Road Kings Preview: Truck Simulator has serious competition with this hopeful hauler

Let's not beat around the bush, games like the one in question today are rather niche. Yes, anyone can pick up a copy and spend hours on the open road, but a simulator of this kind is meant and best experienced when well... simulated. It's because of this that there's an immediate caveat worth keeping in mind with Saber Interactive's Road Kings, because while it is fundamentally playable on controller or mouse and keyboard, the best way to play this game (and Euro/American Truck Simulator too) is with a wheel and pedals, preferably one of the massive truck wheels with an astronomical amount of buttons on it.

The reason why we bring up this caveat is that the majority of players probably aren't going to shell out the cash to invest in a proper trucking sim setup, which in my opinion after spending a short while testing Road Kings at Gamescom, is actually rather disappointing. Yep, after years of domination by SCS Software with its Truck Simulator series, Saber is gunning for the throne with an option that is equally well simulated and challenging to master, albeit with some sillier and more ridiculous elements that keep players on their toes.

I don't need to spend much time explaining the premise of this game because it's very literal and straightforward. You are a truck driver and the aim is to undertake contracts to earn money and improve your ability to haul cargo. You start with an old and technologically-limited truck with a crappy trailer that has next to zero protections, and you have to race to contracts, beating other truckers to the punch to claim the job, before then travelling miles and miles to deliver the cargo to wherever it needs to be. If you do well and deliver the cargo in good condition, you will earn plenty of money that can be used eventually to buy a better truck or an improved trailer, or other helpful items, on top of earning reputation so that contract-givers offer up better and more challenging contracts. But if you screw it up, or break the law by running too many red lights for example, you will struggle to progress and be stuck with your basic and rather terrible tools.

From here, it's quite a straightforward simulation of trucking, with all the challenges that include. Whether it's learning how early you need to start breaking to ensure your truck doesn't run a red light, properly arranging your cargo so if you take on multiple jobs, the initial delivery gets offloaded first to save hours unloading and reloading your trailer, or even simply managing your driver's health to ensure they get the ample rest and relaxation they need and don't spend days upon end behind the wheel. It's quite a complex array of systems when you are first made privy to them but over time you become more and more familiar, and start to pick up on tricks and tips to aid you on your journey.

However, this is then when Saber starts throwing some spanners in the works. Remembering that this is the same developer who gave us the MudRunner series, as you drive along in the American South, you may notice that the wind starts picking up and that the rain begins to lash down. Suddenly, after a stint of nothing but clear skies and open asphalt, you find yourself in the centre of a hurricane, a turbulent storm that even rips bridges from their foundations, causing you to drive across massively uneven surfaces, cross rising water levels, evading abandoned traffic, and so much more. What was once a very authentic simulation game becomes the basis for a crazy 80s action film, and it's an unusual balance that perhaps is not what the pure-simulation fans will appreciate on a frequent basis but that the majority of other players will find as the bright spots in their experience with Road Kings.

But storms or no storms, there's no denying that what Saber has constructed in Road Kings is a complex and broad truck simulation experience. Again, it won't be for everyone as these games never are, but if you've ever had the urge to get in the driver's seat of an 18-wheeler, this is looking to be a mighty fine option to the current gold standard choices that are the American/Euro Truck Simulator series.