Bus Driver 1.5a

Overview

SCS Software, a Czech based company, released a demo version of the Bus Driver. You might have heard of the company for its renowned 18 Wheels of Steel series and Euro Truck Simulator. The full version of Bus Driver is available for 9.99 / $12.99. The game is built with the help of Prism3D graphical engine which ensures the visuals are top-notch here. It is a classic vehicle simulation game that uses OpenGL technology.

Leaving the technicalities behind, let us review the fun part. You get to be the bus driver transporting passengers according to a specific route and timetable. You have to follow the traffic rules. Stick to a chosen route, be careful not to upset or injure passengers. This is totally different from the typical racing games. The city is very realistic. You happen to be in different time and weather settings.

Installation

Installation process is simple. You are recommended to shut down other applications to avoid rebooting your system after installation. The app automatically chooses the settings according to your system parameters. Advanced users can choose the advanced application launcher to adjust settings. For example, you can choose between OpenGL or DirectX technologies.

Requirements

- Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista/Windows 7
- DirectX7 rated graphics card
- CPU: 1GHz Pentium III or equivalent
- RAM: 256MB
- Video Card: OpenGL 1.3 compatible 64MB AGP with hardware T&L
- Hard Disk: 300MB free space

Interface

Interface is comprehensive and intuitive. Clean and simple buttons accompanied by sound alerts, as well as tips and hints at the upper menu make the learning process enjoyable. Yet, you face some real driving challenges while you get used to it.

Pros

You can choose from 12 buses. Each model is highly detailed and attractive. Designers sought inspiration from actual European buses. There are 30 routes divided into 5 tiers. There are 5 difficulty levels. You have to fulfill multiple realistic duties: drive a school bus, transport tourists on guided tours, transport prisoners from one jail to another. Plenty of bonuses are available and quite easy to achieve. A sophisticated traffic system and high definition replay creates live short clips. A wide range of time and weather conditions are available, like in the real world. The city offers several districts with different architectural styles and overall environment: airport, suburb, a modern business downtown, old center. The traffic system meets the live traffic parameters, very realistic.

One of the biggest advantages of the game is the absence of violence. This makes it a perfect choice for children as small as 3 years old. However, adults will find the advanced levels very realistic and engaging.

The demo version will show you how well the game runs on your PC. The option of trying out and seeing if everything works well before buying is great. In case, you are not tech savvy and don't know if your CPU speed, amount of memory and 3D accelerator will allow the game to run smoothly, try the demo and relieve all your doubts.

The game is available in English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch languages.

Cons

The free demo offers only 30 minutes of play. The nice part is you can start multiple times and the counter pauses when you exit.

Conclusion

We rate the SCS' Bus Driver as excellent for fantastic visuals and realistic play. The environment as well as the duties are highly engaging and correspond to the realities of most big cities. Traffic, passengers, city, the variety of buses and various complexities of levels multiplied by encouraging bonuses offer a great time of entertainment and learning. Zero violence suggests children involvement. Both parents and kids will love the addicting, yet educational game.