Spintires: MudRunner

What S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is to Fallout, Spintires: MudRunner is to Euro Truck Simulator. They share the same DNA, but a gorgeously grim environment and ruthless challenge push the former into its own level of greatness, despite a few technical hiccoughs here and there. MudRunner’s sandbox mode, simplified controls and engaging tutorial mode make it an accessible game for newcomers, but for driving aficionados, there is so, so much more on offer here. As far as sims go, this one’s essential.

Spintires: Mudrunner is a soviet saga regarding man’s struggle to tame and traverse the wild nature. Hubris and failure to read the muddy roads result in disaster, only to overcome it as well, as the very essence of the game is to enjoy those failures, gameplay-wise.

Spintires: MudRunner doesn’t make a lot of sense on the surface. Drive slow, deliver logs isn’t the usual recipe for a good time. It works amazingly well once you get used to it, though, and while there’s a learning curve, it’s one that takes place in untamed nature where you’re driving giant trucks through the mud. The terrain ranges from unfriendly to downright brutal, with rocky ground, standing water, muddy roads, and tire-grabbing ruts absolutely everywhere. Navigating this is a slow, deliberate affair, but each stretch of road (if there’s one to drive on) has its own new difficulty that makes pushing on through a good challenge rather than an exercise in extended patience. At times the overwhelming Russian-ness gets a bit much, with the grey landscapes only getting good colors during sunrise and sunset, but then a short drive by the rushing waters of a turbulent river makes it all better. Spintires: MudRunner is a giant game of trucks played in as close to a literal sandbox as possible, and while they don’t have Тонка stamped on the back, the spirit of playing with the big toys shines through.

Considering the budget price, this off-road driving simulation is truly a must for lovers of the genre, but also for those looking for something different and a bit extreme than the usual racing that can be too easy.

When all is said and done, the strong gameplay overcomes the flaws in the game. While the graphics are hit and miss, the modding community has already started making improvements. If you are tired of the typical racing sim, or are looking for a more realistic off-road experience, Spintires: MudRunner may be the game for you. And you won’t have to stop by the carwash when you get done.

The return of the driving ability field test has succeeded, although with some exceptions. It is great with all its muddy exercises and great atmosphere, but the witnesses of the original would feel that there is not enough changes and the newcomers will be terrified of the unfriendly user interface. Either way, you will not find a more original game involving cars.

Spintires: MudRunner is a well-thought out and obvious improvement over the original in a number of ways. The physics feel tight and loose where they need to be, the new vehicles are genuinely fun to explore and drive, and the overall look of the game gets down and dirty in the best of ways for an off-road delivery simulator. It can get tedious at times and we wish the game took a few more chances, context, and variety in challenging our driving skills, but exploring and making our own battles through the tough journey from place to place is still a highlight, especially with friends along for the ride. A sketchy damage system and a few less than stellar textures make this game feel less polished than it ought to be at times, but with a healthy mod community and a ton of support and depth behind it, Spintires: MudRunner feels like an off-road trek that will keep on giving.

Spintires: Mudrunner is a good simulation for fans of hardcore off-roading, but the appalling technical side of things ruins a lot of the appeal, while the redundant objectives are quite boring as time goes by.