For those wanting a taste of country life, Farming Simulator 25 is the next instalment in a franchise you’ll want to know about.
The Farming Simulator series has gone down a storm, something that, in a market that’s saturated with simulation games, is no easy feat.
Frequent DLCs have kept a healthy fanbase thriving and interested, with steady monthly stats on Steam. The latest game, Farming Simulator 22, has a Metacritic score of 75 and is generally thought to be the best so far, leaving high hopes for the next installment.
That’s now been confirmed to be Farming Simulator 25. Read on for all that’s known about the game so far, including pre-order details and what’s included in the Collector’s Edition.
What we know from the Farming Simulator 25 trailerThe limited description of the upcoming game gives us a brief insight into what’s in store: “We’ll flood the fields with fresh water to grow rice, unleash new machines, and create more depth – in more ways than one.”
The focus on water and rice fields is apparent throughout the trailer, with several cinematic shots of sweeping waterlogged fields and mountainous areas.
New machinesThe promise of “new machines” means there’s sure to be some new game mechanics, with some knowledge of what those will be already.
Graphics improvementThere’s clearly been a graphics improvement, with the latest version of the Giants Engine offering some impressive atmospherical views, complete with fog and other weather elements.
Seeing as the rice fields are heavily linked with water, the way the light reflects on the water as it moves is also an impressive feat.
Build your own farmhouseFor gameplay, there are various new features, including the ability to build your own farmhouse, where you can gradually build up a construction project, rather than putting down a fully-built house as in previous games.
New animalsBuffalos are also glimpsed in the trailer, suggesting they will be a new animal to farm in Farming Simulator 25.
This fits with the rice fields setting but it’s worth noting that the early promotional material for the game does mention “new animals,” so there may be more to come as well.
New production optionsThere are also thought to be new ways of production, from improvements to AI workers to smaller production buildings, suggesting a more granular way of producing.
New farming techniquesThe fact that Farming Simulator 25 is centered around farming rice also means there will be new machinery and techniques to go along with it.
The watery fields require special planters, pumps for flooding, and particular harvesters as well. There’s also potential for further production, like rice flour and other rice-based products, but those haven’t yet been confirmed by GIANTS.
We can expect more details when a gameplay trailer is revealed but the cinematic trailer offers a good feel for what to expect from the game. You can watch by clicking the embedded video below.
When is Farming Simulator 25 coming out?Farming Simulator 25 is available to pre-order now on Steam, Xbox Store, PS Store, Nintendo Store, and third-party retailers like GAME and Amazon.
You can find any version you’re looking for on the Farming Simulator website, starting from $49.99 for the basic version and rising up to $79.99 for the Collector’s Edition bundle.
The game will be available to play from November 12, 2024, with no sign yet of any early access dates. There wasn’t any early access for Farming Simulator 22 either, so this seems to be the standard for the franchise.
What’s included in Farming Simulator 25: Collector’s Edition?Just like Farming Simulator 22, Farming Simulator 25 will have a Collector’s Edition bundle
That includes a physical collector’s box, housing the PC game and MacDon Pack, a soundtrack CD, modding tutorials, 32 branded stickers, a key chain, a USB ignition lock, three A2 posters, and an in-game benefit of a New Holland CR11 Gold Edition.
It’s a healthy mix of physical and digital items for a relatively modest £14 more than the standard edition. It’s especially appealing to those who are fans of digital media, something that’s a growing concern for many long-term gamers who want true ownership over their library.
GIANTS has already released system requirements for PC gamers. Some are obvious (you need an internet connection) but it’s worth making sure your operating systems are up to date ahead of November 12 if you want to get playing right away.
There are no such requirements for PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo users but it’s similarly a good idea to make sure your devices are fully updated to avoid any lag or day-one issues when you want to start playing.
Featured image: GIANTS Software
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