Available this Tuesday, November 12, 2024, Farming Simulator 25 is now accessible to players eager for crops and seeds to sow. Has the latest opus of GIANTS Software’s flagship license won over specialist critics?
It’s a game that farmers and players have been waiting for. The new opus of Farming Simulator has just been released on PC, Mac, PS5 and Xbox Series, allowing nature lovers to manage their farm just by holding a controller in their hands. So what is this umpteenth episode of GIANTS Software’s flagship license worth?
Listening to the community
Without a doubt, GIANTS Software has taken into account the requests of its community. Several of the additions of the new opus of Farming Simulator respond to requests made by players for several years now.
Let’s first mention the graphics improvement, which, even if it is not revolutionary, remains notable. The game includes optimized ray tracing, which improves lights and reflections. The maps are much more realistic, thanks to finer shadows and the work devoted to the visuals of weather conditions (fog, rain, etc.).
Critics also recognize better interactivity with the game environments, in particular thanks to the deformation of the ground under the weight of agricultural vehicles and the raindrops on the machines.
Most of the new features of FS25 is actually largely inspired by fan-created mods, notably rice farming, which was in high demand among agri-gamers. These additions seem to be proof of a certain listening on the part of GIANTS towards its community.
The game community, gathered on Reddit, shares their excitement about the game’s release and shares everyone’s new experiences on their virtual farms. Perfect_Group_9578, newcomer to the world of FSconfides the happiness felt in the face of the peaceful and pleasant gameplay of the new game:
“I was really surprised by… the calm and freedom of my experience [sur Farming Simulator 25]. Starting my new world, learning how to plant my first fields, cultivating my land, learning how to use all my machines (which took me a while haha) made me quite happy. And also the fact that I can do whatever I want at my own pace is something that I, surprisingly, appreciated.” – a user on Reddit
A pleasant geographical diversity
FS25 stands out from its predecessors with its three maps, each showing a particular continent. Players will now be able to choose between settling in the plains of North America, the countryside of Central Europe, or the fields of East Asia.
The plurality of settings helps with the escape, especially with regard to Hutan Pantai, a very new world for Farming Simulator players, with its pink sakuras, its traditional Chinese temples and its city as modern as it is colorful.
Notable and welcome improvements
Probably one of the critics’ favorite improvements remains the optimization of AI employees, who are more autonomous and efficient. The gaming experience will in fact be much more pleasant for future new farm managers, who will have responsibilities other than carefully monitoring their employees.
It is also important to mention the improvement of weather systems, with the addition of new phenomena such as tornadoes, hail episodes, etc.
Much more varied catalogs
Critics point to the expansion of game catalogs, which boosts gameplay and combats the possible risk of redundancy within the farm. FS25 offers a little more than 400 vehicles (compared to more than 130 in the previous opus), each with its own characteristics (engine power, tank, price, speed, weight, etc.) and functionalities, in order to meet the expectations of each budding farmer.
The game includes a total of 8 animal species, which can be raised and watched grow. Among these livestock, GIANTS Software is integrating new breeds, such as the water buffalo and the goat. Each breed has its own resource needs and generates different animal products.
Farmers/gamers will have no less than 25 types of crops at their disposal, compared to 14 in the previous game. Spinach, peas, green beans, and even rice, mentioned above, have been added.
FS25 is he skimping on efforts?
Other reviews, such as that from the Game Press site, believe that all the improvements introduced by FS25 only appear as minor changes to the average audience playing the game for the first time. No major revolution therefore, except in the eyes of inveterate fans who know how to spot the slightest correction.
Let’s also mention the fact that understanding the game remains quite difficult for newcomers to the world of Farming Simulator. The game is still complex and does not benefit from a tutorial worthy of a com, beginners can quickly find themselves lost. Player ratings are currently around 65% on Steam, proof of the mixed reception enjoyed by the king of farm life simulators.
Journalists from the PCGames site point out that all of the negative reviews are aimed at the lack of new content on FS25 compared to the last opus released last year.
The XCOM site, for its part, considers FS25 like a simple FS19 slightly improved, which says a lot about the real progress of the license in recent years.