Farming Simulator

Every great sim game has its roots, even Farming Simulator. The game gained traction upon its announcement as a title that was starting to take the trend of sim games to the next level. This game is one of the originals in taking real-life activities into the video game sphere, attempting to recreate their tediousness in a slightly ironic fashion.

But I digress from its heralding as one of the OG titles of the simulator world. We need to look at the point of whether Farming Simulator is a good game. Nothing suggests that the game will be particularly riveting on paper. After all, what's so great about tending a farm? We play video games to escape reality, not get stuck in it. So let's break down the fun factor of the Farming Simulator.

The Foundations of a Farming Empire

You'd love to sit in on developer meetings and find the point where someone says, "yes, a simple game about farming is a great idea." And when we say simple, that is the fundamental premise of the Farming Simulator. In reality, there are a lot of considerations when effectively running such a large plot of land. However, the game is all about reaping a harvest with a combine.

That is the first thing you'd think about when somebody mentions farming. So that's what's been made into a simulator. Players will choose between a couple of tractors or a couple of combines, where your only challenge is to get out into a wheat field and collect wheat. It sounds like a riveting experience, right?

You wouldn't believe from that description that the core gameplay is more entertaining than it appears. Its simple mechanics translated into the real world, where players can pleasantly stroll along, challenging themselves to the real-world obstacles of harvesting correctly. But still, the elementary nature of the game wouldn't appeal to anyone outside cult simulator fans.

The graphics could be better compared to other offerings, and the sheer repetitiveness of gameplay will only hold players for a short time. However, the concept's inherent irony and somewhat ridiculousness could be enough to keep a niche of gamers inside for a while. Indeed there's some buzz that'll surround the title, despite not being a barrier-breaking title.

A Basic Harvest

It's hard to define whether Farming Simulator is a good game. The title feels like more of an experience than something particularly challenging or any playable entertainment, for that matter. However, you can envision a particular subset of players turning the game into a cult classic by the sheer meme potential gameplay brings. Should there be modding potential, you could see this game turn into a bastion of entertaining madness.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Entertaining on the pure idea of a realistic farming game
• Simple enough that anyone can get involved
• A zen-like gaming experience

Cons:

• Visuals could be very much improved
• Not much variation for a concept with extensive potential
• The repetitiveness of gameplay will not be loved by everyone