Release Date: 13/06/2014
Played On: Win
Available On: Win
Time Played: 48h
Progress: Completed All Maps + A Bunch Of Mods
Developer: Pavel Zagrebelnyj
Publisher: Oovee Game Studios
There are many reasons why the term 'early access' has become a four-letter-word in my world, and I'm sure that many of you will know why. Much like crowd-funding, there's so much potential for good, but we've all seen the mismanagement and failures that give these systems a bad name. Unfortunately, the bad often outweigh the good, even within the same project.
Spintires has had a sordid history, depending on how you look at it. Like many other games with the same story, there's a lot of speculation and subjectivity involved, so keep that in mind at all times. I find myself confused and conflicted about this game, as its flaws are inescapable, but its premise is so enticing. Therein lies the problem when the balance between a 'good idea' and 'good execution' falls out of alignment.
If I recall correctly, this started off as the project of a single developer who worked on the game's core systems. I think that the first playable version of Spintires was a result of this solo endeavour and even though it had issues, It was clear that this was an early taste of something special.
At some point though, development plateaued and a publisher got involved. This is where I'm super hazy on the details, but I recall something about the original developer being pushed out of the game when it was taken over by Oovee Game Studios. Don't quote me on that.
The point is that at some point in the game's development, something went wrong. I think that much is certain, as it stopped receiving updates on Steam, other than small bug fixes and patches. My own anecdotal experience is that not a lot changed from the first time I saw the game, to this very day. I'm not sure why, or what went down, but there are still some rough edges found in-game that show signs of conflict along the way. Although, before we focus on the current state of the game, let's revisit what made it so special in the first place.
This was never a game that looked like an easy driving game. Instead it featured weird trucks in stark and imposing environments. The maps were very 'soviet' in that they looked cold, bleak, and like the fictional locations were poor and underdeveloped. At the same time though, these very things where what captured my imagination, and made the game's key gimmick possible.
Cast your mind back to a time when terrain deformation wasn't a normal system in any game with mud or snow. Before it was implemented everywhere, the only feedback you'd get based on different surfaces was a sound effect and maybe some dirt particles flung into the air. Perhaps in some instances ice and snow would have less friction than tarmac, but every surface felt solid and hard (generally speaking).
There were some initial kinds of terrain deformation that raised their head in some particular genres. Although the main eye candy for a while was how characters would look wet after being outside in the rain, or after going for a swim. The point is that I would argue that serious terrain deformation was never a proper feature in a game until Spintires came along. It just so happens that this was a game built entirely on the idea that intense terrain would be fun to drive through.
Hence the setting and the vehicles we're given to work with. The game takes place on a series of different maps that each offer different challenges. Some have roads, some have rivers to ford, but they all have thick mud and rocky terrain to cross.
Each map tasks you with transporting some logs from one location to another, usually from one corner to the opposite corner. As well as the pick-up and drop-off points, there are fuel stations and garages that support you on your journey. After all, the real point of the game is that you have a bunch of crappy trucks to use, and the terrain is extremely difficult to drive on.
You're given a selection of vehicles to use, along with others in the environment to unlock as you progress. Each uses fuel and various attachments to get their job done, and many exist purely to support other trucks as they perform their tasks. There are no AI, there are no NPCs, and there's no getting out and walking around; you control all the vehicles by switching from one to another when you're in range.
Some won't have enough fuel to carry a full load of logs all the way across the map, so you need to use others with tanker attachments to refuel them halfway. The real fun is had when you get your main truck bogged in a deep pit of mud, so it's time to bring in another vehicle and winch it back to safety.
Herein lies the appeal of Spintires, which has been present in the game since its first outing to the public. The earth will distort and deform as you drive over it with your heavy trucks and their loads. Most maps don't have a lot of tarmac to drive on, so you'll find yourself on mud tracks and grassy plains most of the time. Not to mention the forests of trees that block certain paths and line the sides of others.
Your trucks have a range of different tyres and wheel configurations, rendering some virtually useless on certain terrain. For instance, one truck has regular street tyres and a fairly low clearance, so it easy gets bogged in deep mud and lacks the grip to get out of it. This is where winches come into play, as you can attach yourself to a nearby tree and literally haul yourself out of a sticky situation.
This is also when using mud-friendly trucks to pull their street comrades out of trouble can also be a lot of fun. When you're pulling another vehicle, you can set the other vehicle to automatically drive in the same or opposite direction, which makes for some interesting convoys. Sometimes you even have to haul a repair vehicle to go and fix a third vehicle, all because the terrain is so treacherous.
I can't adequately express just how much fun it is to tackle a map of difficult terrain with a bunch of relatively shit vehicles. It's built to be difficult and it's a lot of fun to overcome, just as any off-road driving can be a real game of mental and physical challenges. There isn't a lot else going on in Spintires, so it's a real plus that this core functionality is so enticing.
Thus, we come back to the controversy of the game's development and how something went wrong along the way. There are only a handful of maps in the game as it is, and the objectives have always felt like placeholders. There's no 'story' or 'context' for where you are and what you're doing, which isn't essential, but it's these kind of things that make a game feel complete. In fact, outside of driving through rough terrain, Spintires really doesn't have anything else going for it.
The user interface is ugly and the menus can be a little clunky to navigate. There's an overview map for each environment, but the controls are weird and the waypoint system needs a lot of work. Even controlling the vehicles and manipulating their various attachments can get a little funky at times. I spent a good while trying to find a good camera angle, just to read some in-game contextual tool tips.
As far as I know, none of these things have bene fixed or improved for a long time, and I doubt they ever will be now. Especially when you consider that the publisher decided to release a ported version called Spintires: Mudrunner. Not only did this put an end to any development of the original Spintires on PC, but it put the same version onto consoles in what can only be seen as a desperate attempt to make some money. However, the new port cut itself off from one of the only things Spintires has going for it these days: modding.
I'm a big fan of modding games and an even bigger fan of systems that make it easy to distribute and install mods. So when Spintires eventually hooked itself in with the Steam Workshop, most of its problems went away in no time at all. Yes the funky menus and controls are still there, but the workshop is full of different vehicle mods and user-created maps to play. Without the support of mods, this would have been a game relegated to obscurity with good reason, but once again mods saved the day. They breathed life back into a game that was otherwise severely underdeveloped and slowly rotting away… which is precisely why every game should support modding.
Anyway, thanks to some clever folks making maps and vehicles, Spintires quickly became a game that I got lost in for many hours. One of my favourite mods was for a standard Toyota Hilux, which is a vehicle I'm familiar with in real life, so it became one of my favourites to drive around and scout the path ahead. What's more, the new maps that have been made offer some interesting challenges and some creative terrain to overcome.
I'm not sure what the state of Spintires development is today, but I would guess that it's fairly dead in the water. However, thanks to an active modding community, the game continues to have life and so the PC version is the only version I would feel comfortable recommending. I've heard horror stories about the Mudrunner port not working properly and being a lazy cash in, so it might be wise to avoid it if you're interested. Having said that though, it's all hearsay and as I said at the top, I don't have a lot of information to base any business assumptions on.
This is not a game for anyone wanting to kick back and have a relaxing experience that's easy to slip in and out of. Instead this is a game that takes a little bit of patience, but offers a lot of fun if you're up for an open world of challenging terrain to conquer.
I just wouldn't be paying full price if you can avoid it, as this is a game that's only fun in spite of its many flaws. Like a trash fire with a delicious doughnut sitting safely in the centre - you might get burned, but that's one tasty doughnut.
EDIT: I mentioned that there was a bunch of controversy around the development of this game, but I also didn’t have a lot of facts on hand. I still don’t, but I wanted to add that the “Mudrunner” version of the game might actually be the better one. I’ve seen some comments online about how the original was taken over by Oovee who screwed the creator, but Mudrunner is the better game because it’s ‘nicer’ to the creator and has better mod support on PC. Just remember to take that with a grain of salt, as it does nothing more than confuse me more about the development process that’s behind this game. I thought it was worth adding this edit though, as I may have been wrong about Mudrunner and it may be the better one to endorse if you’re interested in checking this out. However, I still say play it on PC instead of console, as the mod support is essential.
EDIT 2: A helpful reader on Twitter posted that Oovee were the original developer and the lead programmer stabbed them in the back and went and made Mudrunner. Clearly there’s much more to it than I am aware of - so the main thing I want to get across here is that anything I may have speculated about is just speculation. At the end of the day I don’t really know anything about the controversy surrounding this game, so if that’s a concern for you - please do your own research. I’m sure there are other sites around the web who can break it down better than I ever could.