by Julius Albert Custodio

Created on: June 28, 2009

"Wandering Willows" is a hard game to describe. Gameplay-wise, it's like the love child of Monster Rancher and Animal Crossing. Sure, it doesn't have the micro-management aspect of Monster Rancher but it does let you train your own little pet. It shares the sheer replay value of Animal Crossing but it's not as open-ended as that game either. Simply put, it's a game which brings something new to the table and challenges the casual gamer's taste. It's a breath of fresh air, to say the least.

This game has something for everyone. When you first play the game, you are given this really cute pet as your partner (by default you start with a winged donkey) who will aid you in accomplishing different things in the game. Various characters will then give you specific tasks which may involve any of the following: collecting honey by climbing trees, growing your own wheat farm, charming other animals for them to give you eggs, baking all sorts of breads and pies, or in some cases, even digging for precious minerals! As your pet collects the various foodstuffs, it earns experience points in three different aspects namely: climbing, digging, and charming. In addition, the eggs you collect from charming other animals can then be hatched to provide you with new pets to play with.

Traveling around the game world, you will encounter eccentric people whose personalities doesn't necessarily match their appearances. You'll meet an old man who likes cross-dressing, a little girl obsessed with art projects, and an arrogant ex-spaceman who thinks he's "The Governator". Accomplishing their tasks will give you various recipes and knickknacks. These recipes will then allow the chef in you to mix and match the vegetables you grew in your garden and the fruits your pet picked up. For those people who love fashion design, the game even allows you to make your own outfits and give it to the other in-game characters for them to wear.

Wandering Willows' graphics quality is a bit outdated compared to other games but it's forgivable because the fun factor of this game doesn't rely on the visuals too much. It's a shame though that there's no voice-acting to listen to and you'll only be treated to different variations of "ooh's" and "aaah's". Honestly, it would have helped if there were voice actors who dubbed some of the more interesting characters because it would then make their larger-than-life personalities even more believable.

If you're thinking of buying a PC game for your kids, then I highly recommend "Wandering Willows". An 8-year old might not appreciate the finer gameplay elements this game has to offer but he/she will definitely love the wacky characters in the game. Older kids will probably enjoy creating stuff from scratch and discovering new recipes to add to their collection. Even adults can join in on the fun too. No matter what age, anyone can partake on the enjoyment this game provides.

Learn more about this author, Julius Albert Custodio.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.