Paleo Pines: A Unique Farming Adventure with Dinosaurs – Review

Paleo Pines is a new farming simulation game developed by Italic Pig and published by Modus Games. The game takes place in a world where humans and dinosaurs live together, with dinosaurs serving as the main pets of humans and offering various forms of assistance. It offers a unique farming simulation experience by allowing players to farm with a variety of dinosaur species. Exploration in Paleo Pines is particularly distinctive, as dinosaurs play a crucial role in opening up paths to various areas on the world map. In this review, we provide our perspective on the unique farming simulation experience that is Paleo Pines.

Story

In Paleo Pines, your character has a beloved companion named Lucky, whom you’ve known since she was just an egg. As Lucky grows, it becomes increasingly challenging to keep her at home. Thus, you venture to Paleo Pines, a charming island renowned for its friendly dinosaurs, along with Lucky. The island teems with numerous dinosaur species that you will encounter as you explore the various biomes of Paleo Pines. Your mission is to embark on an adventure to locate the missing Parasaurolophus, enabling Lucky to finally reunite with her kind.

Gameplay

The initial gameplay of Paleo Pines bears similarities to other farming games, making it instantly familiar. You’ll create your character and then enter your Ranch, situated in the Veridian Valley biome. Settle in and meet your new neighbors, who will guide you to the central area of the biome, introducing you to various characters. These characters can provide you with valuable items, including seeds, Poppins, and building materials, essential throughout the game.

Meeting these characters will unlock farming activities, allowing you to cultivate and nurture various crops in your Ranch area. Crops are crucial for cooking and feeding both Lucky and other dinosaurs that you’ll have the opportunity to tame and befriend as you progress in the game. Using a unique mechanic, you’ll tame and befriend different dinosaur species with a flute. This flute produces distinct melodies to capture the attention of dinosaurs and play the ‘Friend Call’ tune to befriend them. As you feed dinosaurs their favorite foods and Poppins, they will become your allies and follow you around.

You can add your befriended dinosaurs to your Ranch, caring for them just as you do for Lucky. Regularly pet and feed them to leverage their skills for your farming and exploration endeavors. Each dinosaur possesses two unique skills: one for the wild, aiding in exploration, and the other for farming, facilitating your agricultural activities.

Interacting with the Town Board allows you to assist other characters, earning various rewards and money that can prove advantageous in several ways. However, the game’s narrative takes a back seat, as most of your time will be spent aiding characters with their side quests, which sometimes feels like a stretch of the game’s core gameplay.

Sound and Visuals

The visuals of Paleo Pines establish a cozy farming simulation atmosphere, while the soothing background music enhances the overall experience. The vibrant, cheerful colors and adorable 3D dinosaur models hold promise in terms of gameplay. The endearing sounds emitted by the dinosaurs, especially when you play the ‘Friend Call’ to them, are sure to melt your heart.

Verdict – Score 9/10

Paleo Pines is an outstanding dinosaur exploration and farming game, offering a unique and delightful farming experience alongside charming dinosaurs. While some aspects of general gameplay, such as the absence of jumping, may be missing, they can be overlooked in light of the ability to ride dinosaurs and utilize their unique skills. If you’re seeking a distinctive farming experience in a world where befriending dinosaurs aids your farming endeavors, we highly recommend trying out Paleo Pines.

Paleo Pines is now available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, as well as Linux.