We have covered a lot of farming sims and farming sim adjacent games over the years. I am always excited to see how developers will mold and shape the genre to tell their stories better. Over the years, one trope we have seen is the player character’s grandfather passing away and willing the farm to the player. As of late, developers have been veering away from this storyline; however, the player rarely has a family. If you are sick of the same-old-same-old, read on about this upcoming title, Out and About.
Out and About‘s Story
A terrible storm has decimated the idyllic coastal town where your Granny Mae lives. Along with some health issues, she has been having a rough time living alone. Being the wonderful grandchild you are, you decide to upend your life to go and help her. Upon entering the town, you see a landslide has destroyed the rest of the town, leaving the buildings in shambles. If that was not bad enough, the Petty and Lowde law team is eyeing an iconic town building. It is up to you to restore, repair, and decorate the town, returning it to its former glory!
Unique Features of Out and About
- Help the local community with errands.
- Create herbal remedies to cure their ailments.
- There are a variety of plants throughout the game you can find in the real world.
- All plants are real, including mushrooms, edible and poisonous plants.
- Currently, all plants are based off the temperate zone, but there are plans to add more plants in the future.
- Use your plants to cook a feast.
- There are over 150 recipes that you can make in-game and at home.
- There will also be a companion website that will feature plant information and recipes.
- Be part of the community.
- Make friends with the locals, aid them via quests, and learn a few secrets.
- Character customization.
- This game has a vast character creator, allowing you to create the character of your dreams.
Thoughts on Out and About
I was in awe when I first saw the Out and About Kickstarter. The graphics are adorable, and the storyline is unique. As someone who lost a grandparent semi-recently, I love the idea of hanging out at the PC’s grandma’s house and helping her out. Adding the evil lawyers is a fun idea and gives the community another reason to rally together. Plus, as an avid cook, I am intrigued by the idea of being able to cook the recipes I make in-game in real life. Overall, this feels like a fun, fresh take on the farming sim genre.
At the time of writing this, I was able to try the Customization Demo on Steam. This allowed players to look at the character customization before launch. For being a cute, cozy game, I was amazed at how detailed of a character I could make. I spent a reasonable amount of time customizing Paige here, getting her bangs just right. If this level of detail is just in character customization, I am excited to see all the other elements of this title.
Odds & Ends
Out and About’s Kickstarter recently ended with a hopeful early access period in quarter two of 2023. Gamers can currently wishlist it on Steam, and there are plans to port this title to consoles at full launch. If you want to learn more about future cozy plant sims, I recommend reading my article on Garden Life. Ultimately, I look forward to learning more about Out and About.
