I picked up American Truck Simulator during the Steam Summer Sale (store page link) for only a couple dollars. I noticed it was marked as Verified for the Steam Deck and the review scores were consistently high. I needed a chill game to play over the 4th of July weekend, so I hit the gas on the purchase and I’ve never looked back.
…mostly because I’m still scared to try going in reverse with a semi-truck.
As a fan of chill, casual games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing, I’ve always understood how people find some gameplay loops relaxing, but I never really understood why the truck simulator games were such a massive draw for so many people until I got behind the wheel of my own big rig.
Once I picked a camera angle that worked for me and figured out how to turn my headlights on (the Steam Deck controls take some getting used to), I was on my way with my first delivery.
I know I’ve hardly scratched the surface of American Truck Simulator, but I’m well into career level 7 after probably over a dozen successful deliveries all throughout California. Driving and obeying traffic laws (this is no Grand Theft Auto) may sound boring, but once you get into the rhythm of picking up a load, transporting it and dropping it off, the mundane rinse-and-repeat loop becomes surprisingly satisfying.
I blame the mental satisfaction that comes with checking off a task and doing a good job with it. Watching the money come in after a delivery and watching the career experience bar scoot across the screen tickles a part of my brain that is probably meant to be tickled with real world tasks…but my laundry can wait! These almonds won’t deliver themselves.
