Publisher and developer imissmyfriends has recently announced their upcoming indie game, Fishbowl will be part of over 70 games to be showcased at Wholesome Direct 2023. Interestingly, the studio is a two-person team that has become self-taught in making their first video game. Our team had the opportunity to interview them on their game development journey and the inspiration behind Fishbowl.

What is Fishbowl?

Fishbowl is an emotional RPG visual novel about discovering friendship, handling grief, and living in isolation. In the game, players assumed the role of Alo, a 21-year-old female who gained a new job in a new city, still mourning the death of her grandma. Every choice she makes in figuring out life will lead her on a unique journey of self-discovery.

Fishbowl focuses on exploring the good and bad about feelings and making the best choices in life while being in isolation. The game also introduces diverse characters with multiple personalities and abilities, arcade-style minigames, puzzles, and beautifully hand-drawn pixel artwork.

What Can We Expect From Fishbowl?

Based on the official teaser, the main character, Alo got a job as a video editor for a huge social media star, somehow having to work from home for a month. In editing those videos, she has to match the materials shown on the screen according to their match files, given by her boss. In addition to work, Alo has to sort through the belongings of her late grandmother, showing a puzzle-like element to deal with her grief. Discover objects that reveal childhood memories, each a storyteller that takes you back in time.

Just like any RPG game, players will have to navigate the character into doing chores, and in this case, self-care for Alo during her time in one-month isolation such as staying hydrated, taking baths, tending to plants, and many more. These mundane tasks may help Alo unlock the past to advance in the game. In essence, it is up to you how to shape Alo’s life for the better or for the worse.

In terms of its art style, Fishbowl will captivate you with its beautifully hand-drawn pixel graphics and cosy Lofi soundtracks that will draw you into it. Just by watching the teaser trailer, you can already tell just how well thought out the game is, and studio imissmyfriends will surely capture fans of RPG and cosy games alike.

What’s Next From Fishbowl?

Fishbowl will be part of the Wholesome Direct 2023 – where indie studios showcase an hour of trailers and gameplay reveals, with over 70 games set to appear. While the more mainstream showcase like Summer Game Fest tend to focus on hyper-real and gritty blockbuster adventures, Wholesome Direct offers a fresh new breeze, colourful themes, and adventure that appeal to the cosy farm sim community. You can watch it livestream on Twitch and Youtube, set to appear on 11 June 2023, 12AM GMT+8, Malaysian time.

Moreover, Fishbowl will also take part in the Dames 4 Games Showcase, an event celebrating women in the video game industry. Presenting a wide range of careers and roles women take on in the industry, with guests sharing their experiences and perspectives. The showcase will be set live on 14 June 2023 at 4AM GMT+8 Malaysian time, streaming on Youtube and Twitch platforms.

In taking their game soaring high across the continents, Fishbowl will be joining Japan’s biggest indie games event – BitSummit, taking place in Kyoto this July 2023. Unlike Wholesome Direct, which is only based on an online showcase, BitSummit provides a total of 3 days of on-ground event for gamers to try out more than 90 diverse titles. The showcase will be streamed on BitSummit’s official YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch channels in Japanese, English, and Chinese. Studio imissmyfriends is currently working on the prologue of Fishbowl for BitSummit’s 11th annual event.

Where And When Can We Play Fishbowl?

The RPG visual novel is set to launch on PC and you can wishlist it now on Steam. However, no release date or year has been confirmed and if we were to guess, Fishbowl may be set to launch in 2025.

For more information about Fishbowl or studio imissmyfriends, be sure to follow them on Discord, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube. Your love and support will surely make a difference to these two talented Indian game developers.

Watch the Fishbowl teaser trailer below: