Pure Farming 2018 Review

There’s always been something appealing to me about farming simulators, and it always boils down to the fact they seem rather relaxing. I’ve never taken the plunge into virtual agriculture before, or real agriculture to be fair, but the thought of diving into the mud, crops, and livestock has always seemed like a pleasant and serene experience. Pure Farming 2018 is a laborious challenge, especially when starting from scratch. There are rewards in taking your time and putting in the hours, but that all depends on whether you’ve got the hours to give.

If you’re new to farming simulators like me, you won’t be prepared for just how long everything takes. Of course, this is a simulator after all, so you’re not going to click a few buttons, and everything is going to happen straight away. For example, one of the first objectives in the My First Farm mode had me using a combine harvester to gather wheat, transport it to a granary, then take the end product to the local village and sell it for a small profit. The whole mission took me over 45 minutes to complete, and by the end of it I was wondering if this game was for me. I won’t lie, Pure Farming 2018 takes a while to click, and for hours you’re still learning the basics, but that’s kind of the point.

In My First Farm, you’re introduced to every aspect of farming. Gathering crops and attending to your animals are all part and parcel, but the way in which you learn and attempt to remember everything could have been supported a bit easier. With every new thing you learn, an email notification will pop up featuring information on how to do said task. The problem is, you must open your tablet, read the email, close your tablet and then remember what it said. The tutorial could be more user friendly, especially as it’s aimed at newcomers.

The tablet is your hub for all things farming. You can keep track of how your farm is performing, read your emails, and open the map of your farm. It’s a big area to cover, and you’ll end up buying more products for your farm, meaning there’s more land to cover. It’s daunting at first, and it does take a while before you’re even remotely familiar with your farm, but it does come, eventually.

One thing Pure Farming does right is the look. It’s not spectacular by any means, but it’s pretty, so when you’re travelling from one field to the next, there’s plenty of detail in each farm. The designs of the wind turbines, and the detail in the cows, chickens, and rabbits is pretty decent. Whether you’re in Japan, Italy, or the US of A, each one is different from the next, and you’ll find a favourite that you choose to settle on, and they all look stunning, especially with the lighting, and Pure Farming 2018’s day and night cycle.

Free Farming is a mode where you can build your farm however you see fit, without any guidance. It’s definitely the mode to play after My First Farm. Anyone new to farming games will fall at the first hurdle here, mainly because everything is available from the get go, meaning you can buy all equipment and vehicles from the beginning (providing you have the money). There’re plenty of differences between the different farms as well; if you set up in Japan, you’ll have the option to grow rice and wasabi, or if you choose Columbia, you’ll be coffee bean farming. There’re tons of tractors, trucks, and combine harvesters to choose from as well, so if you have the money, you can own some of the finest authentic farming vehicles out there.

Along with Farming Challenges, Pure Farming 2018 is appealing to everyone that wants to give it a go. It is relaxing, and at times a pleasure to play, but the lack of fast travel and the constant distances you must endure can become tiresome. If you’re looking for something a bit different and you have the time to spare, I’d recommend giving it a go, but it will drag for many players who crave an experience that doesn’t take long to grasp. You will spend a lot of time completing certain objectives, but the rewards are there, if you choose to work for them.