Spintires: MudRunner review

Reviewed on: PC

First of all: Spintires: MudRunner is a SIMULATOR!!! Yes, a simulator!!! With that in mind, know that you won’t hop in a Carreta Furacão (a Brazilian urban-legend ghost truck) and go around the world delivering your goods speeding along beautiful, properly paved roads (like in Clube Irmão Caminhoneiro Shell).

No, you won’t!!! You will suffer!!! You will eat mud!!! You will see your truck tip over and there will be no phone available to call the insurance company!!!

There, now that I’ve given the main information, let’s get to the review.

Run, it’s a trap, Bino!!!

You have probably watched Deadliest Roads on the History Channel and thought to yourself, “Good grief, Mary Jane!!! What madness!!! I wish I could do that once in my life!!!” Well, sir. Your wish has been granted!!! Now you can do it from the comfort of your home and without the risk of falling into an abyss!!!

Spintires: MudRunner seeks to offer players the same experience. It is a highly competent simulator and the team clearly cared a great deal about the physics effects. To give you an idea of how realistic it is, I’ll cite two examples that immediately came to mind while playing.

1. The feeling of driving small trucks in this game was the same as driving my dad’s Kombi: I always need to align the steering wheel so the vehicle goes straight. Not to mention the loose, swaying wobble the trailer shows going through sharper curves or over bumpier roads.

2. You have probably been to some event at a farm/country house at the end of the world. That place waaaay out there and with no asphalt. And if you are as unlucky as I am, it rained that day and, to make it worse, a steep climb appears out of nowhere and your car has no 4×4 traction. Yes, gentlemen!!! All of this is present in Spintires: MudRunner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3tBbrc3kuE
Where’s the parking attendant guy to help me out here???

You will see the muddy terrain get marked after each frustrated maneuvering attempt you make and you will realize this increases the chances of your truck getting stuck. You will see that driving like crazy on the road can make the hitch come loose and your cargo end up lost on the track.

The controls for each action are precise, making the gameplay not only realistic but enjoyable. The only thing that wasn’t properly worked on is the external camera. It doesn’t help much and at times it is extremely necessary (especially in areas where we have little room to maneuver).

The graphics look good although they offer nothing out of this world. Of course on PC everything is prettier and showier, but on consoles (I played on a PS4) I found it a bit lacking, especially when we use the driver’s camera or when we try to check which spots the mud is thickest.

The sound side was well done, faithfully portraying every possible noise a truck can make, thus increasing immersion in the whole environment.

The interface, with some commands, could be more intuitive (like the act of using the winch and then retrieving it), but everything you need to know is there, such as the amount of fuel available and whether the handbrake is on (seriously… At times you will think you are stuck when in fact you simply forgot this small detail).

The multiplayer manages to be pretty nice, letting you gather three more buddies for the session, whether friends or randoms picked from lobbies. Honestly, I only see the point of multiplayer if it’s to call for help when you’re in trouble (and don’t want to reset the level).

So? Is it worth buying???

If you decide to buy it, you will get guaranteed hours of play: there are 19 vehicles available, maps that offer all kinds of challenge, co-op multiplayer mode and the ability to create MODS if you opt for the PC version. There is a lot to do.

But as I said at the start of the review, this game isn’t for everyone. If you are already used to the genre, Spintires: MudRunner must be in your library. If that’s not you, I recommend watching a few more gameplays.

Personally, I didn’t like it. The measured pace and the fact that I don’t like driving contributed to that. On the other hand, my wife (who doesn’t play games) found it interesting and ventured onto the muddy roads.

Because it is something so different from what we are used to playing, Spintires: MudRunner can leave you frustrated and/or furious, but I still recommend you try it and draw your own conclusion.

GRAPHICS: 7.5
SOUND: 8.5
GAMEPLAY: 9

PC version