Nine months after celebrating Don't Starve's graduation from Steam Early Access, Klei Entertainment's sandbox/survival mash-up has made its highly-anticipated leap to PS4, and Don't Starve: Console Edition might just be the best downloadable game to emerge during the PlayStation 4 launch window.
For the unfamiliar, Don't Starve is a survival-focused game from Klei Entertainment that remains one of the most approachable entries in a genre that also includes far more realistic simulations (like DayZ or ). That approachability is largely due to a combination of the game's overall appearance -- in motion, Don't Starve looks like an episode of Courage the Cowardly Dog -- and common sense gameplay mechanics that even the most casual gamer should be able to wrap their head around within a matter of minutes.
At its core, Don't Starve: Console Edition is very much a sandbox game, eschewing almost any sense of narrative in-favor of the emergent gameplay (the phrase we'll all be sick of by the end of 2014) that comes from procedurally-generated worlds and the panic that most people feel when placed in highly-dangerous situations. Of course, you aren't ever really in danger while playing Don't Starve: Console Edition; however, the same can hardly be said for Wilson the Gentleman Scientist and/or the rest of the characters you'll unlock while playing the game.
Of course, while Klei Entertainment's debut outing on the PS4 may be called "Don't Starve", a lack of nourishment is hardly the only danger that you'll face inside the strange world where the game is set. In fact, meeting your character's hunger needs might just be the easiest task you'll face while playing the game, provided you don't get plopped down in the middle of a mushroom-filled swamp biome. Figuring out what plants/animals can safely be eaten is only the beginning of the Don't Starve experience, though.
Outside of occasional appearances from Maxwell, the Norman Osborn meets The G-Man character who serves as the game's antagonist, and a handful of unlockable characters, you won't see any other human faces while playing Don't Starve. The game does feature a couple of bipedal races, though many of them respond less-than-favorably when approached, and you probably shouldn't expect to make many friends during your time with Don't Starve: Console Edition. Instead, it's generally safe to assume that, if it moves, it's going to try and kill you at some point. You'll figure out the basic Do's and Don'ts of the Don't Starve animal kingdom within an hour or two, but still won't be out of the woods just yet.
As if a slight fear of everything from bees to beefalos wasn't enough, Don't Starve: Console Edition also forces players to pay attention to the game's day/night cycle and weather changes that include everything from quick rain showers to the blistering colds of winter. Just as you'd expect, the elements present their own challenges and dangers, giving even the most peaceful Don't Starve player something to worry about while tending their crops or checking their rabbit traps. Like I said, finding a source of food is only the beginning of your troubles.
Don't Starve: Console Edition also includes a five-stage Adventure mode, but gaining access to what little story-driven content the game does have can ultimately feel like waiting to have your number called at the Don't Starve raffle. I was about a dozen days into my third play through before spotting Maxwell's Door for the first time, despite actively trying to track down the portal from the first moments I sat down with Don't Starve: Console Edition. Thankfully, even after logging more than three dozen hours on the PC version of the game, Don't Starve remains as engaging as ever, so spending the extra time hunting down the game's Adventure stages didn't exactly feel like a chore.
Don't Starve is also made a bit more approachable on PS4, thanks to a new control scheme that might just shock anyone who can't imagine the DualShock 4 being a worthy replacement for a mouse and keyboard. Truth be told, the PS4 control scheme might just be what gets me to finally tether my DualShock 4 to my gaming computer, though I'm still not sure I prefer the new interface enough to ditch my mouse/keyboard when not playing the PS4 version of the game.
Don't Starve: Console Edition Review - Final Verdict
Don't Starve: Console Edition isn't the sort of game that everyone will love, but I suspect those who do take a liking to Don't Starve will ultimately find themselves pouring dozens of hours into Klei Entertainment's survival-sandbox title like I have in the months since first buying the game on Steam.
I've spent enough time playing now to unlock all of the game's characters, and have pocketed about half of the materials needed to grab the pair of gold trophies that sit atop Don't Starve: Console Edition's trophy list. Trophy hunters will be disappointed to know that Don't Starve doesn't have a Platinum trophy, but if you let that stop you from spending a few hours (or more) with Don't Starve: Console Edition, then know that this writer thinks you are a crazy person.
With one of the most charming art styles I've seen in years -- not to mention the sort of tough-but-fair gameplay that has turned me into a junkie for games like Spelunky, Risk of Rain or The Binding of Isaac --Don't Starve: Console Edition is every bit as enjoyable as its PC counterpart, and would likely be an early GOTY 2014 candidate if it weren't a port of an existing game.
Whether you consider yourself a fan of the survival genre, or are just looking for something a little different on the PlayStation 4, I cannot overstate how much you don't want to make the mistake of sleeping on Don't Starve: Console Edition. The game is absolutely worth the $14.99 being asked of those who didn't get a free copy from the PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection, and one of the easiest recommendations I've made for the PS4.
Will something better emerge on the platform at some point down the line? Probably. But, for the time being, Don't Starve: Console Edition is easily the best indie PS4 title available for purchase on PSN.
Score: 4/5
Have you had an opportunity to play Don't Starve: Console Edition since Klei Entertainment's survival sandbox made the jump to PS4? Don't understand how Scott (or anyone) could enjoy Don't Starve: Console Edition? Want to share some tips you've learned while playing the PS4 port of Don't Starve?
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