Snowrunner is a trucking simulation game developed by Saber Interactive and edited by Focus Home Interactive to PlayStation 4, Xbox One e PC. At the wheel of your heavy vehicle you will have to juggle the worst rough terrain covered with mud, snow, fords and any type of natural obstacle, including frozen lakes. The game offers forty real vehicles from the most famous American car manufacturers such as Ford, CAT, Chevrolet e Freightliner.
The aim of the game is to complete the many missions made available within the open world, thanks to which you can earn money to reinvest for the purchase of vehicles or upgrades for your vehicles that you will gradually unlock. your path.
If you think it's easy, get it out of your head: the game physics is very advanced and each vehicle responds differently than another, especially if it is loaded, if it is equipped with a trailer or worse, if it is damaged. The map goes studied in detail to understand which is the best path to tackle based on the vehicle you have available, taking uncalculated risks almost always turns out to be the worst choice because ending up in a ford that is too deep and irreparably damaging the vehicle is a completely different possibility that remote.
Prudence is everything
The initial map set in Michigan it is nothing more than the preamble to a lot of trouble coming. Following a flood, several areas remained isolated and it will be up to you to make sure to restore them, transporting the materials from the deposits to the various construction sites for the implementation of the works. But the routes are bumpy, many roads are cut off and you will have to make detours and wide turns that will give you endless headaches. The advice we can give you is to go very slowly, trucks or pick-ups are not racing vehicles and on mud and snow you do not brake ideally, running always and in any case will only end up with the vehicle on your side and with a quantity of damage that is often irreparable, especially if you are far away from distributors.
These service areas are essential: always refuel every time you encounter one, both to always have a full tank, and to repair the damage caused by collisions, off the road or collisions with natural obstacles. There are three regions to explore in all, including the Michigan and l 'Alaska. Planning is everything, also because in the continuation of the adventure you will be asked to switch from one map to another to complete the objectives and, very often, you won't have the best vehicles from the start, as they are expensive and before you can afford them you will need to put a lot of wood in the farmhouse. The first thing the tutorial tells you to do is to find the observation towers, a fundamental element to be able to see the map and the relative paths to do. Going blind is the best way to get stuck, having to go back or, even worse, abort the mission.
Physics does not forgive
SnowRunner, as well as its predecessor Mudrunner, is a game that does not discount those who are reckless or too risky in their maneuvers. Driving on dirt, mud, snow or ice is an experience that it can be terrifying unless you proceed cautiously. A separate discussion must be made for the fords which, in some situations, will lead you to proceed with the water that reaches the windshield. Incorrect positioning of the wheels or not calculating the level of the seabed well will make you fall prey to the current. If your vehicle hasn't the snorkel (top air intake), it will be condemned because water entering the engine will cause it to shut down. That said, the driving model is very realistic, after the initial shock, realizing that he has brought a four-axle beast to the top of a mountain after having forded a river, is a priceless experience.
In this, SnowRunner is a small miracle, there are no titles out there with such a level of driving-level complexity, because each medium is different from another and, even a single element of diversity is enough to completely change the cards on the table. What looked like your favorite truck to you could turn out to be totally useless fully loaded on mud or ice, forcing you to opt for a different vehicle. This aspect of the game forces you to have to continually adapt your driving style depending on the circumstances and it is for this reason that your deposit must be as complete as possible. Starting with the simplest missions is absolutely fundamental, because the completed objectives will allow you to open passages and make the game maps less inaccessible. Forget the more difficult missions even if they seem more profitable: at the beginning you do not have the vehicles to complete them and if you do not raise your driving level, you will have no hope of succeeding.
Pimp my truck
For fans of customizations, SnowRunner offers an editor and a very interesting customization of the vehicles. In addition to the assembly of snorkel, chains and the fundamental winch (the first ever upgrade to be mounted), you can customize color of the means and also the preparation. In fact, depending on the vehicle, you can decide to mount a crane, a body or a tank truck to always have a fuel reserve without having to study routes that require the presence of petrol pumps at regular intervals. The against then they will do the rest, allowing players to create unique and beautiful builds to drive.
Audio and Graphics
SnowRunner graphics are definitely pleasant, especially in the care of the vehicles and their details. The settings are treated even if some frame-rate drops at certain times are annoying, even if nothing that can affect the gaming experience. The audio is well cared for, each vehicle has its own characteristic noise also based on the terrain you are traveling on. In the PC version of the game, mod support has already been announced, so avid fans of the series will already be working on new vehicles, various improvements and other elements that can further enhance the experience.
Multiplayer
SnowRunner implements the co-op mode, giving you a way to explore maps and complete missions by calling for help to the max three players or putting yourself in a position to help others. During our test there were no connected players, but in general the mode seems well thought out and balanced. It is certainly an extra help and helping yourself in certain situations is always very satisfying and fun.
SnowRunner is the worthy successor of Mudrunner, a decidedly captivating and beautiful game to compete with. If you like driving simulations, definitely give it a chance because, net of the initial (and understandable) frustration, it will be able to give you satisfactions that, at the moment, no other title of the kind is able to give you. Someone may underline the repetitiveness of some missions, however having them directly connected to the unlocking of passages and areas of the map, makes them necessary and not an end in themselves. A great job, no doubt.
