About American Truck Simulator
In American Truck Simulator, the player is behind the wheel of licensed American trucks and travels through real and recreated roads and states in the U.S. It is a logistics game; you are not in a racing game nor quite a management game, though it borders on both.
You begin as a mere contract driver, doing any jobs you can get, and with time, you will be able to amass a little money, purchase your own truck, improve parts, and then build your own haulage company. The entire process is based on lengthy, silent journeys along the open highways, weight checks, visits to the fuel station, and the gradual gratification of making the deliveries without any damage.
The game is also designed to be very slow and almost meditative. This is why it is commonly referred to by players as a de-stressing alternative to fast and high-stress games. It is a recreation of a smaller scale of real states, cities, highways, deserts, farmland, and roadside stops. Although it is a simulator, it does not require perfection; you can switch off most strict settings or increase them to have something more realistic. It is designed to suit players who need a gradual development instead of an action-packed one.
Why Should I Play American Truck Simulator?
There are multiple reasons why people spend hundreds of hours in American Truck Simulator. Some gamers merely play it as a means of relaxation; they enjoy driving over extensive distances of empty highways with music or a podcast playing in the background.
Others use it as an unexpectedly in-depth trucking simulator, fiddling with the type of transmission, brake modulation, engine tuning, and weight distribution. And quite a good number of gamers love the sense of their personal development: they start with nothing, rent a garage, and at one point, they possess a fleet with hired drivers that generate passive revenue.
It is also one of the rare games where the world itself appears to be consistent and constantly expanding. New state DLCs are being introduced each year with a growing number of roads, industries, landmarks, and cities, and the map is gradually turning into a real tapestry of American scenery. It is interesting to observe the growth of the game world even if you play casually. The description of the city maps, billboards, light, and interiors of the trucks creates a somewhat realistic feeling of traveling.
Is American Truck Simulator Free-to-Play?
No. American Truck Simulator is a commercial game, and it also requires money to buy expansions such as map DLCs or paint packs. The underlying game is already in itself a game composed of several states, and, in itself, it is complete. It has no subscription charges and no microtransactions apart from the optional DLC packs.
That said, note that the Steam page offers a free demo for Windows, Linux, and macOS players. Console stores may offer one as well from time to time.
Where Can I Download American Truck Simulator?
The American Truck Simulator is sold in a single ecosystem with all available optional DLCs on Steam for Windows, Linux, and macOS systems. This computer version supports workshop mods, automatic updates, cloud saves, and community functionality. The majority of the players like Steam due to the advantage of managing the mods and DLCs, where all things are concentrated.
For console players, even if the game is still not available for PlayStation and Xbox, you can already put it into your wishlist, which allows you to be notified as soon as it is released.
What Games Should I Play If I Enjoy American Truck Simulator?
The fans of American Truck Simulator tend to appreciate games that combine slowness, control, and long-term development. The following alternatives reflect other sides of that experience, some more real, others more rugged, and others more concentrated on pure trucking skills.
The closest comparable to ATS is Euro Truck Simulator 2, developed by the same studio and follows the same systems, although in Europe rather than the U.S. The world of the game is more expansive since it has been growing over dozens of years and has dozens of countries, highway systems, ferry routes, and cargo industries. It is a little different; the European cities are more compact, the roads are more winding, and the trucks have a different design. ETS2 is the logical sequel to ATS, in case you like the overall gameplay but desire more places to go or other types of trucks. Numerous players are switching between the two as they scratch the same itch in other areas. If you're curious to try it later, you can always download a demo to get a feel for the differences.
Scania Truck Driving Simulator is a specialized training-oriented game, which is based on the tasks of handling skills but not on deliveries across a long route. Rather than commuting to another state or country, you engage in emergency braking, accurate reversing, obstacle courses, maneuvering in narrow spaces, and time-contest races in the parking lot. It is smaller and more specialized than ATS; however, the skill-based nature is attractive to players who desire to perfect their driving skills. It is a favorite of many ATS players when they want something more challenging than point-to-point deliveries. It is not an open-world trucking video game, but it reinforces the very skills that you employ when you are on a challenging ATS haul. Many players download it alongside ATS because the two complement each other well.
SnowRunner puts the vehicle-simulation game in a new direction altogether. The long highways are replaced with mud-covered trails, snowy mountain roads, swamps, and broken bridges. Terrain physics, getting vehicles out, and driving where there is little to no road are the challenges. If ATS is connected to foreseeable logistics, SnowRunner is connected to improvising and overcoming adverse scenarios, getting stuck, dragging yourself out, fine-tuning the cargo mass, and crawling through the difficult conditions. SnowRunner is typically a refreshing play for players who like big trucks, yet would prefer a higher level of tension, slower gameplay, and a tougher environment. It is not as calm as ATS, but it evokes the same love of heavy machines and gradual problem-solving. It’s also easy to download on most platforms, making it a quick switch when you want a tougher atmosphere.
