Shimmer is a 3D open world cozy game set in a coral reef that's seen better days. You play as a dolphin navigating a world that's a little messy, filled with characters who are a little worn down, and doing your small part to make things a bit better. Your magic bubble can break apart ocean trash, dissolving the worst of it safely inside. Whatever it can't hold floats gently up to the surface, where hopefully the world above does its part too. The tides are always moving, pushing trash into different corners of the reef every time, so there's always somewhere new to look and something new to find. The reef is wide and worth exploring, and the more of it you see, the more it feels like somewhere worth taking care of. The village is still clean, the creatures there look after it together. But beyond that, trash has settled into everything, slowly wearing the ocean down. There's only so much one dolphin can carry. But it's a start. Eight characters call this reef home, and every one of them has their own reason for staying close to the village. They have full storylines, hundreds of lines of unique dialogue, and more going on beneath the surface than they'll let on at first. Spend time with them in their homes, help them out, find out about their favourite treasures, and their stories start to come out on their own. A great white shark has been in this reef longer than anyone can remember, and he intends to make sure nobody forgets it. He keeps a record in his head of everything the reef used to look like, every creature who used to live here, every corner that's changed. Help him see the memory is worth preserving. A mama turtle and her little one, sticking close to the parts of the reef they know are safe. The little one wants to explore everything and the mama wants to explore none of it, and somewhere in the middle they manage. She's protective, and that comes from knowing exactly how littered and unpredictable the open reef has gotten. An orca showed up one day without much explanation and hasn't offered one since. Orcas have been spotted in coral reefs before, usually when their own waters have become too damaged to stay in, and she's no different. The arctic she came from isn't what it was, and this reef is what she found instead. She's still figuring out whether it feels like home, and whether she's allowed to let it. A monk seal who is somehow one of the warmest presences in the reef. He's upbeat, easy to talk to, and genuinely glad to be here, though it becomes clear over time that it took a lot to get to that place. Monk seals are one of the most endangered species in the ocean, and he knows it. A manta ray who keeps mostly to herself, quietly building and fixing things around the village. She's thoughtful and a little reserved, and she processes things in her own time. Getting to know her takes patience, but it's worth it. Among the trash there's treasure too. Lost things, forgotten things, things that drifted down here the same way the garbage did. These are worth holding onto. Shimmer has a present making system where you choose the box, the wrapping, the ribbon, the decorations, and draw or write something on top yourself. Every present is different, and a good one can remind someone why the reef mattered to them in the first place. Life in the village continues in small ways. The manatee barber is always surrounded by sea urchins hoping for a fresh look. With the reef struggling, many of them have been losing their colour, and a new style goes a long way. Don't worry, this job doesn't come without pay. Tucked inside a quiet cave, the whale shark hat merchant is always waiting with something new in his collection, some hats are just for looking good, and some carry a little magic of their own. A hammerhead nearby sets out food for anyone who needs it, and lending a fin during the rush means nobody leaves hungry. Help out, and you might just get a piece of treasure or new hat. The reef is too big for one dolphin to clean alone, but it isn't too big for friends. One by one, as the reef starts to breathe again and the creatures in it remember what it felt like before, your neighbours come back outside. And when they do, they swim alongside you proudly. Shimmer is a game about a small dolphin doing small things, and somehow that being enough.
