The Farming Sim genre is so saturated at this point that it’s hard to create anything unique. It might be difficult to give players a fresh experience, but it’s definitely not impossible. It turns out that a Wild West setting works really well, and Castle Pixel have successfully made an ambitious title with Cattle Country.
As soon as you start playing, you are given a Cowboy Hat, which you can wear to match the vibes of your new country life. The pixel graphics are really charming, and so is the town design. You will find a saloon, a sheriff’s office, and a cattle farm displaying the western aesthetics upon which the title is built upon. The residents of the town are also appropriately dressed for the environment. You will get to know and bond with them, which may even turn out to be something special. It’s really convenient to plan gifts for them as their likes and dislikes are mentioned in their profile. There is a great attention to detail in building up a friendship with them. For example, if you promise someone to dance with them at any event and then change your mind, it will affect your relationship. However, I initially had little trouble finding specific residents, as the map doesn’t show their locations.
The game explains the basics to you pretty well when you are given the tools and facilities. Furthermore, you will also be completing some starting quests to get used to the gameplay. Cattle Country doesn’t guide you very excessively after you learn the basics, but that gives you an incentive to explore the lands and try out new things to get further into the game. The shops also aren’t labelled on the map, so you will need to visit them to know what they deal with.
Cattle Country has gameplay mechanics that farming sims usually have, but it also takes inspiration from some of the best features found in other titles. So, other than farming crops and raising your animals, you will also be doing a lot more. The entry combines the elements of survival and crafting in a way that doesn’t overshadow its original genre.
You are required to do everything from scratch on the farming plot you are given. This includes placing your tent wherever you wish, though you can upgrade it into a house later. You are also given a crafting table, which you can use to craft other commodities. The lands are resourceful, and you will be going to forage for resources very often. There are many wild plants to collect, which you can also donate to the Town Hall to complete the collection. If you want to stick to farming, there are many options for each season, so you will be busy with your green thumb to collect all kinds of crops. You can use the ingredients you obtained for cooking and even brewing. The map is large and there is much to find here, so you will find it a bit tedious to walk on foot, but your woes will be quickly addressed as you obtain a horse later. If you are bored with collecting materials, you can buy some basic materials at the shops in the town.
You will also unlock mining early in your gameplay, and unlike most farming sims that turn mining into a dungeon crawler, the mine in Cattle Country is actually very immersive. You will be taking mining tools that will help you navigate your way. Digging with your pickaxe to go to deep levels is the main goal, but your progress remains the same even after you sleep, so you can continue digging forward. If you accidentally get stuck and you run out of your tools or ladders to climb back up, you can use your whistle.
Collecting flowers, wood, and stone is something you might be used to by now, especially if you have played many farming sims. Though you may not be used to hunting wild animals, which you can do that with either a gun or a bow in Cattle Country. Of course, you will also need to craft bullets and arrows for that. You can then cook or sell the wild game which drops from the animal you just hunted. You can even butcher the animals you own to get meat, it’s wild in the west after all. Furthermore, there are various meat types you can obtain depending on which animal you choose for butchering. Though you will need to visit the local butcher in the town for this.
And you can’t have a Wild West setting without goons and hoodlums. They will try to interrupt your peaceful strolls, so you must always be on your guard for them. They will try to invite you to a shootout, and you can defeat them using your gun. If you wish to avoid confrontation, you can change the settings so they won’t appear as losing to them can be costly to your wallet.
You will also work for the development of town, which increases its population. And there are special events that take place on specific days which are interactive and fun. More features are unlocked as you progress, which will constantly keep your gameplay experience fresh, as you will be anticipating what’s next. Cattle Country is not just another entry to the huge number of farming sims that are released every year; it also builds its own unique identity, focusing a little more on the wild side.
Rabiya reviewed City Tales on PC with a provided review copy.
