Farming Simulator 17

It may have taken a while, but Farming Simulator 17 is the game I always wanted this series to be. Is it perfect? Well, no. Is it making groundbreaking changes to the formula? Well, no again, but it does what it does better than the other games that came before it and I had a fun time spending many hours building the best damn farming empire the city had ever seen.

Mo Farms, Mo Problems

The idea of the game is the same and I actually think we could be talking about Farming Simulator 2084 and apart from the flying tractors, we would still be talking about how the goal is to build your farm up from a small humble farm. To a massive one that has multiple bits of land and dabbles in everything going to make the big bucks. Farming Simulator 17 is still the same game in that regard, but it gives you more ways to make fat stacks of cash!

Get Back To Work

Much of what you will be doing is taking care of crops. With this game though, you now have more things that you can do to help. As well as having new types of crops to plant. You can do stuff like fertilize the fields, get rid of weeds, and so on. This makes things more involved, breaks the game up, and also makes it more interesting. From my point of view, this added extra work made me more invested in my farm.

There is always something you need to do in Farming Simulator 17 and I like that. The game still has a very slow and deliberate pace, but as soon as you finish doing one thing, you can bet that there is something else that needs your attention. Selling crops is more interesting this time around as you have different buyers who will want different stuff.

Get The Slop Bucket

I liked how you had animals to look after in the mobile game that came out before this and that is continued here. You now have pigs to take care of as well. I liked this as you have to make sure they are fed and that their home is to their liking. Of course, we all know what will happen to these pigs, but it is best not to think about that.

A Few Good Hands

One thing that this series is known for is the dumb AI of the workers you can hire and Farming Simulator 17 is no different. It is kind of weird as some of the farming equipment is very complex and they can do that no problem. However, smaller tasks can be completely thrown into chaos if there is just the slightest thing blocking their way. I found that having just a couple of workers to help out made all the difference in the world. Any more than that and the micromanaging would be a pain in the butt!

Pros:

• Many new brands of farming machinery to use
• I liked taking care of the animals
• It always feels like there is a job for you to do
• The game overall feels more fun this time around
• The visuals have been improved over the last game

Cons:

• Your AI workers are still kind of dumb
• It once again takes a while to get into

Simulators have risen to popularity in the gaming industry recently, and Farming Simulator 17, is one of the most prominent titles of the genre. Developed by GIANTS Software, Farming Simulator 17 was released for Windows PC, Playstation 4, and Xbox One in 2017, the game received mixed reviews, getting average reviews from outlets, while being praised by fans.

The most important thing to clarify about this title is that it is extremely geared towards a very specific niche of gamers. If you are not someone who is passionate about agriculture, and life on a farm, chances are you will get bored rapidly. In fact, if you are not entertained by the perspective of farming as a form of entertainment, I highly recommend you invest in other titles.

Relaxing by Working

Farming Simulator 17 is one of the most relaxed games you’ll encounter, if you ever feel stressed and overwhelmed, farming without any real-life pressure or consequences is a surprisingly calming experience. The title does not revolutionize the genre and expands upon features established in earlier titles of the franchise, with Farming Simulator 15 being the most dominant influence. Nonetheless, this version of the game was the most beautiful, varied, and complete of the franchise.

As the name states the primary objective of the game is establishing a farm for yourself and farming it. Players are tasked with growing crops, caring for livestock, forestry. There’s also a business side of the game that relies on logistics for transporting your product, as well as negotiations to improve your income, and consequently your farm.

Rich Fields

As the game expands its environment to hundreds of acres of the North American landscape, it also introduces new gameplay mechanics such as woodcutting, and washing equipment. But, where aficionados for the lifestyle will truly appreciate the game is through its immense number of vehicles, tools, and equipment. Boasting over one hundred vehicles, and tools Farming Simulator 17 recognizes how important and divisive brands are in farming scenarios, that is why the game offers over eighty licensed brands such as Challenger, Fendt, Valtra, New Holland, and many more.

With its numerous customization opportunities, and developing paths to creating a blooming farm, players for the first time have a female playable character, which helps better represent the community. The community is surely one of the best parts of the game, with continuous supports, developments, and mods created with extreme passion the game has nearly unlimited content.

Finally, Farming Simulator 17 has online multiplayer options available, where you can co-cooperate with up to sixteen players to contribute to growing farms. The online experience is satisfying, but since this is an older title it has fewer players connected to the servers. And honestly, the single-player mode is just a beautiful way to pass time and relax, without having to worry or talk to anyone.

Summary

Games like Harvest Moon, Valheim, and Stardew Valley are comparable simulating titles, that take a very different approach, they are more animated, and less reliant on realism than Farming Simulator 17.

PROS:

• Realism
• Business and Logistic Aspects
• Multiple Brands
• Relaxing Gameplay

CONS:

• Very Niche-Specific Fun
• Calm and Slow-Paced
• Can be Confusing at Times