There have been an explosion of simulations over the last few years, the most surprising and one of the most successful is the farm simulation. Not to be left out of the rush Excalibur Publishing have release The Farm.

Like most of these games The Farm relies on the players’ desire to acquire a bigger and better holding, so from a humble small plot the player can aim to build a really big farm.

One of the things which did annoy me, and I know it’s only a small thing but it was important, was that when you start the game the cursor helpfully suggests that you wave it around the ground to see what you can do. Now this level of interactivity is useful, unless the game starts you with your back to the land you’re supposed to be examining. Given that the game is aimed at three year olds and up this is a pretty unforgivable gaff.

I’m not really sure how well the game will do, it has the requisite ability to plough, sow and harvest, slowly building your farm up into an agricultural palace, full of animals and crops, the problem is that many such games like this exist, even some free ones. The best thing you can say is that it does, what is does well, but this may not be enough in a saturated market.

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Charles Packer