1
Squirrel's Pick Squirrel's PickThe best game on this page. If you only try one, try this. Closest Match Closest MatchThe most similar game to the anchor, by what players say.
DrivingTransportationOpen World
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$4.99 ~63.7 hr median co-op complexity: light 97.5% of 930k
The Squirrel's verdictFreight hauling across a large European map, co-op with friends, and stable wheel support make ETS2 a different proposition from Bus Simulator 16's city bus loop. A 97.5% Steam rating and median playtime of 63.7 hours reflect a consistently functional experience. Suits players who want a dependable vehicle sim with room to grow.
Not for you if you want passenger management and fixed urban routes rather than long-haul freight across Europe.
2
Hidden Gem Hidden GemLoved by the players who found it, but still under the radar.
EconomyAutomobile SimCapitalism
$29.99 ~63.4 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 90.9% of 3k
The Squirrel's verdictCity Bus Manager builds routes on real-world map data, letting you design a transit network street by street and balance service frequency against actual commuting patterns. There is no first-person driving — the focus is depot construction, route planning, and daily driver shift scheduling. Median playtime sits at 63.4 hours. Suits players who want network design over driving feel.
Not for you if you want first-person driving as the core activity rather than top-down route planning and shift micromanagement.
3
DrivingAutomobile SimLevel Editor
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$39.99 ~21.2 hr median co-op complexity: moderate 72.9% of 8k
The Squirrel's verdictThe Bus covers the full bus-operator package — route driving, passenger management, company building, and walking around the vehicle — set in Berlin, with co-op included. Some players log 150+ hours in it. Persistent lag spikes every few seconds are reported even on high-end hardware, and control feel is a recurring complaint in reviews.
Not for you if you need consistent frame pacing on strong hardware rather than a deep route and passenger management loop.
4
Automobile SimOpen WorldDriving
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$19.99 ~4.9 hr median co-op complexity: light 70.8% of 2k
The Squirrel's verdictForklift operation, manual cargo loading, and a mix of vehicle types beyond standard trucks give Truck & Logistics Simulator more variety than a straight driving sim. The map is smaller than Bus Simulator 16's, AI traffic is weak, and wheel users lose manual gear shifting. Suits players who want multi-vehicle logistics variety over map scale or polish.
Not for you if you need a large open map, strong AI traffic, or manual transmission support with a steering wheel.
How the Squirrel matches games
Not tag overlap. We compare what players actually say across hundreds of
thousands of reviews about how each game feels to play, then break
the comparison into the mechanics you can see in each card. The mark on
every bar is Bus Simulator 16's own score, so you can read where a match runs
hotter or cooler than the anchor.
Verdicts are written against a fixed editorial standard, machine-audited,
and human spot-checked. Which games make the cut is a human call. Prices
and review data refresh automatically. Full method & AI disclosure →