RoadCraft

Developer: Saber Interactive
Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Platforms: PC, Playstation 5 (Reviewed), Xbox Series X|S
Release Date: 20th May, 2025 (Available Now)
Price: $39.99 USD – Available Here

Overview

Simulation experiences have had a major uptick in the last few years. It used to be that gamers just wanted a life simulation experience, but now we cook, we clean, and we do jobs in the video game format for an escape from reality. It’s certainly an odd niche, but one with a heavy following. Saber Interactive – developers of the famed SnowRunner and MudRunner franchise are back to bring us RoadCraft, a sim that puts us in the heavy machinery where we must clean up after natural disasters. How does this one fare in terms of entertainment? Let’s find out.

Story

I am not going to go too heavy in this section as RoadCraft has a story, but it’s rather there only for the sake of progression. Players take the role of a lone operator assisted with an off-site team of sorts as they attempt to salvage landscapes and protect industrial sites from past and future events alike. I don’t think the lack of a fully fleshed-out narrative hurts this title at all, as to be honest, what was here just had me hitting “OK” until it went away, where I would then follow the notes in the transcripts as a form of instructions. Engaging? Well, that depends on what you are looking for. It was sufficient however, for my time with the game and something I was rather entertained with in a mellow manner as I trucked along.

Gameplay

This is where the game will make or break you and your interest in what RoadCraft has to offer. RoadCraft has you tackle multiple objectives at a time, swapping between various vehicles in order to complete each task. Scout the area in one vehicle or get to one particular destination. Swap to a heavy machine in order to load and deliver materials, and even board cranes and larger trucks to execute the actual construction. Yes, it’s all vehicle-based, but the clean menus and console optimisation make the experience fluid and easy to navigate in terms of finding out what to do next. 

My major roadblock with RoadCraft was never the menus, but rather the vehicle controls itself. I think we overlook things in AAA titles where you just plough through puddles in a truck without a second thought. We roll over rocks and creep along water without hesitation. Do that here, and you will get stuck. Players must understand and monitor their gear in those vehicles in order to cross bumpy terrain. I think in reality, I have had to use “All Wheel Drive” once, and every other function was kind of lost on myself as someone who doesn’t really think about driving gears outside of park, reverse, drive, and the occasional neutral. Here, learning those formats is mandatory and something every player will have to be aware of their controls in order to get from point A to point B. It’s a steep learning curve for newcomers, but something those acquainted with it will eventually find comfort in quickly, as it is not hard to adjust.

That said, sometimes the vehicles feel finicky and tedious to control. I spent my first hour trying to get a load on a truck, only to find the constant switching of “modes” leading me to getting stuck…a lot. Eventually, I got the hang of it and felt accomplished in a job well done, but part of my thought process was that I felt I was always doing it wrong, as if I was accomplishing loads with shortcuts rather than proper gameplay. There are tips, and you can even reset your location if you fail, but I just found a lot of it to be tedious and more stressful than relaxing. 

You can tell Saber put a ton of attention to detail and depth into every element within this game, and I appreciate that. There are eight varied maps, a ton of objectives, and even multiplayer to add replay value. I do however, think this niche is not really in my ballpark, as while I marvelled at the tech within the game and the vast amount of micro-detailed mechanics, I also felt I am one of the people who would rather handle this experience in a streamlined fashion. Did I get it? Yes, absolutely. I see the novelty, especially for those trained in these fields, to see such a tight-knit system that pays tribute to how hard these jobs are. I did however, just want to pick up items and move them in a simpler way, as playing Jenga with cranes and bulldozers can definitely require a lot more attention than expected with newcomers.

Audio

The music in the game is really generic. I mean,  that is, if you notice it. There are great sound effects like rain and storms to put you closer to the atmosphere intended, however, and the vehicles sound realistic with all of their beeps and scrapes one would expect. The voice acting is fine, but nothing really stands out. Again, like the story, that isn’t what players will be playing RoadCraft for, as the vehicles and realism are the highlight, but nothing really stands out or detracts from the experience in terms of audio.

Visuals

Most of the game looks great. The character models leave a bit to be desired, but since you only really play sitting in first or third person in a truck, that should not be much of a problem for most. The environments are heavily detailed, and the menus do well to create a well-oiled machine when it comes to scoping out these areas and finding a safe path forward to do your dirty work. Execution of these objectives, like building a flood wall, can be a bit frustrating, however, as clipping is a thing and trying to align wall slabs and beams can certainly test your patience if you are not giving the game time to actually learn how to play correctly.

Overall

Some games we play for review really “click” instantly. Simulation experiences like RoadCraft have a target audience, and while I respect what it does, I think I am way outside that bubble. RoadCraft is a very realistic experience, but I feel it goes a bit too far with its own mechanics and makes things a bit more tedious than they need to be. I get it, that’s the point. It is a simulation game and one with a lot of effort achieved by an outstanding team. I just didn’t find much fun here to be had from my own perspective. There is a market out there however, that will love every little detail and love this industry, but just don’t expect these heavy offerings not to come without a bit of weight to the overall package.

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