No Place Like Home

While waiting for Farm Together 2 to leave early access, I embarked on the Great Farming Game Binge of 2024 and got this trash-picking-upping game believing it was a farming game. It’s not really a farming game. It’s a post-apocalyptic kinda-farming but mostly clean up the pollution game. The citizens of Earth abandoned our beloved planet for Mars, and those who remain are struggling with the trash they left behind.

The trash picking uping is generally satisfying, as is clearing out the areas. People compare it to Powerwash Simulator, which I actually didn’t like. I like this a lot better because cleaning up the trash (by drilling down trash heaps and vacuuming up loose trash) does something. It opens up areas, reveals chests, uncovers passages, and so on. After you clear away trash, you can build structures and plant trees and crops almost anywhere. There are also robots, which you stun with water and tear apart with your drill.

Recipes must be purchased before things can be crafted, so you need to explore to find seeds so you can grow vegetables for upgrades. The game gives you craptons of seeds, so there’s always plenty to sow about. You rescue animals and befriend them to convince them to live in the pens you’ve built for them. Animals can be named and given hats. If you put balloons on a pig, it floats away.

The farming is basic. You put seeds in turned plots and water them until they sprout. There are no seasonal restrictions or anything like that. You water crops with a big fire hose thing which is pretty satisfying.

There are some good QOL features. One thing I particularly enjoy is there is no need to sleep, and if you die you simply respawn at home. This adds to the overall chill vibe of the game, where you simply take your time and do whatever you feel like doing. The game has fast travel, which is unlocked through exploration.

There is a fair bit of jank, a constant reminder this is a thoroughly indie endeavor, but I think the QOL truly offsets these and manages expectations. This just a chill, quirky game with a ton of achievements that lets you decide how you want to spend your time.

Unfortunately, since the progression and crafting is somewhat structured, it sometimes feels like “a thing to do” rather than a fun game to get lost in, and the garbage vacuuming aspect can compound that. The dialogue and story is also boring IMO. But gradually cleaning up the world is satisfying and a good way to vibe.