Farming Simulator 22 is the new pinnacle of farming simulation. Seasons and Production Chains are a breath of fresh air away from the repetitive cycle of preparing, planting, harvesting and selling that featured in previous games, while the new activities means farming has never been more diverse. There's so many new things to do and thanks to crossplay improvements, you can enjoy multiplayer with more friends too.
Ultimately, Bus Simulator 21 does a good job - it gets the blend of driving simulator and management simulator pretty much spot on, even if both of those individual parts have room for improvement.
Ultimately, I have mixed feelings about Lawn Mowing Simulator. On the one hand, the gameplay gets a bit monotonous after the first few levels, and building up your company requires quite a bit of grinding. But, it does exactly what you would expect in terms of offering a game about mowing people's gardens, maximising the laid-back vibes of cutting grass with a powerful machine.
Partisans 1941 is an enjoyable take on the real time tactics genre, but too often your perfect ambush is then undone moments later by hyper-alert enemies spotting your squad. There's some balance issues (which will hopefully be improved with patches), but there's a solid tactical game here with an enjoyable story and some gameplay mechanics that we've not previously seen in the genre.
Going forward, I'm hoping that Train Sim World 2 can serve as a platform that Dovetail can continue to expand on, not just in terms of routes and trains, but features that fans have been looking forward to for years. If you're new to the series, or train simming in general, this really is the most accessible and best way to start.
If you're new to the series, Transport Fever 2 is a great place to start. The campaign offers a gentle introduction to transportation logistics, while the late game guides you through managing modern cities. The new demand and production mechanics may annoy some more experienced players, who will also notice that this game isn't as much of a step forwards as Transport Fever 1 was over Train Fever, but fans will definitely find endless hours of replayabilty as they grow and master their transport empire.
For newcomers, the initial grind might be off putting to some, but the wealth of things you can do in the game will keep you entertained for hours.
While I feel the initial asking price might be a tad high, there’s countless hours of play time to be found here. With over 120 different vehicles and new tools at your disposal, you have even greater choice in how you manage your transport company. If you missed out on Train Fever, and are a fan of tycoon games that require a firm grip on a business in a complex economy, you really should take a look at this game. At the same time, if you enjoyed the first game then it’s highly unlikely you will be disappointed with Transport Fever, as it adds new game modes, new vehicles and new ways to play.
With over 250 vehicles and equipment, Farming Sim 17 is bigger and better than ever. Although it’s still not going to be a game for everybody, this edition is more accessible and complete than ever before. Gamers that have no interest in slow-paced repetitive gameplay will likely be disappointed, but for those that enjoyed the previous games will find that there’s just about enough new features to justify a purchase.
American Truck Simulator may seem a little bare right now, with just two states and three trucks, so it's hard to recommend to newcomers over the sublime Euro Truck Simulator 2. That said, those that enjoyed hauling in Europe will no doubt find enjoyment on the other side of the pond, with new cargo awaiting them and new cities to explore.
Although somewhat far fetched, Coast Guard's storyline can be rather captivating and adds a refreshing layer to the game. However, it gives the impression that it doesn't really know what it wants to be, without the depth to a full ship simluator and with some lacking gameplay during the investigations. If you're looking for something to keep you busy for a few hours, this will certainly do just that, but you might be left wondering if you could have better spent your time with a game that focuses solely on the side of the game you enjoyed most.
The gameplay is the real winner in Train Valley, as it manages to be both frustrating and addictive, but also incredibly rewarding once you finally complete the mission with all the objectives.