Now it’s time to spit on your hands again! Plow fields, work on cars or brew beer. Away from established action genres, video games that don’t offer the big spectacle have been successfully spreading for some time.
But on the contrary. They demand honest work from the inventors behind the screen and are therefore fascinating.
It’s a phenomenon. Since 2008, the games in the “Farming Simulator” series have sold around 25 million copies. A new part comes out every two years. A little prettier, a little more extensive, but in principle the Swiss development studio Giants always builds on the same recipe for success: plant and till the fields with the tractor.
In the missions, players not only have to control large agricultural machines, but also manage the finances. Over time, the vehicle fleet grows, employees are hired and biogas plants or greenhouses also need to be managed.
An economic and weather system requires forward planning. Because every seed has its own planting time in the year.
The reward is a hopefully thriving farming empire at the end of the game. Probably nobody expected 2008 to be a success. Even the latest “Farming Simulator 22” doesn’t look very pretty, the tutorial only gives rough tips and the controls are cumbersome. Perhaps it is precisely this rough charm that attracts millions of players.
In order to successfully manage their farm, they have to deal intensively with the game and tinker with the details. If you want to work hard to achieve your success, the “Farming Simulator” is the right choice for you.
Worth playing because: The rough charm of the “Farming Simulator” inspires millions of fans. The detailed realism leaves nothing to be desired for players who want to tinker with something different video games.
Farming Simulator 22 (Giants Software, Focus Home, Astragon) for Windows, MacOS, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series. USD from 0.
O’zapft is! With “Brewmaster” adult simulation fans can expect a sophisticated beer brewing simulation for home use. It doesn’t matter whether it’s beer according to the German Purity Law or British ale: the game makes no compromises and introduces players to the complex world of beer brewing.
And that’s not easy at all. Water in the pot, heat exactly, add ingredients and wait. It’s a good thing that there is an exact recipe with the right shopping list for every beer. But in order to get the desired result, players have to follow the specifications exactly and pay meticulous attention to temperature and time. The smallest of mistakes quickly turn the tedious work into an inedible broth.
At the end there is the corresponding rating. “Brewmaster” is not for fans of the big spectacle. Slowly and meticulously, players have to comply with the individual work steps. This requires attention, effort and the absolute will to be able to offer a delicious beer in the end.
This is a matter of honor for brewing and beer fans, everyone else should be prepared for a very special game experience that requires a lot of patience.
Worth playing because: A must for every beer fan simply because of the lack of real competition. A detailed beer brewing simulation without compromise.
„Brewmaster“ (Auroch Digital, Fireshine Games) für Windows, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series, Nintendo Switch. USK ab 18.
“Manta, manta” was yesterday. In the “Car Workshop Simulator” you can let off steam with your favorite cars. From small cars to cult classics, the game offers a variety of different car models, all of which have their big and small ailments. So: wrench out and up on the lifting platform!
Because the players slip into the role of an aspiring car mechanic. He changes the oil for the customers, fits new tires or looks for defects in the engine. Each screw has to be turned individually and spare parts are available in the online shop.
The individual jobs bring not only money, but also experience points. As in a role-playing game, the manual skills increase. Over time, the workshop with high-tech tools will grow and the orders will become more demanding.
The “auto repair shop simulator” makes the hearts of car nerds beat faster. Behind the inconspicuous shell is a detailed and instructive simulation that not only provides fun, but actually introduces the basics of car mechanics.
Worth playing because: Car nerds can really let off steam with the “car repair shop simulator”. Guaranteed without oil stains.
“Auto Repair Simulator” (Ravenscourt, Red Dot Games, Playway) for Windows, PS4, Xbox One. USD from 0.
Here is an all-round carefree package for train fans. From freight to long-distance traffic, the game covers the entire spectrum of train traffic. Unlike in other simulations, fans can also explore the track area on foot and manually set the points or fill up the diesel lock.
Before you start, training is the order of the day. In a driving academy, players learn the basics of train driving. But it takes some time before you learn how to use the brake pressure, direction converter and power correctly. Only then can the fans really swing into the driver’s seat and drive on one of the numerous routes in Germany, Great Britain or the USA.
The fun is in the details. Where other simulations motivate with a career mode, “Train Sim World” is all about driving. Weather conditions or timetables present the fans with tricky tasks that can only be mastered with a lot of practice.
“Train Sim World” is a game for purists for whom an exact simulation is more important than the big spectacle. Annoying: If you want to try out all the routes, you have to pay a lot of money for additional content.
Worth playing because: Complex and detailed. Train Sim World is a feast for well-funded fans who want to lose themselves in the world of trains.
Train Sim World 3 (Dovetail Games, Astragon) for Windows, PS4, Xbox One. USD from 0.
It is one of the oldest and most successful simulation series in the computer game world. Since 1982, 13 ever more complex offshoots have appeared.
With the “Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020” from the French development studio Asobo, the most complex part of the series so far was released. There is hardly anything left to be desired for old and new fans alike.
Flying through the area for hours, observing instruments and paying attention to the weather: closeness to reality is a top priority in the “Flight Simulator”. From the small propeller plane to the jumbo jet, the game offers the whole big world of aircraft.
Despite many setting options, controlling the 20 aircraft types and the challenging take-offs and landings on and from the 37,000 airfields require a lot of patience and time. The reward is the view from the cockpit of a beautiful, detailed game world.
The 2020 version is the first game in the series to offer a centimeter-accurate representation of the earth. It is therefore hardly possible to store all the data at home. That’s why the landscape is generated in the data center and then streamed to the players’ computers.
While this requires a constant online connection, it offers a unique level of detail. Ongoing updates provide fans with further improvements, new airports and points of interest. Flight simulation does not work.
Worth playing because: Fantastic and complex. This flight simulator is a genre heavyweight that glides through the clouds without peer.
“Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020” (Asobo Studio, Xbox Game Studios) for Windows, Xbox One/Series. USD from 0.
“Everything on shares” is the daily stock exchange shot from the WELT business editorial team. Every morning from 7 a.m. with the financial journalists from WELT. For stock market experts and beginners. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Amazon Music and Deezer. Or directly via RSS feed.
