Big Mutha Truckers 2
Posted December 31, 2005
Maybe there's a great simulation game to be made from big rig trucking. Picking up hauls, outfiting your rig with new parts, trying to outwit larger, more well-funded competition by getting there first via backroads, and worrying if you're going to get to your next stop before needing to refuel (and do you want to fuel up at the closest gas station, or try to make it to the next station, where gas is cheaper?)
Gameplay:
This isn't that game, unfortunately. "Big Mutha' Truckers 2" is a bargain ($20) game that features bargain-rate gameplay. The premise is pretty simple: Ma's gotten herself locked up, and it's up to her kids to try and bribe the jury to get her out of jail. Thus begins a lot of fairly basic driving missions and heaps of redneck humor, much of which is pretty cringe-worthy (the game's in-game/not-on-box subtitle is "Truck Me Harder".)
Your mission - haul enough goods from town to town to raise cash to bribe the jurors and get Ma free. There's also side missions that can be played on their own once unlocked (such as getting a celebrity to their appearances in a limo) and bonuses for getting to the different locations in time, although there are also obstacles such as cops (hauling illegal material attracts police attention) and aliens. There are also casino minigames at the local bars. While there was the potential to make this is a more "open-ended" game, most of the time you'll be driving back-and-forth along fairly basic looking landscapes.
Making matters worse is that the cars and trucks you drive don't handle well, as truck control feels sluggish, and controlling other cars feels a bit sloppy. With time limits hanging overhead, trying to get to the destinations is more frustrating than challenging (in a fun way.)
Overall, there's really just not a whole lot to "Big Mutha Truckers 2". Despite the fact that the humor isn't quite so embarassing when the game is obviously not taking itself seriously, the core driving missions are just not that involving and are pretty blandly designed. Whether you're in a truck or car, there's not much sense of speed to be found here, either. With the handling not as smooth as hoped and the burden of missions being timed, there's more frustration than suspense to be found under the hood here, and it wasn't long before I found myself uninterested.
Yes, the price is $20, but with so many games out there that are more worthy of a rental price and some excellent games that have been reduced to said price ("Burnout 3"), drive right by "Big Mutha Truckers 2", cheap price or not.
Graphics:
The graphics are not terrible, but they are fairly ordinary, and about what one might expect for a game with a $20 price tag. Environments are not sparse, but what visuals you do spot while driving down the road are not terribly detailed. The cars and trucks look alright, although they could have used a bit more polish. The framerate holds up pretty well throughout much of the game, with only a couple of minor slowdowns.
Audio:
The audio fares somewhat better as, despite some annoying, stereotypical character voices/dialogue, there's some enjoyable rock tunes scattered throughout the soundtrack. While the audio may be 5.1, there's not much use for aggressive audio throughout the proceedings.
Conclusion:
"Big Mutha Truckers 2" could have been a fun little time-waster, but the game's missions are repetitive and the driving isn't as entertaining or tense as it should have been, with the time limits and obstacles turning into irritations instead of challenges. Even at $20 or rental price, there's too many other, more interesting choices to choose from, also at the same price and in the same genre.
Gameplay:
This isn't that game, unfortunately. "Big Mutha' Truckers 2" is a bargain ($20) game that features bargain-rate gameplay. The premise is pretty simple: Ma's gotten herself locked up, and it's up to her kids to try and bribe the jury to get her out of jail. Thus begins a lot of fairly basic driving missions and heaps of redneck humor, much of which is pretty cringe-worthy (the game's in-game/not-on-box subtitle is "Truck Me Harder".)
Your mission - haul enough goods from town to town to raise cash to bribe the jurors and get Ma free. There's also side missions that can be played on their own once unlocked (such as getting a celebrity to their appearances in a limo) and bonuses for getting to the different locations in time, although there are also obstacles such as cops (hauling illegal material attracts police attention) and aliens. There are also casino minigames at the local bars. While there was the potential to make this is a more "open-ended" game, most of the time you'll be driving back-and-forth along fairly basic looking landscapes.
Making matters worse is that the cars and trucks you drive don't handle well, as truck control feels sluggish, and controlling other cars feels a bit sloppy. With time limits hanging overhead, trying to get to the destinations is more frustrating than challenging (in a fun way.)
Overall, there's really just not a whole lot to "Big Mutha Truckers 2". Despite the fact that the humor isn't quite so embarassing when the game is obviously not taking itself seriously, the core driving missions are just not that involving and are pretty blandly designed. Whether you're in a truck or car, there's not much sense of speed to be found here, either. With the handling not as smooth as hoped and the burden of missions being timed, there's more frustration than suspense to be found under the hood here, and it wasn't long before I found myself uninterested.
Yes, the price is $20, but with so many games out there that are more worthy of a rental price and some excellent games that have been reduced to said price ("Burnout 3"), drive right by "Big Mutha Truckers 2", cheap price or not.
Graphics:
The graphics are not terrible, but they are fairly ordinary, and about what one might expect for a game with a $20 price tag. Environments are not sparse, but what visuals you do spot while driving down the road are not terribly detailed. The cars and trucks look alright, although they could have used a bit more polish. The framerate holds up pretty well throughout much of the game, with only a couple of minor slowdowns.
Audio:
The audio fares somewhat better as, despite some annoying, stereotypical character voices/dialogue, there's some enjoyable rock tunes scattered throughout the soundtrack. While the audio may be 5.1, there's not much use for aggressive audio throughout the proceedings.
Conclusion:
"Big Mutha Truckers 2" could have been a fun little time-waster, but the game's missions are repetitive and the driving isn't as entertaining or tense as it should have been, with the time limits and obstacles turning into irritations instead of challenges. Even at $20 or rental price, there's too many other, more interesting choices to choose from, also at the same price and in the same genre.