Leaf it Alone Review (PC)

If PowerWash Simulator can amass cult status with as little as, say, a game about blasting Shrek’s Swamp with a funnel of soapy water, and if House Flipper can amount to the same status with a game about picking up trash and watching paint dry, then surely, Leaf it Alone can accomplish the same with a leaf blower. It’s a win-win for Eternity, because when all’s said and done, someone will launch themselves at the chance to scrape leaves off of a stranger’s driveway for two hours. It just so happens that I, as much as it pains me to admit it, fall into that category of people who take comfort in doing annoyingly gratifying chore core tasks. It must be the season.

Leaf it Alone is, in some ways, PowerWash Simulator without the power washing machine. However, the concept more or less remains the same: a handyman who happens to own the keys to a wealth of contracts is given the opportunity to, well, declutter yards and abolish hefty stacks of leaves and other crispy foliage. And yes, it is as equally satisfying. It’s the physics; it’s the way the leaves blow and the yard gracefully moves in a confetti-like manner as you slowly shovel through the mounds. It’s dull work, but then, so is PowerWash Simulator, when you think about it. That doesn’t stop you from wanting to endure more of it, though.

Stick Season

Leaf it Alone is exactly what you think it is: a game about raking and blowing leaves. And not just a small pile of leaves, but a whopping amount of leaves. Say, an entire estate with multi-acre yards, amount of leaves. The goal, true to the point of the game, is to manually comb through a relatively large area, equip your tools, and essentially remove the clutter that obscures the natural beauty beneath the surface. Not that there is anything unnatural about a few golden leaves, of course. But you get the gist: a contract comes in, and you remove the clutter in exchange for a few bucks and a pick-me-up. If that doesn’t sound like your idea of a good time, then you might want to click out of this review before we delve any deeper into the stack.

Leaf it Alone is made up of just the one level—a large estate that tours a front yard, a backyard, a pool, and a greenhouse. To begin with, you have the task of collecting leaves with your bare hands, after which you can dispose of said leaves in a trash bag. Lo and behold, the trash bag then provides you with a bit of pocket change, and before you know it, that change transforms into more tools—a rake and a leaf blower, naturally—as well as a “secret room” that looms in the distance. In other words, you collect and dispose of the clutter, and you gradually develop a repertoire of tools whilst carving through a progress bar. Simple, yet effective.

A Needle in a Leaf Stack

Believe it or not, Leaf it Alone is, despite being a little shorter than most job simulation games of its kind, a loaded experience that brings a good amount of depth to the cleaning process. It’s still as simple as grabbing leaves and bunging them into a garbage bag, but it’s also made to feel therapeutic and rewarding. And again, while it doesn’t overstay its welcome or make an attempt to keep you plowing through after the final stack has been loaded, it does make the small steps en route to that ever-elusive secret room oddly satisfying to cross. I suppose, really, we can credit the flow of the leaves and the seasonal ambience for that.

Although I do wish that there were a few more biomes to work through in Leaf it Alone, I will stand by my word and say that, for a short indie clean ‘em up sim, there is a lot to love about it. Moreover, it plays well, and at no point does it suffer from any in-game jitters or technical glitches — and that alone counts for a tremendous amount, truly.

Of course, Leaf it Alone isn’t exactly packing in the visual department, but it’s still a warm and vibrant workspace with plenty of personality and seasonal extracts to call its own. It doesn’t look great, but I’d also be lying if I said that it was the worst design in the book. Like leaves on a tree, it falls in the middle. It doesn’t boast the wow factor I’ll admit, but at least it captures the essence of autumn. I’ll give a bonus point for that.

Verdict

Leaf it Alone once again highlights the fact that we, as humans, will bend over backwards to experience the silliest pastimes on a digital scale for little to no reward whatsoever. It was the same with House Flipper and, to be honest, most chore core simulators that have been released in recent years, for that matter. Yet, there’s something about the process that pulls us back. Leaf if Alone, for example, offers a good way to unwind and take a break from the hustle and bustle of the modern RPG-riddled market. More to the point, it’s satisfying work that just feels awfully good to slug through. It’s pointless, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t fun. Maybe that’s what is so special about it.

As Leaf it Alone is a lot shorter than most flipping sims, it could be that you find yourself itching for more once the final leaf has been removed from the yard and the progress bar reaches its tipping point. All in all, you’re looking at a three-hour job, which is, of course, the same as a single job in the likes of PowerWash Simulator. In other words, if you are looking to spend your money on a chore core gig that will keep you busy for days, weeks, or perhaps even months, then you might be better off seeking out employment in an alternate field of work. However, if it’s a quick clean ‘em up that tickles your fancy, then you should definitely consider giving Leaf it Alone a good ol’ sweeping.