So all I can agree upon is that this game expansion is probably one of the best expansions released for Farming Simulator so far. But I won’t agree with any claims that this is the best expansion ever. Why’s so?
Please note that I’m quite discerning when sharing my opinions about products I’ve actually purchased. And no, I’m not a leading game influencer/streamer and have no interest in becoming one.
First and foremost, let’s skip all the bragging that comes from UK/Scottish Farming Simulator players who are probably fast-buying this DLC on ecstasy right now. Surely I would do the same if this were a Scandinavian/Nordic map, but I would still be very picky when it comes to details. Why is it so?
Let’s start with the boat – the cargo/fishing vessel.
*By the way, all I will show you now are raw in-game screenshots taken with a GeForce RTX 4080, with no upscaling, fancy filtering or any kind of AI-implemented tweaks and geeks. These are only raw screenshots.*
This new feature, which is somewhat related to another branch of logistical cargo management, is probably doing what it’s supposed to do in this new DLC for Farming Simulator. However, I’ve already heard that this vessel is sinkable. That’s just for the interested *please…I want to sink the Titanic ONE MORE TIME!!!*- players out there.
I cannot confirm if it’s sinkable or not, FYI.
So what are we exactly looking at? Could you look at the water turbulence around the vessel? To be honest, I’ve played games that were made 20+ years ago that had better wakes from a boat than this, even to be open-world games made by companies like Ubisoft.
Let me just refer to what is known as the Kelvin wake. Errrrmm.. a bit simplified wake, don’t you think?
It doesn’t look pretty, and that was the downside, or in other words, a con among several pros.
A pro feature (which is not so new) is that you can put your role-playing character inside this vessel’s wheelhouse. But as usual, there’s only visuals to look at. And you can also press the E-key on your keyboard to exit the wheelhouse and walk onto the vessel’s cargo deck to secure cargo with straps… since there’s no stormy weather or sea that will cause collateral damage… yet.
Forget about weather effects, since the shore is as calm as any sea you’ve seen in previous Farming Simulator titles.
Fishing Rods
Seems legit as a new hand tool. Highlands Fishing Expansion gives the player another fancy hand tool, which is likely a backup in case the finances sink as fast as the Titanic. Other than that, it’s just a fishing rod.
Seasonal Effects
So, I’m going to move on to surface details now, such as the environmental assets used in the scenery. Firstly, you will see Christmas decorations on houses and light poles in December. I’m not sure if this is something new, but you’ll also find Halloween-themed items.
Green Lime Bushes Gone!
To me, this is a significant pro. Why’s so?
You probably noticed the vegetation in the base game, where bushes and some trees look awfully green, right? In the Highlands Fishing Expansion, this is now a thing of the past. The LOD version of these vegetation assets is way darker. Forest, forest plants and trees look much better, and way more real to the human eye. The same goes for cliffs and rocks.
The coastline has some detailed surface assets with crisp textures.
Some smaller rocks are randomly appearing here and there, adding variation to the surface. Even the grass looks somewhat new.
Plants and other vegetation outside add more variation to the scenery.
And…old trees with moss. Overall, the trees look stunningly better in this DLC than in the base game itself.
Water effects are some of the usual ones, but there are some rivers here and there with these tiny ripple waves.
Also, the small waterfalls are known from the base game. You’ll notice the difference between the crispy cliffy rocks and the base game’s waterfall rock, where the DLC’s rocks look more crispy.
And so, you will likely discover some collectables here and there, as well as cars and coaches (UK term).
To me, there’s not much else to conclude that the Highlands Fishing Expansion is almost an upgrade to the base game’s graphics in terms of scenic environments, with attention on how great a playable map can turn out to be inside the old GIANTS Engine. To me, it seems more like an upgrade than a new FS title, like Farming Simulator 22 was, if I remember correctly. Oh yes, surely, FS22 was somewhat of a makeover. BUT…this expansion is surely a need-to-have for some Farming Simulator players who love Scotland.
Now, as you see in the first picture, I haven’t bought many DLCs from GIANTS, and the reason is this:
It doesn’t matter what vehicle they add as long as it’s just another vehicle with the same base game features as any other vehicle. But when it comes to DLC maps, I’m totally open.
