UK Truck Simulator

Get behind the wheel and deliver around the UK

If you’ve ever fancied yourself as a trucker, driving around the motorways of the UK and keeping the wheels of commerce turning, then this could be the game for you. Developed by SCS software, who produce similar trucking software for other European countries, it offers you the chance to complete delivery tasks on a map of England, Scotland and Wales.

There are around sixty types of cargo to deliver and you’ll need to ensure that they reach their destinations in eighteen major cities on time. You can get behind the wheel of trucks based on the designs of some of the major European commercial vehicle builders.

For would-be Eddie Stobarts there’s a career mode which lets you start out as an employee of a haulage company and work to buy your own truck. From there you can build up a fleet of vehicles and set up depots around the country.

The in-game instructions are easy to follow and there are different camera angles on offer which are handy when hooking up trailers and can add interest on long journeys. The actual driving is pretty simple and relaxed in pace – if you want high speed, high octane thrills this isn’t the game for you. It’s difficult to go badly wrong even if you choose to drive like a hooligan, responsible trucking is the order of the day. That means it can get a little boring as although it isn’t real time long haul journeys, from London up to Aberdeen for example, do take a while.

There’s a limited amount of character to the scenery although you do get major landmarks and road signs to help you know which city you’re in. There’s a limited choice of routes too, although the map is large it’s quite limited, there’s no real choice of minor roads when you leave the motorways.

The game does have a realistic sound track of engine noises, air brake hisses and reversing beeps. The driving physics also mean that you slow down convincingly going up gradients and can get into those long, slow motorway overtakes that so frustrate car drivers. It does let you break the law by using lane three though.

If you’re a serious truck fan you’ll find a lot to like here, but if you’re in search of cutting-edge game design, a realistic driving experience and something to get the adrenaline flowing then UK Truck Simulator isn’t for you.

Pros

• Easy to play
• Large map

Cons

• Long hauls can be dull
• Limited choice of route