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(More customer reviews)After many years in development and missed release dates, Rig n Roll was finally released. With a passing interest in truck driving, tycoon genre, and/or simulation, 18 Wheels of Steel fans (who might be disappointed with the way Extreme Trucking direction went and for those looking for something more than American Long Haul) may see this as a challenge to the truck driving sims namely the 18 Wheels of Steel franchise. It's a different take on a business sim/trucking game. I was a fan of all the 18 Wheels of Steels games with the exception of Extreme truckers ( because of its new direction which I didn't like) and Big City Rigs which was just god-awful!
Rig n Roll was billed as a truck driving sim tycoon game taking place only in the state of California with one city in Nevada. You are a truck driver for a company that you own. You choose what to haul as there are different types of goods ranging from fruit to cars. You start off with a basic rig that you can upgrade. At your company, you can also tradein your truck for a much better one. For the most part, all of this takes place in California. On a side note, it looks like Las Vegas (in Nevada) might be added in the Fall as some billboards on the freeways are hinting. The Rignroll, website still hasn't been updated since the game was released. This drives me insane as I would like to know if there are any updates and possible add-ons. You have to dig to find out that Las Vegas is in the works but no release date has been set. The graphics look very nice.The billboards look nice and realistic as do the roads also. You even have to play a toll at the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge; nice touch! I think I read when this game was in development, the game designers/developers went to California and mapped out the roads and drew the scenery. The developers of Wildlife Park 2 did the same thing (obviously at a zoo instead). Very nice! There is an interesting storyline in RignRoll with some interesting twists and turns. I won't divulge on it because I don't want to spoil it!
The graphics are very nice. I would say, better than the 18 WoS franchise. The streets, freeways, interstates look good. The map is not a good tool as it's not helpful (not useless, just not helpful. In 18 WoS; the map was terrific.In RnR, I found myself on dead ends which the map never hinted to. The same issue in 18 WoS Haulin and American Long Haul persists in Rig n Roll; empty cities with no people. There is a glaring omission in RnR. I cannot understand, comprehend, or understand why! WHERE ARE THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS? A game with nice graphics and designers who drive around California to map out the land, you would expect the traffic lights (as well as different types/shapes). I couldn't believe it. This makes for interesting intersections. No stop signs either. The rigs are nice and lifelike. A nice touch is when you go to a gas station (press enter when there) you get out of your rig and pump (as well as use a slider to either fill it up or as much as you want). The downside is that you have no control of your character, it's automatic. You can customize your rig (paint, engine, brakes, wheels, etc. The only place to accept a job is in the warehouse. Your company must have a contract with the warehouse you are at, or else you can't start a job such as hauling a harvester, rocket fuel etc. Some jobs involves you being in a race to a designated city (warehouse). Usually it's against 4 other rigs (the AI). When you reach the border (fence) of a warehouses, it is automated (very disappointing to see). You watch the rig (with or without cargo) automatically be driven into the warehouse and a crane automatically unhooks your load. Why can't I drive in the warehouse, perhaps get out, and use a crane to unhook my load? When you pick your job, the load is automatically placed on your rig and you are automatically driven out. You have to be careful, because when you reach the boundary of the warehouse you are on your own and sometimes if you aren't paying attention you could quickly crash. By the way, if you crash, there are nice visuals of your rig taking damage. Your rig looks hurt! Also, why in the world is there a key for, unhooking or hooking your load? You don't even get to attach (or detach) it to your rig. If you crash and your trailer falls off, that's one reason. Also, from time to time, you might get a phone call asking you to pick up a trailer. On your jobs screen, it does tell you how to get to your destination.
The traffic is nice. Strange that California is known for it's traffic, yet it seems very quiet in the game, no matter what time of the day that it is. To get the true California traffic, you need to move the traffic slider all the way right (yes there is a slider for traffic in the menu. The day/night timing is a nice touch. The police are weird. If you commit a infraction, it seems like the police always try to run you off the road, however, if you slow down, you get pulled over and arrested....almost always. I did drive on the wrong side of the road not knowing a police cruiser was behind me and I was ticketed. So that's good, not everytime is an arrest :) Driving is more real in RnR than the 18 WoS series. But, at least in the 18 WoS series, you back up at your destination and unload your cargo. In RnR, you either go to a designated spot (along the road) and unhook the trailer (while going (under 10mph) or reach the warehouse where you rwach the warehouse border and it's completely automated.
All and all, this is game is about 2.7 stars. You wonder with it in development for so long, you think, "this is it?" If this game improves, I would change this rating (simply by erasing this review and redoing it. As of right now, the best thing to do is to try the demo first. There is no life in the cities and when you reach your destination, it's pretty much automated; everything is almost automated. It is a nice touch to be able to get out of your truck and go into a diner, pump gas, fix your truck, and go to a motel. The only problem is that all of this is automated. you have no control (you have the option to fill as much gas as you need in your rig; it's a slider). The truck stops are nice but they are devoid of any action/people/other trucks in real time. At the truckstop, you can go into the diner and find work in the newspaper. When you play this game, you'll feel like this could of been a hit but it is a miss. Maybe in the future, if this game is supported, it could be a hit. Right now, it's got a lot of options to grow on and hopefully, it's supported. If you love truck sims, try the demo first. It might seem terrible at first, then it grows on you. I'm very close to erasing this review and upping the rating to about 3 stars although, as I said before, it's not quite there. If it's true, Las Vegas will be added, I will see how that goes as well as if anything else is added, ie. fixes, updates etc.
+ Scenery is very nice (better than 18 WoS)
+Truck interior and animations are nice
+Truck interior view is very nice/more accurate
+Cities dont all look the same
+Traffic is more realistic during the times of the day
+The AI won't crash into you, you have to be aware
+The police will pull you over if you commit a infraction if they are driving behind you. The police aren't static, they drive around.
+Good amount of cargo to haul
+Story mode is interesting
+Tutorial is nice
+Dolby Surround sound is nice
+ Guess what? When you drive up to a toll booth; you have to pay!
+The Truck Stops look very nice
+Good amount of options when upgrading your truck
+The radio is a nice touch; music actually isn't bad. I was tired of hearing," Anyone got the 10-13??" (from 18 WoS)
+ How fellow employees, businesses contact you and the talking business is a nice touch
+ The animation when filling your tank, going to the motel, getting something to eat, fixing/upgrading your truck is nice as is the animation of how your truck looks if you get into a crash
+ steering is more realistic
+shifting/use of clutch/going in reverse is more realistic
+ The truck stops are nice
+ Besides going to the warehouse, you can go to a truckstop and get out of your truck to go into a bar/diner to find jobs in the newspaper.
- I've been to several cities and I have seen absolutely no traffic signals. California with no traffic signals???? Very careless.
-The cities are void of people.
- Reaching your destination, at the warehouse is automated. You don't back your rig to the loading/unloading zone. When you reach the border of the warehouse, you are automatically taken in, point and click what you want to haul, and the trailer is automatically attacked to your rig.
-sometimes when your task sends you to a specific location (not the warehouse), the directions are very vague. Sometimes you have to pick up the trailer on the side of a freeway but you will not know specifically where until it pops up on the right side of your screen.
- Would be nice if you can actually drop off goods and pick up goods at the seaport and airport.
-Realism- No speed limit signs on the freeway
- The journal, info screen is not very helpful
- Would be nice to be able to control your character: pumping fuel, washing your rig, sleeping in a motel, talking to other truckers at a diner/restaurant, unloading/loading trailers in the warehouse or pickup point.
- Sometimes you can get arrested for what seems to be minor infractions
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