Fishbowl Demo Review – A Cozy Slice-of-Life About Becoming An Adult

Experience Alo’s daily life during lockdown as she works from home as a video editor, connects with friends and family, and rediscover memories from her childhood in Fishbowl.

Camisha

February 21, 2026

2–3 minutes

Developer: imissmyfriends.studio
Release Date: April 2026
Price: TBA
Platforms: Steam, PlayStation 5

Screenshot of a video call in the Fishbowl video game.

Fishbowl is a narrative visual novel that explores dreams, grief, and hope through the story of a twenty-year-old named Alo. While navigating through the responsibilities and struggles of adulthood, Alo finds an unlikely lifeline through a magical fish from her childhood.

In the Fishbowl demo, we get a look at the first few days in-game. The game begins with Alo starting a new job in the big city, right at the start of lockdown. This means instead of working in an office, we’re now working from home and have to balance work-from-home life with everyday chores, while also experiencing the feeling of being isolated from loved ones and friends.

Players will have to complete various mini-games to complete chores such as washing dishes and doing laundry, as well as, to complete self-care tasks such as showering and eating. Alo’s work schedule also involves helping her coworkers edit video footage. This takes the form of a matching game, which is often accompanied by a video call with a coworker.

Video calls in Fishbowl also play an important part in the game to not only offer a break from isolation, but also give a glimpse into the lives of people who, while being our support system, are also impacted by the same feelings of isolation in their own way.

Our magical fish companion also helps Alo deal with the feelings of loneliness by replaying fond memories from her childhood. These memories can often be bittersweet as they revolve around family members she can no longer see.

Fishbowl game screenshot showing interior of the house.

While we often have to make choices in the game that affect Alo’s mood, there are no wrong answers; these choices are just different paths. With each path shaping future possibilities in Alo’s life. At the end of each day, the game includes a reminder that we made it through another day, regardless of how tough that day may have been. This is a nice reminder that players can take into their own lives during times of uncertainty.

The Fishbowl demo can be completed in 40-60 minutes, depending on how many daily tasks and conversations a player chooses to complete. The Fishbowl demo is currently available on Steam; the full game is set to release in April 2026 on PC and PlayStation 5.