Russian Car Driver: ZIL 130 is a racing driving simulator video game. In it, you take jobs and transport cargo in a seamless open world.
This is also one of the most realistic truck simulator, so come and immerse yourself and get behind the wheel!
Since this is a sandbox 3D games, your goal is whatever you wish to do. However, it is expected that you would want to upgrade and customize your car, since you cannot exit it and you cannot get a different one. And what you can customize is a great deal.
There are many things that change how gameplay works, like adding speed or better suspension. Better grip and weight limit are also very important so you can take on tougher jobs. Yet the personal expression is all about the cosmetic upgrades. You can add stickers, change the color of the car or even add some 3D effects, like falling snow or sea corals attached all around the car. This really makes your truck feel like your own, which is important since you are playing out your own story.
The way you gain money is by accepting jobs. You go to one of the many cargo centrals and choose what you want to deliver. You need to be careful to understand your limits when accepting jobs, since there is a required weight to each and time limit. If the weight is greater than what you can realistically carry, you will not be able to take that cargo over the simplest slopes. And if you are not fast enough, you will not be able to make the most strict timeframes.
As you advance through the game, you can take on better jobs, but they do not pay all that much. The ones that pay the most are the Mafia, yet obviously they are illegal. If you get caught doing any illicit activity, you will get fined, which means less resources to upgrade and customize your car.
Job requirements are not the only things you should keep track of. There are three different stats that define how long you can keep working. One of them is Gas, and if you run out you will have to call 911 to pick you up (and lose money). You can refill it at a Gas Station, but sometimes they are unavailable for repairs.
There is also your Car’s Integrity, that goes down as you crash with things. With good driving you shouldn’t worry about it, but in general you should be careful.
Finally there is the Stamina bar. To recover this, you need to find a safe spot to sleep on, and then choose for how many hours you wish to do so.
The game’s graphics are really well done, taking into account its limitations. The game is trying to convey a realistic world with limited resources, therefore the animations of non playable characters are limited, yet their presence aids greatly to the feeling of immersion.
You do not only encounter other cars, but you see people working, walking around and waiting for the bus. You can also see different animals: bears, deers and cows, all of them in areas that make sense. For example, you see deers cross the road (as it is known to happen in the real world), but bears are deep in the forest areas, since they do not commonly go to populated zones.
The visuals are actually very well done when it comes with your vehicle, since that is the main attraction. The metal of the hood has a reflective effect, and as you go near mud it gets dirty, and while dirty if you drive by water it gets cleaned up. It is all expertly achieved and makes for a very realistic world.
The game has a bit of story, mostly used as a setting. Not much is said on your personality, therefore you can take any action you want without seeming out of character. In the tutorial, it is explained that you have just come back home from military service, and you need a job.
A good friend of yours fixed your old truck (the titular ZIL 130) so you can use it to get jobs transporting cargo. He gets you your first connection and that is it, you are now free to roam the land.
Russian Car Driver ZIL 130 is an amazing driving simulator for fans of the genre, and a great introduction for those who haven’t played all that many of them. All in all, a great and fun experience, if a bit challenging at times.
If you enjoy these free games, you will love this list of our 10 Best Racing Games!
