Game Review: Euro Truck Simulator

Game: Euro Truck Simulator
Console: PC
Developer: SCS Software
Release Date: 6th August 2008

A somewhat different title from my normal reviews, I picked this game up cheaply wondering what it'd be like. Having updated it from version 1.0 to 1.3 (mainly so that I was able drive in Britain), I set off. The game is based around being a long distance truck driver, and picking up/delivering cargo to various locations in and around Europe. At first the player chooses a starting country (I chose the Netherlands), inside of which they can transport goods and make money. If there's only one city in the players country of choice, the smallest neighbouring country is also unlocked, so that there's somewhere to travel to.

The first order of business in the game is buying a truck; you only have enough money to afford a C class truck at the start but as your earn more, you'll be able to carry larger loads with other classes of truck. Once you've got a truck, you're shown how to look at the list of available jobs and choose one to fulfill. Upon arrival at your destination you're paid the agreed fee, minus any fines, or damages to the freight. It's a simple concept and essentially gameplay involves taking job after job until you run out of patience.

The controls in the game are decent, if a little sensitive on a keyboard; you'll need to constantly adjust the wheel left and right, and with buttons it's harder to do. With a controller plugged into the computer however, the game's control does improve to the standard of actually being pretty good. You have control of the vehicle's lights, indicators, acceleration, braking, steering, windscreen wipers and more. Although at first it may seem like there's too many controls to get used to, each one is used in game and after a while they seem natural.

To progress in your career as a truck driver, there's goals and achievements which need to be completed. Some are a simple as driving a certain amount of kilometers towing cargo, or buying access to different countries on the map, but one common theme is that achieving these goals seems fairly far off when they're first set. Considering that one trip from Amsterdam to Warsaw takes around an hour of real time driving, and you'll make about 10,000 euros if you're lucky, the goal to earn over 70,000 euros is 7 gameplay hours away when you first start the game, and it's only a 2nd level goal.

Graphically I found the game to be fairly impressive with realistic trucks, cars and textures, even though they weren't incredibly detailed. There were a few times when texture lighting would flicker and trees couldn't decide if they existed or not, however with the scope of the map and the overall look of the game that can be forgiven. Soundwise there's only music in the menus of the game, unless you add your own files to it's radio folder (I just played music from winamp whilst playing). The sound effects in game are good, although after a while you'll be pretty bored of just hearing a truck engine.

Overall this makes for a good simulation of truck driving, there's fines and penalties if you drive badly and long streches of motorway inbetween destinations. It does suffer from a repetitive gameplay formula and general monotony after a while, just like real truck driving. The only mercy is that travel times aren't as long as the real thing. There's a sequel to the game out at the moment which seems to have improved on some of these features, but as it stands this is enjoyable for a while, then you'll want something with more action.

Rating: 59/100
Grade: D