Simulation lifestyle games often offer gamers a change in pace, and Farming Simulator 20 is no exception. It offers almost everything you'd expect from a farming simulator; vehicles to drive, livestock to tend, crops to tend and produce to sell. There's also a very relaxed pace that makes it a great choice for chilling out with.
However, what it doesn't offer is an easy way for newcomers to the franchise to get into the game, with help and support in-game severely lacking. This means that while Farming Simulator 20 is a reasonably comprehensive title that fans are likely to enjoy, it suffers from a lack of support for newcomers to the franchise.
Down On The Farm
My first confession is that while I am a fan of both farming games and simulation games, this is the first title in the Farming Simulator series that I've played. My previous farming experience is of the much less realistic Story of Seasons variety; although I've played other realistic simulation franchises, such as Car Mechanic Simulator.
The first thing I noticed was that although I felt prepared, I really wasn't. I expected a slow, relaxing pace and I got it. However, it took a while to get there, as the help system is woefully inadequate. I had to resort to Google in order to figure out some simple things, including how to get (and feed) livestock and how to ride those horses I was so enticed by.
In terms of in-game help, you're offered the option of a tutorial. This will tell you that you need to harvest crops, cultivate fields, and plant seeds. It also informs you that you can hire farm hands to do this more efficiently than any newcomer will manage. Then you're mostly on your own. Odd other instructions do pop up while playing, but they are few and far between. There are a few things you definitely need to know, but you'll be figuring things out mostly on your own.
Knowing Your Farm Machinery
The biggest struggle for me was having no idea about farming machinery. The help menu will tell you the very, very basics, but without some prior knowledge, it's difficult to figure out the best machines to purchase first.
You should also know as a newcomer, it will be a long while before you get any animals. There's a whole process to go through first, including sowing, harvesting, and cultivating. The machine to collect straw for your animals costs almost your entire starting budget - more if you want it in bails - and you'll need more than just this. The expense of gathering enough supplies to raise animals means that it's a rewarding, but very long process.
There are no quick rewards in Farming Simulator, so if you're looking for instant gratification, you've come to the wrong place. There's no way to skip the night, with nighttime farming being difficult due to limited visibility. You also cannot use certain vehicles in the rain. Waiting is a way of life down on the farm, so make sure you can handle it.
Farming For Fans
The game will likely appeal to fans of the franchise. It features all the staples from previous games, including big name brand equipment, livestock, and an open world farm. It even features John Deere equipment, the first time the brand has been available on Switch. The ability to ride horses offers a new way to explore, and the North American farm offers a new environment. You can't get out of a vehicle and walk, which means there's always a little distance between you and your farm.
However, you can play the game using all three play modes of the Switch, which means you can farm on the go. The controls are reasonable, although a little fiddly at times. I accidentally swapped vehicles a few times due to the button being just above the trigger you use to accelerate. It also took me a few attempts to remember the navigation for menus and the shop. Once you get the hang of it though, it does play reasonably and is relaxing.
That said, the slightly older (and cheaper) Farming Simulator Switch, may be a better option for those new to the franchise.
Looking Forward
Aside from the lack of guidance, my only other major frustration was the limited draw distance. While the basics are visible, detail comes into focus only when you are very close. This means you need to drive up to specific fields to see if your crops are ready.
Notifications are briefly visible, but flash by very quickly and can be difficult to spot or read due to their small size. Also, when they say things like, "Worker X has finished their job," this isn't fantastically helpful as when I hired workers, I couldn't see an obvious way to know what role the game had assigned them.
The other thing which isn't immediately obvious is how to recover your vehicles when you have a slight hiccup. I found that I needed to activate the touchscreen steering and fiddle with it to right the vehicle.
While the general game plays well, these fiddly things can add up to frustration pretty quickly for new players. Interestingly, there is a music setting in the menu, but I have yet to hear music. I assume I need a radio in my vehicles, but honestly, I just listened to the farm sounds which are quite soothing.
While Farming Simulator 20 is likely to be appealing to long-term fans of the franchise, I suspect it won't be winning over many newcomers.
A copy of Farming Simulator 20 for Switch was purchased by TheGamer for this review. Farming Simulator 20 is out now on Nintendo Switch.