Bus Simulator 18

As much as I enjoyed learning the rules and rhythms of bus driving - thanks in part to the warm words of Mira Tannhauser - once that was done, I just couldn't find waters deep enough to swim in for long. On the other hand, Bus Sim 18 mostly smoothly (there are some bugs and performance issues, with patches planned) simulates what it sets out to simulate, and I don't for one moment regret experiencing that. Certainly, I know I'll now feel a spasm of guilt whenever I ding the stop bell while riding the 21A into town.

Bus Simulator 18 is easily one of the best "sims" I've played in a while. By taking what makes games like Euro Truck and Farm Simulator so popular and applying it to the core ideas of ownership and operating a city-wide bus system, Stillalive has made a really admirable game. It's got a lot of depth, soul, and heart poured into it, even if it's rough around the edges in the way of bugs and polish issues. Recommended for the driving sim fans out there, but maybe wait for a demo to try it befor...

Bus Simulator 18 has made a lot of strides to improve upon 2016’s entry. The map is bigger, with room for more cities to be added, but performance needs a bit more work in terms of stability. Everything looks amazing, but without steady performance, it can stave quite a few people off. Nonetheless, simulation fans could consider Bus Simulator 18 an adequate simulation fix that doesn’t ask too much past the initial purchase.

Bus Simulator 18, at its core, is a good simulator game with a whole lot of soul. It brings a lot of playability options to the table, whether you want to just drive a bus or manage the whole company. The driving is complex enough to keep the player involved, and the economic systems provide a respite for players tired of being behind the wheel. However, the game is hurt by some frustrating bugs and sub-par traffic systems.

There’s apparently a lot of little things you have to do when you drive a public transit bus, and Bus Simulator 18 has clearly gone to great pains to replicate them all realistically. You’ve got to manage the lights (exterior and interior), front and rear doors, a ticket machine, wheelchair ramps, and a bunch of other distractions, all while driving at a nice, comfortable speed and making every stop in a reasonable time. It’s a lot to juggle, and I will say that developers Stillalive Studios do a good job training you with a solid Tutorial when you begin.

The vehicle simulator genre is one I’ve always appreciated from afar. I’m sure many people see Bus Simulator, American Truck Simulator, Euro Truck Simulator, Euro Truck Simulator 2, etc. on a game store shelf and think to themselves, “How can these games possibly be fun?” Despite the box arts’ lack of appeal, these types of games certainly have their fans. Bus Simulator 18 was my first foray into the genre, and I can certainly say that I now have a different level of appreciation for the genre.

Bus Simulator 18 is not a game changer and to be honest, it’s not the most rewarding experience I’ve ever had in front of my PC. Still, it has solid driving mechanics, some detailed buses, and a gameplay loop that is strangely relaxing. A lack of content, multiplayer bugs, and a boring campaign keep me from recommending the game to all. Bus aficionados and sim game enthusiast will find lots to like in this package. It is possible that the Steam Workshop will be able to breathe life into the game in the future, but without the content available now, the asking price is a little steep. 6/10 drug...

Bus Simulator 18 is by no means a perfect game, however. There are several apparent bugs, such as drive settings not taking effect in multiplayer games, to a mess of spelling and grammatical mistakes. Most of them can be considered lack of polish more than game-breaking, but it would be nice to see those cleaned up in a future patch. Steam Workshop support is also included, and I was able to use my TrackIR out of the box without any issues. So if you’re looking for a relaxed bus simulator w...