Sometimes online games can be really annoying. Then you need some peace and a game to chill. To unwind, our author Patrick hops into his truck in Euro Truck Simulator 2. And this has many advantages for him.
Why multiplayer sometimes annoys me: I actually love multiplayer. It started back then at LAN parties when you discovered the first multiplayer modes.
But in online games it can sometimes be really irritating. In team games, you have to cooperate and communicate. Less harmonious are the toxic players who use online games as an outlet for their problems. Some players are just annoying.
Sometimes I just want to play freely. Without teammates in the team who all give their best and expect that from me too. Without flamers who usually don’t flame, but when it comes to their mothers, they really unleash. Without lags, updates with huge download sizes, and server crashes that frustratingly prolong a short gaming session.
And that’s exactly why I have Euro Truck Simulator 2.
Why Euro Truck Simulator 2 is my perfect chill game
That’s why ETS 2 invites you to chill again and again: On Steam, I am now approaching 500 hours of playtime in Euro Truck Simulator 2. And there are good reasons for that:
- I can play as long or as short as I want
- In the meantime, I can easily listen to podcasts without missing any story in the game (because there isn’t any)
- Streams on the second monitor can be watched with one eye without making significant mistakes in ETS 2
- Once you understand the controls, you can also drive brainafk – it clears your head
- Game progress and regular updates keep things interesting
- If you can’t sleep at night, you can just drive a truck for half an hour and become tired
What is Euro Truck Simulator 2? As the name suggests, this is a simulator with trucks. It’s about driving trucks and organizing a company. Similar to how you can kick in football manager games or organize your club.
First, you create a driver and a company, then off you go. The job primarily consists of transporting cargo around the world.
On the map, you can find real places like Hannover, Hamburg, or Munich. You drive with well-known truck brands: Mercedes, MAN, Scania, or Volvo.
The relaxation factor: If you take on large contracts that lead far from the north of Norway to the south of Germany, that is “just” almost 1600 kilometers. You already know that, depending on your driving style, you will sit on that job for at least half an hour.
Driving around for half an hour at 80 to 90 km/h, watching the traffic, listening to the radio, being stuck in traffic, controlling the cruise control, using the engine brake, following the GPS. All alone in the truck.
If you are not a traffic hothead and don’t tend to yell at AI drivers, you will inevitably find peace.
No time commitments: A major disadvantage of many multiplayer games is the commitment you enter into.
If you’re waiting at home for a buddy and “want to quickly play a round in the 30 minutes he takes”, that can quickly escalate with many multiplayer titles.
I remember some LoL matches in which I spent easily an hour, although I just wanted to play something quickly for 20 minutes. If someone disconnects and leaves in the middle, they’re a leaver and get punished. Great. Then you tell your buddy, “Sorry, I have to finish this. Sit down first. It can take 5 or 30 minutes.” That’s annoying too.
In Euro Truck Simulator 2, I take on jobs that fit my schedule. If I only have 10 minutes, I drive a small delivery from one place to the next. And if I run out of time, I pull over, save the job, and continue it next time. It’s that simple. Without anyone being disappointed or me being “a leaver”.
When you quit the game, the digital customers are happy to wait for the next login.
I play at my own pace: When I play Diablo 3 with my friends, one wants to play quickly and power through everything, while others prefer to break every single vase and search for loot there. Finding a common ground is not easy.
In ETS 2, I play as I like. Maybe I don’t want to respect the speed limit and want to barrel downhill fully loaded at 150 km/h through the Netherlands. No teammate will then say, “Please pull over at the next rest area; I will be there in 10 minutes.” – and that is liberating.
This is how ETS 2 provides variety: To ensure that truckers don’t get bored, ETS 2 is regularly updated with new content. This includes:
- New trucks
- New trailers
- Heavy transports
- Map expansions
- Challenges to unlock cosmetics
Moreover, you don’t just drive trucks there. If you want to do some planning, you buy new garages and upgrade them. Then you go to the employment agency to choose new drivers for your company. You then buy them a tractor unit so that they are roadworthy.
Once you have hired the first drivers, they drive for the company and generate passive income.
Conclusion: In Euro Truck Simulator 2 I can relax my mind and play a bit. A good program if you want to play something while listening to podcasts or simply seek a single-player game where not everything is weighed against teammates or opponents. I feel comfortable there.
