Wild Indigo Ranch
- September 18, 2024
- Funday Games
- 1h median play time
Get on Steam"Don't Die in the West" is an open-world RPG set in the Old West, allowing 1-4 players to build their own ranch, craft tools and weapons, and explore the frontier. The game features a town called Tumbleville, where players can gather rumors and undertake missions to stop the Gritt Corp. oil empire and the Dawson gang. With a variety of activities such as lassoing wild horses and seeking out wise hermits, this game offers a gritty and immersive western experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game is cute, cozy, and fun to play, with a charming Wild West theme and enjoyable mechanics.
- The developers are actively working on updates and listening to community feedback, showing commitment to improving the game.
- The crafting and building systems are engaging, allowing for creativity and exploration in a whimsical environment.
- The game is riddled with bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustrating experiences.
- There is a lack of clear direction and quest markers, making it difficult for players to progress without getting lost.
- Inventory management is cumbersome, with limited space and no option to delete unwanted items, leading to clutter and frustration.
- story138 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as cute and engaging, featuring charming characters and a light narrative that complements the gameplay. However, many players find the quest system frustrating due to incomplete quest lines, lack of guidance, and bugs that hinder progression. While the foundation for an interesting story exists, the execution is marred by tedious quests and unclear objectives, leaving players eager for future updates to enhance the experience.
“The story line is enjoyable with a bit of dry humor and seems to have a lot of things for me to do before I’ll need to shelve the game and wait for future updates.”
“The characters are adorable and the story is very cute.”
“Definitely a hidden gem for people who enjoy chill survival and a fun storyline!”
“The quests are sometimes non-descriptive and have no map markers.”
“The crafting menus are confusing, the story is weak, and it provides no guidance.”
“Progression is basically do a quest, quest wants you to build a wall, build the wall, reward is a roof, now use that roof to complete the next quest, get a wood roof, now use that roof to do another quest, rinse and repeat.”
- stability46 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, which range from minor visual issues to game-breaking problems that require restarts. While some players find enjoyment in the gameplay despite these issues, many express frustration over the lack of polish and persistent bugs, especially as the game is still in early access. Continuous updates are being made to address these problems, but they often introduce new bugs, leaving players hopeful for future improvements.
“The game is fun, and I'm really enjoying it; it runs great on the Steam Deck!”
“If you like a buggy game, come play this half-assed made game.”
“I have been playing this game since its very first days of early access and when I saw the announcements for 1.0, I was beyond excited... however, I am so disappointed with the fact that really old glitches are still present and that even more game-breaking glitches have joined the list of older ones. I love the game and am glad to see an increase in content; it's just not fun to play right now with all the bugs.”
“There are still constant updates to fix glitches, but those updates seem to cause more bugs, so it's a continuing issue of finding new bugs where there were none before as the devs fix one and screw up two.”
- graphics43 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their cute and whimsical art style, contributing to an enjoyable audiovisual experience. However, some players have reported technical issues such as frame skipping and character jankiness, which detract from the overall experience despite the appealing visuals. While many appreciate the charming aesthetics, there are concerns about the lack of graphical settings and numerous bugs that impact gameplay.
“This game has such cute graphics and sounds which really brings it to life.”
“Excellent little game, loads to do, great graphics.”
“The graphics look very nice and funny and I like the overall audiovisual presentation very much.”
“The graphics have no settings except resolution and v-sync.”
“When you ride your horse, the frame skips and character jankiness are unbearable, which is weird considering how low the graphics look.”
“🔲 Graphics don't matter in this game.”
- gameplay23 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Gameplay is a mixed bag, featuring enjoyable mechanics and a fun core loop, but marred by significant bugs and frustrating elements like weapon durability and inventory management. While the crafting options and soundtrack enhance the experience, the game is still in early access and requires further quality-of-life improvements to fully realize its potential. Overall, players appreciate the engaging aspects but are hindered by technical issues and design flaws.
“Has a lot of nice mechanics all working to build a fun world.”
“It could use some bug fixes especially in co-op but the core gameplay loop is pretty fun.”
“Good linear progression with the story/campaign while also allowing players to slowly understand all the mechanics bit by bit.”
“The mechanic of tools and weapons breaking is fine, but it means I need to take extras with me, further exacerbating the inventory problem.”
“Some are minor and during gameplay you might not even notice them, but there are others that are flat-out infuriating (quest bugs) which make for a horrible companion in the game.”
“What gameplay is there is basic and silly.”
- grinding17 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be manageable, with many describing it as not overly grindy and enjoyable, despite some tedious quests and limited inventory space. The farming mechanics are simple, focusing on planting and watering without complex systems, which contributes to a chill gameplay experience. However, the lack of fast travel options can lead to repetitive back-and-forth movement, adding to the grind for some players.
“Love the game, it just gets quite tedious with limited inventory space and having no way to move between regions quickly, so I end up having to run up and down long ways to get stuff to build certain objects.”
“Secondly, the quests don't fully seem to work and without clear direction some of them can be tedious.”
“Farming consists of planting in planters, no tilling or anything except watering your planter, which holds one seed per planter.”
- humor16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is widely regarded as funny, featuring a blend of dry humor and silly elements that enhance its enjoyable storyline and engaging quests. Players appreciate the humorous NPC dialogue and the overall audiovisual presentation, although some minor bugs add to the comedic experience without being overly disruptive. Despite some concerns about the game's current state, its potential as a chill, co-op game is recognized.
“The storyline is enjoyable with a bit of dry humor and seems to have a lot of things for me to do before I’ll need to shelve the game and wait for future updates.”
“It's chill, silly, funny, and every time you think there is nothing to do anymore, something new pops up.”
“The graphics look very nice and funny, and I like the overall audiovisual presentation very much.”
- music8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the well-composed soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience, particularly during social interactions and crafting. However, some users have reported issues with the loading screen, where music plays without progressing to the next stage, leading to frustration. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, especially for those nostalgic for cowboy themes.
“With cool crafting options and a well-composed soundtrack that sets a nice vibe, it really drew me in for the first few hours of gameplay.”
“Loading screen comes up, the skull spins (love that lil guy) and it says 'loading' but just plays music and never connects or changes the text.”
“Hanging out with your friends doing cowboy stuff with cowboy music is a childhood dream.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a stark contrast in monetization approaches: while some AAA games are criticized for relying heavily on season passes and microtransactions to maximize profit, others stand out by offering a complete experience without any in-game purchases. This disparity reflects a growing frustration among players regarding monetization practices in the gaming industry.
“There are no in-game microtransactions.”
“Sod full price - yet still buggy - AAA games that rely on season passes, microtransactions, and so forth whose sole and soulless purpose is to fleece players for as long as possible and as much as possible!”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players consistently describe the game as a relaxing and wholesome experience, highlighting its ability to evoke positive emotions and provide a sense of comfort.
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is currently lacking, with users reporting game-breaking bugs, poor performance, and minimal gameplay, indicating that it may still be a year or more from a polished release.
“This game is a year away from releasing, if not more. It has game-breaking bugs, poor performance, and very little gameplay.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game's replayability is high, with players appreciating the variety of choices and outcomes that encourage multiple playthroughs. Many highlight the presence of different character paths and unlockable content as key factors that enhance the overall experience. Overall, players feel that the game offers enough depth and diversity to keep them engaged beyond the initial playthrough.
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized as lighthearted and enjoyable, enhancing the overall experience despite the expected nature of the combat.
“The overall atmosphere of the game makes it a lighthearted and enjoyable experience.”
“The immersive environment draws you in, making every moment feel alive and engaging.”
“The combination of stunning visuals and a captivating soundtrack creates an unforgettable atmosphere.”
