

But let’s dive in and examine how it plays. Looking into your character’s various tabs and options - clothing, recipes, and the like - indicates that there may be some depth to the game that casual gameplay might otherwise keep hidden. But this is not a ding against the game on the contrary, it’s a strength! Not since Diablo have you clicked so frequently. Click, click, clickclickclickclickclickclickclick cliiiiiiiick. Click on the UI to open menus, and click again to choose elements. Now, depending on your personal outlook, you’ll either find the cute cast of characters reassuringly non-threatening when they keep telling you that, or you’ll start hearing the strains of “Hotel California” the entire time you’re playing Wandering Willows. One of the first bits of dialogue you’ll encounter informs you that you’re not the only person to have crashed down on the island, and that, who knows? You might just want to stay after all. In order to do this, you’ll interact with the island’s populace, fulfilling their missions to gain access to the tools you’ll need to repair your craft. You’re in a little town called Wandering Willows, and your hot-air balloon is busted up, so you’ll need to fix it in order to escape. Your character never bothers to question why it’s following her around, so neither will you. The critter bears a slight resemblance to something you might find in Viva Piñata, and that’s just fine. When you come to, you’re on a strange island with a cute little animal following you around. Eventually making things for characters causes them to do things to unlock other areas of the map where you find new animals, resources and people.The story here is that you’re a hot-air balloonist who’s being forced down due to a storm.

You can also create collars for the animals to boost their abilities.

The different animals give you different bonuses such as better prices at stores or more chances of digging up a type of resource. There is a flower store, clothing store and grocery store as well as a stable to hatch the eggs of more animals and for boarding them. As the friend level increases they will give you things like recipes to make other things. Each character has likes and dislikes, which effects whether or not you become better friends, when giving them gifts. The townspeople all have crashed on the island also and think you should stay, but you just want to fix your balloon and return home. As your animal does these things they get better at it, so the cherries that were in a taller tree become reachable for your pet after it levels up. What jackasses!! You immediately have a cute animal following you around that will help you dig up stuff, shake things from trees and charm stuff out of other animals. You have crashed your hot air balloon on an island where no one will be helpful until you help them first. My new excitement which I will rave about on today’s podcast is Wandering Willows! This game is the most addicting in a while! I talked a bit about most of these on our May 3rd podcast. I went through and replayed all the games I had already purchased since I didn’t transfer any of the save files. I’ve been on a Big Fish Games kick for a few weeks now.
