Whoo whoo!
There's a surprising amount of games in the 18 Wheels of Steel series, from Pedal to the Metal to Extreme Trucker and which provide some decent if not overly thrilling driving action that is at least notable for being a little different. This entry is a bit of a mixed bag and is perhaps best suited to those die-hard fans of the series as anyone new to this sort of thing might just wonder what all the fuss is about. As with other titles in the franchise, this one throws you into the well-worn shoes of a trucker just starting out on the long road to trucking glory. You begin with just one truck and must make deliveries by hauling goods across the country, earning cash for each successful journey. Once you start racking up the money, you can hire other truckers so you can make more runs, thus building up your empire. As you progress, more goods become available while your travels will take you across the US and Canada but you'll still have to worry about traffic laws as you'll get busted if you go too fast. It's perhaps this last element which is likely to put most people off as the idea of driving around while sticking to the speed limit just doesn't sound that much fun. And indeed, things do get a trifle dull here, even though you're riding around in a mighty steel beast, as the sense of speed and excitement that is so vital to other driving games just isn't here. The management aspects are well implemented and you won't get bogged down in insignificant details so if you're looking for a more thoughtful driving experience this might be worth a look. Otherwise, steer clear.
