Bus Simulator 18

70%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,863 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • story
Bus Simulator 18 Game Cover
It takes a certain kind of person to enjoy driving a bus for hours. This is as close to the real thing as you can get!
Starting at $5.30Buy now
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"Bus Simulator 18" is a detailed simulation game that allows players to operate and manage their own bus company in a realistic European city. Customize your buses, create your own routes, and ensure safe and punctual service while dealing with various challenges such as traffic, weather, and passenger needs. The game features an open world environment, a variety of bus models, and a realistic physics engine for an immersive experience.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,863 reviews
graphics107 positive mentions
stability55 negative mentions
  • The game offers a realistic bus driving experience with good graphics and sound design.
  • Players enjoy the management aspect of running their own bus company, including creating routes and hiring drivers.
  • The multiplayer feature allows for cooperative gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs, including crashes and issues with AI traffic and pedestrians.
  • Keybinding and control setup can be frustrating, especially for steering wheel users.
  • The gameplay can become repetitive and lacks sufficient content, leading to boredom over time.
  • graphics267 mentions

    The graphics in "Bus Simulator 18" receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the detailed bus models and expansive city environments, often noting that the visuals are impressive for a game of its age. However, some users criticize the graphics for being inconsistent, cartoonish, or outdated, particularly when compared to newer titles in the genre. Overall, while the game offers good graphical options and customization, performance issues and optimization concerns are frequently mentioned, suggesting that a powerful PC is necessary for the best experience.

    • “The graphics are insane and give a real feeling that you are driving a bus.”
    • “Advanced graphic design: Bus Simulator 18 delivers a realistic visual experience with its advanced graphic design.”
    • “By far the best bus game to date I have ever played, excellent graphics and atmosphere.”
    • “Game crashes constantly, even on lowest graphics settings and with updated drivers.”
    • “Pathetic graphics, mountains look like a triangular cardboard box cut out, crashes look lifeless.”
    • “The graphics are terrible even on high settings and the controls are a mess.. hopefully it is sorted out in future updates.”
  • gameplay100 mentions

    The gameplay of Bus Simulator 18 is characterized by a mix of realism and casual mechanics, offering a variety of routes and quests that enhance the experience. While many players appreciate the immersive driving mechanics and detailed graphics, some criticize the vague route creation and management aspects, which can lead to frustration. Overall, the game provides enjoyable gameplay for fans of the genre, though it may not meet the expectations of those seeking deeper simulation elements.

    • “Bus Simulator 18 offers an immersive and enjoyable experience for both solo players and friends seeking cooperative gameplay.”
    • “With its stunning visuals and satisfying gameplay, Bus Simulator 18 is a must-play for fans of simulation games, providing countless hours of entertainment and camaraderie.”
    • “Great bus sim, well done devs. Great gameplay, excellent graphics, and good sounds throughout.”
    • “My whole hour of gameplay has been trying to get the controls to work.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, it's lacking and it's not easy to progress.”
    • “Static, boring gameplay with the same stops over and over again.”
  • story82 mentions

    The game's story is largely centered around completing missions to progress, with many players finding it repetitive and lacking depth. While some appreciate the variety of quests and the sense of progression, others criticize the story for being forgettable or poorly integrated, often feeling more like a series of tasks than a cohesive narrative. Overall, the missions serve as the primary driver of gameplay, but they can become tedious and are marred by bugs and a lack of immersion.

    • “The game looks so good even on lower graphical settings, the mechanics and the story are excellent if you are into this kind of game.”
    • “Every district has its own look and feel, and unlocking each of them by doing missions feels like a good reward.”
    • “I like the fact it has missions that make you grow your company, allowing you to learn how everything works by creating routes.”
    • “The only way to progress the game is through this weird 'story'.”
    • “What is expected from you in the missions does not make too much sense really, not enough immersion, too many game goals.”
    • “Story wise, it's straightforward for a sim.”
  • optimization82 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including low frame rates and crashes, particularly on lower-end devices. While some users noted that the game runs well on high-end systems, others experienced severe lag and instability even with recommended specifications. Overall, there is a consensus that the game requires substantial optimization improvements to enhance the gameplay experience.

    • “Chill vibes and optimized performance, let's go!”
    • “They have managed to perfectly match technical performance with visual quality.”
    • “The performance of the game can be a little hard to tweak, but I managed to get it to run relatively smoothly on an older machine, and the devs are also helping people out and listening to feedback.”
    • “Bad optimization, many bugs, bad UI for the game that came out in 2018.”
    • “There's a big lack of optimization as well, sometimes my game drops all the way down to 20 fps even though I should be way above the requirements for this game.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized, and while driving around, there are several negative spikes in the game's performance which can lead to you uncontrollably crashing the bus.”
  • stability55 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly detract from the overall experience. Issues range from UI malfunctions and control binding problems to severe freezing that often requires a hard reboot. While some users acknowledge the game's potential and enjoy it despite these problems, the consensus is that the stability issues are pervasive and frustrating, making it difficult to recommend in its current state.

    • “I and my friend played on our save for about 10 hours and now we lost everything because of stupid glitches. If the game didn't have so many bugs, I would have given it an 8/10, but because of these bugs that completely ruin the game, I'm giving it a 2/10.”
    • “The game is incredibly buggy in multiplayer; if you are not the host, you will pay fines for crashing into nothing, for example, just by exiting the garage.”
    • “The game freezes on the loading screen, and based on discussions, there are a lot of people that experience similar freezes at different points in the game.”
  • music33 mentions

    The music aspect of the game receives mixed feedback, with some players enjoying the variety of tracks and the relaxing atmosphere it creates, while others are frustrated by the loud music played by passengers, which can disrupt gameplay. Many appreciate the quality of the in-game music and its fitting nature, but there are complaints about the inability to manage noisy passengers effectively. Overall, the music contributes to the game's vibrant environment, though it can also lead to minor annoyances.

    • “I love driving a bus, making new routes and the music.”
    • “Great game, love the high quality realistic simulation, bus interiors look great, nice environment and cool soundtracks, and lots of different customization options - it's definitely worth purchasing it.”
    • “Loving listening to the multitude of free tracks they provide, I like house and chill out music so I was rather surprised when still finding new songs 20 hours in.”
    • “You will end up wanting to murder every last one of them for their vacuous comments, forgetting to get off the bus, littering the bus, playing loud music, ugh.”
    • “Weird music that sounds like Wii Sports music.”
    • “And Jesus Christ, I know a passenger is playing loud music but I don't have the time to stop and tell him to stop, and no, I don't have the time to return a lost item to someone who just left the bus.”
  • grinding18 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring significant effort to progress. While some missions can be completed quickly, many players feel that the repetitive nature of tasks, particularly in unlocking map areas and completing missions, detracts from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the grinding can make the experience feel less polished and more laborious, especially in comparison to other driving simulations.

    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “Branching storyline and gear grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The most annoying part of the game is how you unlock the map and city parts; it is boring, long, buggy, and grindy.”
    • “Missions get boring and tedious the further into the game.”
  • humor17 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players enjoying the quirky and humorous NPC dialogues and passenger comments, which add a lighthearted touch to the gameplay. However, some jokes, like repetitive lines about feeling in a simulation, quickly lose their charm, and certain scripted moments are deemed cringe-worthy. Overall, while the humor can be hit or miss, it contributes to an enjoyable and entertaining experience.

    • “Some of the NPC dialogues are very humorous 😸.”
    • “Love the tutorial, funny passenger comments and stuff.”
    • “It's also sometimes funny hearing what the passengers say while they are on your bus haha.”
  • replayability7 mentions

    The game offers strong replayability, particularly for fans of bus driving, with multiplayer features enhancing the experience. Players find it enjoyable and free of significant bugs, contributing to its lasting appeal. Overall, it is considered infinitely replayable.

    • “I haven't tried multiplayer yet but look forward to it and I suspect it will be the primary way to get replay value out of this game currently.”
    • “🔲 infinitely replayable”
    • “Replay value: well if you like driving buses, then I say this game is worth it.”
    • “I haven't tried multiplayer yet, but I look forward to it and I suspect it will be the primary way to get replay value out of this game currently.”
    • “Replay value is there for sure even with the multiplayer feature.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for including only lesser-known buses in the base game while reserving popular models for paid DLCs, which some players view as a cash grab for a €30 title. While players can manage their own bus lines and generate income through in-game advertising, the overall approach to monetization has left a negative impression, particularly regarding the perceived lack of value in the base content.

    • “The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel intrusive, allowing players to enjoy the game without constant pressure to spend money.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers plenty of free content, and the optional purchases are reasonably priced and enhance the experience without being necessary.”
    • “The balance between free and paid content is well done; I never feel forced to spend money to progress or enjoy the game.”
    • “Including only obscure ones in the base game and making commonly used buses available via DLCs only (O530K and A37 are default buses, the regular O530 and A21/A23 are not) seems like a cheap cash grab and not worthy of a €30 game.”
    • “Instead, they just promoted the game as a series for their channels whilst the devs received free advertising in return.”
    • “You can even add ads that will give you a weekly (or monthly) income.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game evokes frustration and a sense of realism, as players grapple with the harsh penalties for minor infractions, such as lightly touching a pedestrian, compared to more severe accidents. This disparity in consequences enhances the immersive experience of being a bus operator, while also leading to moments of humor and bonding among players. Overall, the emotional responses range from annoyance to amusement, reflecting the complexities of navigating the game's mechanics.

    • “It truly made me feel like a RTD bus operator (that's the transit system in my area).”
    • “One thing is ending up hitting a pedestrian when the pedestrian is crossing the road or even losing control of the bus and hitting a pedestrian; another thing is parking and the pedestrian walks towards you on the road, touching you before you could stop completely.”
    • “12,000 dollar fine for crashing into a pole when going 50 mph on a highway to a dead stop, whiplashing everyone in the bus... but a 20,000 fine for touching a pedestrian with the bus on the sidewalk at 1 mph...”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the excellent graphics and attention to detail that contribute to an immersive experience. Many consider it the best in its genre, emphasizing how small elements enhance the overall ambiance.

    • “It's the small things like that which can create such a great atmosphere.”
    • “By far the best bus game to date I have ever played; excellent graphics and atmosphere.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

67% average critic score

Buy Bus Simulator 18

Play time

10hMedian play time
13hAverage play time
7-25hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 18 analyzed playthroughs

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