For some, clickers got real old real fast. Most people I know were introduced to them by way of Cookie Clicker, which took the world by storm for several weeks until people got tired of clicking on things. But since a multitude of developers (even Bandai Namco) are partaking in these click-fests, it’s become more important than ever to differentiate yourself from the crowd. That can be done in a myriad of ways, from adding “endgames" or RPG elements. But for me, it’s okay for a clicker to just be a clicker, especially when it has a relaxing atmosphere like Abyssrium (Free).
For the uninitiated, the goal of tappers is very much like a city-building simulator — acquire currency (hearts), so you can use it to acquire items that allow you to gain more currency. It’s not a tough thing to wrap your head around, especially since the vast majority of your time is going to be spent tapping indiscriminately at the screen. But Abyssrium manages to add a zen-like feel to the whole shebang that makes it feel like less of a chore and more of means to let off some stress. The spooky yet majestic art is mostly to blame. Your empire starts off with one adorable rock with a smiley face and builds from there. Soon you’ll have plants growing out of your avatar, fish swimming around going about their business, and mystic artifacts surrounding your home, all of which impact your earn rate in different ways.

Plants passively buff your hearts, fish must be tapped manually to collect their rewards, and said artifacts grant spells that can be triggered manually (read: abilities that allow you to accrue more hearts). There isn’t a whole lot of nuance to how you approach Abyssrium, but seeing your world grow as you play brings me a certain feeling of accomplishment that many other clickers can’t match.

There’s also a few activities thrown in for good measure, like randomly appearing treasure chests, or a quest reward for taking a picture of a fish. It mixes things up just enough where something is lurking around the corner. But it never really gets too crazy, as you’re still performing the same actions over and over, no matter how far you progress. Some of the fish start to blend together after a while (even if you can reunite most of the crew from Finding Nemo), as do the plants jutting out the side of the rock.

Having a 3D-enabled view and a free camera setting is fun for a bit, but are mostly smoke and mirror effects, distracting you from the shallowness of the gameplay loop.
As is customary with these types of games, Abyssrium is a free download with IAP involved, all the way up to the dreaded $99.99 packs. It’s intended to prey on your need to progress further without having to wait, but I suggest doing just that, because the rewards will come. Clocking in at roughly 100 gems (premium currency) per $1, you can still earn them by completing in-game achievements at a slow, but steady pace. Clearing goals like unlocking a certain number of fish or tapping a specific number of times will grant you gems, all of which have multiple tiers.

So even if you’re itching to try out a premium item or spell, over time you’ll have the opportunity to just unlock it for yourself. Again it’s a sluggish endeavor if multiple items catch your eye, but I haven’t felt the need to spend anything outside of tests for this particular assessment.

My only big hangup is that the game requires you to watch a video before opening a chest. As short as it may be (some only last roughly 10 seconds), it feels like an unnecessary step, and a way to turn people off from the game entirely. You can also watch videos for a heart or gem injection, but since that menu off on its own island in the UI somewhere it’s less intrusive.

The soothing soundtrack and beautiful watercolors tie into the central theme of relaxation for Abyssrium, even with some minor monetization headaches. No, it’s not something you’re going to necessarily get addicted to or want to show all your friends. But if you’re the type of person who loves looking at aquariums, give it a look.