Expeditions: A Mudrunner Game Preview – one wheel forward, while the others thankfully stay stuck in the mud

thesixthaxis.com:

There’s at least two things you can tell from the title of Expeditions: A MudRunner Game. First, this is a game about getting out there, into the wilderness, and seeing what you can discover, while conquering an unwelcoming landscape. Secondly, this is part of the MudRunner franchise, a vehicular series that is more focused on meticulous detail, driving in tough terrains, and transportation, than it is about racing, drifting, or being particularly fast. This is a new beginning, but fans of the franchise shouldn’t worry; it’s still you and your tyres against the world.

Steer your first truck through its first furrow, and it’s clear that Expeditions hasn’t fallen far from the Runner tree. You can feel the tyres rubbing against the raised earth, and hear the engine whine as you push it onwards. Reaching a swampy, muddy patch, you engage all-wheel drive, and you can sense the rubber searching for purchase on the slimy surface beneath.

Like its forebears, Expeditions is as much puzzle game as it is a driving experience. It’s up to you to work out which of the tools at your disposal are the right ones for the job, and they’re all still here. This hasn’t been trimmed or simplified – barring a notification to remind you to take the handbrake off – and you have all-wheel drive to help you through difficult sections, but at the cost of increased fuel consumption.

If you get stuck, you can try locking out the differential, and shifting to a lower gear, or lowering the pressure of your tyres. All of this is at your command, but all of it comes with a cost on your fuel tank, increasing the risk that you’ll find yourself dry, desperate, and likely to start over again.

Holding the left bumper gives you an overview of your vehicle, from its