Farming Simulator 2023 Switch Edition Review

I recently started my farming sim career with the “Okayish” Farmer Sim after picking it up for an easy $4. Despite the shortcomings of the game, I enjoyed my time fumbling through the menus and growing and selling crops. It got me interested in Farming Simulator 2023 developed by Giant Software and I’m glad it did, because as I stand next to my farmhouse and watch my workers plow and seed the fields as the sun sets, I think I have found a great little gem to get lost in.

Farming Simulator 23 for Switch features robust options for how you want to farm. Easing you gently into it with a brief, but comprehensive tutorial, will see you plowing and planting wheat in a field to harvest, sell, and repeat. While the Gameplay loop seems simplistic, it’s so satisfying to build up your machinery and inventory and hire AI workers which range from being as simple as pressing “A” while in a tractor on a field to sending workers to sell your crops for you for profits. Upgrading or purchasing new equipment is a breeze and the stats for each item help you identify if your current machine can tow it, how efficient it is, and volume. Everything is laid out in easy-to-navigate menus that I found myself perusing while tilling fields to plan my next upgrade.

You are not just limited to additional machines, equipment, and buying new fields in your expansion as you are able to purchase and set up production industries as well. Instead of selling your oats direct to the supplier, why not invest in a serial factory to maximise profits? Not your style? How about creating your own cooking oil industry? Why not do all? With enough patience and machinery, the sky is the limit.

There has been a lot of thought put in by the developers to make things as user-friendly as possible. You can highlight gear you may have misplaced or lost in overgrown grass. Maps are bright with plenty of markers, and the shop prompts help explain exactly what gear you need for what. Prices for grain and goods fluctuate, and you can use the menu to find which place will help you get the most out of your yield.

Graphically speaking, Farming Simulator does a great job of immersing you in the game. Machines are impressively rendered (and are actually licensed vehicles and farming gear) and they gather mud and dust which occasionally require a visit to the car wash. Wheat and chaff fly over your blades and leave a trail of mulch behind vehicles, it’s all rather quite impressive for the Nintendo Switch system. There are some limitations, however. Some textures don’t pop in until you’re close, and the game blurs scenery off in the distance. It is a bit distracting at the start, but it’s hardly noticeable as you sink further into the game. The day/night cycle looks great and you can sleep at night in your homestead to advance to the next month once your activities are complete for the day, and you can change the timescale to suit, making portable play a breeze. Work doesn’t seem to progress at all when you are sleeping, so make sure to finish what you’re doing before you sleep to avoid missing out on critical crop growing time. I found I would play the game in real-time, tend to the fields, then sleep until the next day. Rinse and repeat. This month time jump comes in handy when selling your goods as prices fluctuate depending on the season you are in.

The vehicles and sounds are well-produced, but the humming of a tractor can grind on you a bit. I find the game sounds best when walking around on foot and your machines are humming away in the distance, working hard to earn their keep. I did find the AI does manage to get tangled up on gear and each other if you don’t keep your fields clear, although thankfully, the game does notify you of this. Most of the time you can move objects and keep production going full swing, but if 2 AI drivers run into each other, they will stay locked in position with neither refusing to yield.

The game is chock full of content and has plenty to keep you busy. I’m already planning my expansion into becoming a famed wine producer (once I get the cash to buy all the right gear) and can’t wait to try my hand at logging as well. It’s this choice the game presents you that gives it such a high replay value. The game’s relaxing nature coupled with intuitive UI design, make it a delight to play. While I wasn’t quite hooked on Farming Sims before I picked up this title, it’s safe to say that Farming Simulator 23 for Nintendo Switch easily separates the wheat from the chaff and I highly recommend it – even if you haven’t experienced the genre before.

Much like my golden fields, Farming Simulator 23 has really grown on me.

So What’s It Like?

A more serious Stardew Valley, crossed with the detail of Flight Simulator.