploitation. With a trusty bubble gun gadget, it's up to you to remove all the icky oil spills, floating debris, and trash. Loddlenaut eases players in with a simple control scheme focused on aiming and shooting to tag junk for pickup by drones.

As you make progress reviving GUP-14, you'll discover new high-tech tools for handling more types of pollution. This keeps the core cleanup gameplay from ever feeling too repetitive. As someone with a paralyzing fear of the depths (thanks, Subnautica!) Loddlenaut made me fall in love with the sea all over again.

Care For Precious Aquatic Critters

Amid the pollution, you'll discover local loddles in need of care and a clean home. Like an underwater Pokémon, you can feed different fruits to these axolotl-like cuties to influence their growth and traits for surviving harsh environments. Releasing healthy loddles into newly cleaned areas and watching them prosper thanks to your efforts provides immense satisfaction.

Loddlenaut's loddles lend the experience heartwarming character that further motivates the central gameplay loop. And the way they scurry around with their little backpack satchels never failed to melt my heart. Their quirky sounds and mannerisms even rival the likes of beloved Nintendo mascots like Kirby.

Rebuild a Vibrant Alien Ecosystem

As you remove pollution and raise loddles, GUP-14 slowly transforms back into a vibrant aquatic paradise. Areas reopened to wildlife flourish with lush plant growth and schools of exotic fish. It's delightful to witness the positive impact of all your hard restoration work.

With GUPPI's polluting presence now gone, nature can again thrive on this planet. Loddlenaut sends a meaningful environmentalist message in an approachable way that all ages can understand. Its core premise manages to be educational yet still entertainment-focused.

The eco-friendly premise of Loddlenaut never feels forced. Conservation comes naturally, as a necessity, rather than an obligation. This is something that games like Pikmin used to great effect, and it's great to see them used in smaller indie projects like this one!

Pros

• The loddles are adorable
• Satisfying gameplay loop
• Educational environmentalist themes that never feel forced or preachy

Cons

• Occasional repetitive tasks
• Visuals lack polish in some areas