I can speak for myself and others after a long run with Euro Truck Simulator since the game was released several years ago. There is a lot of good quality content that the games from SCS Software deliver. But as with other similar games, these games fall into the arcade category.

The oft-repeated complaint that keeps coming back is that the AI ​​traffic is bad. Perhaps the other more obvious thing is that in the year 2024 inside this game, one cannot get out of the vehicle to inspect the car's tires, fill the tank with fuel in the realistic way, or perhaps even give the driver a snack at the gas station. Perhaps you want to check the oil on the engine, or for that matter check that the load on the trailer is properly secured. Some simulator roleplay missing for sure.

Inside the game one does not meet newly hired drivers for ones transport company as 3D characters, but rather as avatars to be reckoned with in the game's UI. Much of the administration of the transport company does not seem to go very deep into reality. Eventually, it actually becomes difficult to get rid of the money as you hire more drivers or reach a certain level of experience along the road.

American Truck Simulator seems more like an American photo album for trucks and trailers, just like Euro Truck Simulator with its European feel. The world around the vehicle seems like much of the same, where the details seem to be occasionally poor and repetitive despite variations in the landscape. The sunsets and sunrises are nice and lovely for sure, but repeating assets seems to be a bit overload even in deserted landscapes.

Along the way, the player will gain experience in dealing with traffic signals, road signs and more - a learning curve that doesn't exactly feel complicated. The GPS seems to have its importance, even when road incidents may occur. Experience is rewarded, but not by unlocking a new vehicle by level. The progression is rewarded with points and new parts that can be acquired if you want to change the vehicle at the workshop or at a truck dealer.

The graphical rendering is quite good despite the old game engine, but lags behind Anti-Aliasing and graphics cards from NVIDIA. With a higher resolution up to 4K, the game shines, but takes its toll to run with this resolution when everything has to be fully rendered. An old game engine should sooner or later be upgraded.

So despite SCS Software putting a lot of emphasis on DLC content to their games to give the impression of expanding their horizons, the games remain technically un-upgraded. This is something they should perhaps soon think about emphasizing as modifications from the community cannot compensate for it alone. DLC content alone will not make up for what is being requested, which would ideally be about a realistic representation of driving a long-distance transport on the road as a virtual experience and not just landmarks or famous places along the route.

I understand that SCS Software is deep into what they create and certainly has a technical understanding of the driving profession. But considering how many years the games have been out already, they have a lot to deliver on the simulator part. They're not a AAA company understandably, but will need fresh capital if they want to carry these games up to a throne level. For now, they don't have many competitors, as Euro Truck Simulator has been popular for several years, a trend that doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

I can speak for myself and others after a long run with Euro Truck Simulator since the game was released several years ago. There is a lot of good quality content that the games from SCS Software deliver. But as with other similar games, these games fall into the arcade category. The oft-repeated complaint that keeps coming back is that the AI ​​traffic is bad. Perhaps the other more obvious thing is that in the year 2024 inside this game, one cannot get out of the vehicle to inspect the car's tires, fill the tank with fuel in the realistic way, or perhaps even give the driver a snack at the gas station. Perhaps you want to check the oil on the engine, or for that matter check that the load on the trailer is properly secured. Some simulator roleplay missing for sure. Inside the game one does not meet newly hired drivers for ones transport company as 3D characters, but rather as avatars to be reckoned with in the game's UI. Much of the administration of the transport company does not seem to go very deep into reality. Eventually, it actually becomes difficult to get rid of the money as you hire more drivers or reach a certain level of experience along the road. American Truck Simulator seems more like an American photo album for trucks and trailers, just like Euro Truck Simulator with its European feel. The world around the vehicle seems like much of the same, where the details seem to be occasionally poor and repetitive despite variations in the landscape. The sunsets and sunrises are nice and lovely for sure, but repeating assets seems to be a bit overload even in deserted landscapes. Along the way, the player will gain experience in dealing with traffic signals, road signs and more - a learning curve that doesn't exactly feel complicated. The GPS seems to have its importance, even when road incidents may occur. Experience is rewarded, but not by unlocking a new vehicle by level. The progression is rewarded with points and new parts that can be acquired if you want to change the vehicle at the workshop or at a truck dealer. The graphical rendering is quite good despite the old game engine, but lags behind Anti-Aliasing and graphics cards from NVIDIA. With a higher resolution up to 4K, the game shines, but takes its toll to run with this resolution when everything has to be fully rendered. An old game engine should sooner or later be upgraded. So despite SCS Software putting a lot of emphasis on DLC content to their games to give the impression of expanding their horizons, the games remain technically un-upgraded. This is something they should perhaps soon think about emphasizing as modifications from the community cannot compensate for it alone. DLC content alone will not make up for what is being requested, which would ideally be about a realistic representation of driving a long-distance transport on the road as a virtual experience and not just landmarks or famous places along the route. I understand that SCS Software is deep into what they create and certainly has a technical understanding of the driving profession. But considering how many years the games have been out already, they have a lot to deliver on the simulator part. They're not a AAA company understandably, but will need fresh capital if they want to carry these games up to a throne level. For now, they don't have many competitors, as Euro Truck Simulator has been popular for several years, a trend that doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.