Poop is about as simple as a game can possibly get. I click poop to get more poop, then use what I earn to unlock more poops and build up my collection. That is basically the entire idea, and I have to admit there is something funny about how seriously the game commits to such a stupid concept. It is a free idle clicker, so I am not expecting a big adventure or complicated progression here. I am mostly opening the game for a few minutes, clicking away and seeing what ridiculous thing I can unlock next.
The collecting side is what gives it a little more reason to keep going. There are different poops to unlock, along with items for the collection, achievements and cases that can be opened. There are also tradeups, which gives me another little system to mess around with instead of having nothing beyond the main counter. I like that the game understands that the joke is the content. It does not try to turn the poop theme into some serious story or pretend there is a deep reason behind everything I am doing.
The biggest problem is that there really is not much gameplay here. Once I understand the clicking and collecting systems, I have basically seen the main idea. I can keep building my collection, but there are not many meaningful decisions for me to make. The progression is mostly about watching the number increase and unlocking another variation, which can be amusing for a while but gets repetitive pretty quickly. I think this is one of those games where the joke and the novelty are doing most of the work.
I also find the presentation fairly basic. The game uses simple 2D artwork and the whole thing has a deliberately silly look, which fits the subject perfectly. I do not need impressive graphics for something like this, but I would have liked a little more variety in what I can actually do with the collection. The game does have Steam achievements and trading related systems, but those are more of an extra reason to interact with it rather than something that adds real depth to the gameplay.
The free price definitely helps because I can try it without making any commitment. There are also optional purchases for some of the poop collection, so the basic experience is not the only thing available. I personally would not spend much money on a game this simple, but I can understand the appeal of collecting different designs if I am already enjoying the joke. The game also has a very small installation size and extremely low system requirements, so there is practically no barrier to giving it a quick try.
For me, Poop works best when I treat it as a silly little idle game rather than expecting it to keep me entertained for hours. The concept made me laugh, the collection gives me something to work towards and the extra cases and tradeups add a little more to the basic clicking. At the same time, there is not enough depth or variety for me to overlook how repetitive the main loop becomes. I can enjoy it in short bursts, but I would quickly run out of reasons to actively play it once the novelty wears off.
Overall, Poop is exactly what the name promises and not much more. I appreciate the ridiculous simplicity and the fact that it knows it is a joke, but the limited gameplay keeps it well below the stronger idle and clicker games I have played. It is harmless, easy to understand and completely free to try, but I would only recommend it when I am specifically in the mood for something intentionally stupid and simple. For me, the humour carries it for a while, but there is not enough underneath that humour to make it a long term game.
Rating: 6.7/10
