It would be easy to forget amid the whirlwind of Palworld 1.0 coming out just two weeks ago that Pocketpair handles other games as well. The latest indie project to emerge from the publisher is an island-builder that looks both incredibly clever and like it’ll completely absorb all your time given half a chance.
The game in question is known as Clicky Islands, it’s got an easy, pixelated aesthetic, and it comes from a pair of Polish developers known as Karrot Games. Pocketpair shares a new look at the release, which merges town management, clicker mechanics and the satisfaction of watching your creation gradually become autonomous.
“It’s a really fun mix of clicker, incremental, automation and town building!” John ‘Bucky’ Buckley, head of communications and publishing at Pocketpair, says on Twitter. “It is, I promise, very addictive!”
He would say that, but he also points towards a new demo on Steam on the back of Pocketpair distributing the game, and I can tell you, there’s definitely something here. Even after just a few minutes of playing, I could feel myself getting sucked in, which is a good sign for anything.
My first impressions were brief, but I’m immediately taken by just how quickly Clicky Islands gets you moving. The early game of city builders can be a little slow, as you’re guided through all the menus and mechanics, but this is much more about just, well, clicking around and seeing how you go. The use of Factorio-type automation for how your civilization operates makes it immensely satisfying.
The clicker elements push you to make quick decisions too. I eagerly await more, and the full version is set for this year at some point.