Expeditions: A MudRunner Game Review

Gear up for a fresh spin on off-road trucking with Expeditions: A MudRunner Game. Developed by Saber Interactive, this title carves its path within the MudRunner universe. Instead of simply hauling cargo, you’ll lead scientific expeditions across sprawling landscapes, battling the routs and unraveling environmental mysteries. While it shares the core mechanics of fighting treacherous terrain with powerful trucks, Expeditions injects new elements like scientific discovery and base management, offering a unique experience for both newcomers and veterans of the series. Let’s delve into the mud, the missions, and the machinery to see if this expedition delivers.

The MudRunner franchise carved its niche with its punishing physics and the satisfaction of conquering brutal terrain with powerful trucks. Expeditions builds upon this foundation but with a more objective-driven approach. Here, you’re not just a trucker on a simple delivery run; you’re a leader on a scientific quest. Imagine Death Stranding, but instead of reconnecting a fractured society, you’re leading research teams through unforgiving landscapes to gather data and unlock environmental secrets. Choose your starting point from vast open Zones like Arizona, Colorado, or the Carpathians. Each location offers diverse challenges and breathtaking scenery, waiting to be explored.

One of the biggest strengths of Expeditions is its strategic depth, similar to the planning required in Death Stranding. Before setting off on your expedition, you need to carefully equip your vehicles for the job at hand. This might involve winches to pull yourself out of sticky situations, repair kits to mend inevitable breakdowns, specialized scientific equipment like drone scanners to gather data, or even recovery vehicles to tow you out of particularly nasty situations.

The missions themselves range from collecting geological samples to deploying weather stations at designated points. While the objectives can feel repetitive at times, the real thrill comes from navigating the dangerous terrain. Mud, rocks, steep inclines – all conspire to halt your progress or, worse, flip your vehicle. The game’s physics engine shines here, accurately simulating the weight and momentum of your vehicles, making every successful traversal a minor victory.

However, Expeditions isn’t without its flaws. The vast open worlds, while visually stunning, can feel a bit empty compared to other games that are filled with side activities and stuff. There’s a surprising lack of ambient life or points of interest to discover organically, which can make the exploration aspect feel a bit shallow. Additionally, the repetitive mission structure can become tiresome after a while.

Another sticking point is the lack of co-op mode at launch. While the developers have hinted at future inclusion, the solitary nature of the experience can feel isolating, especially compared to the camaraderie fostered in co-op heavy games like SnowRunner, another title in the MudRunner franchise. Co-op game with a friend to overcome challenges could be a key aspect of the gameplay, and its absence is noticeable here.

Expeditions introduce a light base-building element that injects a touch of strategy into the overall experience. As you progress through your expeditions, you’ll unlock new locations to establish research outposts. These outposts can then be upgraded to provide benefits such as faster repairs for your vehicles or increased storage capacity for gathered resources. While it’s a welcome addition, the base-building mechanics feel somewhat underdeveloped compared to the depth found in games like Fallout 4. There’s a missed opportunity here to create a more meaningful connection between your scientific endeavors and the environment you’re exploring.

Expeditions boasts some impressive visuals. The environments are expansive and detailed, with diverse landscapes ranging from sun-baked deserts to lush forests. Weather effects add a layer of immersion, drastically impacting visibility and road conditions. The highlight, however, is the mud. Rendered with impressive detail, it convincingly squelches and splatters under your tires, truly driving home the feeling of battling the elements. The sound design is another strong aspect. The roar of engines, the crunch of tires on gravel, and the whoosh of wind combine to create a believable and atmospheric soundscape. Each environment also has its unique sounds, from the chirping of birds in the forest to the howling of the wind in the mountains.

Expeditions: A MudRunner Game is a solid off-roading experience that injects new ideas into the franchise. The strategic elements of preparing for expeditions and the joy of conquering challenging terrain are undeniable highlights. However, the repetitive mission structure, lack of a lively open world, and absence of co-op hold the game back from reaching its full potential.

If you’re looking for a challenging and rewarding off-roading experience with a scientific twist, Expeditions: A MudRunner Game is worth considering. Just be prepared for a bit of a grind and a sense of solitude. Here’s hoping that future updates can address the repetitive missions, add a co-op mode, and flesh out the base-building mechanics. With some refinements, Expeditions can potentially become a groundbreaking title in the off-roading genre.

The review code was provided by the publisher