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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 verdictSame core loop: accept jobs, haul freight across a map, manage fatigue and traffic laws, upgrade trucks and trailers. ETS2 delivers the driving depth and truck feel that reviewers say On The Road doesn't yet have, plus co-op for hauling with friends. For anyone who wanted the sim feeling On The Road promised but didn't provide.
Not for you if you were drawn to On The Road's vans-and-big-trucks variety or its newer city/graphics work, since ETS2's map and vehicle roster reflect a 2012 release.
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Automobile SimDrivingOpen World
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$4.99 ~67.7 hr median co-op complexity: light 96.9% of 194k
The Squirrel's verdictAmerican Truck Simulator delivers licensed trucks, a detailed US map, stable long-haul driving mechanics, and a 96.9% Steam rating built over years of incremental updates. Reviewers with 600+ hours cite realistic detail, responsive NPC traffic, and polished scenery. Co-op is supported. At a median 67.7 hours, it suits players who want a complete, refined trucking sim with ongoing map expansions.
Not for you if you want experimental features or European routes rather than a US-focused, established simulator.
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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 centers on Berlin bus routes, stop-by-stop passenger timing, and co-op driving — a different vehicle focus from On The Road's trucks but a similar route-based structure. Reviews consistently flag poor steering controls, performance stuttering, and paid DLC released during early access. Median playtime is 21.2 hours. Best suited to players specifically drawn to urban bus operations over truck haulage.
Not for you if performance stuttering, GTA-like steering feel, or paid early-access DLC are dealbreakers for you.
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Automobile SimDrivingOpen World
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$9.99 ~11.6 hr median no co-op complexity: light 71.2% of 4k
The Squirrel's verdictSame commercial-vehicle simulation niche, same rough edges: control jank, crashes, and no wheel/TrackIR support show up in both sets of reviews. Bus Simulator 16 adds route planning, passenger management, and out-of-cab walking, plus company macromanagement layered on top of the driving. Suits players who want simulation-adjacent city driving with business systems rather than a polished truck sim.
Not for you if you need reliable controller support or expect the driving physics themselves to feel authentic rather than approximate.
5
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 verdictForklifts, vans, and semis across a small European map with manual cargo loading and co-op support distinguish Truck & Logistics Simulator from most genre entries. Reviews describe physics as acceptable but repetitive, AI as unresponsive, and the map as notably smaller than ETS2 or ATS. Median playtime is 4.9 hours. Suits players who want vehicle variety and hands-on loading over simulation depth.
Not for you if you need responsive traffic AI, a large map, proper wheel gear-stick support, or cargo strapping mechanics.
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 On The Road - The Truck Simulator'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 →