Promising but disappointing Mad Max-style adventure
A sort of combination of Elite and Mad Max, Hard Truck is a promising game that is full of great ideas and potential but which is unfortunately let down by its execution. It's set in a post apocalyptic world that has been ravaged by a crashed asteroid and which has rendered much of the globe inhospitable. The player is thrown into the shoes of a young man who finds himself embarking on an epic quest to avenge his father's death and to return the planet to a habitable state. The gameplay is similar to a simplified version of fantasy open-world RPGs like Elder Scrolls or The Witcher, with the player taking on quests and bounty hunting missions while avoiding bounty hunters and raiders. Your best friend in this adventure is your truck, which starts out pretty ramshackle but which can be upgraded with weapons and armour and by the end of the game it more closely resembles a mobile fortress. The main focus is on the driving and shooting action but there are also elements of trading as you encounter other pockets of survivors and barter for resources. Hard Truck promises a lot but is ultimately disappointing. The concept is a good one and for a while, the game is fun with some enjoyable combat and plenty to explore. However, it soon becomes apparent that the world is rather too empty and lifeless to be that interesting and the action soon becomes repetitive and dull thanks to the poor mission structure. Visually, the game is pretty impressive with some atmospheric environments that bring a strong sense of the apocalypse but it's not enough to save Hard Truck from being little more than a curiosity which is only worth spending a little time with.
