Review: Cattle Country for Nintendo Switch

Alright, so here’s the thing about “Cattle Country”—it’s got that whole “Cozy Cowboy Adventure” vibe going on. You know, that word “cozy” that’s been tossed around like nobody’s business lately, especially on the Switch. But hey, cowboys? That’s kind of a fresh twist, right? Anyway, let’s dig into this western wonder.

Picture this: late 1800s, and you’re plopped down with your own little patch of dusty land in some mining town. Name it whatever you like! You start mingling with folks, trying to get the hang of things. You’d think there’d be wild Wild West vibes everywhere, right? Nah, not really. Horses, buzzards, sure… but the whole scene feels like it’s stuck in a generic time loop. Even when you’re chatting up characters, the art lacks that cowboy flare. Kind of odd, honestly.

Oh, but then boom! Bandits. Surprise attacks while you’re just minding your own business on the trail. They jump out from behind a tree or something. Quick reflexes needed here! But if you’re not into dodging baddies, you can turn them off. Makes the game lose some of its edge, but who needs that stress, right?

Then there’s how the game looks and feels. Nostalgia hit me with its old-school pixel art. Day turns to night, seasons shift—that’s cool. But on the Switch? Yikes, it stutters a bit. Cute in a way, but the music… oh man, not what you’d expect. Thought maybe it was just my settings, but nope, even cranked up, it’s pretty meh. Kind of a bummer, honestly.

Tasks? Oh, there’s plenty. Chopping, planting, selling crops, crafting furniture—basic stuff. And a hard-boiled egg? Yeah, you can make those too. Farming’s fun until it gets repetitive. Then there’s fishing, but it’s so finicky I sort of gave up and went with “water traps.” Whatever those are.

Mining though, now that’s intriguing! Hunt for treasure underground while bats and snakes creep around. Disable those if you want. It’s dark down there, so bring torches, and make sure you’ve got food—otherwise, you’ll end up in the doctor’s office and it’s not free!

Oh, and building relationships, that’s key! The townsfolk help grow your settlement. Be buddies with the banker, and bam—bigger bank. Sweet-talk the saloon gal, and soon there’s a restaurant. Reminds me a bit of Animal Crossing, which is iffy. Friendship means giving stuff, which sometimes falls flat. You’d think it’d be easy, but nah. “You made my week!” they say, but nothing much changes. Hunting them down is tougher than herding cats.

Here’s the thing—figuring out what to do next isn’t obvious. They’re going for that open world, do-what-you-want vibe, but it ends up more confusing than freeing. After hours, you’re still muddling through. Maybe it’s just me? My wife thinks so too, and she loves these games. Pacing’s off, so once I’m done writing this, moving on won’t be hard.

There are problems too. Some just bug me. UI could be smoother, and there’s no touchscreen action. Controls are okay, but those icons are tiny. And seriously, not being able to take screenshots? Weak. But the big stuff? Crashes and bugs. Ever seen “Software closed because of an error” over and over? Not fun. They fixed the glass-crafting bug, though, so props for that!

Look, if you’re hoping for something groundbreaking, maybe wait for a deal. Western twist or not, it feels more like riding a bumpy trail you’ve traveled before. Needs some spit and polish, you know?