


What you are doing is working with the way the truck handles, learning the feel of nineteen vehicles, and using them to try and tame the environment that is working against you. What is important though is that the trucks feel like the drive realistically, at no point do you feel like you are just going through the motions to get through to the next level in the game. The maps are designed to test your skills, and those of your friends (in multiplayer), and Spintires: MudRunner definitely does that. What is impressive is the physics at work in the environment. It is something you learn to deal with though, as is the mud itself. When you need to know your environment, sometimes it feels like the camera does fight against you, and if you play in first-person view you are very limited on what you can see. One of the biggest problems is the camera, which adds to the challenge. What does hinder the fun though at times is game engine itself. It’s a constant fight to get the job done, and again is strangely fun. The more you drive through the mud and on the roads, the more you destroy the tracks, leading to less traction. You can’t get too complacent though, because there is a danger of loss of traction. There is something strangely engrossing about getting a big truck through mud, making sure you stay away from areas you can’t get through, or winching your way through it. This makes Spintires: MudRunner a game of strategy. They can help to bring fuel, fix a broken-down truck, or take over the job that the other truck can’t deal with. This is why other vehicles come into play. With the complicated nature of working your way through mud, there is often the risk of getting stuck, breaking down, or running out of fuel. This is of course, as long as your sense of fun is driving through mud, and getting your truck from destination to destination.

Mudrunner is actually an upgrade to the original Spintires, coming with a new Sandbox Map (along with the original games five) for players to have fun with. Now imagine a game like that, and add lots of mud, and you have Spintires: MudRunner. If you try one of the truck simulator games though, you’ll know that hours can be spent on the road just driving to each destination.

When looking for a game to play, driving around in a truck isn’t really something that would seem appealing.
