Bus Simulator 18
Cover art of Bus Simulator featuring an articulated Mercedes-Benz Citaro bus
Developer(s)Stillalive Studios
Publisher(s)Astragon Entertainment
SeriesBus Simulator
EngineUnreal Engine 4
Platform(s)
Release
  • Microsoft Windows
  • 13 June 2018
  • PlayStation 4
  • 17 September 2019
  • Xbox One
  • 16 September 2019
Genre(s)Vehicle simulation
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Bus Simulator 18 (also known as Bus Simulator on consoles) is a bus simulator game developed by Stillalive Studios and published by Astragon Entertainment for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It is powered by Unreal Engine 4 and was initially available on the 13th of June 2018 worldwide. It is the fifth game in the Bus Simulator franchise and is the direct sequel to Bus Simulator 16. A sequel titled Bus Simulator 21 was released in 2021.[1]

Gameplay

An in-game screenshot from the cockpit camera of a MAN Lion's City on a rainy day.

Bus Simulator 18 features a sizable map of fictional modern city Seaside Valley, consisting of twelve districts, which is 2.5 times bigger than Bus Simulator 16.[2] The game allows players to drive eight licensed vehicles from four different bus manufacturers including Iveco, MAN, Mercedes-Benz, and Setra ranging from low-floor buses to articulated buses.[3] Like its predecessor, the game also uses a procedural generation system that requires players to complete different missions to unlock new districts. Management-wise, players are able to create their own bus lines, as well as buying, selling and upgrading buses.[4]

Development and release

An in-game trailer was released in May 2018. In comparison to the Unity-based Bus Simulator 16, Bus Simulator 18 is powered by Unreal Engine 4, which shows considerably improved graphics.[2] It was released to Microsoft Windows in June 2018, with modding and multiplayer mode were featured for the first time in the Bus Simulator series.[5] PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were later available in August 2019 titled Bus Simulator.[6] A map expansion downloadable content was released in May 2019.[7]

Reception

Bus Simulator 18 received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[8][9][10]

Chris Jarrard of Shacknews gave a 6 to the game, writing "Bus Simulator 18 is not a game changer and to be honest, it's not the most rewarding experience I've ever had in front of my PC." He had three major issues of the game — a lack of content, multiplayer bugs, and a boring campaign.[12]

Chris O'Connor of Impulse Gamer rated it 4 out of 5. He considered the game to be quite relaxing, but he considered its content not deep enough.[13]

Alec Meer of Rock, Paper, Shotgun enjoyed the atmosphere in the game, which is so great that he even would like to become a bus driver. He says "Bus Simulator 18 leaves me with a deep sympathy for bus drivers and a great terror that I might ever become one."[14]

Andy Kelly of PC Gamer compared the game with the similar-genre video game Euro Truck Simulator 2 of SCS Software, commenting the game maybe not as good as the truck-simulator, but it is full of interaction, which is what the Truck Simulator franchise is missing.[15]

References

  1. ↑ Watton, Neil (11 August 2020). "Bus Simulator 21 announced for Xbox One, PS4 and PC". TheXboxHub. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  2. 1 2 DaRipp3r (5 June 2018). "Bus Simulator 18 – New & Improved Features Revealed". pixelperfectgaming.com. Retrieved 13 May 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ↑ Tuffcub (25 May 2018). "OMG YASS! Bus Simulator 18 Details Revealed!". thesixthaxis.com. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  4. ↑ O'Connor, Alice (31 May 2018). "Bus Simulator 18's co-op multiplayer sounds delightful". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  5. ↑ O'Connor, Alice (13 June 2018). "Bus Simulator 18 out now, with mods & multiplayer". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  6. ↑ O Donnell, Deirdre (13 June 2018). "Bus Simulator: now for Xbox One and PS4". notebookcheck.net. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  7. ↑ O'Connor, Alice (22 May 2019). "Bus Simulator 18 rolling along new roads in map expansion". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Bus Simulator PC". Metacritic. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Bus Simulator PlayStation 4". Metacritic. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  10. 1 2 "Bus Simulator Xbox One". Metacritic. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  11. ↑ Fränkel, Harald (15 June 2018). "Bus Simulator 18 im Test - Geldregen am Bus- und Bettag". GameStar (in German). Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  12. 1 2 Jarrard, Chris (9 July 2018). "Bus Simulator 18 im Test - Geldregen am Bus- und Bettag". Shacknews (in German). Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  13. ↑ O'Connor, Chris (16 June 2018). "Bus Simulator 18 PC Game Review". impulsegamer.com. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  14. ↑ Meer, Alec (19 June 2018). "Wot I Think: Bus Simulator 18". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  15. ↑ Andy, Andy (19 June 2018). "Bus Simulator 18 is a surprisingly stressful public transport sim". PC Gamer. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
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