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| Drive on highways through the beautiful American wilderness |
| Quick Info | |
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| Reviewed by: | Mark Goninon |
| Developer: | SCS Software |
| Publisher: | SCS Software |
| Release Date: | 2 Feb 2016 |
| Time played: | 10 hours |
There was a time when those playing any games tacked with the word "simulator" on the end were derided… well… to be fair, there are probably many people who still think that way, but I think those that make simulator games may be the ones having the last laugh.
I used to be one of "those people", the skeptics, ones who would refuse to try a "simulator" game despite having Euro Truck Simulator 2 sitting in my library. But a combination of me getting older and seeking more casual/calming/cosy experiences along with simple curiosity meant I eventually tried Euro Truck Simulator 2 for a couple of hours. And you know what? It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. I didn't get quite to the stage of reviewing it (maybe I will someday) but it planted a seed. Games like Euro Truck Simulator 2 helped the "simulator" genre gain popularity (I put it in double quotes since technically, simulation games in general have been around forever): Euro Truck Simulator 2 has an "Overwhelmingly Positive" rating on Steam based on a whopping 97% of its over 625,123 reviews being positive and the game had sold at least 9 million copies by 2021. Euro Truck Simulator 2 was a critical and commercial success and nowadays, you have games like PowerWash Simulator, Tabletop Simulator and Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 and people sincerely like them!
Back in August 2017, I purchased the Humble Jumbo Bundle 9 and one of the games included in this bundle was American Truck Simulator. I didn't touch the game for a few years but played it recently, probably because I wanted to play a casual, family-friendly game and it doesn't hurt that my son is really into trucks! So, is cruising USA in a giant Mack truck worth your time? Or is this a game better left on the Pile of Shame?
Hot Dang That's a Lotta DLC
Even before you boot the game, the first thing you'll notice is there's a lot of DLC for this game: in fact at the time of this review there's a whopping 50 DLC packs you can purchase for over $350 AUD. While many of them are for truck cosmetics and some are free vehicle additions, the content ones involve adding an extra state for you to drive around. Since you start off with only three states in the Southwest (i.e. California, Nevada and Arizona) the cynical amongst you might think picking the United States as a setting results in a lot of potential for more DLC considering there are 50 states in total. So far, there have been 14 states added from Washington to Arkansas and while it sounds like you're missing out on a lot of content, I feel that the three states they've provided at the start is a reasonable starting point as despite investing 10 hours in the game, I still haven't visited every city.
There are also quite a few truck models on offer that you can drive including Volvos, Macks and Peterbilts.
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| You can visit American landmarks in the game such as the Las Vegas Strip |
Attention to Detail
So, there is technically no end to this game but it's a rags-to-riches truck driver story: start off as a humble truck driver for hire and once you've earned enough money you can start running your own business, buying your own trucks and hiring other truck drivers. While I suspect this aspect of the game is all well and good, especially for those that prefer business simulation/management games, the real reason people gravitate towards this game in the first place is to drive trucks.
Thankfully in that regard, American Truck Simulator mostly delivers. There is remarkable attention to detail when modelling the trucks, and you really feel like you're sitting in one of them. My only criticism is that the readouts for fuel and fatigue are small, on the HUD and the actual dashboard, but otherwise, everything else feels quite realistic.
The attention to detail doesn't stop with the trucks though as the whole world SCS Software have created seems to be a living and breathing one with people walking around about their business and recognisable car models such as Teslas, Mustangs and Priuses driving around the streets. What impresses me most is how each city seems to be a miniaturised version of the real thing. When I drove my truck down the Las Vegas Strip, I was immediately transported back to the time I last visited the place on holiday: that's how good a job they've done.
And while the game is now about 8 years old, it still doesn't look half bad.
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| Choose how challenging you want parking the trailer to be |
Chilled But Not Too Chilled
American Truck Simulator and its predecessor, Euro Truck Simulator 2 often makes it on lists recommending "chill" or "casual" games, and to some degree, this is true. From the very start of the game though, you can choose how difficult you want the simulation to be, whether you want a more realistic truck driving experience or not. Whenever you complete a delivery, you're also given the choice of not parking the trailer (which rewards you with no experience points), parking the trailer in an easy parking spot where you just drive the truck forward (which rewards you with a few experience points) or really testing your driving skillz by reversing the trailer into a parking spot (the most rewarding option in terms of experience points). Since I am not skilled in the black art of reversing trailers (300-point turns ftw) I often chose the forward trailer park option which I think is a good compromise for the more casual player who doesn't want to miss out on unlocking new licences and missions.
Parking isn't the only thing you need to worry about though, you obviously have to worry about the usual road rules too: forgetting to turn on your headlights, running red lights, speeding and colliding with other vehicles will all attract fines from the police. And if that weren't enough, sometimes you'll encounter roadblocks on the way to your destination which can result in long detours (especially when a highway exit is blocked).
Once you get into the groove though, the game can be pretty chilled as you enjoy sunsets over the Sonoran desert while listening to one of the many digital radio stations on offer: there's even one created by the Truck Simulator community called TruckersFM (now that's one dedicated fanbase)!
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| Accidents like these can result in you having to take a detour |
Life is a Highway
So, does the title of this game match the gameplay? Is it a simulation game where you get to drive trucks around America? Yes, more or less. It does a pretty good job of giving you the opportunity to do that and if you're not expecting anymore than that, this game is bound to give you many hours of entertainment. But for me, after performing several deliveries, purchasing my own truck and visiting some of the iconic cities of the American Southwest, I had enough.
A game that is often disparagingly (or affectionately) called "Space Truck Simulator" is Elite: Dangerous and the moniker isn't undeserved, there are a lot of similarities between the trading part of Elite: Dangerous and American Truck Simulator. Indeed, this could be said for many space trading games. And while I didn't mind the trading aspect of Elite: Dangerous, I suspect I wouldn't have stuck around as long with the game if it weren't for many other things going for it, like the dangerous nature of space, the ability to explore new systems, the space combat and redistributing of ship power on the fly, and, indeed, interacting with other players online in a persistent universe.
Consequently, mileage may vary (mind the pun) if you decide to play this game and will be dependent on whether you really love trucks. And America. And driving trucks around America. For me, it was nice as a distraction but I'm not sticking around.
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7
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If you love trucks and America, American Truck Simulator has you sorted. The game can be as chilled or challenging as you want and the high attention to detail is impressive. For those with a managerial bent, you can even start your own trucking business. There's quite a bit you can do here and with over 50 DLC packs on offer, this game has the potential to keep you entertained for a long time, but there are better options out there if you're not totally sold on trucks and are looking for a bit more action to go with your transporting of cargo. |
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