Star Trucker

There’s a lot to like in Star Trucker, and it's bursting with potential. It’s also in need of some balance and tweaking. Still, what’s on offer is well worth the asking price, and should keep you trucking for a long while.

80%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

optimization, grinding

80% User Score Based on 2,536 reviews

Critic Score 72%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $24.99

Buy NowGet on Steam$24.99

Buy NowGet on Xbox Games Store

About

In "Star Trucker," become a space big rig driver, hauling cargo, scavenging for salvage, and interacting with various characters. Upgrade your truck and equipment at auto-shops, and engage with the CB radio for communication and missions. Trade legal or contraband goods at stations for extra income.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,536 reviews

story101 positive mentions

optimization20 negative mentions

The game has a unique concept of space trucking, combining elements of simulation and resource management.
Visually stunning with beautiful environments and a great soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience.
The gameplay loop is engaging, with a mix of hauling cargo, managing truck systems, and completing story missions.

Controls can be clunky and difficult to master, especially with the lack of lateral thrust and keybinding options.
The economy is unbalanced, with high costs for maintenance and low payouts for deliveries, leading to frustration.
Some players experience game-breaking bugs that can hinder progress, such as missions not unlocking or trailers disconnecting.

story
532 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
78%
3%
The story in the game is generally described as simple and straightforward, serving primarily as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a focal point. While some players appreciate the engaging characters and voice acting, many express frustration with the mission structure, which often feels repetitive and lacks meaningful rewards. Overall, the narrative adds a charming layer to the space trucking experience, but it suffers from bugs and pacing issues that can detract from the enjoyment.
- “The story is quaint, but the characters are fun to follow and hear from!”
- “Beautiful visuals, immersive soundtrack, engaging gameplay, interesting story and characters, simply an amazing game.”
- “The story missions have enough to play around in the space and do all of the things you'd want to do in the setting, and the universe is a very nice aesthetic of retro future designs.”
- “The story missions feel very disjointed, and their existence seems more out of obligation to somehow pace your progress through the game than anything else.”
- “Story missions usually don't pay at all, so if you rush storyline without doing side-jobs, you are screwed.”
- “The biggest problem with this game is the terrible storyline you are forced to follow to obtain key upgrades and unlock new sectors.”
gameplay
467 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
65%
7%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the fun and engaging core mechanics of space trucking and resource management, while others criticize the repetitive nature and tedious maintenance tasks that can detract from the overall experience. The flight mechanics and customization options are generally well-received, but issues such as clunky controls, lack of depth in mission variety, and frustrating survival mechanics have led to frustration among some players. Overall, while the game shows promise and has a solid foundation, it requires further refinement and quality-of-life improvements to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “The gameplay loop is fun.”
- “Very fun flight mechanics, system controls, and atmosphere.”
- “Super fun and casual/chill game, has enjoyable and rewarding progression and enjoyable game mechanics.”
- “After spending five hours with it, I found myself bored of the repetitive and shallow gameplay.”
- “The hauling mechanic, which could have been the centerpiece, boils down to slow, uneventful journeys between stargates, with little to break the monotony.”
- “The gameplay loop is as simple as it gets: pick up a load, point at the gate, hit cruise, jump, and repeat.”
music
305 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
53%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its immersive and fitting soundtrack, which enhances the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. However, many players have noted the limited variety, with only a handful of songs available on the in-game radio, leading to repetition over extended play sessions. Suggestions for improvement include adding more tracks, allowing players to import their own music, or introducing additional radio stations to diversify the listening experience.
- “The music is fantastic, all the sounds are amazing, just sitting down in the pilot's chair has so many neat noises and animations.”
- “The soundtrack is an absolute love letter to that weird obsession with trucking in the American pop culture back in the 70s and it's genuinely worth turning the radio on.”
- “The atmospheric music perfectly complements the serene and sometimes intense moments of space travel, enhancing the overall immersion.”
- “The only complaint I can say about this game genuinely is there's not enough music on the one radio station.”
- “After you've played it for an hour or two, you've heard the same few songs enough times you know which one is coming in the first little bit of the song being played.”
- “The music is very well done, but the song selection on the radio is quite limited.”
graphics
230 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
37%
1%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their stunning visuals and unique art style, effectively capturing a vibrant sci-fi aesthetic that enhances the immersive experience. Players appreciate the detailed environments, smooth animations, and the overall atmosphere, which contribute to the game's charm. However, some users have noted occasional graphical glitches and performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems, but these do not significantly detract from the overall positive reception of the graphics.
- “On the positive side, the controls are intuitive, making it easy to get started, and the graphics are genuinely impressive, capturing a beautiful sci-fi aesthetic.”
- “Stunning visuals: the game's visuals are a standout feature, with breathtaking vistas of nebulas, distant planets, and futuristic cityscapes.”
- “The graphics are out of this world, the gameplay is smooth like a fresh launch, and let’s not forget the humor—you'll find yourself chuckling at the quirky alien encounters along the way.”
- “Overall the story is okay, and the graphics are also alright, but when you have beautiful space games with better controls, like No Man's Sky, Star Citizen, and even Starfield, you are left with a lot to be desired.”
- “For a game where hardly anything is present on screen (cartoony space graphics), it could run better, or provide more graphics customization settings to better compromise on whatever is hogging the GPU.”
- “I guess somehow they've had a year of testing for this game and still somehow it's missing basic quality of life features, and has only basic graphics settings.”
optimization
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
57%
26%
The game's optimization has received largely negative feedback, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including low frame rates and stuttering, particularly in dense areas or on certain systems. While some users noted that the game runs smoothly on high-end rigs, others experienced severe drops in performance, leading to frustration and calls for urgent optimization updates. Overall, the consensus is that the game requires substantial improvements in optimization to enhance the gaming experience.
- “Story rich, good gameplay, really good looking graphics, optimized quite well.”
- “The performance is also very good on a mid-tier setup which is a great bonus.”
- “Highways, police checkpoints, portals, the ability to jump out of the truck and play with gravity and much more... what's more, even in terms of optimization, I can't believe how perfectly it runs without a single jam or crash... big exception unfortunately these days.”
- “Speaking of performance, this game is horrible with its optimization.”
- “$24.99 does not feel like a fair price for something with glaring performance issues and wonky, half-baked systems that do nothing except beat the player down for daring to try experimenting.”
- “The performance of the game is poor, only averaging around 20-40fps on high settings with a RTX 3060.”
grinding
75 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
5%
93%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and frustrating, especially in the early stages. While some appreciate the depth and challenge of managing resources and maintenance, others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to a repetitive experience. Custom difficulty settings are available, allowing players to adjust the grind to their preference, but the consensus is that the game can feel overly grindy and punishing at times.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It's tedious and unforgiving, to the point you will have to restart your entire save after several hours.”
- “The game is a harrowing experience of terrible user interface and tedious grind.”
- “The default game mode is overly difficult and tedious, likely to hide the lack of content.”
atmosphere
71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
28%
4%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, combining beautiful visuals, engaging sound design, and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the unique settings and the nostalgic feel of space trucking, although some note that the limited variety in music can detract from the experience. Overall, the game successfully creates a charming and relaxing environment that draws players into its world.
- “Vast planets, nebulae, and perilous debris fields all add to the atmosphere as well as the visuals.”
- “The atmosphere is amazing.”
- “The atmosphere is gorgeous, the story is engaging, the sounds are just right, and the controls really feel like you're driving a heavy vehicle.”
- “Moving past bugs, there isn't other traffic apart from other trucks which takes away from the atmosphere.”
- “In my opinion, the maintenance aspect of this game somewhat ruins the chill 'truck driver' atmosphere, since I found myself sweating about whether I should fill my truck's gas tank, if I need to buy batteries (since there are 8 items that need batteries, with no way to recharge them), or if I could buy an upgrade for my truck for the shop.”
- “The maintenance, upgrades, and some of the atmosphere just seems so much more shallow than it should/could.”
stability
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
2%
65%
Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while many players report that it runs well on various platforms, including the Steam Deck, there are significant issues with bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay. Some users have experienced severe problems, such as game-breaking crashes and soft locks, particularly in story mode, while others have noted minor glitches that do not significantly hinder their experience. Despite these issues, the game's performance is generally praised, especially in terms of graphics and controls.
- “I love the fact that this runs great on my Steam Deck and the controls are easy to understand and remember.”
- “No glitches; I mean since I got it, I've never had one performance issue.”
- “The game runs great - and actually looks really decent.”
- “Buggy, it bricks your game and can't progress in story mode.”
- “It gets a negative review nothing is explained you can soft lock yourself constantly you get fined and penalized for things you haven't even done if you're docked other trucks will hit you and you'll be charged for it. The game is one huge buggy anti-player mess.”
- “Great game but too many horrible out-of-nowhere glitches. Every time I pass through haze way with multiple trailers, it disconnects them. I've had to restart the story on custom multiple times because of this and the horrible air filter prices.”
humor
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its quirky and absurdist elements, with players enjoying the comedic scenarios that arise from space trucking, such as trucks colliding with security barriers and gravity mishaps. The well-written characters and amusing dialogue contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere, though some players find the humor hit-or-miss, with a mix of corny jokes and entertaining AI interactions. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with its gameplay mechanics, making for a fun and often hilarious experience.
- “And often seeing some new trucks arrive, only to drive straight into security checkpoint barriers, which is nothing if not hilarious.”
- “The graphics are out of this world, the gameplay is smooth like a fresh launch, and let’s not forget the humor—you'll find yourself chuckling at the quirky alien encounters along the way.”
- “Was hilarious when my gravity generator ran out of power and all my stuff was floating around.”
monetization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is closely tied to its immersive radio ads and soundtrack, which enhance the overall experience but can become repetitive over time. While players appreciate the creativity and effort behind the in-game advertisements and music, there is a desire for more variety to maintain engagement. Overall, the advertising concept is seen as a strong point, but its execution may need improvement to align better with the game's core experience.
- “Soon you know all songs and ads and it gets a tad dull.”
- “Wish the people advertising this game actually knew what they were talking about.”
- “I am sure the game is great, but the advertising is not.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find potential for exploration and enjoyment in single-player modes, many express disappointment due to a lack of incentives to replay after completing the main story. Some users mention the possibility of returning in the future, but overall, there are significant concerns about the game's long-term engagement and replay value.
- “This opens the game up to more replayability.”
- “That is an absurd number of hours rivaling even large RPGs in terms of replayable content.”
- “If you're on board with those, then this will be an excellent single-player experience that I'm sure has quite the replayability potential.”
- “Limited replayability: once you've completed the main story, there's not much incentive to return, aside from exploring the open world.”
- “There is no replayability, and you will be done with the game, unless they decide to make some major changes.”
- “It lacks any replayability or motivation to try new things.”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a mixed emotional experience with the game, oscillating between frustration and enjoyment. While some find the early gameplay challenging and emotionally taxing due to financial struggles, others appreciate the relaxing atmosphere, engaging music, and the joy of customization and exploration. Overall, the emotional impact varies significantly, with some players feeling overwhelmed and others finding it wholesome and enjoyable.
- “The next day I started the game, it was a wholesome, relaxing experience, listening to good music and flying through nicely made areas in open space, following the routes, buying the first upgrades for my truck, customizing it, and fulfilling a few quests.”
- “Recommended will hurt early game, financially and emotionally.”
- “Such a wholesome game!”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
Character development in the game is noted for its decent variety, particularly in the main missions, which provide enough depth to engage players. However, reviewers express a desire for more interaction with characters, such as random encounters and additional content, to enhance the overall experience.
- “I would love to see more character development or more interactions with the characters, like running into them randomly or at the waypoints where their rig is waiting for you. I prefer not talking to ghosts, and I hope there will be more content added to the game in the future.”
- “More character development or more interaction with the characters, like running into them randomly or having their rigs waiting for you at waypoints, would enhance the experience. I dislike talking to ghosts, and I wish there was more content in the game. I understand this is a new game, and hopefully, more content is on the way.”
- “The procedural jobs have some good variety for a trucking game, and the main missions (called side quests) have just enough character development to be worth finishing.”