Farming Simulator 13

It's hard to believe that there's any market for these, but here we are. Farming Simulator 13 enters the fray as the sixth installment of the franchise. That's right, sixth. Apparently, there's a demographic that anxiously awaits the release of a new game every year, much like the beloved sports franchise. The question is, who?

Well, it has to be someone. There must be something intriguing about this franchise. Is it the allure of the harvest? Getting up at the crack of dawn to tend to the animals? We'll never know unless we try it. So let's hop on that tractor and discover the intricacies behind the ever resonating farming game franchise.

A Different Kind of Farming for Gamers

I will simply never figure out who plays these games with keen interest. Surely not farmers? They work the fields all day only to come home to a simulator depicting the struggles of running a farm? I'm not buying it. Not only that - the features and gameplay of Farming Simulator 13 seem like a poor representation of what real-life farming will be like.

As expected, you begin the game tasked with the objectives of raising and expanding a farm. To accomplish this, you'll be breeding livestock, growing your crops, and selling off your produce to make cash. Your humble little farm in a sleepy village can see it expand into a magnificent agricultural spectacle. Getting there, though, is such a colossally mundane task.

The 'quests' involved simply collecting and curating assets in the game. It could be made more exciting if the visuals were given a little more love and care. Unfortunately, they are incredibly stale - with landscapes looking like box cutouts and character models like paper mache. The storyline is limited, and the interface is bleak. Are there any actual redeeming features to the game?

Farming Simulator 13 is a loyal experience to the trade. Whether it keeps being made as a gimmick or as a simulator for budding farmers, we'll never know. It is a peaceful gaming adventure - and maybe some people like that. There is a little challenge or exciting twists and turns that would keep players at the edge of their seats, though.

Farm Life Forever

This isn't your RPG-style farming - this is actually farming. It doesn't shed much grace on the industry, that is for sure. Real-life farming has its merits itself, but it doesn't seem to translate well to gameplay. Maybe even dramatizing a little bit more might bring a whole new crop (excuse the pun) of players into the mix. Farming Simulator 13 is just boring for an average gamer, however.

Pros:

• Loyal to the farming experience touching on industry detail

Cons:

• Mundane missions that won't excite many players
• Visuals are poorly constructed
• Clunky user interface that frustrates players progression