Farming in the UK is currently facing a multitude of challenges. Profit margins are shrinking, government subsidies are dwindling, and young farmers are encountering difficulties securing financing from banks.
It’s a demanding profession, characterised by early mornings, long hours of physically intensive labour, and constant exposure to the elements.
Yet, despite these hardships, there’s a romanticism associated with farming that pervades popular culture. In films and television, farmers are often depicted as heroic figures, steadfastly resisting the pressures of modernisation and embodying the values of honesty and hard work.
The Farming Simulator series of games taps into this idealised vision, offering players a chance to experience the joys and challenges of agricultural life. Now, with the arrival of Farming Simulator 25, we get to delve into the latest iteration of this franchise, checking out the new features and improvements it brings to the table.
Farming Simulator 25 opens with a cinematic that follows two thirty-something farmers on a research trip to Asia. They observe and learn about rice paddy cultivation techniques, hoping to implement these methods back home on their American farm.
However, the main narrative you experience in career mode takes a different approach, placing you in the shoes of someone inheriting their grandfather’s farm somewhere in the American heartland. This familiar narrative of inheriting and learning the family trade has been explored in other farming games, but it still manages to hold a certain appeal. Your grandfather, still active and full of wisdom, provides a comprehensive tutorial, guiding you through the basics before entrusting you with the responsibility of managing the farm.
The core mechanics of the Farming Simulator series remain largely unchanged with this Farming Sim 25 iteration. You’ll plough fields with a variety of tractors, cultivate the soil, and sow seasonal crops. Once the crops have matured, you’ll harvest them, selling the produce for profit or storing it in silos for later use.Â
The process of meticulously traversing the fields, ensuring every inch is covered, will be familiar to veterans of the series. And while some might find this repetitive, others should well appreciate the meditative, almost therapeutic, nature of this gameplay loop. I find myself somewhere in between, appreciating both the methodical nature of the work and the satisfaction of a well-cultivated field; seeing the latter always delivers a high.
Animal husbandry is a significant aspect of Farming Simulator 25, allowing you to raise various livestock and even care for adorable baby animals. You can manage beehives, tend to cows, and now even raise goats for their milk, adding a new dimension to the gameplay. Buffalo have also been introduced, providing an opportunity to delve into mozzarella production. While managing the diverse needs of different animals can be complex, it’s also quite rewarding for those who enjoy this aspect of farming.
One of the strengths of Farming Simulator 25 is its open-ended nature. You can choose to specialise in a particular area, such as forestry, focusing on the intricacies of logging and wood production. Alternatively, you can transform your fields into rice paddies, embracing the challenges and rewards of this unique cultivation method. If hands-on farming isn’t your style, you can delegate tasks and focus on the managerial aspects, overseeing the operation from a more strategic perspective.
And for those who enjoy collecting vehicles, the game boasts a vast array of tractors, harvesters, and other equipment from renowned agricultural brands.
The multiplayer mode returns, allowing you to collaborate with friends to build – and manage – a farm together, sharing the workload and the rewards. This is a game that can easily consume countless hours, providing a detailed simulation of agricultural life.
However, following the impressive opening cinematic, I had high expectations for the game’s visuals. While the graphics found in FS25 are certainly good, showcasing detailed environments and realistic vehicle models, they don’t quite meet my expectations. The animals are well-animated, and the environments are expansive and varied, though the town areas still feel somewhat lifeless; a recurring issue in the series. The weather effects, such as the dramatic tornadoes that can sweep across the landscape, add a touch of realism and excitement, and there’s no doubt that the baby animals are undeniably adorable, providing a heartwarming touch to the farming experience.Â
The sound design features decent voice acting and immersive vehicle sounds, but you’ll likely want to create your own playlist to accompany your farming endeavours, as the in-game music can become repetitive.
While I was eager to return to the world of Farming Simulator, this latest entry doesn’t feel significantly different from its predecessors like Farming Simulator 22. Perhaps I was hoping for a more engaging narrative or a greater sense of innovation, however, fans of the series will likely appreciate the new additions found in Farming Simulator 25, such as expanded crop types, additional animals, and greater freedom to specialise.
If you enjoyed previous Farming Simulator games, you’ll undoubtedly find many hours of enjoyment here with Farming Simulator 25, losing yourself in the intricacies of agricultural management and the satisfaction of a thriving farm.
Farming Simulator 25 Harvests a Bumper Crop of New Features – https://www.thexboxhub.com/farming-simulator-25-harvests-a-bumper-crop-of-new-features/
Farming Simulator 25 gets November Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC release and Collector’s Edition – https://www.thexboxhub.com/farming-simulator-25-gets-november-xbox-series-xs-ps5-pc-release-and-collectors-edition/
Buy Farming Simulator 25 on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/farming-simulator-25/9NMCDQ6RCJKH/0010
Grab the Year 1 Bundle – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/farming-simulator-25-year-1-bundle/9N4DS768NLRH/0010
Farming Simulator 25 is also available in physical format – https://amzn.to/3VovrXx
bought and paid for review, fs25 wont even run on my laptop despite meeting the minimum requirements. giants support offers no help whatsoever and no refund. i notified them by email within 2 hours of downloading about the issue. their reply is im out of luck once activated thats it. how the heck are you gonna find out it doesnt run if you dont activate it. liars and cheats another greedy corporation screwing the consumer.
Thanks for your comment, even if you are wrong. This is not a bought and paid for review. It is however a review of the Xbox Series X|S version of the game, and so we cannot comment on any laptop (PC) issues you may have.