Slime Rancher

Slime Rancher is a first person life simulation adventure video game developed and published by American indie studio Monomi Park.[1] The game was released as an early access title in January 2016, with an official release on Windows, macOS, Linux and Xbox One on August 1, 2017.[2] A PlayStation 4 version was released on August 21, 2018.

Slime Rancher
Developer(s)Monomi Park
Publisher(s)Monomi Park
Skybound Games (consoles)
Composer(s)Harry Mack
EngineUnity
Platform(s)
ReleaseAugust 1, 2017
Genre(s)First person Adventure Life simulation management simulation Virtual pet
Mode(s)Single player

Gameplay
In-game screenshot showing the VacPack nozzle, a few "Pink" slimes, and a "plort" (lower-left)

The game is played in an open world and from a first-person perspective. The player controls a character named Beatrix LeBeau, a rancher who moves to a planet far from Earth called the Far Far Range to live the life of a "slime rancher", which consists of constructing her ranch and exploring the world of the Far Far Range in order to collect, raise, feed, and breed slimes. Slimes are gelatinous living organisms of various sizes and characteristics.[3][4][5][6]

The game's main economical aspect revolves around feeding slimes the appropriate food items so that they produce "plorts", which can then be sold in exchange for Newbucks, which are used to purchase upgrades to the rancher's equipment or farm buildings. The player moves the character around a variety of environments, and can collect slimes, food items and plorts by sucking them up with their vacuum tool (called a "Vacpack", a portmanteau of vacuum and backpack). They can only store a limited number of items and item types at a time and must go back to their ranch to unload their collected items before being able to collect more. The player must buy and upgrade various enclosures to house their collected slimes and farms for storing their food. Upgrades can also be aesthetic upgrades to the character's home, vacuum, and ranch itself.

Different types of slimes can be combined and enlarged by feeding a slime a plort from another species, making them noticeably larger and able to produce multiple plorts.[7][8][9] However, if a slime combines more than three traits by eating two different plorts it becomes an aggressive malevolent black slime called the "Tarr", which devours all other slimes around it. The player can pump fresh water from ponds and springs to splash and disintegrate the Tarrs.

There are different kinds of slimes in the game, which all differ from small traits like simple ears, wings and tails, to the ability to teleport or grab a chicken via a vine that emerges from the ground. Docile (when not feral) and farmable slimes include: Pink, Phosphor, Tabby, Quantum, Honey, Puddle, Tangle, Saber, Hunter and Dervish. Directly or indirectly harmful and farmable slimes are: Rock, Fire, Boom, Crystal, Mosaic and Rad. Rare non-farmable slimes include: Gold and Lucky. There are also special non-farmable Quicksilver and Glitch slimes found in mini games. Most slimes also have a Gordo version of themselves. These are found across the Far Far Range. Players can shoot food items at them until they explode, to gain farmable, normal types of the slime. When exploded they also produce crates containing random loot as well as either a teleporter or "slime key" which allow access to new areas or fast-travel between known areas.

Reception
Slime Rancher Early Access
Review scores
PublicationScore
LevelSkip[10]
Games Mojo[11]
TD Game Club75/100[12]
Keen Gamer83/100[13]
Slime Rancher
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
MetacriticPC: 81/100[14]
XONE: 80/100[15]
PS4: 69/100[16]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Destructoid8.5/10[17]
Game Informer8.5/10[18]
PC Gamer (UK)65%[19]
New Game Network77%[20]

The Early Access version of the Slime Rancher received generally positive reviews. Heather Alexandra from Kotaku noticed some bugs, but gave the game a positive review, saying that "I'm not usually a fan of games with catharsis but when I return to my bright and goofy farm at the end of the day? I can't help but smile as wide as my slimy little friends." [sic][8] Phillip Grobler from LevelSkip enjoyed Slime Rancher, giving the game a score of 4.3 out of 5 stars: "this game is very fun already and I will recommend anyone to go and check it out".[10] Steve Neilsen from Games Mojo awarded it 4.4 out of 5 stars, stating that "Slime Rancher is fun and addictive game, with a fun premise and cute creatures. The cartoon style graphics look amazing, and gameplay is clever and full of cute."[11]

The full release of the game got a score of 81/100 on Metacritic,[14] with reviewers saying it had the ability to keep you hooked for hours.[18] Reviewers also said it was relaxing and cathartic, but quite repetitive,[17] and successfully taps into the addictive nature of farming simulators.[20]

By May 2017, the game had sold over 800,000 copies.[21] By February 28, 2019, the game had sold 2 million copies.[22].

In Game Informer's Reader's Choice Best of 2017 Awards, the game tied in third place along with Forza Motorsport 7 for "Best Microsoft Game", while it came in second place for "Best Simulation Game".[23][24] The website also gave it the award for the latter category in their Best of 2017 Awards.[25]

Accolades
Award nominations for Slime Rancer
Year Award Category Result
2017 Golden Joystick Awards[26] Best Indie Game Nominated
Xbox Game of the Year Nominated
The Game Awards 2017[27] Best Debut Indie Game Nominated
2018 National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards[28][29] Game, Original Action Nominated
Game, Simulation Nominated
14th British Academy Games Awards[30][31] Debut Game Nominated
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References
  1. "Slime Rancher". Steam. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  2. Sykes, Tom. "Slime Rancher squelches out of early access in August". PC Gamer. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  3. Usher, William. "Upcoming Slime Rancher Game Is Bizarre And Adorable". CinemaBlend. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  4. Davenport, James (January 7, 2016). "The disastrous end to my first outer space slime poop farm". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on May 4, 2016. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  5. Bridgman, John (July 9, 2015). "Gettin' Wiggly With Slime Rancher". Indiegames.com. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  6. Warr, Philippa (July 16, 2015). "The Sound Of Slime: Slime Rancher's Trailer". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  7. Whitaker, Jed (January 6, 2016). "The adorable Slime Rancher might be the next big indie hit". Destructoid. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  8. Alexandra, Heather (October 11, 2016). "Slime Rancher Is A Great Relaxation Game". Kotaku. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
  9. Estrada, Marcus (December 29, 2015). "Slime Rancher Gives You a Taste of the Fantasy Farming Lifestyle". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  10. Grobler, Phillip (September 7, 2016). "Slime Rancher Review". Level Skip. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  11. Neilsen, Steve (May 29, 2017). "Slime Rancher Review". Games Mojo. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  12. None, Deny (January 27, 2017). "Slime Rancher Review". TD Game Club. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  13. Catalyst, Jamy (February 28, 2017). "Subway Surfers Review". Keen Gamer. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  14. "Slime Rancher for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  15. "Slime Rancher for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  16. "Slime Rancher for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  17. Peterson, Joel (August 10, 2017). "Review: Slime Rancher". Destructoid. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  18. Juba, Joe (August 2, 2017). "Slime Rancher". Game Informer. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  19. Byrne, Katharine (August 7, 2017). "Slime Rancher review". PC Gamer. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  20. Alex V (August 10, 2017). "Slime Rancher Review". New Game Network. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  21. "Author tweet". Twitter.
  22. https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/337709/Gooey_ranchemup_Slime_Rancher_has_sold_over_2_million_copies.php
  23. Cork, Jeff (January 4, 2018). "Reader's Choice Best of 2017 Awards". Game Informer. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  24. Cork, Jeff (January 4, 2018). "Reader's Choice Best of 2017 Awards (Page 4)". Game Informer. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  25. Game Informer staff (January 4, 2018). "Game Informer's Best of 2017 Awards (Page 4)". Game Informer. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  26. Gaito, Eri (November 13, 2017). "Golden Joystick Awards 2017 Nominees". Best in Slot. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  27. Makuch, Eddie (December 8, 2017). "The Game Awards 2017 Winners Headlined By Zelda: Breath Of The Wild's Game Of The Year". GameSpot. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  28. "Nominee List for 2017". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. February 9, 2018. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
  29. "Horizon wins 7; Mario GOTY". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  30. deAlessandri, Marie (March 15, 2018). "Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice at forefront of BAFTA Games Awards nominations". MCV. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  31. Makedonski, Brett (April 12, 2018). "BAFTA names What Remains of Edith Finch its best game of 2017". Destructoid. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
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