Developed and released by SCS Software in 2007 (the same guys who brought us Euro Truck Simulator 2), Bus Driver is a vehicle simulation game of a different type than most of the ultra-realistic racers that tend to dominate the genre.
As the name implies, you are the driver of the titular bus and the game centers a lot of its simulation around that main conceit. Of course, it sounds quite pedestrian, pun intended, but SCS Software’s ability to transform such a simple concept into an engaging and compelling title should not be denied.
How to Download Bus Driver
You can download the free demo of Bus Driver either for Windows of for Mac. There is also the full game download available on Steam. To download the free demo click on the Download button below the review. If you like the idea of a bus driver simulation download and check out also other similar titles such as Bus Driver Simulator 2018 or Bus Simulator 18.
The Review
Of course, as is par for the course in most car simulation and racing games, in Bus Driver you are placed in the role of a bus driver. Yet unlike the vast majority of the other games in this genre you are not tasked with racing or besting opponents but instead most conquer bus routes of increasing difficulty as the game progresses.
You might be asking yourself what exactly is there to gamify about this concept but Bus Driver does an excellent job of just that. Your bus route is comprised of various stops along which you have to either pick up or drop off passengers.
The progress the player makes is judged along a myriad of criteria including such things as making passengers upset, missing bus stops, being late, and disobeying traffic laws.
If you’re wondering how this differs from the actual job of being a bus driver then you are on the right track as far as Bus Driver’s main gameplay style is concerned. Though it has transformed the position of bus driver into a game it is still very much a simulation game.
There are at least six tiers with 36 possible bus routes in the game. As we explained above, the difficulty in the game is often determined more by a combination of factors than it is in changing up the scenery. Like in real life, bus routes remain largely the same from game to game with the main change being the number of stops required as well as the density of traffic or your customer’s individual moods.
The last factor is particularly mysterious in Bus Driver as the passengers are some of the grouchiest lot you’ll meet in a game and their opinion of how well you do your job impacts your score.
Though there are multiple ways to have points taken off of your score there are also ways to earn points. Basically, this is accomplished by adhering to traffic laws and doing a good job of being punctual and efficient with dropping off and picking up passengers. The more points you accrue the better your job performance which, of course, inevitably unlocks increasingly challenging stages in the game.
While progression mimics that of a traditional arcade or console racer, the rest of Bus Driver is firmly rooted in a solid simulation of what it is like to be a transportation worker that operates a bus on different routes with varying schedules for each route depending on the day. You’ll walk away with a greater appreciation for what these people do.
