Bus Simulator 21 Next Stop

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It's your stop! Bus Simulator 21 Next Stop is here! Enjoy many game improvements and a brand-new game mode with this comprehensive update. There is now also a dedicated Xbox Series S|X version with improved graphics and other optimizations. Career Mode combines Sandbox Mode with the campaign's economic system. You have access to all the bus stops and bus models right from the start of the game …

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Play Modes

Reviews

72%

Audience ScoreBased on 970 reviews

graphics58 positive mentions

stability71 negative mentions

The game features a wide variety of buses and maps, providing an engaging driving experience.
Graphics and attention to detail in the bus models and environments are impressive.
The management aspect of running a bus company adds depth and strategy to the gameplay.

The game is plagued with bugs, including AI issues where pedestrians and vehicles behave erratically.
Performance issues are common, with significant frame rate drops and crashes reported by many players.
The controls can be unresponsive or overly sensitive, making driving difficult and frustrating.

graphics
148 mentions
39 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the detailed bus models and realistic environments, while others criticize the overall quality as outdated and plagued by bugs. Many users note that despite the potential for good visuals, performance issues and graphical glitches detract from the experience, leading to a perception of subpar graphics compared to other recent titles. Overall, while some find the graphics enjoyable and immersive, others feel they fall short of expectations, especially given the game's recent release.
- “The graphics in this game are fantastic and how realistic the potholes are in the road.”
- “Wonderful game with realistic graphics and features.”
- “The graphics look beautiful, the bus models are very well made and the bus sounds are good.”
- “The graphics are so bad, full of bugs.”
- “You'd think the graphics would be top-notch since it's a game that was made recently, but it looks like it was made somewhere in 2015 and 2016. Whoever made this game needs to improve on so many levels.”
- “Don't buy it; at this point, the game is extremely buggy. The characters' mouths don't move at all, the graphics look like they were made in the early stages, and there are a lot of FPS drops.”
stability
73 mentions
3 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and performance issues that significantly detract from the overall experience. Many players experience frequent crashes, graphical anomalies, and erratic AI behavior, leading to frustration and an inability to progress in the game. Despite some acknowledging the game's potential and fun aspects, the overwhelming consensus is that it remains a "buggy mess" that requires substantial improvements and fixes.
- “Overall, I'd say this game has had a rocky start, but give it a try and you will enjoy it. If you want a bug-free experience, come back in October.”
- “Fucked up game with many glitches... encountered a new glitch where it says 'saved game out of sync exiting the game now' and it won't let me continue the story mode. The only option left is to play the whole thing again, and I'm not interested in it as it's just a waste of time.”
- “From graphical anomalies and objects clipping through the environment to AI-controlled vehicles behaving erratically, these glitches further detract from the immersion and undermine the overall polish of the game.”
- “Games been out for almost 5 months and it's still just as a broken, buggy mess as it was on day one.”
gameplay
73 mentions
21 % positive mentions
70 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the bus simulator is generally described as engaging and realistic, offering a genuine bus driving experience with various mechanics like route optimization and passenger interactions. However, it suffers from significant issues such as poor AI traffic, bugs, and a convoluted route creation system, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some players appreciate the depth and potential for fun, many express disappointment with the repetitive stop placements and inconsistent gameplay quality.
- “It feels like a genuine bus driving experience and the variety of buses keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging.”
- “Good game, it does what you expect it to do, which is to simulate buses, with route optimization for maximum profit, and even mechanics like kneeling the bus, extending ramps for PWDs, and even the cashier system.”
- “The gameplay is realistic to what a bus driver would experience, and the passenger dialogue is hilarious from time to time.”
- “The gameplay has me a bit disappointed; the stops are all clearly marked and just copy and paste all over the city. The placement of the stops doesn't seem very thought out and will have you doing circles around the map. The economy scale didn't make much sense, and I was playing on what I thought was hard mode, and it was not hard at all.”
- “Overall, this game has cool visuals, but it suffers from many bugs, gameplay issues, flawed design, poor presentation, and inconsistencies that turn it into one big mess that is difficult to take seriously - even after 402 hours of playtime.”
- “The driving mechanic feels so messy, and the HUD for the controls is unorganized and at times nonexistent.”
story
70 mentions
13 % positive mentions
83 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it for being linear, repetitive, and lacking depth, often describing the quests as forced and poorly executed. Numerous glitches and bugs have hindered progress, leading to frustration and a sense of wasted time, while some players found the gameplay addictive despite these issues. Overall, the narrative experience is seen as underwhelming, with many players feeling that it detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “The story mode and campaign are both fun.”
- “There is clearly a great level of detail and something for everyone, casual players, story mode lovers, and management/structural geeks.”
- “Amazing bus selection and story game mode give you a reason to keep going.”
- “The quests are boring and repetitious, and they all feel so forced, with the storyline being almost nonexistent and also so forced with terrible voice acting.”
- “Main quest locked up even though I precisely did what it asked me to do.”
- “Biggest issue was that my initial tutorial got stuck when I entered the garage and Mira wouldn't get out of the bus, which basically stopped the story and nothing moved.”
optimization
51 mentions
16 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
24 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, especially in densely populated areas, leading to frame rate drops and glitches. While some users experienced smooth gameplay on higher-end systems, others noted that the game struggles to maintain performance compared to its predecessor, Bus Simulator 18. Frequent updates have been released to address bugs and improve performance, but many still feel that substantial optimization work is needed.
- “Good game, it does what you expect it to do, which is to simulate buses, with route optimization for maximum profit, and even mechanics like kneeling the bus, extending ramps for people with disabilities, and even the cashier system.”
- “Even early after the launch, the game has seen 3 hotfixes, which have helped to squash bugs and improve the overall performance of the game.”
- “In 2 days there have been 2 patches that have drastically improved performance and fixed a myriad of bugs.”
- “Terrible optimization, and doesn't even have proper wheel support still.”
- “The game is not optimized and many things are the same as in Bus Simulator 18.”
- “Performance is abysmal.”
grinding
19 mentions
16 % positive mentions
11 % neutral mentions
74 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it enjoyable and immersive, akin to a farming simulator, while others describe it as tedious and frustrating, particularly in tasks like route creation and leveling up. Many users express that the grinding mechanics feel poorly implemented compared to other simulation games, leading to a lack of fun and engagement over time. Overall, the consensus suggests that while some players may appreciate the grind, it often detracts from the overall experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Branching storyline and gear grinding.”
- “ARPG/MMORPG reputation grinding.”
- “Within the first hour, it became tedious and frustrating, and that's just not fun at all.”
- “They've got a long way to go, and the gameplay is pretty grindy to get really low-level unlocks like paint colors, something I hope will be worked out with the next stop release.”
- “If I want to play grinding quests, I would have to go play an MMORPG for that.”
humor
10 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its absurd animations and quirky pedestrian behaviors, such as the comically exaggerated walking styles and the amusing interactions with the bus. Players find the dialogue and unexpected glitches to be genuinely funny, contributing to a lighthearted and entertaining experience overall. The combination of realistic gameplay and humorous elements makes for a relaxing yet amusing gaming session.
- “The pedestrians are an abomination, from the fact some look like they are walking through treacle to the hilariously bad 'totter' animation of the old ladies.”
- “The gameplay is realistic to what a bus driver would experience, and the passenger dialogue is hilarious from time to time.”
- “Or how a whole 'group' suddenly decides to walk and run or... the way some passengers walk into the backdoor of the bus is hilariously bad at times!”
replayability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
100 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game's replayability is high, with players appreciating the variety of choices and outcomes that encourage multiple playthroughs. Many highlight the presence of different character paths and unlockable content as key factors that enhance the overall experience. Overall, players feel that the game offers enough depth and diversity to keep them engaged beyond the initial playthrough.
monetization
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game appears to be integrated into gameplay through missions that involve driving routes with advertising, which can lead to confusing and glitchy experiences. Players have reported issues with mission mechanics and unexpected game behavior, suggesting that the monetization elements may detract from the overall gameplay experience.
- “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 felt forced to spend money to progress or enjoy the game.”
- “The monetization in this game feels excessive and intrusive, often interrupting the gameplay experience with constant prompts to spend money.”
- “I find the monetization strategy frustrating; it seems like every time I turn around, there's another paywall blocking my progress.”
- “The game is designed in a way that makes it nearly impossible to enjoy without spending real money, which really detracts from the overall experience.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is highly praised, with users noting its impressive graphics and realistic simulation sounds, contributing to an enjoyable and immersive experience in the bus simulator genre.
- “Although I have to say I've seldom had as much fun with a bus simulator, this is the best such game I've ever played. The graphics, simulation noise, and overall atmosphere are great.”
music
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players feeling that the inclusion of ambient sounds, such as conversations and loud music, detracts from the simulation experience they desire.
- “The mechanics with people talking on the bus and the little events like litter and loud music are just not what I look for in a simulator.”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I found the soundtrack to be uninspired and not fitting for the game's atmosphere.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a strong emotional response to the game, noting that while some players may overreact to minor issues, these reactions do not detract from the overall quality and impact of the game.