Shelter vs Zen Koi
Shelter
Shelter is truly a one-of-a-kind game where you'll get to play as a mother badger who's taking care of her newly-born cubs. Developed by Might and Delight, the game puts you on an exciting yet heartwarming adventure as you travel about with your cubs in tow in hopes of finding the perfect shelter to raise them. In your journey, you and your family will encounter lots of danger and it is up to you - the mama badger - to protect your cubs from harm, whether it is a raging forest fire or a bird of prey.Besides adventure, the game also comes with a second game mode called Nurture. It's a lot like a Tamagochi game where you'll need to head into the game every day (at least once) to give your cubs the stuff they need to survive and also to forge closer bonds with them.
This is one of the breakout indie games of 2013 but it's not the sort of game that will get old with age, so if you love games where you'll get to play as an animal and you enjoy a good story-adventure, then Shelter is your best bet!
Zen Koi
Zen Koi is a new breed of simulation game where you get to raise, breed, and collect beautiful Koi fishes. Featuring a casual gameplay accompanied with a calm and meditative soundtrack, this game is perfectly-designed to wind you down after a tough day. The gameplay is quite in-depth too for a casual game. Aside from feeding your Kois and helping them reach their mythical dragon form, you can find other Kois to breed (the game's more social aspect) to produce offsprings with unique patterns to add to your collection. There are hundreds of Japanese carp for you to collect, including some rare ones. Best yet, you can share the Koi patterns you have with your friends!Zen Koi's rapid rise to fame only proves that being an indie game doesn't really hamper a game's popularity as long as the gameplay is attractive to the players it is targeting. That being said, if you're looking for a soothing game, Zen Koi definitely fits the criteria. Try it now!