Farming Simulator 17 (PC) Review

By Athanasios 15.11.2016

Review for Farming Simulator 17 on PC

Why do millions of people actually find it enjoyable to play extra realistic simulations, when most prefer something oversimplified, and… well, unrealistic? Hard to tell, but it's also hard to deny the charm that these have. They are definitely relaxing, and, for many, a chance to live a more down-to-earth fantasy - instead of demon killing, bass fishing, instead of dungeon crawling, home building, instead of farming for magic items, farming… full stop. The Farming Simulator franchise is one of the genre's most widely known, which is why it gets a release every year. However, is there any reason to buy the brand new one, when it hasn't really changed that much from the last time the series was on the PC, with Farming Simulator 15?

Undoubtedly, realistic simulators that deal with everyday (for some) work like farming are a love-it-or-hate-it kind of deal. Therefore, those who have tried to get into a previous farming simulator and found it to be one of the most boring things that a human being could do, better stay away from Farming Simulator 17 at all costs. Of course, the vast majority who will play this are those who have already played such a title and the only thing that matters for them is whether this has had any substantial changes and additions.

Screenshot for Farming Simulator 17 on PC

Well, before delving into the more important facts, everyone who likes simulation titles knows that half of the fun is the immersion factor, which, to be honest, hasn't really changed that much. The visuals have marginally improved, the weather still never changes, physics (as well as damage) are almost non-existent, and there's a great lack of rural-atmosphere-enhancing ambient sounds. Furthermore, while a lot of new machines have been added, and although their engines sound pretty good, the "cockpit" camera still doesn't let you do much with all those buttons and levers.

Thankfully, things look much better in the content front. Farming Simulator 17 comes with tons of new tractors, harvesters, combines and so on, with a lot of known manufacturers thrown into the mix. Furthermore, pigs have been added as livestock, and there are a couple of new plants for you to grow, with sunflowers looking pretty impressive - and, yeah, if you find it strange that new crops count as additions in a videogame, then you are clearly not in the right review. As maps go, there's the standard 'Merica, as well as an Eastern European/Russian-looking one.

Screenshot for Farming Simulator 17 on PC

Some more substantial additions are trains, which can be used to carry materials across the map in no time, and missions, which offer you the chance to work on another person's farm in order to get some money, which can prove to be quite helpful early on, not to mention that doing so will give you the chance to play with some more expensive toys than the starting gear. The only problem? Well, while compared to Farming Simulator 15 this is clearly the better game, these few additions could very well be implemented by the - extremely active - modding community.

In terms of overall quality, this is generally a fine-tuned product, although some flaws still persist. Apart from the occasional - rare - glitch, like how logs can fall through the ground if cut too low, hired help decreases your wallet a bit too fast, which ruins the fun for those who preferred letting the CPU take care of the fields, while they would run around doing all the selling and buying. Additionally, while the AI has improved, it can still show some signs of stupidity, like when it decides to stop mid-work for no apparent reason.

Screenshot for Farming Simulator 17 on PC

There's also a very serious problem here, although it is one that will mostly affect newcomers, or at least those not experienced enough with the genre. Like most of its kind, this is a complex piece of software. Apart from the most hardcore of fans, most will find it hard to not play with the in-game window that lets you know what the controls are when on a vehicle. Even worse, however, and besides the fact that rebinding the keys can be an epic, separate game in itself, doing so requires closing the current game session on going back to the main menu.

Screenshot for Farming Simulator 17 on PC

Cubed3 Rating

6/10
Rated 6 out of 10

Good

Like sports fans, those with a deep love for a realistic, virtual agriculture experience will have a blast with the next instalment of their favourite franchise, but that doesn't exclude Farming Simulator 17 from criticism. It's still a fun title (only for those into these, of course), but, besides a lack of polish here and there compared to the previous entry, you are only getting a marginally updated product - a few new crops to plant, new machinery to drive, and bacon - and no, bacon doesn't solve everything.

Developer

Giants Software

Publisher

Focus Home

Genre

Simulation

Players

1

C3 Score

Rated $score out of 10  6/10

Reader Score

Rated $score out of 10  0 (0 Votes)

European release date Out now   North America release date Out now   Japan release date None   Australian release date Out now   

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