Chill & Reel

About Chill & Reel

Chill & Reel is a minimalist fishing simulator where you control a cute alligator angler from Maru Game Studio. It launched in 2026 for PC and lives in a small window, designed to run quietly in the background. The game revolves around casting your line, waiting for fish to bite, and reeling them in, all while the gator lounges in its aquatic spot. There’s no combat, progression, or pressure. It’s a single-player experience focused on ambient visuals and repetitive, low-effort mechanics. If you want something to fill a screen corner while you work, this is it.

Gameplay

You spend most sessions right-clicking to cast the line, then waiting 10, 20 seconds for a fish to nibble. Left-click retracts the catch, which auto-drops into a bucket. The gator occasionally shakes off water or blinks, and the environment shifts with day/night cycles and weather. There are no skill checks or timing mechanics, just a loop of cast, wait, reel. Optional upgrades unlock over time, like better bait or faster casts, but they don’t change the core rhythm. The window is tiny enough to ignore, but animations (e.g. fish splashing, algae growth) keep it visually engaging. Sessions rarely last more than 10 minutes, though you can leave it running for hours.

What Players Think

PlayPile users rated it 83%, with critics at 7.8/10. 62% of players complete 50%+ of content, averaging 14 hours played. The game is linked to “chill” (87%) and “unobtrusive” (79%) moods. One user wrote, “Perfect companion for work, never needed to touch it for 3 days straight.” Another: “Animation makes it feel alive, even if nothing really happens.” Completion rates drop sharply after 20 hours, and 38% of players say it’s “too slow for active play.” 42 achievements exist, mostly for catching rare fish or hitting playtime milestones.

PlayPile's Take

This is for people who want a background activity that doesn’t demand attention. It costs $7.99 and offers 14 hours of passive time, but only 42% finish half the achievements. If you enjoy watching a gator fish while coding, it’s worth the price. If you crave interactivity or progression, skip it. The charm wears thin after a week for many, but for its niche, relaxation without effort, it hits the mark.

Storyline

Meet your new desktop buddy! Chill & Reel is an idle fishing game that lives peacefully in the corner of your screen. Play as a charming alligator angler enjoying a relaxing day by the water while you work, study, or browse.