Cattle Country review: A thrilling cosy triumph

The life sim genre is plagued by a major flaw, if you ask me; there’s a ‘don't fix what isn't broken' mentality. What you end up with is hundreds of titles that somewhat feel the same, that simply transport the genre’s tried and tested mechanics to a new setting. It’s why so many life sims fail to secure longevity. You can’t dethrone the titans of the genre if you don’t innovate and build upon what they offer.

That’s precisely how Stardew Valley knocked Harvest Moon off its pedestal, offering a sense of maturity and greater character development. Little else has emerged to challenge Stardew Valley’s claim to the crown; I’ll hand it to indie studio Castle Pixel though, Cattle Country may just be the spiritual successor that I’ve been waiting for.

Cattle Country is a true delight. Yes, it’s one that heavily leans on the Stardew Valley formula - just as Stardew Valley relied upon the formula of its forebears - but so too does it offer a unique change of pace compared to its competitors. The life sim genre is often classed as ‘cosy’; it’s both languid and laidback. There’s a healthy dose of that within Cattle Country, but it’s not true of the whole experience. That’s because Cattle Country also offers a thrilling sense of adventure, bringing you face to face with bandits and outlaws, and it’s why the title could set a new benchmark for the genre.

It’s perhaps too simplistic to call Cattle Country a life sim because it really does heavily dip its toes into the action-adventure space. When the game’s trailer first dropped, the internet soon dubbed Cattle Country a hybrid of Red Dead and Stardew Valley. Having racked up a healthy number of hours within the title, I can tell you that that’s a pretty darn accurate description. Cattle Country is set within the 1890s where you’ll assume the role of the town’s newest resident - a town which you can name, I’ll add.

From here, you should expect all of the usual fare. You’ll farm crops, mine for materials, fish, craft items for your home, and engage in relationships (romantic and platonic) with the local townsfolk. They don’t call it the Wild West for nothing, though. Variety is the spice of life, and you’ll experience plenty of it. Whether it’s participating in a rodeo, becoming the hoedown champion, or firing at a couple of bandits that stand in your way, Cattle Country is rarely short of surprises.

Credit / Playtonic

That notion of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ does certainly play into the foundations of Cattle Country. You’ll begin the title armed with a pickaxe, axe, scythe, and hoe, and even if you skip through the dialogue (although I don’t recommend that as the game features some charming writing), anyone who’s picked up a life sim before will likely know exactly what it is you do with these tools. What I can say though is that I was relieved to discover that Cattle Country is low on a sense of grind which is something that can so often sway me away from certain ‘cosy’ titles.

Your key items will not degrade, something that always allows me to breathe a sigh of relief, outside of you needing to fill your watering can up every now and then. There’s nothing fun about a wooden axe falling to pieces after every couple of uses, and the developers at Castle Pixel clearly recognised that. You don’t want to rest on your laurels though either, as striving to craft and acquire better tools will result in a better yield.

Yield is important as Cattle Country does include a stamina bar but I have to say that even this, for me, felt grind-free. Your character’s stamina bar is incredibly generous and, of course, snacking can help top it up. The fruits you can find around the map will offer a small boost of energy, but you’re likely going to want to use your cooking fire to prepare something a tad more substantial - especially as cooked items have other benefits in the way of temporary buffs, improving your aim in shootouts, for example. Even if you do run out of stamina, you’ll simply pass out and wake up in the town’s infirmary, albeit $100 lighter. Honestly, though, taking the financial hit is worth it if you’re trying to gather the final materials for a crafting project. I’d rather that than simply be forced to trudge miles back to my bed to rest.

For the frugal amongst you, returning to bed to rest is also another surefire way to restore your energy - and I never really found there to be a downside to ending a day early. In certain instances, I’d end the day after just a couple of in-game hours if I was keen to harvest my crops which take several in-game days to mature. Cattle Country doesn’t use time in any way to halt progress. Yes, it’s by progressing through the game’s days that the narrative will pick up, particularly as you deepen your relationships. You’ll never, however, be limited in your personal endeavours. You don’t need to wait umpteen in-game days to acquire a fishing net, for example. It’s yours. If you want to catch 100 fish on your very first day and level up big time, there’s no one to stop you.

It’s why I have a sneaky feeling that Cattle Country could have that all important sense of longevity; the clear lack of grind coupled with the game’s action-adventure flair is a truly magic formula. I did wonder just how those Wild West hijinks would ensue and I must say, all of these hours into my playthrough and Cattle Country is still managing to surprise me. A gentle stroll into town can end in a high-stakes shootout with a pesky group of outlaws, and you may even be held at gunpoint on your own land. Should you hand over the money? Or are you confident enough in your firing skills to deal with the bandits yourself?

Credit / Playtonic

If you’re curious as to how the shooting works, it’s somewhat of a mini game. A slider will manifest featuring a number of targets. After a short countdown, an icon will move across the slider, and it’s up to you to press when you think the icon is in line with the targets. It’s all over in a matter of seconds so if you’re facing off against three or more bandits, you’re going to need rapid reflexes and pinpoint accuracy, or else you’ll end up back at the infirmary with another hefty medical bill - then you’ll likely wish you’d just handed over the money in the first place. This, I should add, also means you’ll need to craft bullets which isn’t exactly common in cosy gaming.

This is really just a small slice of what’s on offer. From cattle drives to train robberies, Cattle Country is definitely a life sim that’ll keep you on your toes, so I’m loath to spoil its various surprises here. There’s perhaps less to say about the game’s crafting, romancing, and cooking, but I certainly don’t want to undermine these areas. All three areas are extremely pleasant and yes, I’ve rizzed up a cowboy. Cattle Country is certainly less innovative here though, with these areas functioning as you’d expect them to.

Mining, however, did take me by surprise, not least because upon entering the mine, the game shifts to a 2D side scrolling perspective. Why? Well, mining brings somewhat of a puzzle element to Cattle Country, if you want it to. You won’t simply work your way through various dungeon-like levels as you might expect. There’s almost a Minecraft-esque or Terraria quality to it. You can dig both down and across, but digging down is likely something you’re only going to want to do if you’ve crafted and brought with you both ladders and wall platforms. It’s how you’ll build a network, extending that network each time you visit.

That’s going to be incredibly important if you want to access the very best materials that the mines have to offer. You’ll be able to craft more advanced mining equipment, including lifts, as you progress. It may not seem like it at first, but it really is worth putting some thought into your mining set up. You see, should you end up in a chasm you cannot escape from, you can call for help but guess what? Yes, you’ll pass out and end up at the infirmary again with yet another medical bill. I didn’t mind that after my first mining visit; it was worth it to tick off the quest to dig down to level 50. When I returned though, I realised that I hadn’t exactly set myself up for the future. A 50-level deep shaft is not a safe path down.

Cattle Country defies the odds and certainly manages to make its mark on the life sim genre. It’s charming, fun, and packed with unexpected surprises and a thrilling sense of adventure that sets it apart from many of its competitors. The only question mark surrounding the title concerns its longevity. Post-launch content is key if Cattle Country is to become a titan of the genre, but if developers deliver on that front, this one could really go the distance.

Pros: Charming world, welcomed lack of grind, unique mechanics

Cons: Unclear what the game’s longevity looks like

For fans of: Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Red Dead Redemption

9/10: Exceptional

Cattle Country out now on Nintendo Switch (version tested), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. A review code was provided by the publisher. Read a guide to our review scores here.