Most console titles tend to focus on modern warfare, tactical espionage, or a mix of the two; however, there are few titles on the market that focus on farming and agriculture. To change this, developer Giants Software and publisher Focus Home Interactive have now introduced Farming Simulator 2015 to home consoles.
Farming Simulator 2015 is one of those titles that you will want to play, once you actually get your hand’s on it. To put it simply, while the name of the game may put you off, it is quite in-depth, addictive, challenging as well as therapeutic at the same time.
Farming Simulator 2015 features two farms that players can run and manage. These come in the form of the Bjornholm Farm, which features the game’s tutorial, or Westbridge Hills which is aimed at skilled players. If you have not ventured into the world of Farming Simulator 2015, it is best to begin with Bjornholm Farm. The tutorial will allow new players to the series to get to grips with the basics of maintaining and running their farm. Once the tutorial is done and dusted, players will have the opportunity to run their own farm at a difficulty level of their choosing.
Much like running a real farm, Farming Simulator 2015 allows you to freely explore your farm, work on it using over 100 vehicles and tools, as well as manage the business side of things. Players will essentially begin with little to no funds as well as gain access to basic equipment. The basic equipment supplied will allow you to harvest pre-grown fields in order to start bringing in some money. Fields can be harvested manually by the player; however, this can take some time. Thankfully, you can hire workers who do a fine job of tending to anything from harvesting to replanting of seeds – that’s if you don’t want to do it yourself.
While hiring workers is done at the simple touch of a button, be aware that they will eat through your fund’s. Additionally, it is better to avoid hiring a helpful hand in the beginning. The reason behind this is due to the fact that Farming Simulator 2015 has a complex control structure that will take sometime to get used to. Once the controls have been mastered, and you have enough cash in the bank, you can start hiring workers to your heart’s content. Essentially, the workers make life easier, but it is always best to get to grips with the control scheme before handing things over to an A.I assistant.
Harvesting fields is not the only thing you get to do in Farming Simulator 2015. You will also have the opportunity to tend to livestock, as well as gain the ability to cut down trees and harvest wood. This adds to the overall experience that Farming Simulator 2015 has to offer. While there are no militant groups to fend off or damsels to rescue, Farming Simulator 2015 offers up gameplay that is business orientated as well as therapeutic at the same time.
While Farming Simulator 2015 may present a few challenges to the player, there is no real storyline or end goal. You simply run your farm the way you want to. Granted, it may take some time to get to the point where you have a fully functional farm; however, placing in the hard work and effort makes it all worthwhile in the end.
While Farming Simulator 2015 may come across as boring to some, I personally found it quite addictive. I would literally jump into it in order to spend a few minutes harvesting fields; however, instead of only playing for a few minutes, I would find myself putting in around 3-6 hours per session. Not many titles have had this effect of me, which makes Farming Simulator 2015 a must play title.
Graphically, Farming Simulator 2015 looks great on console. The vehicles have been well-designed and the overall look and feel of each farm is pretty authentic. It is just a pity that there were a few low-resolution textures present throughout the game.
To add to this, there is no music present in-game. Granted, this comes across as it is supposed to add to the atmosphere of the game, but hearing the same sounds from a variety of machines can be a little off-putting. In order to counter this, it is best to put on some music while playing this title… or alternatively, turn the sound levels down.
Conclusion:
Farming Simulator 2015 quite honestly offers up a truly authentic farming experience. There are loads of vehicles to use, and the fact that you can do things the way you want to do things is really a plus. To add to the gameplay options, players can either play solo or join up with friends in the multiplayer mode. Overall, Farming Simulator 2015 is completely addictive and absolutely worth playing.
Reviewed by Darryl Linington on the PlayStation 4.
