Hard Truck Apocalypse: Arcade / Ex Machina: Arcade

About

In Hard Truck Apocalypse: Arcade, also known as Ex Machina: Arcade, players navigate a post-apocalyptic world as the driver of a powerful big rig. Fight off mutants, raid enemy convoys, and manage resources to survive in this open-world, vehicular combat experience. Customize your truck with weapons and upgrades while uncovering the mysteries of the wasteland.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Hard Truck Apocalypse: Arcade / Ex Machina: Arcade screenshot

21%

Audience ScoreBased on 48 reviews

optimization1 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game can provide a sense of nostalgia for players familiar with older titles.
Some players found enjoyment in the simple vehicular combat mechanics and upgrades.
It can be a fun distraction for those looking for a low-effort gaming experience.

The game is plagued by technical issues, including frequent crashes and poor performance on modern systems.
Graphics and gameplay mechanics are outdated, lacking the quality expected from contemporary games.
Misleading marketing and screenshots do not accurately represent the actual gameplay experience.

story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The story of the game is criticized for being disjointed and lacking coherence, largely due to the publisher's influence on its title. While some players find the underlying plot intriguing, the repetitive and frustrating mission design, coupled with unclear objectives, detracts significantly from the overall experience. The game's challenges, particularly the tornado mechanics, have led to frustration and even prompted some players to abandon it entirely.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “There is no map or clear instructions for quests, although the plot is interesting.”
- “It's a simple vehicular combat game, but the publisher demanded to name it Ex Machina, and that's why the story makes no sense in the lore.”
- “- Tragic, repetitive, boring, and long missions.”
- “Tornados in the second mission made me delete the game because they make it almost unplayable.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The graphics of the game are widely criticized, with reviewers noting that it exhibits outdated visuals typical of early 2000s console games and lacks extensive graphical options. Many users report issues such as crashes when adjusting settings and describe the overall graphical quality as poor, with clunky physics and a general lack of polish.
- “As a 2000s game, it features cinematic effects but lacks extensive graphics options.”
- “While this is on PC, it exhibits the hallmarks and deficiencies of a console game, from the clunky control scheme to the less-than-cutting-edge graphics.”
- “While this is on PC, it has all the hallmarks and deficiencies of a console game, from the clunkier than needed control scheme to the less than cutting edge graphics.”
- “Sure, the game might crash if you change any of the graphical settings.”
- “Physics are stupid, graphics are awful.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The gameplay has been criticized for featuring frustrating mechanics, such as tornados, which detract from the overall experience. Additionally, players feel that the gameplay presented on the store page does not accurately represent the actual game, leading to disappointment and irritation.
- “The gameplay on the store page is not what the game is really like.”
- “Infuriating gameplay.”
- “Tragic mechanics like tornadoes.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with in-game purchases for truck upgrades being prohibitively expensive. Additionally, the absence of save points or checkpoints exacerbates player frustration, suggesting a focus on profit over player experience.
- “This seems to have been put on Steam as a nostalgia gouge, or just a cash grab to try to profit from abandonware.”
- “The in-game purchases to improve your trucks are extremely expensive, and the lack of save points or checkpoints makes the entire game extremely frustrating.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is described as soothing and calming, providing a relaxing experience that can help players feel at ease.
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from poor optimization, lacking support for modern display resolutions and widescreen monitors, which results in subpar performance on contemporary gaming PCs.
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is initially entertaining, particularly during chaotic moments like being tossed around, but it can become repetitive and lose its charm after prolonged exposure to the same mechanics.
- “The first time I got yeeted around like a ragdoll, I actually found it funny!”
- “The humor in the game is spot on, with clever dialogue and hilarious situations that keep you laughing.”
- “I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously, making every failure feel like a comedic moment.”