The Bus

About

"The Bus" is a transportation simulation game currently in Early Access Phase 2.0. It features freeplay multiplayer mode, extended bus line 200, new bus variants VDL Citea LLE and SLFA, AI buses, a true-to-original depot, and controller support. Future updates will include single and multiplayer economy modes, AI trams, and NPC audio dialogue.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,394 reviews

graphics166 positive mentions

optimization63 negative mentions

The game features stunning graphics and a highly detailed recreation of Berlin, providing an immersive experience.
Driving mechanics are enjoyable, with realistic bus handling and a good sense of weight.
The developers are actively working on updates and improvements, showing commitment to enhancing the game.

The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to low frame rates and stuttering even on high-end PCs.
There are numerous bugs and glitches, including AI traffic behaving erratically and issues with controller support.
Limited content currently available, with only a few routes and buses, making the gameplay feel repetitive.

graphics
327 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
45%
5%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning realism and detail, often described as some of the best in the bus simulation genre, particularly due to the use of Unreal Engine. However, many players report significant performance issues, requiring high-end hardware to run smoothly, and note that optimization is still needed to address bugs and frame rate drops. Overall, while the visuals are impressive, the game's performance can detract from the experience for those with less powerful systems.
- “The graphics are amazing and look pretty realistic, but it's not enjoyable when it keeps bugging, freezing, and crashing.”
- “The game features impressive graphics, with dynamic weather and a day-night cycle that bring the city to life.”
- “The graphics are stunning, and the gameplay is smooth and immersive.”
- “It has been early access for 3 years, but there is very little content, and now this new lumen update has caused a lot of new graphics bugs and FPS problems.”
- “The graphics are terrible and the game gets stuck all the time, too bad it's not what I expected.”
- “You literally need a powerhouse to run this game and feel its graphics, but I think for a mid-end PC it should be optimized.”
optimization
229 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
59%
28%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many users reporting severe performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and lag, even on high-end systems. Despite some updates claiming performance improvements, players feel that the game remains poorly optimized and unplayable for those without top-tier hardware. Overall, while the game shows potential, its current state is marred by significant optimization challenges that detract from the overall experience.
- “The game is very nice, but it needs to be improved in terms of optimization.”
- “Currently, my biggest issue is the performance but I like that the devs team is working hard and bringing out updates and fixes frequently.”
- “This game has a lot of potential, as of right now, the only major problem would be the performance issue, especially mirror quality, which drastically reduces the fps.”
- “The bus had great potential when it was first announced, but after three years, it remains poorly optimized and plagued by lag issues.”
- “Frequent stuttering and frame drops make it frustrating to play, detracting from what could have been an immersive journey.”
- “Each past update stated 'performance improvements' or 'performance optimizations', yet the game performs horribly.”
gameplay
114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
80%
4%
The gameplay of the bus simulation game is a mixed bag, with many players praising its realistic driving mechanics and immersive environments, while others criticize its technical issues, lack of depth, and incomplete features. Although the graphics are often highlighted as stunning, the gameplay experience is marred by bugs, stuttering performance, and limited content, leading to a consensus that it still requires significant optimization and additional features to fully realize its potential. Overall, while some find enjoyment in the current gameplay, many recommend waiting for further updates before making a purchase.
- “The driving mechanics in the bus are top-notch, offering a great balance between realism and accessibility.”
- “Its blend of beautifully rendered urban environments, detailed bus mechanics, and the relaxing rhythm of city driving makes it a standout choice for simulation fans and anyone looking to immerse themselves in the life of a bus driver.”
- “The bus provides a true-to-life simulation of bus driving, with realistic controls and mechanics that elevate the gameplay to the next level.”
- “Despite the intriguing concept of a realistic bus simulation, the technical shortcomings overshadow the gameplay experience.”
- “The game looks great but the gameplay is awful!”
- “The gameplay is okay but rather bare at this stage.”
stability
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting frequent frame drops, freezes, and various glitches, even on high-end systems. While some users note that the game has potential and runs smoothly at times, the overall consensus is that it is currently too buggy and poorly optimized, particularly for those using steering wheels or lower-end hardware. Many recommend waiting for further updates before purchasing due to these stability issues.
- “This game looks amazing, it has workshop compatibility, mods, it runs great, it's amazing.”
- “Almost no glitches and runs pretty smoothly.”
- “Still in beta but runs great.”
- “I have a RTX 4090 and even with that, the game sometimes drops to 10 or 5 fps, or just freezes for a few seconds.”
- “I also have Tourist Bus, Fernbus and I got to tell you: do not waste your money because they are all the same buggy, not optimized, and unfinished mess.”
- “1.8 update has gotten worse than the previous update in that 15 to 20 minutes into the game, the game freezes up on two consecutive tries, and this never happened in the prior decimal update releases.”
story
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
60%
33%
The game currently lacks a structured story, with players noting that it primarily offers free-roaming gameplay without missions or narrative elements. Many reviews emphasize that the game is in early access, suggesting that future updates may introduce a more developed story or mission system. Overall, the absence of a story has led to mixed feelings, with some players expressing hope for improvements in the full release.
- “It's really nice game. I thought there were missions, but I forgot that it's early access. This game does have a future if the developers do a good job with it, and I hope they will because I love driving buses. I'm telling you this one is realistic, and I like it. I hope by the time it is out, there will be quests and everything. Good job!”
- “Maybe when the game is fully released, it will be another story.”
- “We still can't access the garage and we can't start the story because there are still many missing... yes, I know it's early access!”
- “This game never ends, there is no story and therefore no end.”
- “Ok so here it is, this is early access. The game has nothing: free mode and one bus. So if, like me, you are expecting to do some career mode or story mode with progress and unlocking new buses, then forget it.”
- “It's like getting GTA 5 with no story mode, no missions, one character unlocked with one weapon. Very boring, very quick. Wait for the full game because this is early, early, early access.”
grinding
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
77%
23%
The grinding aspect of the game is overwhelmingly described as excessively time-consuming, with many players feeling that it requires an unrealistic commitment, akin to needing a "second life" to manage it. Additionally, the controller setup is noted to be tedious, further complicating the grinding experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Controller setup is very tedious.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
14%
29%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive city environment, characterized by realistic traffic sounds, narrow streets, and dynamic weather effects like rain. Players appreciate the contrast between the relaxing ambiance of the fermbus simulator and the hectic nature of the bus experience, though some express a desire for more interactive elements, such as NPC dialogue, to enhance the liveliness of the city. Overall, the atmosphere is described as captivating and photo-realistic, contributing significantly to the game's potential.
- “The city's atmosphere is amazing, with a lot of traffic noise and narrow streets, heavy traffic and parked cars, reckless drivers and pedestrians.”
- “It has a ton of atmosphere; the rain looks excellent.”
- “Atmospherically, it sounds like a real old rattly bus as well, and that makes you think you're actually on a real bus.”
- “The difference in atmosphere from the relaxing Fernbus Simulator to the hectic The Bus is great.”
- “I do hope people will start to speak, and that the city will get a bit of an atmosphere, as I felt that was dead in the previous games (Fernbus/TBS).”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is derived from the chaotic and often absurd traffic behavior, where drivers frequently disregard rules, leading to unexpected and comical collisions. Players find amusement in the game's early access state, noting that while the driving experience can be frustrating, the unpredictability of other drivers adds a layer of humor to the gameplay. Additionally, some character animations are described as "funny," contributing to the overall lighthearted tone.
- “Don't usually do reviews, but reading how many people complain knowing this is early access is too funny.”
- “As funny as that may sound, you can be having the drive of your life and just enjoying the gameplay, and all of a sudden, an out-of-nowhere driver will cut you off (you being in the bus lane) and will crash into you.”
- “Probably the characters need some work as they move a little funny.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game has been criticized as a potential cash grab, with some users feeling that it resembles an early access title rather than a fully finished product. Concerns are raised about the developers' intentions, as they are already promoting upcoming DLC while the base game remains incomplete.
- “Simply a cash grab.”
- “And on top of all this, they're already advertising an upcoming DLC for their base game of which they haven’t even finished yet.”
- “Sure, but the game should never have been released at this stage... time will tell if the creators released it like this to use the money from us, the consumers, to help fund the project, or will this just be another cash grab simulator that fails to come through.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is negatively impacted by frustrating technical issues, such as settings not saving and erratic vehicle physics, which detract from the immersive experience. Players express disappointment over unrealistic vehicle behavior, particularly when navigating sharp turns, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction and annoyance.
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
Players appreciate the game's music but express a desire for the option to add their own tracks to the in-game radio, highlighting a preference for customization in the audio experience.
- “This is a good game, though using the steering wheel is a bit buggy. I also want them to add the option to include your own music to the radio.”
- “This is a good game, though using the steering wheel is a bit buggy. I also want them to add the option to include your own music in the radio.”
- “Doom music starts playing.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
100%
Players note that the game's replayability has significantly improved with the 1.9 update, which reduces stuttering and adds more content to explore. Despite its beta status, it is considered more engaging than some competing titles, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The variety of choices and outcomes keeps me coming back for more.”
- “Each playthrough feels fresh, thanks to the dynamic events and character interactions.”
- “I love how the game encourages multiple strategies, making every run unique.”
- “The optimization for version 1.8 was terrible; version 1.9 has made the game more playable with much less stuttering, but there's still far more to do.”
- “Even in its beta stage, this game is much more playable than some bus simulators out there.”