What parents need to know
Trash Goblin is a cozy game that puts us in the shoes of a goblin who opens a shop in which he refurbishes trinkets.
The process is rather simple (obviously, Trash Goblin’s job is not very specialized): you pick a random object from a bag that is represented by a stack of small blocks. With our knife, we have to break up the superfluous blocks to reveal the core that contains the final object.
Once the object is revealed, we then take out our sponge to clean it manually. And that’s it!
Eventually, a new mechanic is added by which you can join objects together (for example by gluing a precious stone on a ceremonial mask, or by assembling the broken pieces of a plush).
Customers come to us to buy our refurbished objects. Important customers for the story are very patient; They are willing to wait for an unlimited amount of time to get the object of their lust. Anonymous customers disappear at the end of the day, but it is without consequences; they will come back later.
Each day is divided into 6 dials, and each activity (cutting with a knife, cleaning) consumes one dial. At the end of the day, we have to go to bed or pay for coffee which will give us an extra action.
The money we accumulate allows us to improve our tools (the sponge will be more efficient, for example) and to decorate our workshop. But in Trash Goblin, there is no advanced financial management. You can’t go bankrupt or find yourself in a bad financial position. The worst that can happen to us is to be overwhelmed by trinkets to be restored.
Details
Level of experience required
| Age | 3+ | 7+ | 12+ | 16+ | 18+ |
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Evaluation
No violence!
Nothing to report on this side.
Ask for a little reading because there are no voices, but even then, quite few.
Some characters come from gender diversity. The game advocates tolerance.
It’s easy and you can’t fail.
The game is affordable, and the additional content is very optional.
Local game modes
Story mode.
Online Game Modes
None.
Expansions/Add-ons (DLC)
The title offers a cosmetic content pack primarily aimed at those who want to financially support the developers of Trash Goblin.
Our opinion
Trash Goblin wears his cozy label as a badge of honor, for better or for worse. It’s a genuinely relaxing game. We played it on Steam Deck (the game lends itself pretty well to the handheld console!) and it was a perfect game to relax for a few minutes before closing your eyes.
But is it a game that will be played for many hours at a time? No.
The systems are simply not complex enough and do not have enough substance to justify long games. Without putting stakes that could lead to defeat, we would have appreciated Trash Goblin going further with its mechanics. Why not opt for different repairs depending on the condition of the restored object? Why give us the items at random instead of allowing us to bet on lots of items to be repaired, for example? Why not offer decisions to players?
Unfortunately, due to the thinness of its mechanics, Trash Goblin quickly becomes redundant. One could argue that a title like Powerwash Simulator (which was very successful and loved by this writer) offers an equally thin gameplay loop, and that’s true. But the satisfaction you get after spending an hour cleaning a house is not the same as after spending 15 seconds cleaning a potty.
That being said, Trash Goblin is not without charm, far from it. I have begun to become attached to certain customers, especially the lizard who nearly burns down his house by putting cauldrons of hot coal under his mattress.
But in the end, your appreciation of this particular title will depend on your expectations. If you’re looking for a game to relax for a few minutes before bedtime, Trash Goblin should appeal to you. But if you’re looking for a rich experience that will keep you entertained for hours and hours, it’s best to look elsewhere.
