Review: Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge - A Calm, Conservation-Focused Take on Creature Collecting

A cozy frog collecting and habitat-building game about conservation, creativity, and taking care of a living wetland

Available on: PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Xbox

Genre: Management Sim, Creature Catcher

Developer: Humble Reeds

Publisher: Armour Games Studios

How Cozy? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Game Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge is a gentle creature collecting game that blends cozy management with a genuine focus on conservation and caring for fragile ecosystems. Frogs are my absolute favourite animal and creature collectors are one of my favourite genres, so I was delighted to come across it, and this game leans fully into both in a way that feels gentle, thoughtful, and genuinely relaxing.

It’s a slow, cozy experience about restoring wetlands, attracting frogs, and learning how small changes in the environment can make a big difference. There’s no rush, no pressure, and no expectation to optimise everything, just a steady, satisfying loop of collecting, decorating, and watching your refuge come to life.

Story

Kamaeru has a light narrative framework that gives your actions some meaning without ever getting in the way. You’re helping restore the wetlands of your childhood alongside a small cast of kind, well meaning characters, increasing your reputation by caring for frogs and improving the environment.

The characters aren’t especially deep or dramatic, but that feels intentional. This isn’t a game about a big story, it’s about care, conservation, and gradual progress. Everything is framed in a calm, encouraging way that fits the overall tone perfectly.

Related: Looking for more cozy management sims?
Check out my full list of the best cozy management sims here!

Gameplay

Ultimately Kamaeru is a creature collector with a strong environmental focus.

You attract frogs by restoring wetlands, balancing water and plant life, and placing furniture around your refuge. When new frogs appear, there’s a lovely little moment of excitement as you spot them,followed quickly by a slightly frantic scramble to take a photo and make sure you’ve got the right bugs in your pack to tame them.

There are over 500 frogs to collect, with different colours, patterns, and variations. Rarer frogs are unlocked through a breeding mini game that plays out like noughts and crosses, encouraging experimentation rather than strict optimisation.

Key gameplay elements include:

• Frog Collecting: Photograph, tame, and catalogue hundreds of frogs in your frogedex

• Wetland Restoration: Dig ponds, plant native species, and balance water and greenery to encourage biodiversity

• Breeding Mini Game: Unlock rarer frog variations through a gentle puzzle style system

• Decoration and Customisation: Place and repaint furniture like couches, swings, and wheelbarrows to attract specific frogs

• Light Automation: Catch bugs yourself or hire help so you can focus on decorating and planning

The tasks themselves are very low pressure. You’ll increase your reputation by things like discovering certain numbers of frogs or placing specific furniture, and nothing ever feels urgent or punishing. A completionist could easily spend 10 hours or more unlocking frogs, areas, and variations, and it never feels like it’s overstaying its welcome.

Graphics and Visuals

Kamaeru is a really lovely game to look at. The art style feels almost watercolour like, with soft pastel colours and a gentle, hand-painted quality that suits the wetlands beautifully.

The frog designs are especially charming. Each one feels distinct, and spotting a new pattern or colour never got old for me. Seeing a frog pop up on a couch you’ve just placed or appearing in a pond is quietly exciting in a way that only cozy games really manage to pull off.

Everything looks calm, natural, and welcoming, exactly what you want from a game about restoration and care.

Longevity

Kamaeru has more longevity than you might expect at first glance. With so many frogs to collect, new areas to unlock, and rarer variations to breed, there’s a lot here for players who enjoy completing collections.

It’s especially well suited to players who enjoy:

• Creature collecting without combat

• Decorating and customising spaces

• Gentle management systems

• Themes around nature and conservation

You can dip in for short, relaxing sessions or settle in for longer stretches focusing on completing your frogedex.

Conclusion

Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge is a genuinely sweet, thoughtful game with a strong sense of purpose. It’s gentle without being boring, educational without being preachy, and cozy in a way that feels natural rather than forced.

The focus on biodiversity and environmental balance gives everything you do a bit of extra meaning, and the huge variety of frogs makes collecting feel consistently rewarding. For me, as someone who loves frogs and creature catchers, this was a perfect fit.

If you’re looking for a calm, charming game that lets you slow down, decorate at your own pace, and care for something small and meaningful, Kamaeru is absolutely worth your time.

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