It's not real, of course - I don't have the money worries, the exhaustion, the awful motels, and most of all the grim certainty of doing this every day forever, as opposed to a psychic holiday - but nonetheless I dream of that being my life. Its fusion of the realistic and the romantic results in a sense that the unhurried, low-pressure, solitary conveyance of goods across iconic (and also humdrum) American landscapes is the solution to all my anxieties. My central criteria for what I'd call a job simulation game is whether it instils within me a desire to kick my own employment to the curb and pursue that profession in real life.Īmerican Truck Simulator, a game about very slowly moving some boxes from point A to point B, is the contender to beat here, of course. That's true whether you have any interest in or knowledge of cars yourself (I know I don't). But at the same time, you should absolutely keep a close eye on this singularly captivating and cathartic game, and return once it's been made road-worthy.
It's a hot mess (as the developers themselves admit) - enough of a hot mess that I beseech you to steer clear of for the time being. I've spent a day and a half so far with Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 and, though I really do dig the core experience, enough's enough.
Consider this piece to be 'what I somewhat think', or perhaps a demi-review, if you don't go in for our larky terminology.
