There are a variety of controls and settings allowing for significant flexibility in terms of personal comfort. As outwardly mundane as the experience may appear, it’s a time sink that can prove a mental drain, and is best played with breaks in between. I often found myself able to only play one job at a time, rather than stay glued to the screen all night long. Although you won’t be undertaking journeys in real-time, a decent paying job is still quite the investment. Offering a huge map spanning the length and breadth of Europe, there’s plenty of time to be spent on the open road, and lots of distance to cover.
That said, driving trucks in as realistic a fashion as possible is the bread and butter of any trucking sim, and Euro Truck will have fans covered.
Improving personal abilities and building a business from one lone driver to an entire fleet is just as important as getting from A to B, and maintains a compelling grip on the experience. Skill points can be spent upgrading one’s proficiency in certain types of jobs, unlocking new types of cargo, or even investing in fuel efficiency. Successful jobs earn experience, which leads to skill points. More than simply a game about driving, Euro Truck Sim 2 boasts some roleplaying elements to keep things interesting. There are a lot of ducks to get in a row, but the interface is user-friendly and information is constantly provided so nothing ever feels insurmountable. Of course, you also have to be mindful of expenses, be they repayments to the bank or fuel consumption by employees looking for work. Want specialized drivers? They each level up the same way you do, and you can dictate the way they do. Want to expand quickly? You can take out loans that need to be repaid. The deeper you go, the more there is to do.
The next step from there is to start upgrading the garage, hiring other drivers to bring in more income, and eventually building a trucking empire that spans all of Europe. When working directly for the player company, cargo is waiting at a select shipping yard and must be hitched to the truck before it can be taken to its ultimate destination. An owned truck means more freedom, with higher-paying jobs that require more responsibility. The player begins by taking jobs for other companies, earning money with fuss-free escorts from one city to another, with an eye toward earning enough cash and purchasing a truck. The game even tells you as you begin that this is your dream job - and who are you to argue? Armed with little more than enthusiasm, players begin their adventure humbly - with a decrepit little garage in the home city of their choice, and a company with no trucks to its name.
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is too serious for such tomfoolery!Įuro Truck Simulator 2 is all about living the dream that is professional trucking.
In my ignorant, patronizing way, I was crudely mocking myself and the idea of simulators as I tootled along the motorway, giggling like an uneducated clown.Ī week later, and I have loans to repay, trucks to paint, and goddamn me if these peas don’t get to Calais in time.
Here I was, driving a truck from London to Sheffield, trailer full of ice cream, and it was hilarious. To wake up one morning and find the gaming community is going crazy over a trucking sim is unusual enough to make one suspect some sort of joke.Īs I played the game for the first time, I laughed. When Euro Truck Simulator 2 was first brought to my attention, I’ll admit I thought the attraction had to be based in irony.