RoadCraft

Overall, RoadCraft offers a unique enough twist on the established Spintires formula, if a streamlined one, to be worth giving a go.

RoadCraft takes the intricate off-road fun of MudRunner and SnowRunner, and melds it with involving micro-management and building aspects, resulting in a fantastic experience that's the dev's best vehicle sim to date. With eight big maps full of ruined environs and treacherous conditions to contend with, a huge array of complex vehicles to master, and co-op play to maximise the fun of it all, this is a big old blast of a thing, a huge sandbox that's got excitement, depth, and challenge in spades.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a bulldozer stuck in the mud that needs rescuing.

Like SnowRunner before it, RoadCraft is a game of slow construction-machinery satisfaction rather than adrenaline-fueled action.

Anyone who decides to take up RoadCraft and sees it as a kind of "puzzle" to be solved in unconventional ways will be rewarded for their efforts.

In practice, Roadcraft should be recognized as a very enjoyable offshoot of the franchise that is designed to showcase the new version of Swarm Engine and appeal to a more casual audience. A solid fleet of cars and new features will keep you entertained for several dozen hours.

Roadcraft perfectly describes the rough everyday life of a construction worker in rugged landscapes.

RoadCraft breaks new and exciting ground within the Mudrunner series: instead of purely transport missions, the focus is now on building infrastructure – a refreshing conceptual shift that adds new depth to the genre. The idea of battling your way through undeveloped terrain with heavy equipment, building roads, and actively shaping the world is undoubtedly appealing. This is supported by an atmospheric game world with impressive natural scenery, dynamic weather, and a subtle feeling of loneliness that fits perfectly with the slow-paced gaming experience. The integration of a light storyline is also successful. It doesn't interfere, but motivates with small narrative impulses that give progress a personal touch. Technically, RoadCraft impresses with stylish lighting design, successful terraforming, and a large fleet of vehicles that offers the right tool for every task. But despite all these strengths, there are still some weaknesses: the controls seem overloaded and confusing, the AI is often unreliable, and basic functions such as lighting control and fuel management are still missing. Particularly annoying are long AI journeys, which end in frustration rather than a sense of achievement due to inaccurate route finding. Performance issues on powerful systems also raise questions, especially since modern technologies such as DLSS offer little relief. However, those who are willing to put up with these rough edges and have patience will discover that RoadCraft offers a rewarding gaming experience that aims to do more than just send trucks through mud. The vision behind the game is strong – it just needs some refinement in terms of implementation. If developer Saber Interactive follows up with updates in the future, RoadCraft could become a real insider tip for simulation fans and genre lovers in the long term.

RoadCraft trades SnowRunner's survival mechanics for pure construction chaos, letting you rebuild disaster zones with 40+ heavy machines. It's a slow-burn puzzle game disguised as a truck sim, where patience pays off but technical issues can break the zen. Perfect for heavy machinery enthusiasts who don't mind getting their virtual hands dirty.

Roadcraft is at its best when careful use of several different vehicles has big effects on these beautiful, dynamic environments. On the early map “Sunken”, this comes when – after a sequence of tasks are completed – two flooded quarries are drained using new pumps the player has installed. As the water drains away, a new landscape is revealed, along with valuable items that can be sold for profit and the tantalising promise of new challenges ahead. If Saber can deliver these moments consistently, Roadcraft could be a valued fixture of the sim landscape for years to come.