Review: Farming Simulator

Farming Simulator, the #1 farming simulation game! Welcome to the largest and most exciting farming simulator ever made! Farming Simulator 2013 is bigger and enriched with outstanding content and many new features, challenging you to take on the role of a modern day farmer.

Pros:

• Graphics are good, They have a more PlayStation 2 graphic feel with a HD remake look than a straight up high finish. Most of the best detail work is actually the vehicles themselves.
• Expansive tutorial section which is split up into sections, Covering everything you need to do. You can actually activate the tutorial in game and pick it up and leave it as you wish.
• Helpful question marks located next to all key structures, fields and shops. Hitting these will give a brief overview of what they do or what you need to do, So more of a user controlled less intrusive tutorial.
• Every vehicle feels unique and looks really good.  Handling is different on every vehicle and has a dashboard or third person view.
• Very chilled out atmosphere which is crazy consider you are always trying to make money.
• Three difficulty levels that effect your starting capital and certain cash related scenarios.
• You have a permanent help shortcut menu on screen. This specialises more in what buttons to press with regards to vehicles, Hitching/ unhitching trailers.
• Cruise control, Best addition in the game. Set your level and just leave accelerate alone, All you need to do is steer! Really helpful when your actually farming as using it will prevent bad farming practices. Such as bad seed placement. (theres a joke in there somewhere)
• Buy new vehicles, Expand your fleet and grow and sell new produce. Upgrade and maintain your buildings.
• Dig, prepare the ground and sow your seeds, But dont forget to water them. Once grown chop em down and off to market to sell your goods.
• Hire helpers to increase your output.
• Handy fast switch button allowing you to switch vehicles with a simple button press.
• PDA which details your income/out goings and is used for displaying your map and land. Kind of like an ever accessible menu system without the need of pausing the game.
• Can be a real fun game in a weird lazy Sunday gaming session kind of way.

Cons:

• Long loading times and happen through out the game.
• Music is horrible and sounds really low budget. The sort of music you would hear in a supermarket.
• Physics are a bit broken in places. I bought a trailer and backed my tractor up to hitch it on. Hear a kink sound then next thing I saw my trailer which weighed a ton!, fly up in the air and then bounce down the hill.
• All the on screen menus leave very little actual game playing space. You can turn some of them off but even then it feels small.
• Despite in game speeds, You always feel like your taking hours to mow a simple field.
• If you hate animals or got freaked out by Worzel Gummidge as a kid then this game is not for you.
• As a simulator it cannot be knocked for its authenticity. It really is like working on a farm.
• The out of vehicle movement is basic and very stuttery and shaky.

In summary, For a simulator it is fun at times and is a perfect game for those days where you just want to chill out and do something different. The game feels very last gen in a lot of ways but fans of the series will be happy with this console release. New players may not like just how realistic it is, By that I mean its all slow and repetitive. I cant knock the game for that as that is what you get. I found it fun to play at times and for the record I have played a lot of these games and I find this game better than some. Watch a few videos and see what you think, You may surprise yourself. This is your secret game confession.