Star Trucker

Star Trucker is either wildly infuriating or incredibly relaxing, depending on how you approach it on a given day.

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Haul cargo, trade salvage and keep your space suit close as you search for fame and fortune among the stars in a game that puts an interstellar twist on the truck sim genre.

Play Modes

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

Reviews

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,808 reviews

story62 positive mentions

optimization15 negative mentions

The game offers a unique blend of space exploration and trucking simulation, providing an engaging experience for fans of both genres.
The visuals and sound design are impressive, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the gameplay.
The ability to manage and maintain various systems on the truck adds depth and complexity, making each delivery feel rewarding.

The game can be overly punishing, especially on the recommended difficulty, leading to frustration and frequent deaths due to resource management.
There are significant quality of life issues, such as the lack of keybinding options and the inability to change difficulty mid-game, which can hinder the experience.
The AI drivers are erratic and can cause unnecessary collisions, resulting in costly fines and damage to the player's truck.

story
381 mentions
16 % positive mentions
81 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, featuring engaging characters and imaginative side missions that enhance the trucking experience. However, many players find the main story missions to be somewhat disjointed and lacking in rewards, often leading to frustration due to bugs and the need to complete side jobs for financial stability. While the voice acting and atmosphere are praised, the overall narrative structure and progression can feel tedious and unbalanced, with some players expressing a desire for more content and better integration of story elements into gameplay.
- “The story missions were a lot more varied and interesting than I expected, with fun characters.”
- “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.”
- “The characters are charming, and interacting with them is a genuine motivator to progress in the story.”
- “The biggest problem with this game is the terrible storyline you are forced to follow to obtain key upgrades and unlock new sectors.”
- “Story missions usually don't pay at all, so if you rush storyline without doing side-jobs, you are screwed.”
- “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.”
gameplay
368 mentions
26 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this space trucking simulator is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics and frustrating elements, creating a unique but often tedious experience. Players appreciate the addictive core loop of hauling cargo and managing truck maintenance, but many express dissatisfaction with the micromanagement of resources, clunky controls, and a lack of depth in gameplay variety. While the game shows promise with its visuals and atmosphere, it requires significant balancing and quality-of-life improvements to enhance overall enjoyment.
- “The gameplay loop is pretty fun and addicting.”
- “I love driving around, taking jobs, hauling loads between systems, dropping them off, trading in system, maybe hopping out on EVA to grab some salvage to sell later, buying low, selling high for massive profits, maintaining the truck through batteries, filters, and control circuits, upgrading and servicing it, very fun gameplay loop.”
- “The core gameplay loop is simple but satisfying.”
- “But the gameplay isn't fun, the controls are clunky, needs a help key, and it honestly feels like I'm fighting the game rather than having fun with it.”
- “The concept is outstanding and has so much potential to be a lot of fun, but is held back by poorly executed mechanics that left me feeling deeply frustrated with the experience overall.”
- “The gameplay loop is as simple as it gets: pick up a load, point at the gate, hit cruise, jump, and repeat. Unfortunately, the lack of depth in both the mechanics and the characters leaves much to be desired.”
music
205 mentions
45 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its immersive and thematic quality, featuring a mix of original tracks that blend classic rock, blues, and country influences, which enhance the overall atmosphere. However, many players have noted the limited number of songs available on the in-game radio, leading to repetitiveness during extended play sessions, and have expressed a desire for more variety or the option to upload personal music. Overall, while the soundtrack is considered excellent, the need for an expanded music library is a common request among players.
- “The music comes in two flavors; float around space in awe of the ambience of the soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack is an absolute love letter to that weird obsession with trucking in 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.”
- “I think that there should either be more stations, more songs, or ways to upload your own music because the current amount of songs to listen to gets repetitive fast.”
- “The only gripe I have is that the radio that plays music in-game is quite limited in tracks (or they just seem to repeat themselves too often), but I've circumvented that by using Hardspace: Shipbreakers soundtrack, or just any old Spotify playlist.”
- “There are 15 songs currently in the soundtrack (just shy of an hour's worth of listening time), so you will start hearing repeats if you play with the radio on for any length of time.”
graphics
162 mentions
60 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received largely positive feedback, with many players praising the stunning visuals, unique art style, and immersive atmosphere that effectively capture the retro-futuristic trucking aesthetic in space. While some users noted minor graphical stutters and performance issues, the overall design and attention to detail were highlighted as impressive, contributing to an engaging gameplay experience. However, a few players expressed disappointment with the graphics' technical quality, suggesting that improvements could enhance the overall experience.
- “Very good design and excellent visuals, quite immersive.”
- “The game has gorgeous visuals, I was blown away to see it was only 5 gigs.”
- “The graphics are some of the best I have seen and it is fluid.”
- “The game is boring and repetitive, the graphics are decent but I will request a refund.”
- “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 was literally getting 1fps after the tutorial regardless of display & graphics settings.”
optimization
57 mentions
16 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
26 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback from users. While some players report smooth performance on mid-tier systems, many others experience significant stuttering, frame rate drops, and other performance issues, particularly in dense areas or when using certain settings. There is a consensus that the game requires further optimization to enhance the overall experience and address the inconsistencies in performance across different hardware configurations.
- “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... I don't regret my money one bit and I really enjoy the game.”
- “Solid launch, that alone makes it one of the best games this year in my book; in the beginning, the FPS drops here and there, but after a bit, it runs smoothly.”
- “Game is not optimized at all.”
- “Optimization is lackluster and it's leaving huge amounts of performance on the table.”
- “Had to refund unfortunately due to poor performance, the main menu runs at the expected 120hz of my monitor, but upon entering the game, sitting in the cockpit will not exceed 60fps (it also frequently dips below this).”
grinding
56 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding it overly tedious and frustrating, particularly in terms of maintenance and resource management. While some appreciate the customizable difficulty settings that allow for a more relaxed experience, others feel that the constant need for upkeep and the repetitive nature of tasks detracts from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game is seen as a niche title that may appeal to fans of simulation genres, but its grind-heavy mechanics can be off-putting for those seeking a more casual experience.
- “At the moment though, it is just a bit too grindy and stressful to fit the 'chill trucking game' genre, but I have faith it will get there.”
- “The game is a harrowing experience of terrible user interface and tedious grind.”
- “This game can be incredibly tedious and frustrating, especially early game.”
atmosphere
53 mentions
72 % positive mentions
23 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and charming qualities, featuring beautiful visuals, engaging sound design, and a nostalgic trucker vibe set in a futuristic context. Players appreciate the relaxing and serene environments, complemented by a fitting music selection, although some feel that certain gameplay mechanics can detract from the overall chill experience. Overall, the game successfully creates a unique and enjoyable atmosphere that enhances the space trucking experience.
- “The atmosphere is amazing.”
- “One of the game's biggest strengths is its charming atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is gorgeous, the story is engaging, the sounds are just right, the controls really feel like you're driving a heavy vehicle.”
- “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.”
- “- radio music, while fitting the theme of the game, is way too high energy for the atmosphere of the game.”
- “The maintenance, upgrades, and some of the atmosphere just seems so much more shallow than it should/could.”
stability
38 mentions
29 % positive mentions
3 % neutral mentions
68 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent glitches and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, particularly during critical moments. While some users have experienced smooth performance, especially on devices like the Steam Deck, others have faced significant issues such as soft locks, collision problems, and frustrating penalties for glitches. Overall, while the game shows potential and runs well for some, it is marred by stability concerns that could hinder the experience for many players.
- “This game is not very buggy.”
- “No glitches; I mean since I got it, I've never had one performance issue.”
- “Game runs great and looks fantastic.”
- “There's always some maintenance to do, and if you're trying to focus on taking zero damage then you're going to get frustrated with some collisions or occasional glitches.”
- “The game needs to fix bugs and glitches, as well as reconsider what 'difficulty' is for 'normal' players.”
- “Thers also some glitches which can result in being severely punished by the game, and you only get 3 save states for some reason, so a lot of things can go wrong, glitches or not, and you could end up totally stuck in debt and end up having to restart your entire game.”
humor
17 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of absurdist and situational comedy, particularly evident in scenarios like malfunctioning gravity and the juxtaposition of space trucking with blue-collar themes. Players appreciate the well-written characters and amusing dialogue, though some find the humor hit-or-miss, with a mix of corny jokes and moments that elicit genuine laughter. Overall, the game successfully delivers a lighthearted experience, despite some frustrations with its mechanics.
- “The system management has just the right amount of manual and sci-fi technowizardry cheese, and there can be some rather hilarious circumstances, like realizing too late that your gravity is about to lose power, then spending a frantic few moments trying to turn it back on, only to then discover that objects in your cabin have durability they lose when they come crashing into each other or the floor when the gravity is restored, lol.”
- “A great little game that delivers on the funny idea of driving a typical American truck in space.”
- “The dialogue is well voiced and often chuckle-funny.”
monetization
11 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with players appreciating the immersive in-game radio and original advertisements that enhance the atmosphere. However, there are concerns that the advertising does not accurately represent the game, leading to a disconnect between expectations and reality. Overall, while the creative elements are praised, the effectiveness of the advertising strategy is seen as lacking.
- “I am sure the game is great, but the advertising is not.”
- “Because of that, it narrows the scope so much as to make the game feel like something else instead of what it's advertising.”
- “Wish the soundtrack and radio ads had more; what's there is really great.”
emotional
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the game emotionally engaging, with a mix of wholesome moments and challenging experiences that can lead to frustration, particularly in the early stages. The interactive elements enhance the emotional connection, but some users express a desire for better balance to maintain enjoyment without feeling overwhelmed. Overall, the game elicits a range of emotions, from joy to stress, making it a memorable experience.
- “Recommended will hurt early game, financially and emotionally.”
- “Such a wholesome game!”
replayability
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has significant replayability issues, with many players feeling that once completed, there is little motivation to return unless major updates are made. While some enjoy the single-player experience and see potential for replayability, the consensus leans towards a lack of compelling reasons to replay the game.
- “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.”
- “Replayable: 7/10, I'll definitely play again later tonight but I can't see myself grinding this game out.”
- “There is no replayability, and you will be done with the game, unless they decide to make some major changes.”
- “It seems like their goal is to extend the story more in the future, but nothing that will fix the replayability issues.”
- “It lacks any replayability or motivation to try new things.”
character development
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
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 finding their rigs waiting for you at waypoints. 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.”