Life As A Slime Rancher [Review]

Slime Rancher is one of those games that has its own unique charm. At first it was hard to tell what the heck it was going for, until a few of the more interesting elements emerged, and I discovered that it really is more than just a cute farm simulator. It's a game about mystery, exploration, tinkering, and discovery. This is very much the kind of game where you start by getting your hands dirty, learning the basics and slowly getting into the deeper levels of gameplay that will take you into the complexities of its world. Slime Rancher will leave you with a sense of satisfaction and a strong feeling of knowing that you have stumbled across something special.

What's behind the door? :o

It's not all fun and games though, since there are elements of strategy involved, particularly in terms of base-building and resource management. The game's difficulty curve can be surprisingly steep, given all that it has to offer; the initial stages are all about experimenting through trial and error. But by the time you start to grasp the game's nuances and feel a little more comfortable, it's much easier to figure out how to approach each obstacle thrown your way.

Some of them, such as the Dervish Slime, can create chaotic situations for your ranch if not properly managed

You start with a basic ranch equipped with your trusty Vacpack and a small section of the world to explore. The more you explore and interact with the different aspects of the game, the more you'll unlock interesting hidden areas, or new abilities. Just about every part of your ranch can be upgraded in some way with Newbucks, earned by selling the 'plorts' produced from your slimes when fed.

You'll only see a few basic slimes when you start, but as you progress you discover their diverse variety

Slime Rancher offers a unique gameplay experience where you will have to work with your environment to create new resources and grow food in order to advance. With multiple game modes, a variety of farming tools and upgrades, the game has a lot of replayability . You are free to continue your journey to make your ranch the greatest one the Far, Far, Range has ever seen.

The game is a labor of love of their developer, Monami Park, who has been passionately and steadily releasing new updates, their most recent being v1.4, Victor's Experimental Update. To quote from their website, " This update is jam-packed with cutting-edge ranch tech including: Advanced Drones to help with daily chores, a (questionably useful) Chicken Cloner, and a whole collection of wacky gadgets designed by Viktor himself! There’s also a new zone, new ranch expansion, and a new slime!"

Don't let its cuteness fool you, give this one a try - you won't be disappointed.