One of the things I’ve missed the most during this tumultuous period we’re living through, is just going outside and driving places.  Nowadays, the only driving I really do is going to the supermarket to brave the hordes.  I miss miss driving places, so that’s why I’ve taken the next logical step and started playing more driving games.  Particularly, I’ve been playing American Truck Simulator, a game that reminds me of my trucking days that definitely existed and aren’t just a false memory implanted in my mind thanks to weeks of isolation.

American Truck Simulator is exactly what you’d guess it is based off of the title alone.  It’s a game about being a trucker and driving those long and lonesome roads, ensuring your cargo gets to its destination safely.  Every ounce of the mundanity of driving on the highway is represented from lane closures, construction, accidents and more.  You also have to balance some more personal needs like sleeping and stopping for gas.  It’s a pretty uninteresting pitch that manages to work, especially against the backdrop of the global pandemic we find ourselves in.

I’ve always enjoyed these meditative experiences that replicate the more mundane aspects of life, but especially now I find myself yearning for these kinds of games.  Along with just replicating the trucking experience, it’s also another perfect fit in the cavalcade of games I play in one monitor while watching something in the other.  With everyone streaming from home these days, I’ve got no shortage of companionship during my long journeys.

While I wish I had some sort of steering wheel and pedal setup to properly compliment my American Truck Simulator experience, I’m still having a good enough time just using a controller.  I think games like this are bound to thrive more during this global crisis, but even divorced from the situation, it’s still a fun enough game that doesn’t require too much of your mental capacity to play.  It’s certainly helped scratched my driving itch for now, but I still miss the real thing.