Alright, so let me tell you about this game called Cattle Country. It’s like a cozy cowboy thing—kind of like hanging out with the Wild West minus the gunfights. And yeah, they call it cozy because that’s trendy now, especially on the Switch, but with a cowboy twist. Who knew, right? Ignore the buzzwords, let’s dive into it.
So, this life sim—don’t mix it up with simulation, okay?—is set in the late 1800s. You get to pick a name for your character and your little piece of land in a mining town. There are a few NPCs you meet, and then you just, like, figure it out on your own. Horses here, buzzards there—classic Western cliché, but not really, since it sometimes feels just like any timeless life sim. Even the close-up character art? You’d think Wild West, but not really.
Anyway, the cowboy vibes get stronger when you bump into bandits. Picture this: you’re strolling, then suddenly a bush shakes, and bam! Bandits. You gotta be quick about it, or just turn them off if they’re not your thing. Sure, it might take some excitement away, but hey, it’s your game, your call.
And hey, it’s got this retro pixel art thing going on. I dig it. Day turns to night, the seasons change, there are cute animations, though it stutters sometimes on the old Switch model. The music tries for Wild West, but it’s kinda quiet. I cranked it up, hoping for an epic soundtrack, but meh.
You’ve got the usual stuff: clearing land, chopping trees, and making gadgets like sprinklers or… hard-boiled eggs? Random, right? And you can farm, plant some stuff, hopefully in the right season, and sell it. Animals, too. Fishing’s a bit tricky—tiny room for error, more bandit-fight vibes—so maybe stick to water traps if you like it chill.
Mining is probably the coolest part. You find treasure underground, while bats and snakes—yep, threats—are trying to get you. But you can turn them off, too. Just don’t forget torches; your headlamp doesn’t reach far. Oh, and cook some meals because stamina drains fast down there. Waking up at the doctor’s? Costs ya.
Now, relationship-building, that’s important if you wanna grow your little settlement into a thriving town. Get cozy with the banker, he’ll make room for more cash. Befriend the saloon lady, and plans for a restaurant come up. But it feels a bit transactional, reminding me of Animal Crossing. You bring them stuff they like, they smile, say nice things, but those hearts… they don’t budge much. And finding them? They wander all over saying the same stuff. Maybe I missed a trick here—totally possible.
The game doesn’t really lay out what you should be doing next. Like, I’m 25 hours in, my progress meter? Barely moved. And my wife, who’s big on life sims, agrees. Pacing is off. It’s cool and all, kept us busy, but once this review’s done, moving on won’t be hard.
Also, some things just bugged me. Not dealbreakers, but still. The UI? Could be better. No touchscreen controls, little icons everywhere. Not terrible, but kinda cramped. And then there are glitches. Had the software crash a few times. Not fun. At least they fixed the glass-crafting bug.
So yeah, Wild West theme’s cool and kinda new for this type of game, but mostly, you’ve seen this before. Originality’s rare in this genre, so it’s a bummer. Needs more polish. If you’re a fan, waiting for a discount might be the way to go.
