https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzO5DKSi5WM

haven't touched this for months but when im in down bad i end up just playing the shit out of this or some form of the four blocks drop a lot as my brain goes on autopilot.

i remember when this came out it was dismissed as a "meme game", and that might still be the case, but a gamified simulation of the mundane, task of spitting diesel fumes into the the lungs of all upon this soon to be scorched planet seriously has no business being as good as it is. the sleeper classic of the 2010's (and onward, as one of the key shifts within the medium during that decade was impermanence perpetual development of the works within.)

you probably won't like this if you're the type of person who refuses to use turn signals in real life.

genuinely the most engrossing driving game since Service Games Amusement Machine Research & Development 2's magnum opus Outrun 2(006 Coast 2 Coast/Special Tours). It's a compressed, quasi-accurate representation of a continent that i will probably never get behind the wheel of a vehicle in, not unlike the course of Outrun 2 (see ATS if you like the Special Tours course, but i will stick to ETS2), rolling and sputtering along roads and streets as the day goes to night and the night goes to day. on controller with with sequential transmiss, air brake simulation on and rarely using autoparking, it becomes very engaging after leaving the highway, and a constant balance of not trying to go too fast and not depleting the air supply through careful trigger/pedal application. but it rarely is a tense game, most of the anxiety the player faces comes from exiting and entering highways and engaging in the word they have in germany for "Elephant Racing" on, whether or not it's permitted and/or leads to a head on collision. (especially if you go autism mode and purposefully mod in even slower vehicles like a naturally aspirated Mercedes NG 1632, goes well with the Volvo FH16 Classic)

it shares many faults with most of the Open World™ works in the medium but the dulcet loop of steady, careful operation of large, very deadly metal machines across a sprawling network of roads throughout many different, shockingly distinct locales, down to the way the roads are laid out and connect with one another makes up for what could be construed as vapid design if were about anything more than just driving on roads. by virtue of being a one-note-banger, it paradoxically evades the lack of focus that is endemic to many other works that have a sort of "big map, go anywhere" mindset that started appearing more frequently in the '10s, and it does that because all you fucking do in this game is drive. it rules

it somewhat unfortunately has many map expansions thru dlc, but they are fine and nowhere near as egregious as whatever dovetail games does for their train simulators, absolutely not necessary to see if it'll end up being you'll enjoy. people who enjoy using turn signals and people who can tell the make of a car from their head and/or taillights at night with about 80% accuracy might find a lot to love here, i certainly do.

i have not touched the business sim part of the game and honestly never will. ever just sit in your truck??