Frederick Jace
Farming simulations have always been a kind of comfort for players, especially when they include cute characters and a relaxed approach to life. Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, and Fae Farm are just a few of the recent titles that many gamers we know have spent more hours on than they care to admit, but there is a reason for that.
Our lives are dedicated to working (and parenting), with just a bit of pleasure embodied in various pastimes: watching movies, traveling, shopping, watching sports, betting on bookies (if that is your thing, then opt for those rated at Bookmaker-Expert.com – just saying…), and similar. Going to work, coming home tired, and going to sleep. It can be a formula and an exhausting life, but these games provide us with an alternative, where we meet friendly NPCs and beloved animals in peaceful and welcoming environments. Paleo Pines is another game to add to that list, and it is sure to be a game fans of the genre will love.
Paleo Pines Will Definitely Attract Players Who Want Something Different in This Genre
Paleo Pines, while doing similar things like Animal Crossing: New Horizons or Story of Seasons, manages to make it even more charming with the addition of dinosaurs. Some are big, some are small, but they are all cute as a button, even the T-Rex.
The game starts like any other: you have a farm full of broken wood and stone that needs to be cleaned, you have no money, and you have no friends. The only difference is that you have Lucky, a Parasaurolophus who likes to help you out and occasionally likes a little smooching. This will certainly appeal to players who want something different in the genre, but the core elements do not do much to change things up.
Dinosaurs Are a Big Part of Paleo Pines
Most of your daily life comes from buying seeds in the local town, talking to locals, and taking on quests; you often have to “collect this” or “grow this” for a cash reward. You can slowly turn your derelict house into a home by crafting new items or buying them, and there are other fun things you can do to pass the time on the island. There is a nice selection of custom items and decorations that let you get creative. And while home furnishings are one way to let your creativity flourish, you will enjoy building enclosures for your new collection of dino friends more.
Dinosaurs are obviously a big part of Paleo Pines, and developer Italic Pig managed to incorporate them into every aspect of the game. While it is fun to build your collection, they also have a wide variety of utilities that can help you with the job you are doing, such as helping you dig and water your crops faster. As a human character, you have a limited amount of energy, but by using your dinosaurs, you will use their energy when you ride them. You will progress through work, and there is a decent progression curve simply by playing. What is fun is learning more about dinosaurs by studying them in the wild and communicating through your magic flute.
New Unlocked Areas to Explore = More Dinosaurs to Befriend
Each dinosaur has a melody with which they communicate, and which corresponds to certain colors and keys at the entrance. Once you get their attention, you can call them over and hopefully feed them their favorite food, pet them, and eventually build a friendship with them. It is a charming process that not only adds to your dinosaur family but also makes it easier to work with. When they are friendly with you, you can return home to build them an enclosure that requires a source of water and food; and be sure to get them a “Dreamstone” which, for some reason, they really, really like. The number of Dreamstones is limited and cannot be obtained in every location in the game; without these, you will not be able to keep the dinosaurs on the ranch.
While there are various quests you can undertake, you will also begin to learn more about the island as well as unlock new areas to explore, which means more dinosaurs to befriend. There is no pressure to progress, allowing you to play Paleo Pines at your own pace. For those who appreciate the direction, more focus, and more action, which are to be found playing FPSs like CS2 or Valorant, this game will be monotonous and uninteresting. It encourages you to explore and discover things on your own, talk to others, and find out everything the island has to offer.
Paleo Pines Can Be Considered as Simplified Farm Simulation
There are always hints you can take into account, but this game is not cruel or difficult to play. And that is exactly a part of its charm. The art style reminds us of Disney-style animations or ones like Sofia the First (yes, it is a children’s animated series…). Still, even though it is not at the very top graphically-wise, Paleo Pines is a colorful and welcoming title that can be played by people/children of all ages. It would be useful if there were some quality-of-life improvements, such as being able to use your journal while on your dinosaur’s back, but it is not a huge problem when there is not too much exploration going on at the same time.
Paleo Pines is a simplified farm simulation where dinosaurs rule the harvest. You will find that this video game, which was released in June for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, Microsoft Windows, and Linux, is at its best when you interact and make friends with the dinosaurs and learn about what moves them and who likes what to eat. If you were to remove the dinosaurs from the game, you would probably skip Paleo Pines, so Italic Pig tried to introduce something different from all the other games on the market in the genre. You will very quickly become a fan of what they have introduced.
It is a colorful and cheerful game with a decent number of things to do and, if you have young children, for them it is a great introduction to the genre.
