Big Mutha Truckers 2: Truck Me Harder

What's This? Big Mutha Truckers 2: Truck Me Harder, eh? Stop, please: my sides are in danger of splitting at the sheer hilarity of it all. This brand of puerile humour is supposed to be the domain of games journalists, not games developers, and I'm feeling a little aggrieved that Eutechnyx is trying to muscle in on turf that's rightfully mine.

Oh well, whatever. Infantile comedy is a major part of Big Mutha Truckers 2. Sometimes it works, as with the occasionally chortle-some skits on the GTA-inspired radio stations. However, sometimes it just doesn't - there's only so many times you can laugh at the same old rednecks - stupid, aren't they schtick before it becomes tiresome. Thing is though, if you can't stand that sort of humour then you're probably going to hate this game, because there really isn't much of one there to begin with.

Truckwit

The idea behind the main story mode is that, as one of four drivers, you have to raise the cash to pay off several jurors in your mother's forthcoming trial. Mainly, you do this by buying goods from one place, driving to another place where you can get a decent price for said goods, sell them, then buy Some more. Repeat until you've raised enough dollars to bribe each , juror. Of course, 'there's more to it than this. Reach your destination quickly and you can earn a bonus. You also get more cash for things like smashing up other vehicles, avoiding alien abductions and giving rides to hitchhiking hoboes. You even get the chance to do a spot of gambling.

Special one-off missions also crop up at certain points, and as well as giving you the chance to earn a bit of extra green, these further enable you to drive about in vehicles other than your rig. But this isn't Grand Theft Auto. so most of the time you're confined to the truck.

Trucking Hell

Not that this is a huge problem: the trucking parts of the game are reasonably fun, as you have to contend with the cops and biker gangs as well as the scenery. What's more, the truck actually feels like a huge piece of machinery for once, able to smash obstacles and vehicles out of its way with satisfying ease.

That said, there's a pervading sense of console port' about BMT2, with nothing like the depth of gameplay you get from GTA: San Andreas. The map is insultingly small in comparison, although the scenery is fairly attractive. Plus, there's not that much to do except - to use a phrase we've been itching to pull out - keep on truckin'. We've seen far worse $20 games, but Big Mutha Truckers 2 doesn't really offer anything special in any department. If humorous driving jaunts are your bag, do yourself a favour and bag Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas instead.

Now That's Comedy. Puns, sexual innuendo, allusions to swearing, redneck stereotyping - it's not often a single game manages to straddle the entire spectrum of low-rent humour in one sweeping bound. Just a pity it had to be in this lacklustre arcade truck driving nonsense instead of the latest tour de force by Warren Spector or Will Wright or someone. Sid Meier's Trucking Hell, anyone?

Anyway, cartoon capers abound as you race across country for some reason or another, smashing smaller vehicles aplenty, dodging the po-leece and pretending that South Carolina references mean anything to you. It's all mildly diverting in the same way that a report on Ukranian circus children putting on a charity show on your local news bulletin would be.

Big rig trucks are just about as American as sprawling inter-state highways, Route 66, and dirty rest stop bathrooms. So, it might make sense why there seems to be an entire genre revolving around these monsters of the American highway, where anyone can live out that male fantasy or commandeering a huge truck and taking it out on the open roads of America.

Yeah, right. I'm sure you've all had that exact same fantasy. With the on and off chance that you have, then Big Mutha Truckers 2: Truck Me Harder just might be for you. Read on to see if you should give a flying truck about it.

As the eloquent title might suggest, Big Mutha Truckers 2: Truck Me Harder doesn't take itself too seriously. The game has its foot firmly planted in its mouth the duration of the game, with raunchy, over the top, and crude humor pervading every single aspect of the game. It gives the game a lot of personality, sure, but a lot of the gags won't elicit too many laughs, cause really, the humor's about as obnoxious as a big rig truck in the fast lane on a highway.

And again, as the eloquent title might suggest, you get to drive big rig trucks in Big Mutha Truckers 2: Truck Me Harder, and yes, there is a strange sort of pleasure in being able to drive a huge truck around on the open highways, causing wanton destruction wherever you roam.

But, unfortunately, that pleasure lasts only a few minutes, if that.

See, the problem with Big Mutha Truckers 2 is that repetition sets in very, very early. The life of a truck driver isn't a glamorous one, and this is all too apparent with the limited amount of things you can do in BM2. You simply race against the clock from point to point on the highway (in a completely reckless fashion, needless to say), unloading and buying goods at each stop in hopes of making a profit ' and really, aside from a few side games and a few varied side missions, that's about all you get.

It may not have been so bad if the actual driving was a bit more entertaining, but, BM2 has a basic, no frills physics engine that doesn't offer up much in the way of satisfaction. There's just no satisfaction in evading the coppers, no glee from causing huge wrecks, and no fun found in weaving in and out of traffic.

To its credit, Big Mutha Truckers 2 probably knows it ain't gonna revolutionize the big rig racing genre since it's moderately priced at $20 bucks -- but you get what you pay for. With unimpressive, if serviceable, graphics and a gameplay core that's overly repetitious at best, this is one big rig game you don't want to hitch a ride from.

Now who could possibly pass up a game called Big Mutha Truckers: Truck Me Harder? As you can imagine, this isn't the classiest game and they're not shy about it either. If you played the original however, this shouldn't come as a surprise and really it's almost a carbon copy of the original. The gameplay is similar with a few minor improvements and the graphics, audio, and humor all carry the same quality as before. At this point it doesn't sound promising and I can't say that your impression will change, but the retail price is only $20 (which probably isn't going to be low enough).

Big Mutha Truckers: Truck Me Harder does offer a story line to support this straight-up arcade style driving game. Again, the story line fits right in with any impressions the title generates. Apparently Ma Jackson has found herself in a bit of trouble with the law and needs to resolve the situation. So instead of letting the justice system take its course, Ma sends her redneck posse out to bribe or affect the opinion of the various different jury members. This is accomplished in numerous ways but basically revolves around completing various activities while driving your big rig like a manic.

The actual gameplay follows a predictable pattern as you drive your big rig from point A to B while meeting specific requirements. There is very little if any originality or complexity present, so don't expect anything revolutionary. There are even four different drivers to select from, but all drive with the same characteristics which makes me wonder why the option is even given.

Visually and audibly, there is little exciting to point out. Again with a price point of $20, I generally don't expect much here either, but it does follow suit with the rest of the game. If you like arcade style big rig driving games, Big Mutha Truckers: Truck Me Harder may be just enough to justify its purchase, but for most it's doubtful they will get much out of it.