by Tabitha Akery

Created on: July 28, 2008   Last Updated: August 09, 2008

In Virtual Farm, a little farm has been left as an inheritance and its up to you, as the farmer to cultivate it. In this family friendly game, the object is to grow crops and sell them at the market. The money is then used for upgrades, to plant other crops, and to process the crops into other marketable products. All of this makes for a profitable farm.

The farming starts with a crop of grass which needs water. After watering, the grass grows and its time to harvest it. Sell it at the market. Meet contracts to make more money and upgrade the farm. All movement is controlled by the mouse.

The action in this game is endless as there are a variety of tasks to perform. A drop of water indicates the plants need water. A shovel shows the land needs to be tilled. A gold star tells it is time to cultivate. A trip to the market empties the warehouse and allows the price to be adjusted to keep the customers happy and the funds flowing.

The graphics are moderately detailed. Items are distinguishable in the farmer's hand as different tasks are initiated. The crop's progress is visible and easy to follow. The crops are realistically represented. Tomatoes crops are obviously different from the cucumber crops. Buildings are easily identifiable and contain realistic looking animals.

Tasks sounds overpower the background music which is highly repetitive. The game can easily be followed without watching by the watering noises or the mowing sounds. A cash register ringing indicates money made. Realistic animal sounds tell when a product has finished processing.

There are several flaws in this game. The farmer is the only playable character in the game. He cannot be modified in any way. There are no other characters to interact with. It really needs more characters. The market is merely a list of products and unhappiness with a price is characterized with a red thumbs down. Purchasing of seeds is not done in the market place, but is done in another extra and unnecessary screen.

The game is family-friendly. The concepts and game play are easy for children to grasp. The play is not turn based keeping game play moving forward and interactive. The game can get additive when building the farm and keeping track of everything. Overall, the game works well and is a good purchase for a family game. I rate this game a 4 out of 5.

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