The world of simulator games is a scary one. And I don’t mean things like The Sims or management sims. I mean real, “This is a simulacra of a thing in the real world” simulators. Farming Simulator 25 is an entry in a hallowed franchise, famous for teaching its players the humility of manual labor out on the field.
As a newcomer to the series, Farming Simulator 25 is a game that exudes an energy of “well this game is for real”. Its premise is exactly as it is on the tin: run a farm. “Oh, like in Palworld?” I hear you ask.
“Lol“, the game responds. “Lmao, even“.
The Joy Is In The Struggle
From crop calendars to spreading limestone on the soil, the devil is in the details, and Farming Simulator 25 is a satanist. There is no step of the game that doesn’t start with having to google how exactly to do it- sure, the tutorial acts like a pseudo-story mode, but it’s also so light on anything beyond planting seeds and harvesting your crop it doesn’t cover just how much more to the game there really is.
This game isn’t just a loveletter to agriculture- its a borderline fetishistic sendup to any kind of farmwork, including rearing animals. Vehicles have technical names, meaning you’ll need to know what a specific one does instead of relying on it being called something straightforward like “Plant harvester”.
As I scour the game’s online catalogues it feels like having an excited child tell you all about their favorite toys- every tool in the game is massively specialized, and lovingly created in a way that makes you appreciate what every single one of them does.
It does lead to some frustration though- why can I fill the back of my truck with seed if emptying the trailer then doesn’t count as planting it? How much running around was I supposed to do before planting my first crop? If you’re jumping in without a guide or companion it’s easy to be overwhelmed. It’s a game that hyper-specializes hard in a genre all about hyper-specialization.
Tradgaming In Farming Simulator 25
Still, that doesn’t mean it’s completely walling off new players. The Guided Tour mode is a mini tutorial that has you talking to various NPCs to show you the ropes of the game. There’s also a whole bevy of customization like choosing how much money you want to start the game with, basically letting you go from “farming to make ends meet” to “farming for the hell of it” .
Combine that with the other new features, including a map based on South East Asia, and Farming Simulator 25 is absolutely a game you can just lose yourself to. If you’re burned out on mainstream genres, absolutely give it a shot- you never know if virtual agriculture might heal the wounds of losing too many pub queues. Sure, it might be a bit insurmountable at first, but it’s that same acquired taste that makes it such a delight to begin with.
Final Score: 8/10
Game reviewed on PC. Review access provided by Giants Software
