The Headlands

The Headlands is a farming strategy game set in a small Ukrainian village in the late 1990s, a period the developer frames as caught between the Soviet era and an independent countryside. The player takes over a neglected farm with an old tractor, an unworked field and limited resources, and gradually expands it by working the land, sowing grain and bringing in harvests.

The core mechanics centre on planning and resource management rather than speed. Players choose which fields to work first, when to invest in new machinery, and how to balance time, fuel and grain. Market prices fluctuate independently of the player’s actions and can change while a load is already on its way to sale. There are no timers or sudden penalties; progress depends on planning decisions. The game includes dozens of vehicles, ranging from heavy combines to homemade machines built by a mechanic character who also acts as a mentor and advisor.

Other features include contracts that involve helping neighbouring villagers and unlock new opportunities, the option to set up production and supply chains so that finished goods can be sold for more than raw materials, and expansion from a single tractor to a larger fleet with additional buildings. At the time of writing, the game holds a Very Positive rating on Steam from over 100 user reviews.