Skip to content
Home » Spintires: Mudrunner Review – A Fun & Unique, Truck-tastic Gaming Experience

Spintires: Mudrunner Review – A Fun & Unique, Truck-tastic Gaming Experience

Spintires: Mudrunner
Saber Interactive/Focus Home Interactive

Big trucks. Logs. Mud. Doesn’t sound too compelling, does it? Okay, let’s try this—big Russian trucks hauling big logs through lots of Siberian mud. Still doesn’t exactly vibrate your needle too much, right? You’re not alone. When I’d first heard of 2014’s Spintires, I thought to myself: “This sounds like the type of crapware that I come across in the bargain rack at my local video game store.” So, like many others, I passed on trying it out.

Lo and behold, a few years later and its follow-up, Spintires: Mudrunner is released, and this time the marketing buzz and hype was too much to ignore. I watched video after video of the game and listened to how people described both its realism (in terms of its advanced physics model) as well as how unique it was as a game. It’s billed as an improved version of the original game, with more trucks, maps, and…you guessed it—mud.

From there, I gave into the hype and grabbed myself a copy of Mudrunner, and boy, were my initial impressions of this game totally wrong—it’s fantastic. The closest thing that it compares to are the Euro or American Truck Simulator games. In each of these types of games, the gameplay revolves around hauling stuff around. However, getting to haul things around in big trucks is where the similarities end.

In Mudrunner, coming across a paved road is a rare occurrence, and so is remaining relatively level and steady. That’s because in this game you’re constantly bobbing up and down in gazillions of gallons of mud and water. Mudrunner has a pretty simple concept. You basically are tasked with hauling logs around from certain points of the map to others.

What sounds like a fairly straight-forward concept is anything but that, literally. The winding, muddy roads that you have to traverse are not only slippery and slidey, but can also depress under the weight of your truck, giving way to more watery elements. Therefore, it’s wise to never drive through the same tire tracks more than once, since the mud physics are so realistic that they’ll keep impressions in the mud throughout the entire match.

I played my matches with a co-op buddy, and if you want to get the most out of the game I’d recommend co-op play. Not only did we have a blast navigating the hostile terrain together, but when one of us would get stuck (and you will get stuck!) we could help each other get out of whatever precarious situation we’d gotten ourselves into (well, admittedly it was him helping me).

For instance, one time I got the bright idea of attempting to drive through a dense patch of woods with my trailer bobbing and weaving around behind me. Inevitably, my trailer (filled to the brim with logs, mind you) got caught behind a large tree that halted my progress. I announced my unfortunate predicament to my friend who had driven ahead of me, and heard him sigh deeply for about the seventh time (he’d saved me that many times). My friend then circled around to the side of my trailer and bumped the front of his truck against it. Because Mudrunner’s physics are so realistic, he managed to nudge my trailer until it was free from the tree.

Another time (I believe goof-up #8) I managed to fully tip my truck and trailer completely onto their sides. After some grunting on my friend’s part, he dropped what he was doing and came to bail me out. Since each truck is outfitted with a powerful winch, he navigated his truck to a spot which sat in an overhead position in relation to my sadly tipped truck and trailer.

After I detached my trailer, he connected his winch to the side of my truck and started trying to pull it upright. Long moments went by as he reversed his truck using its powerful engine. We hooted and hollered as my truck began returning to an upright position. Finally, it was back on all six tires, and we cheered loudly over our headsets.

What I’m illustrating here is that while slogging through tons of mud might not seem super-fun, the emergent events that transpire in the course of doing so, really make the game shine. One minute, you’ll be laughing at yourself for trying to take a shortcut and getting stuck in a deep bog, and the next you’ll be gritting your teeth as you watch a buddy attempt to cross a wide river. Mudrunners can really get your blood pumping and your temples pounding with its ever-changing environmental challenges.

Once you complete your log-hauling duties on one map, you’ll unlock additional maps which are sequentially more difficult. In this way, Mudrunner subtly increases the challenge level once you get the basics down. You’ll also come across trucks out in the field that are placed at randomized locations, so if you’re a completionist, you’ll want to scour every nook and cranny of each map.

In addition to having one of the most advanced physics models I’ve ever seen in a driving game, Mudrunner also sports some very realistic graphics. All of the aging Russian trucks spew out large clouds of black smoke when they lurch forward or back up; mud collects on their massive tires as they pull their cargo through large puddles and bogs; and water cascades realistically around your truck as you attempt to navigate across the lengths of potentially dangerous rivers and streams.

Simply put, Spintires: Mudrunner is one of the most surprisingly good indie games that I’ve played in quite some time. Its unique concept, brilliantly dangerous but fun gameplay, and impressive physics model and visuals, make for some great times. Especially when played with friends.

SCORE: 85%

Spintires: Mudrunner features great graphics that make its truck hauling gameplay truly shine. However, you want to have a pretty beefy gaming PC or gaming laptop in order to play it at a decent framerate. So, you may just want to invest in a decent gaming rig:

Visit CyberpowerPC’s website to check out all of the other great deals as well!

 

118 thoughts on “Spintires: Mudrunner Review – A Fun & Unique, Truck-tastic Gaming Experience”

  1. Im a huge fan already, man. Youve done a brilliant job making sure that people understand where youre coming from. And let me tell you, I get it. great stuff and I cant wait to check out more of your blogs. What youve got to say is important and needs to be check out.
    Alexander Mcqueen Outlet Online http://www.ebaymall.store

  2. Im honored to obtain a call from my friend as soon as he observed the important suggestions shared on your own site. Reading through your blog post is a real brilliant experience. Many thanks for taking into account readers like me, and I desire for you the best of achievements for a professional topic.
    emu boots price http://www.emuoutlet.online

  3. Id like to thank you for that efforts youve got made in writing this write-up. I am hoping the exact same finest get the job done from you within the long term as well. Actually your inventive writing skills has inspired me to begin my personal BlogEngine blog now.
    where can i buy hunter boots for cheap http://hunter.kmmits.com

  4. An exceptionally cold profit by searching on the internet can be which you can look at distinct specific features of the computer inside the article, simply just search for this component in which pronounces “Technical Details” and “Tech Specs”. Once you try out a ordinary save it may need most people a lot of time simply disk drive now there and additionally look ahead to sales person to express to a person the specialised data for one netbook, and perhaps they dont understand the right formula.
    vivienne westwood outlet uk http://www.viviennewestwoodsale.cc

  5. I was reading throught some of the posts and i locate them to be altogether attention-grabbing. sorry my english is not exaclty the actually best. would there be anyway to transalte this into my vernacular, spanish. it would in reality better me a lot. since i could compare the english lingo to the spanish language.
    berghaus sale outlet http://www.berghaussale.cc

  6. Apple now has Rhapsody as an app, which is a great start, but it is currently hampered by the inability to store locally on your iPod, and has a dismal 64kbps bit rate. If this changes, then it will somewhat negate this advantage for the Zune, but the 10 songs per month will still be a big plus in Zune Pass favor.
    moncler maya jacket cheap http://moncler.vidaaposvinte.com

  7. You ought to seriously think about working on growing this internet site into a serious voice in this marketplace. You obviously have a high-quality knowledge of the areas all of us are searching for on this web page anyways and you could potentially even earn a dollar or three from some advertising. I would explore following recent news and raising the volume of site posts you make and I bet you’d start earning some huge traffic in the near future. Just an idea, high-quality luck in whatever you do!
    coach factory outlet online login http://www.poollyanna.co.uk

  8. I positively like this record, i did not appreciate a kismet of the things that you posted in here. i ahve much more new news regarding these topics and topics related to it. some people may find it implacable to understadn the english language but i find it rather calm an eye to the confidentiality that has discover to be what is todays policy.
    parajumpers sale canada http://parajumpers.hawksportsind.com

  9. A fantastic blogpost, I just given this onto a student who was doing a little analysis on that. And he in fact bought me breakfast because I discovered it for him. :).. So let me reword that: Thanks for the treat! But yeah Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and enjoy learning more on this topic. If possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more details? It is very helpful for me. Big thumb up for this post!
    emu sale boots http://emu.francarrilloguerrero.com

  10. Congratulations on having 1 of the most sophisticated blogs Ive arrive across in some time! Its just incredible how substantially you can take away from something simply because of how visually beautiful its. Youve put together a good weblog space great graphics, videos, layout. This is definitely a must-see weblog!
    belstaff store locator http://belstaff.websila.us

  11. Only desire to say your post is spectacular. The clearness as part of your put up is quickly remarkable and i can assume you happen to be an authority on this area. Properly together with your permission permit me to grab your rss feed to keep as much as date with succeeding put up. Thanks a million and please continue to keep up the superior do the job.
    barbour online outlet http://barbour.francarrilloguerrero.com

  12. This is some trustworthy material. It took me a while to unearth this web page but it was worth the time. I noticed this post was hidden in yahoo and not the number one spot. This web publication has a ton of helpful stuff and it doesnt deserve to be burried in the searches like that. By the way Im going to add this site to my list of favorites.
    mens patagonia jacket sale http://www.amapparel.co.uk

  13. Hello, i learn your blog sometimes and i personal an analogous one and i was simply wondering in case you get a whole lot of spam comments? In that case how do you stop it, any plugin or something you possibly can advocate? I am getting a lot these days its driving me mad so any help is very a lot appreciated. Anyway, in my language, there arent a lot good source like this.
    michael kors outlet orlando http://www.apcsale.co.uk

  14. I must say, as a lot as I enjoyed reading what you had to say, I couldnt help but lose interest after a while. Its as if you had a excellent grasp to the topic matter, but you forgot to include your readers. Perhaps you should think about this from more than 1 angle. Or maybe you shouldnt generalise so significantly. Its better if you think about what others may have to say instead of just going for a gut reaction to the subject. Think about adjusting your own believed process and giving others who may read this the benefit of the doubt.
    pierre hardy wiki http://www.pierrehardysale.cc

  15. Have you ever thought about publishing an e-book or guest authoring on other websites? I have a blog based upon on the same subjects you discuss and would really like to have you share some stories/information. I know my viewers would appreciate your work. If you are even remotely interested, feel free to send me an e-mail.
    boys patagonia sale http://patagonia.websila.us

  16. Almost 40 of a strong population are affected by tinnitus. For around one on 100, it have been a strong very serious long-term problem. Most people at permanent tinnitus learn t cope by using my own problem. For some people, tinnitustinnitustinnitus perform lead capital t problems such as depression plus sleep disorders.
    buy ecco shoes online http://www.napfashion.co.uk

  17. I am impressed, I must say. Really rarely do I discovered a blog thats both educational and entertaining, and let me tell you, you have hit the nail on the head. Your blog is important; the issue is something that not enough people are speaking intelligently about. Im really happy that I stumbled across this in my search for something relating to this.
    mulberry bags outlet http://www.blueheavenboutique.us

  18. I would like to thank you for the endeavors you have made in writing this article. I am trusting the same best work from you in the future as well. In fact your creative writing abilities has inspired me to start my own blog now. Actually the blogging is spreading its wings rapidly. Your write up is a fine representative of it.
    rene caovilla pearl http://renecaovilla.angigreene.com

Leave a Reply