Upcoming Game is Like a Western Version of Stardew Valley

An upcoming game available for wishlisting on Steam, Cattle Country, looks like it will have a lot of appeal for fans of popular farming and life sim Stardew Valley. Stardew Valley gives players a number of ways to make money around their farm, and Cattle Country looks like it will harness a similar energy, but with more of a wild west theme.

Independent developer Castle Pixel has been making games since 2014, starting off with 2D platformer Rex Rocket, which is also available on Steam. The developer's most recent game, Blossom Tales 2: The Minotaur Prince, has a classic fantasy action-adventure feel similar to the original The Legend of Zelda, but Cattle Country will be Castle Pixel's first dive into the farming sim genre.

Cattle Country's official description on Steam describes it as a "Cozy Cowboy Adventure Life Sim." While the game puts an original twist on a tried-and-true formula, it seems like it will incorporate a lot of features present in other farming games, such as building a mountain home and helping to develop the local town. Players will also be able to establish friendships with villagers like in Stardew Valley, which is a staple of the cozy life simulator genre.

What Sets Cattle Country Apart From Other Farming Sims?

The biggest difference between Cattle County and other games of its ilk seems to be the old western setting. This unique environment is evident in the game's official reveal trailer, which shows off scenes that include managing a herd of cows at night by a camp fire's glow and a horse-drawn wagon making its way down a dusty road. A similar video on the game's Steam page shows off some other scenes, some of them much more action-filled, like an old west shootout between the locals and a band of bandana-clad bandits, as well as what appears to be a bare-knuckle brawl set in some sort of ramshackle arena. While the game will incorporate mining, it presents it in a 2D format much like Terraria.

Of course, there are plenty of elements that will be familiar for fans of the genre, such as planting and harvesting crops, placing scarecrows to protect them from thriving birds, and chopping down trees to clear space and gather materials for constructing new buildings. The game also looks like it will incorporate festivals similar to Stardew Valley's, but with some original ideas thrown in as well, such as a Christmas-like feast visited by Santa Claus and an old-fashioned square dance. No release date has been announced for Cattle Country, but it is available to add to wishlists on Steam.