Expeditions: A MudRunner Game

Expeditions: A Mudrunner Game is a thrilling game that will test even the best drivers in gaming in large, diverse, and expansive maps with challenges all around you.

52%Game Brain Score

gameplay, graphics

story, stability

52% User Score Based on 1,691 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 14 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $22.29

Buy NowGet on Steam$39.99

Buy NowGet on Xbox Games Store

About

Expeditions: A MudRunner Game is an off-road simulation set in expansive open worlds, where you lead research missions in all-terrain vehicles to discover hidden treasures and forgotten ruins. The Year 1 Edition and Supreme Edition come with additional trucks and content passes. Gameplay involves managing your camp, crew, and high-tech tools to overcome nature's challenges while unraveling the game's mysteries.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Expeditions: A MudRunner Game screenshot

52%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,691 reviews

gameplay68 positive mentions

story73 negative mentions

The game offers a unique focus on exploration and scouting, making it enjoyable for players who prefer off-road adventures over cargo hauling.
Graphics and vehicle physics are impressive, providing a satisfying driving experience with detailed environments.
New mechanics like tire pressure adjustment and the use of drones enhance gameplay and add depth to the exploration aspect.

The user interface is confusing and cumbersome, making it difficult to navigate menus and manage vehicles effectively.
The game lacks a sense of progression and freedom, as players are forced to return to the main menu after each mission, limiting exploration.
Many vehicles and features are locked behind DLC paywalls, which feels like a cash grab and detracts from the overall experience.

story
712 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
81%
10%
The story aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many players noting that the missions feel disconnected and repetitive, often resembling a series of mundane fetch quests. While there are hints of a narrative, such as rebuilding a village, the overall execution is seen as shallow, with little to no impact on gameplay or player experience. The mission structure, which forces players to return to a menu after each task, further detracts from any sense of immersion or progression, leaving many feeling that the game lacks a compelling storyline.
- “The free additional map was enjoyable, if a bit easy, but season 1 was excellent with a bit of a story pushing me to complete the expeditions and the way the maps work together is a great idea.”
- “Expeditions and side missions are all well balanced with nice narrative backgrounds and offer various challenges.”
- “The environments I've encountered so far are beautiful and although the missions don't exactly draw you in with a compelling story, they make sense in the context of the game and really it's about the challenge of getting there and exploring along the way.”
- “Yes, there are some quests to put up some kind of an antenna transmitter thing, and there is some 'lore/backstory' to each mission, but frankly none of it seems to affect anything; it's just some text that in today's day and age might have just been generated.”
- “The missions are basic, trips are short, and you don't feel accomplished like you did in Snowrunner after a task.”
- “The mission structure is a total fail. You can't just hop into free roam on the map until you complete the missions, and the lack of a garage to edit your truck on the fly and get back out without finishing the mission is frustrating.”
gameplay
269 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
69%
6%
The gameplay of "Expeditions: A Mudrunner Game" has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the new mechanics and exploration focus, while others criticize the clunky controls, confusing UI, and lack of engaging missions. Many fans of the previous titles, "Snowrunner" and "Mudrunner," feel disappointed by the shift to a more mission-based structure, which they find less satisfying and lacking in depth compared to the open-world experience of its predecessors. Overall, while the game introduces interesting features like tire pressure adjustments and drones, it struggles with execution and leaves some players yearning for the more immersive gameplay of earlier entries in the series.
- “The gameplay loop is fun and simple.”
- “The new mechanics make this such a great addition to the series and add a really nice layer of depth to the gameplay.”
- “Expeditions offers a unique blend of exploration, simulation, and strategy gameplay.”
- “The upgrades are not worth the price, the missions are boring as hell, and the new mechanics are sketchy at best.”
- “The gameplay loop did not engage me at all - go here, scan this thing, send a drone up, mission complete... boring.”
- “The driving mechanics, a core pillar for any off-road title, fall short of the genre's standards, leading to an experience that's more frustrating than challenging.”
graphics
119 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
50%
4%
The graphics in the game have received largely positive feedback, with many players praising the stunning visuals, attention to detail, and realistic environmental effects. While some users noted a cartoonish aesthetic and occasional graphical glitches, the overall impression is that the graphics are a significant improvement over previous titles like Snowrunner, providing an immersive experience that enhances gameplay. However, a few critics feel that the graphics do not fully compensate for other gameplay shortcomings.
- “The graphics are beautiful.”
- “Amazing scenery with great graphics, realistic physics, and a fun mission layout.”
- “With its stunning graphics, immersive gameplay mechanics, and attention to detail, Expeditions sets a new standard for exploration games.”
- “The visuals are so bad, they'd make a potato blush.”
- “The graphics look like a cartoon, and the controls are tailored for consoles and steering wheels.”
- “The graphics actually look worse than Snowrunner.”
stability
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
91%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Users have noted issues with the user interface, vehicle physics, and multiplayer functionality, often describing the experience as frustrating and poorly optimized. While some players have found minor improvements over time, the overall consensus is that the game feels unfinished and requires substantial updates to address its persistent stability problems.
- “Very fun game, has no glitches or anything.”
- “Runs great on the Steam Deck, and really suits shorter sessions.”
- “Visually, the game looks amazing, and it runs great too.”
- “Vehicles clip through terrain, the map glitches out, and the game crashes frequently.”
- “The game is very buggy and feels very rushed; I failed the same mission 3 times in a row because a wheel got stuck in the ground... in different spots not even close to each other.”
- “My main reason for not recommending this is that the UI is so buggy and poorly thought out that it's borderline unusable.”
optimization
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
59%
26%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players noting significant improvements in performance and visuals, particularly on high-end systems. However, many users report persistent bugs, crashes, and poor optimization for mid-range PCs, leading to a frustrating experience. While updates have addressed some issues, the game still struggles with optimization, especially on lower-end hardware and specific maps.
- “Decent mud/snow runner physics, more refined and optimized, feeling better than ever, stunning visuals, and more exploration-based gameplay.”
- “The game feels optimized for high performance, which is critical when precision driving is such a core mechanic.”
- “Seems really well optimized; I'm at 3440x1440 on a 6700 XT on ultra settings and getting 100 fps.”
- “Currently the game is very buggy and badly optimized.”
- “The main drawback is poor optimization and a bunch of bugs.”
- “It is not even close to optimized for PC; the drone feature is just crappy, and the gameplay is clunky and messy.”
grinding
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
4%
92%
The reviews highlight a pervasive sense of tedium associated with grinding in the game, with many players expressing frustration over repetitive missions, poor UI design, and a lack of meaningful rewards. While some appreciate the shift away from the grind-heavy mechanics of previous titles like Snowrunner, others find the gameplay still feels overly tedious and unengaging, often leading to boredom. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Game progression is locked behind tedious exploration missions where you must explore certain areas.”
- “It feels extremely grindy for little to no reward.”
- “Missions are extremely tedious and are not enjoyable/rewarding at all and often bug out.”
monetization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
92%
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with players expressing frustration over the need to pay for vehicle recovery and the early promotion of DLCs and season passes. Many feel that the game lacks the depth and quality expected from its predecessors, leading to disappointment and a perception of corporate greed. Overall, the monetization approach has left a sour impression on the community, detracting from the gameplay experience.
- “The monetization model feels a bit off, especially when it comes to recovering vehicles. It seems unreasonable to charge players for something that should be part of the core gameplay experience.”
- “While I appreciate the variety of vehicles available, the reliance on microtransactions for recovery feels frustrating. I hope future updates will address this issue.”
- “The pricing for vehicle recovery is disappointing. In an off-road game, I expect a more integrated approach to vehicle management without the need for additional payments.”
- “The fact I have to pay to recover vehicles is stupid. How are you going to make a crawling/offroad game and rely on mods to make all of your vehicles? I'm sure updates, mods, and microtransactions will refine this, but at this price, I expect better.”
- “Honestly feels like instead of upgrading SnowRunner, they made this a separate game just as a cash grab.”
- “Tl;dr - pointless, soulless corporate cash grab.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The music in the game is praised for its relaxing and immersive qualities, featuring psychedelic rock that enhances the driving experience. Many players prefer to lower the in-game sounds to enjoy their own music, as the game's soundtrack is considered limited and somewhat generic. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the ambiance, players express a desire for more diverse soundtracks or radio stations.
- “Driving and exploring feels really good and is accompanied by really great music - relaxing psychedelic rock, similar to bands like The Re-Stoned or Liquified and others.”
- “Overall, this doesn’t stop me from having a great off-roading experience while listening to some of the best music that I accidentally discovered in this game.”
- “If you lower the engine sound, the birds and music create a calming atmosphere and meditative gameplay.”
- “A shame there is no soundtrack provided.”
- “Music feels not even generic, generated rather.”
- “More soundtracks would be nice, a radio station perhaps.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely derived from its chaotic physics and the amusing interactions between players, leading to many laugh-out-loud moments, such as unexpected glitches and exaggerated vehicle behaviors. Players enjoy the comedic aspects of navigating challenges together, often finding themselves in ridiculous situations that enhance the fun, despite some frustrations with game mechanics. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with gameplay, making it a delightful experience, especially when played with friends.
- “Talking, plotting routes, and helping each other out of scrapes while laughing at each other, when one of us ends up upside down...is what is making the game fun.”
- “Great game to play with friends, many funny moments.”
- “The sense of accomplishment is real, and the physics engine, while occasionally infuriating, can create some truly hilarious (and sometimes terrifying) moments.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The atmosphere in the game is mixed, with some players feeling that the landscapes and vehicles lack realism, diminishing the sense of danger in harsh conditions. While the immersive audio enhances the experience, the gameplay's focus on mini-game quests detracts from the potential for exploration and challenging terrain. However, adjusting the sound can create a calming and meditative atmosphere, highlighting the game's versatility.
- “The audio is immersive too, with engines roaring realistically and environmental sounds complementing the harsh atmosphere.”
- “If you lower the engine sound, the birds and music create a calming atmosphere and meditative gameplay.”
- “The landscape and vehicles feel less realistic, and the atmosphere of dangerous journeys through harsh conditions is missing.”
- “I was hoping for more exploration and challenging terrain, finding paths to get to areas etc... SnowRunner without the log hauling, but no, it's minigame quests... ruins the atmosphere with Simon Says machine on top of an old truck.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Overall, players express disappointment in the game's replayability, noting that missions cannot be replayed and that once completed, there is little incentive to return. Some suggest alternatives like "SnowRunner," which offers more engaging content and additional DLC for extended play.
- “Just buy SnowRunner; it's way more fun and there's already a ton of DLC for replayability.”
- “Don't like that missions are not replayable; once I'm done with everything, there won't be anything left to do.”
- “A few little tips and tricks have made the game a bit more playable, but on the whole, if I had known what I was buying in the first place, then I wouldn't have bought it.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that while "SnowRunner" successfully evokes a sense of accomplishment and connection to the environment, "Expeditions" is perceived as overly gamified and lacking emotional depth, making it feel more suited for a younger audience. The contrast highlights a disconnect in emotional engagement, with "SnowRunner" fostering a more immersive and rewarding experience.
- “Expeditions: a MudRunner game - a review for off-road enthusiasts (or anyone who enjoys wading through emotional mire).”
- “SnowRunner made me feel like a skilled outback trucker that slowly but surely made life better for the people in that map.”