Steam launch: New adventure-life sim hits Steam with free demo in tow

The pampas don’t rush you. That’s probably the best way to describe the pace of Gaucho and the Grassland, a quietly built farming sim that is hitting Steam today.

Built by an indie team in Brazil, the game starts you off with a dilapidated farm in the middle of the pampas. There’s no economy in the traditional sense - no coins, no cash. Players have to trade eggs for feed, wool for seeds. It’s quiet, manual work. You’re lassoing cows, brushing down horses, fixing your barn one board at a time.

However, what sets the game apart a bit is the setting. The team took references from regional culture and folklore, not just in the music and language support (which includes Brazilian Portuguese and Latin American Spanish), but also in the light supernatural elements. There are puzzles that ask you to find "essence" from local spirits, and occasional short quests that break up the routine without pulling players too far off course.

Before today’s release, a free demo of Gaucho and the Grassland had been available for a while on Steam. It gave players a decent glimpse of how the game plays on a smaller scale, and was generally well-received for its relaxing pace. Some players did note minor bugs or janky rope mechanics while trying to wrangle animals, but nothing game-breaking. The demo helped set expectations for what the full release would be - slow, peaceful, and unpolished in a way that didn’t bother most players.

It’s played in third person, with a mix of 3D pixel art and low-saturation colors that feel soft without looking too dated. Nothing flashy here. Gaucho and the Grassland doesn’t throw a checklist of quests at you - instead, progress is more about taking care of your land and animals bit by bit. It’s launching at $19.99 with a launch discount and full controller support. (Check out the GameSir G7 SE controller with hall effect sticks on Amazon for $44).

This one's a no-pressure sim that feels rooted in a real place, and it should be one of the more grounded ones to drop this month. You can learn more by visiting its Steam store page here.