For months and months I put off buying “Don’t Starve”. I saw the initial release trailers and thought “what hideous graphics”. Yeah, I am ashamed to admit, sometimes I favor the graphics; I judge a book by its cover. A friend of mine on Steam mentioned this game to me, and that it was only a few bucks, so I purchased it. I figured, if it turned out bad, I am only out a few bucks.
I launched the game and my character was laying on the ground being prodded verbally by some mysterious man to get up and get food before dark fall. I got up and started to collect some grass, sticks, and flint stones. I built a hatchet and started collecting wood. Night came fast. I built a fire and made sure to cut all the trees down around my campsite so that I wouldn't be taken by….whatever I am supposed to fear that lurks in the dark.
Night passed and morning brought a new hope, but only for a time. I quickly ran out of camp in search of any food source I could find. I found berries to be plentiful in a wooded area near me, and many seeds and carrots could also serve as food. I collected all I could hold and returned to camp. The second night was upon me. I started a fire before it got too dark. I put enough wood and pine cones in to make a high blaze; it almost caught the surrounding grass on fire! As I looked out into the dark, I could feel something. I don’t know what it was, but there was something out there.
Morning came too quickly. I didn't sleep at all. I needed to figure out a way to plant gardens, so I went in search of more grass, and some sort of fertilizer. I traveled a few hours and found some sort of cattle creature. There was cow crap everywhere. “Better than nothing” I thought to myself as I scooped a fresh handful of cow chips into a pouch that was hastily made from my shirt. Resource collection went a little longer than I had thought, and I was pretty far from camp. It was getting dark and I needed to return quickly, or take my chances out in the darkness. I made a crude torch out of some grass and sticks and made my way toward camp. I couldn't see anything more than a few feet around me. I heard movements, grunts, and sometimes whispers all around me as I traveled. “Oh what fresh hell is this!” I screamed as I saw multiple sets of glowing eyes just out of reach of the torchlight. It seemed like hours, but I finally made it back to camp. I threw in some more fuel and roasted some seeds and berries that I found along the way; I am so hungry!
This game takes survival to another level. There are also hints thrown in that make you want to survive as long as possible. What are the whispers you hear when you become exhausted? What are the shadow creatures that you occasionally catch a glimpse of in the daylight? Who was the strange man that prodded you on when you woke up initially?
This game has a good amount of crafting, and true survival in collecting food, fuel for light, materials for protection, etc. The farthest I have made it has been 14 days. Amazing game and I wish I hadn't put it off all this time!