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Bus Driver rates bus driver

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: August 16, 2008
Author: Amazon User

First I need to warn potential buyers that this game is played with the up/down/left/right keys. This makes driving extremely difficult. And no where can I find a recommendation for a "steering wheel" that would work well with this game. I checked the "Busdriver" web site and came up empty. Since I don't normally play driving games, I have been doing research. I can recommend you get a wheel that does more than just turn left and right. When using just the computer for playing the game you are to use lots of keys for turn signals, acceleration, brakes, 4 way flashers, to open the bus door and to change views from one mirror to another. So, if you have just a left right steering wheel you will be leaning over or around the steering wheel to hit the keys for all the other actions. That takes time and when driving you don't have the time. The graphics are very good, the traffics sounds are real and the screams of the kids when you hit your brakes too hard or hit another object are very real. Traffic lights, cars passing you; it's all there.

Bus Driver Review

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: August 18, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Lots of fun! Can be addicting. Good graphics. Easy to play-good for all ages. Recommended!

It is awesome!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: July 07, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I love this game because exciting and a challenge. It is also funny and has an awesome horn.

Entertaining but too much like 18WoS Haulin.....

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: May 15, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Meridian4 brings Bus Driver which was published and created by SCSoft who are the ones that brought 18WoW along with the Valusoft label. Meridian was supposed to create a more North American feel to Bus Driver but when I played the demo when SCSsoft first released this game, it's the exact same thing. The only difference are the billboards throughout the game showing Meridian4.

Bus Driver allows you to complete 30 scenarios in which you are what else; a bus driver. This ranges from a school bus driver or a city bus driver in different kinds of buses. You could be picking up passengers, dropping them off, taking some to hotels, and shuttling criminals from the city jail to the courthouse under a helicopter escort. The handling of all types of buses are basically the same. The braking might be slightly different.

The mechanics of the buses are similiar to the trucks in 18WoS: Haulin/American Long Haul. Even though Haulin and American Long Haul are two different games to buy, they are 99.9999% identical. As stated in my reviews of both, if you own Haulin, there is no need to buy ALH. If you don't have neither then American Long Haul should be your choice. In Bus Driver, the sounds of the buses are the same, the traffic sounds are the same, the horns are the same, and unfortunately, the fictional city is similar to the 18WoW cities in which they are void of anyone--in other words, very static. When was the last time you went to the airport and was able to get a parking spot right in front of the terminal? When are you able to drive out of the airport in a short amount of time? The graphics match 18WoS as well. When you reach a bus stop, the doors open nicely but the people at the bus stops are frozen and they disapear then reappear in your bus--no movement.

On the plus side, the suspension bridge is very beautiful, the water graphics are beautiful, and the city that you work in which has a lot of distinct districts with a lot of roads and highways. However even though the distinct districts are a nice touch, in reality it's a little hard to believe. When you are at the airport which seems to have snow on the ground always, or at a ski lodge; it's amazing to go from snow covered roads to a warm setting in another district. I'm beginning to hate the brushed look though. What do I mean by this? The windows look like billboards, the building look like cardboard boxes and you would think in any part of the city, there would be people going about their daily lives. Another good thing is that the traffic lights are a little longer that Haulin/ALH. Anyonr familiar with 18WoS will know what I mean. Those newcommers will however think they can race for the green light only to find at the last minute it will change and you will get penalized either by braking hard or running the red light. The physics are weird. Going uphill is a challenge but going downhill has no bearing what-so-ever. Naturally you would think you would go faster, this is not the case. There is no weather effects except for the occasional leaf blowing.

The rules are simple: Obey the traffic laws and get your passangers to their destinations on time. Getting the passengers on time seems impossible. I've even ran a few red lights and still wasn't able to keep to my schedule. You can get penalized for not putting on your signal to change lanes, crossing the divider, overpassing the bus stop, and slamming into cars. You can speed though. There are no speed signs.

All in all this is a decent game. I wish the graphics as in 18WoS would be updated. I hope new scenarios become available because I'm almost done with them and I just purchased this on Monday. The digital download is available on Meridian4's and SCSoft's website for a whopping $29.99. This is kinda steep for a value company such as SCSoft/Valusoft. Plus for 30 scenarios, the price should be $19.99. This is a different take on simulation games. It's a good first try in which no one has attempted. Hopefully there will be updates and added scenarios.

3 stars: Too similiar to 18WoS (minus the business sim and trucks)
Static people
The whole city is lacking people
The carboard buildings are showing their age
Not enough of a replay value (you can try to be more on time but the routes remain the exact same)and it's virtually impossible to get the people on time to their stops while obeying the traffic laws
Steep price for only 30 scenarios
No updates (The game has been out for a while, even before Meridan4 released it recently

Pluses: Different take on simulation games
One of those games that make you think, "hmmmm it's not as bad as I thought."
Distinct districts in the fictional city are a nice touch
No bugs

The requirements for this game are not at all tough to beat. Just remember that it is best to beat the recommended system requirements. Make sure you're not running onboard graphics and sound. This eats up your RAM/system resources. A 2 year old video card will do just fine. I'm running this game under a E6300 C2D (Core2Duo) 1.86GHZ and a Saphire x1900xtx video card.

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