If you’ve been sitting around waiting for the next Farming Simulator title to drop, fret no longer – it’s finally here (Farming Simulator 2015) and is basically a clear improvement over its predecessors in nearly every respect. Clearly the internet (perhaps, the world) has been gripped in recent times by what might only be described as “simulation fever”, where loads of games are being developed which attempt to replicate nearly everything you can think of. It’s a bit rash to lump the Farming Simulator franchise in this crowd, of course, as it is in fact a more serious-minded title devoid of outwardly hilarious premises. However, among simulation titles, it’s also a good series and does a more than adequate job of placing you in the shoes of a (virtual) farmer tending to their crops.

Many might not see too much of a difference in terms of graphics or presentation, but FS15 really is a step in the direction of improvement (on multiple fronts).   First off, you have the newly added forestry abilities. This allows you to actually harvest wood / lumber from areas using a variety of tools. Naturally, all the other inclusions are still there with regards to crops and animals, but this addition certainly puts an interesting new slant on things to say the least. In a sense, it feels a bit more “complete” with the new nuances added, that’s at least one way to put it.

Also making a debut is a bunch of officially licensed equipment models which actually look like the real deal.   This includes machinery from Ponsse and New Holland and many others. It might not seem like much, but such inclusions go far in helping the gamer to connect with tilling their virtual homestead, especially if they particularly fond of certain brands (for real-life farming). Of course, this brings up an interesting point which is how well the game itself promotes actual farming and its various techniques – all in all, it does a very admirable job.

Graphically, Farming Simulator 15 looks pretty nice, even though one could say that it might outwardly seem like a more refined version of the last few games.   In other words, there’s plenty more detail here, which is definitely apparent when you actually move / walk around the map and check things out. Likewise, those who can appreciate diversity will absolutely love the new map, Bjornholm, which delights with its Nordic-y crispness. Fans of this series have been asking for some new maps so it’s great to see them following through and delivering on that front.