Alright, let’s get into this mess of a game, Cattle Country. They’re calling it a “Cozy Cowboy Adventure Life Sim,” which sounds cool and all until you realize “cozy” is just another buzzword these days. Guess what? Switch games love that term. But hey, the cowboy spin is something, if not totally wild or western. Go figure.
So, picture this: late 1800s. You’re starting off with a plot of land in a mining town where you get to name yourself and your new digs. Nice, right? You’re thrown in with some NPCs – they’re friendly enough – and left to figure things out. I mean, horses are tied up, buzzards are buzzing, but it doesn’t scream Wild West. Honestly, the art in chat scenes? Kind of timeless, which is weird or whatever.
But wait. Run into some bandits, and that’s when things feel more western-ish. You’re walking along, minding your business, and BAM! A couple of baddies spring out. Gotta be fast to take ‘em down. Don’t like trouble in your peaceful world? You can turn those bandits off. It’s like, do you want to lose the game’s edge? Maybe, maybe not.
Now, that old-school pixel vibe? It works. Day turns to night, seasons shift, all pretty neat even if it stutters – especially on the old Switch. Cute game though. And the music, while laid-back, whispers western tunes. Thought it’d be louder… cranked it up, still pretty meh. Sound effects, like birds chirping, took the stage more. Odd, right?
As expected, there’s a long list of to-dos. Clear land, chop trees, smash rocks – standard stuff. Craft items like sprinklers and, huh, a hard-boiled egg? Farming’s in there: plant seeds, grow the crops, sell ‘em. Expand, and boom, you’ve got animals. Fishing sounds fun until it’s not, but ah – water traps save the day.
Mining’s the intriguing bit. Dive deep, find treasures, dodge the bats and snakes (controls for enemies apply here too). It’s my fav, but beware – the best loot is deep down, and your headlamp is a lazy night owl. Pack torches and snacks – your stamina’s gonna tank. Don’t fancy waking up at the doc’s and dealing with fees.
Building bonds with townsfolk? That’s your ticket to town expansion. Make buds with the banker, there’s more room for cash. Chat up the saloon lady? You might get a restaurant. It’s all about giving gifts like some other game – cough, Animal Crossing, cough. Exciting? Not really.
Getting friendly should be a breeze, but those hearts? They rise slower than molasses in January. “You’ve made my week,” they say, but friendship levels? Snail’s pace. And finding folks? It’s like hide and seek gone wrong. Seriously, what gives?
One thing though – the game doesn’t handhold. Gotta figure out what’s next, and that’s… liberating? Or just frustrating, mostly. Even after 25 hours, progress felt… stuck. My wife, she’s the life sim fan here, agreed. Biggest hiccup is the pacing. The game’s fun enough but moving on is tempting once the next thing hits.
Problems? Plenty. Let’s be fair, some stuff might just be me griping. The user interface? Could be smoother. Miss the touchscreen too. Controls aren’t awful, forgiving even, but teeny icons are a pain. No screenshots or videos? Boo. Bugs? More than a few. Seeing “Software closed because of an error” is a real buzzkill. Lucky the glass-crafting glitch got fixed.
The Wild West angle is different, I’ll give them that, but not much you haven’t seen before. No shocker there. If only it were polished – but bugs and quirks steal the show. So if you’re into this genre, maybe wait for a discount. Or, you know, dive in anyway. Your call.
