From Nursery Rhymes to Puzzles
It is sometimes pretty tricky to write a review about a game that could be explained and summed up in about 50 words. So when I get presented with such games, my mind starts to wander.
As I was playing To Farm Lands, I started thinking about the age-old nursery rhyme “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” where animals are added to the song one by one until you run out of them and get bored. Would you believe that it was originally part of an opera back in the 1700s, before it became the folk song we all know and love, developed over hundreds of years.
To Farm Lands is a game in which you will be found constantly adding different animals, all in order to help you solve 30 puzzles. I played it, and here are my thoughts.
Core Gameplay Mechanics
To Farm Lands is a cozy-like puzzle game where you have a grid that you have to fill with animals, each shaped like Tetris blocks. It has a very simple premise, and there aren’t any instructions to what you need to do, nor preamble to the game. But it is so easy to pick up and play.
It’s a game that is very similar to Fit My Cat, where instead of farm animals, you had different-sized cats to squeeze into a grid. And as you may expect to hear, there isn’t a story on offer here, no reason to why you are doing this to farmyard animals. You can choose to make one up for yourself. I imagined it was the end of the world, and I was saving these animals by fitting them into tiny spaces for delivery to a safe bunker or… something.
Animal Arrangement
The gameplay is as simple as pie. You are presented with a small area with grid-like tiles, from there tasked with filling all the spaces with a selection of animals shown. For example, something like a little chick will be able to fill one grid space, whilst a slightly larger rabbit will be able to cover two grid spaces. Animals can also be rotated to go either vertical or horizontal. Building in size, a pig will cover four squares, while a hen will cover two squares vertically and one square horizontally, but it can also be rotated.
I am aware that I am making it seem more complicated than it is to play. As the game progresses, other farmyard animals are introduced, like a long sausage dog, a group of bees, and some sheep.
You also find, as you go through the levels, that there are a few different ways to complete each stage, and you might find that you have animals left over which you don’t need to place. As the levels get harder, you will also discover yourself having to think carefully about each animal’s shape and where it fits in the space.
In the latter levels, there are a whole selection of animals to choose from, so it’s up to you how you combine the wildlife to complete the level. And if you do find yourself in trouble and need some help, there is a hint button that will show you the way. You may also wish to make use of an undo button, that will do exactly what it says.
Quaint Visuals and Folky Tunes
Visually, To Farm Lands is also simple, but works well for what it sets out to do. The animals themselves are cute and interesting, with little human touches to them, like rabbits with a neck scarf and the big rooster with a tie on for some reason. The level design itself is fine, and it’s all very colourful and bright.
The sound is again so simple it hurts; when you go into the title screen, there is nothing, and I was so worried my TV was broken. But no, when you start a cheerful folky tune plays in a loop that, strangely, I didn’t mind at all, even on repeat. There is a sort of mooing sound at the end of each level to add a nice farmyard theme.
A Simple Puzzle Game for a Quick Fix
So, here’s the thing. I liked To Farm Lands and had a good time playing it, completing the levels in around an hour or so. There is a market for games like this; games that you would normally find on your phone, and there’s a group who absolutely lap them up. It’s what Afil Games, those behind To Farm Lands, does very well throughout its game catalogue. But ultimately, this is a game that is pretty lacking.
Think of To Farm Lands as a bit of frivolous, cozy gameplay that you can take in without too much worry. Consider the cheap asking price and the super easy 2000 Gamerscore that will hit your account, and you’ll understand that it is nothing too offensive. Whether that is your bag or not, will determine your love for the game.
To Farm Lands is not going to trouble any Game of the Year lists, but perhaps that doesn’t matter, because sometimes all you need in life is the chance to place some cute farmyard animals in neat little stacks.
Important Links
Create the Perfect Homestead in To Farm Lands, a New Cozy Puzzler – https://www.thexboxhub.com/create-the-perfect-homestead-in-to-farm-lands-a-new-cozy-puzzler/
Buy To Farm Lands, Optimised for Series X|S – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/to-farm-lands/9NTLRBHRNHSM/0010
There’s an Xbox One version – http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/to-farm-lands-xbox-one/9MSXVTXW8H4K/0010
An Xbox Bundle – http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/to-farm-lands-xbox-bundle/9P047PRFRSG0/0010
Or an Xbox and PC Bundle – http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/to-farm-lands-xbox-windows-bundle/9PL2QWZ9N342/0010
