FarmVille 2: Country Escape for iOS

Farmville 2: Country Escape is a new episode in the Farmville saga, and it's sure to provide hours of entertainment for new and experienced players, alike. It all begins when your grandparents leave you their old farm, and a friendly neighbor starts to show you the ropes. Once you're hooked, there will be crops to harvest, animals to tend, and friends to visit at all hours of the day and night.

Pros

Anonymous play: With this version of Farmville, you don't have to connect through Facebook to play. Instead, you can choose to play anonymously and still enjoy most of the elements of the game. You do receive certain bonuses if you decide to link your Facebook account, however.

A new twist: The graphics in this game are good, and it has been optimized well for play on mobile devices. And while most of the mechanics of gameplay will be familiar to anyone who's dabbled in Farmville before, there are enough new twists to keep you engaged. There's also a helpful walkthrough that guides you through the first few levels to ensure you get the hang of things.

Cons

Immediate updates: As soon as we opened the app for testing, we were greeted with instructions to force quit and then restart the app to access new content. While this may not happen every time, it can be frustrating.

Challenging navigation: As your farm grows, it can be hard to keep track of where everything is and what you have to do when you're working within the limits of the iPhone screen. The experience of playing on the iPad is much more satisfying. But it's nice to have access to the game on the iPhone as well.

Bottom Line

If you liked Farmville, you'll likely become a fan of Farmville 2 as well. And there's no reason you have to know about the first game to try this one out. So whether you have experience with this type of game or not, Farmville 2 is a good, free option if you're looking for a new game to try out.

ALL NEW EVENT: Get ready for the best touring show of the year!

- Prepare your farm for Cowboy Clint and Deputy Dallas!

- ADVANCE through 5 phases to earn rewards like Keys, Padlocks & more.

- WIN the Herding Dog for 30 days!