E3 2017 – Pure Farming 2018 Preview – Harvest Redefined (PS4)

Maybe it’s because I live in a rural area, and I can see farms if I look out my window, but I’ve never been captivated by a farming simulator before. So when the Pure Farming 2018 presentation I attended began with the question, “Why do you farm?” I was stumped. I couldn’t think of a good reason why I’d want to farm in a virtual world.

My reaction isn’t an uncommon one, and it’s one of the things that Techland is looking to address. They feel as if the genre still has a lot of untapped potential, and they’re looking to broaden the audience that’s interested in farming simulators. In order to do this, they’ll have to bring ideas to the table that are as fresh as the vegetables players will be harvesting.

One of the biggest innovations comes in the form of offering up four locations to players. These locations are: United States, Colombia, Italy, and Japan. Each area in the game will offer up their own specialized crops that can only be done in those areas. So, if you want to make the best coffee and hemp, you’ll have to go to the Colombian site. Meanwhile certain cherries can only be grown in Japan. These regional differences will add a whole new layer to the experience.

Three Ways to Play

In order to satisfy both newcomers and experienced virtual farmers, Pure Farming 2018 will feature three main modes. Hardcore simulation fans will want to check out the Free Farming mode, which’ll allow players to set up their own rules to play by. This is the most freedom available in the game, as they’ll be able to change how many resources they start out with, and take control of every aspect of the farm life.

Those looking for a shorter, more focused experience will want to check out the farming challenges. These tasks will each last around an hour long, and are designed for players that don’t have a ton of time to play, but want to accomplish something meaningful. Each will test the player in different ways, and one example I was shown was where players would have to manage to grow tomatoes during a drought.

Finally, My First Farm will be Pure Farming‘s offering for beginners. This’ll be a streamlined experience, one that’ll teach new players the basics. The added structure will come in the way of quests, and players will gain experience points for learning how to operate the farm. Techland hopes that this’ll get new players invested in the basics, and then they can branch out to the other more in-depth modes after they get a grip on things.

On The Farm

As someone who digs a good simulation game, all of these changes sound exciting to me. I’m more interested in a farming sim than I’ve ever been before, and it’ll be interesting to see if Techland can truly pull off expanding the audience that the genre reaches. This could find a huge audience if done right, and they’re making sure they release a polished product by delaying the game into the first quarter of 2018.

Featuring four different locations and three very different ways to play, Pure Farming 2018 is attempting to dethrone the genre giant that is Farming Simulator. Only time will tell if Techland can pull this off, but it’s definitely a good thing that there’s some solid competition for Giants Software’s cash cow. This’ll only serve to improve the genre in the long run, which is definitely a good thing for fans.

Pure Farming 2018 is set to release in the first quarter of 2018 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.