Mudborne is a frog-themed restoration ecology sim about restoring tiny, rare frogs to your cozy pond. The gameplay loop is full of highly detailed resource management and frog breeding mechanics. Which is no surprise since Mudborne is brought to us by ellraiser, who is one half of TNgineers the developers behind the laid-back beekeeping game APICO. 

Much like her previous title, Mudborne places heavy emphasis on protecting wildlife and the environment. With such an important message and incredible lo-fi vibes, it’s the perfect game to be featured during the Wholesome Games Steam Celebration. We covered its demo announcement last week and although the celebration may be over, our experience with the Mudborne demo is one we needed to share with you. 

A frog on an ecosystem restoration journey

Long before the Pondmother felt fit to awaken our froggy main character, a storm befell the pond. This storm was so intense that it drove everyone into deep hibernation. The hibernation lasted for so long that frogs got stuck in the dream world. But the pond is a delicate ecosystem. With the loss of its keeper, much of the diversity in local wildlife disappeared. The restoration begins with you, Mud Born. 

The pond is also home to tinier frogs, but what was once a variety of species has become only one. With a little research you can farm the mushrooms that grow in your pond to alter the genes of your green frogs and restore the other native populations. Once you restore new species, you’ll be able to use their genetic keys to unlock portals between the hibernation and waking worlds to bring back other frogs and unravel the secrets of the mysterious storm that started it all. 

Mushrooms & Tadpoles

The long hibernation has erased your memory of all knowledge about the pond’s flora and fauna. You’ll need to use your trusty magnifying glass to inspect everything. From a mushroom’s ideal growing conditions to the genes of a specific tiny frog, your magnifying glass tells all. The information you gather is stored in one of 4 different books and can be called upon later for reference. 

Once you’ve learned how to properly cultivate mushrooms, you’ll grind them into a powder and infuse them into magical mud for frog spawn to mature in. Different mushrooms change the way certain genes appear in your frogs. So, pick the right mushroom for whatever gene you want expressed in your spawn.  

Once the tadpoles are maturing in the magical mud of your choice, you’ll need to provide insects for them. Not just any insects though, tadpoles have taste preferences just like anyone else. Salty, Sweet, Sour, whatever their little tadpole heart’s desire, it’s up to you to keep them fed. Of course, no one will blame you if you sneak a bug or two for yourself along the way. 

This pond has so much storage

Mudborne takes a unique approach to crafting and storage. It functions like a bartering system, with a vendor having multiple slots for you to place materials. You can exchange specific materials for items ranging from an empty bucket to collect water and mud to spawning beds that hold maturing frog spawn. But vendors also function somewhat as player storage, a functionality that extends to almost every object in the game. 

The material slots for vendors and machines do not go back to your inventory, nor are the objects thrown away. Every way to process resources comes attached with a little extra storage. So, if you’re the type of player that likes to harvest stacks, you can have one stored on every machine, as long as you have a slot open. It’s possible this seemingly limitless storage is a demo feature, but I love it. 

Restoration Ecology & Genetics

Observational gamers that have taken a look at the Mudborne Steam page may have noticed that it’s tagged as an educational game. There are a few educational elements, but it’s rudimentary. During the process of cultivating mushrooms, players will learn a little about the importance of balancing moisture and light for optimal mushroom cultivation.   

The genetics components are similar in depth, with the actual mechanic functioning more like a logic puzzle that just happens to teach about genetics and differential gene expression without the vocabulary lesson. There are 7 different genes for your frogs, each connected to personality traits, and the physical representation correlates to the occurrence in the frog’s genetic key. With selective breeding and magic mud manipulation, you’ll be able get the genetic keys required to unlock all those mysterious portals around the pond. 

Vibe Check

The joys of Mudborne don’t end at the compelling story and approachable take on complicated scientific principles. The atmosphere of the pond is superbly cozy. I could idle for hours to the soothing sounds of chirping crickets and frogs as melodic chimes ring through the frequent rain. The beautiful, pixelated pond is awash in a tranquil mix of blue, purple, and green. Even when you begin placing the machines necessary for your restoration efforts, the game retains its lo-fi charm. 

Object placement doesn’t snap to some invisible grid. While you may not be able to stack things up against the plateaus scattered around the pond, you can place things anywhere else in the pond. It might sound a little silly, but being able to place machines independently of a grid allows for players to keep the ponds aesthetic as cluttered or as clean as they please, and that is something that not many farming or life sim games can say. 

Final Thoughts

I’m giving ellraiser’s Mudborne 5 out of 5 stars, I can’t wait to play the full game. 

Mudborne is an incredible cozy game with an important message about protecting our ecosystems, with highly detailed nature management and frog breeding mechanics that take complicated scientific concepts and make them accessible to the average player. I spent a little over two hours with this demo, and I’ve barely scratched the surface on what this magical game has to offer. 

Mudborne is coming to PC in 2025, through publisher Future Friends Games. A portion of all proceeds will be donated towards national and international amphibians, wetlands, and environmental charities. The demo is available on Steam today for Windows, macOS, and Linux. You can also follow the game’s development through the official Mudborne Discord.