To be honest, when I first saw the game "My Farm", I was a little confused. As an old guy who has been playing since the Saipan era, farm games have accompanied me almost throughout my youth. The experience of guarding a small piece of land on a Nokia and setting the alarm clock in the middle of the night to steal food is now both warm and ridiculous when I think about it. So when I saw this "highly free" and "idyllic" product, I subconsciously downloaded it.
Without bragging, let's talk about its advantages first. The game interface is really clean, with no messy pop-ups and recharge reminders, which is so rare in today's free mobile games. You can freely place decorations, plan the land, and even adjust the arrangement of crops, which is a bit like the early "Happy Farm". And there is no physical limit, which is very friendly to players who like liver. The BGM is also very soothing. Listening to the chirping of birds and the chirping of insects can indeed make people relax for a while.
But if you have played "Stardew Valley" or "Harvest Moon", you may feel that its "freedom" is a bit superficial. It's also like farming, where other people's crops can actually grow and interact with each other, with seasonal changes and random events; while “My Farm” is more like a layout on a fixed map – the things you plant are just textures, and watering and harvesting are done by clicking buttons, without much dynamic feedback. Although there are many decorations, most of them are static models and do not interact with the characters or scenes.
Compared with the mobile "Farming Simulator" series of the same type, the mechanical operation and land management of that game are very hard-core and suitable for players who pursue realism; while "My Farm" is more like a casual station, suitable for a few clicks in odd time, or as a puzzle game for children. The development team may want to make the "Buddhist" system to the end, but I think it can dig deeper at the "operational" level, such as adding agricultural product processing, market transaction fluctuations, and even a system where neighbors come to help. It's easy to get tired of playing this way for a long time.
The charging model is 0 yuan, which must be praised. There are no in-app purchase traps and no forced advertising. The manufacturer seems to want to take the word-of-mouth route. But the shortcomings are also obvious: slow updates and limited content pool. I unlocked all the crops in three days of playing, and all that was left was to repeat harvesting and save money to buy decorations. For old players who are accustomed to long-term cultivation, they may feel that it is a bit insufficient.
Finally, let's talk about feelings. This game reminds me of "Pokemon Farm" in the Symbian era and the Nokia version of "Farm". The pixel art style at that time was simple, but the design was particularly exquisite - you never know what flowers your neighbors will plant for you, or whether you will be visited by "vegetable thieves" in the middle of the night. The current "My Farm" has a more exquisite picture, but the social feeling of "competing wits and courage with strangers" is gone. Of course, maybe today's players prefer to farm quietly and don't want to be disturbed. Everyone's needs are different.
In general, if you just want to find a clean, free, and non-expensive little farm to spend your time, you can try "My Farm". But if you are looking for in-depth management or social interaction, it is recommended to play "Stardew Valley" or "Dream Town". It's not a boast, it's not a masterpiece, but at least it's a sincere work. I hope to see subsequent updates and not let it become another game that is “deleted after three days of downloading and playing”. 🌾