If you have played any of the past iterations of the “Runner” series and enjoyed them, you know exactly what you are in for in Expeditions: A MudRunner Game. If you have never approached the now long-running series of “Runner” games, you are in for a frustrating but somehow satisfying time.
During our almost six-hour preview of Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, I was able to put to the test what the MudRunner and SnowRunner games are known for best: their deformation technology mixed with utilizing excellent tools at our disposal; like the ever-popular winch along with a removable anchor which you can use to attach to help yourself get out of those really impossible spots. There is one thing clear with Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, and it again doubles down on what a MudRunner game is.
During my expeditions in Arizona in Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, I was scoping out areas with drones, delivering materials and supplies, and what was probably the most challenging mission, towing a truck out of the deep dark water. This mission was filled with what has been my favourite part of the MudRunner series, and it’s that immense frustration, coupled with the sense of accomplishment once you solve the problem and are in the clear.
As I mentioned, the towing mission in Expeditions: A MudRunner Game was easily the most difficult for me, as when I started to pull the truck out with my winch, my vehicle ended up getting pulled into the mud, and I was stuck. Thankfully, I packed a few portable anchor points and managed to winch myself up a rock and get unstuck after a few frivolous minutes of spinning my tires, shifting gears, and helplessly spinning out.
“There is one thing clear with Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, and it again doubles down on what a MudRunner game is.”
I finally saw it: a great angle at which I could pull the truck out and free it from the mud. I was more set up to drive off-road, but the mud was proving to be a little too much for my truck setup. I unstuck the truck and ran out of gas. It was a hard lesson in how to kit my truck out for future expeditions.
That’s the biggest thing with Expeditions: A MudRunner Game: it is a hardcore offroading simulator in all the best ways. The number of times I was laughing and having a great time, all because I managed to get stuck in a weird way but could slowly, over the course of planting a few portable anchors, was incredible. Some might find this a frustrating point, but with the way the ground is deformed, it looks incredible while you are doing it, and you can see your wheels getting more entrenched in the mud, water, and sand.
That, for me, was the issue with the previous entry, SnowRunner; the deformation just didn’t feel entirely on point. Granted, snow acts very differently than mud and sand, but because of it, the snow never felt as much of an obstacle until it was too much of a pain. Thankfully, Expeditions: A MudRunner Game changes this up by bringing back the incredible deformation the series was initially known for.
“That’s the biggest thing with Expeditions: A MudRunner Game: it is a hardcore offroading simulator in all the best ways.”
A significant change when it comes to Expeditions: A MudRunner Game is that instead of being an open-world affair, which the previous entries were, instead, you will have to choose a mission this time, which can vary from collecting items to delivering or towing vehicles. In each mission selection, there are a few things it will list out, like its difficulty, how far the drive will be, types of terrain, and how much money you will receive.
After that, you get to select your vehicle with all its stats listed on the side, and it will even tell you which terrain it is more suited for, which was a nice touch for the not-so-skilled players like myself. It will also give you a suggestion on which vehicle to use in said mission. Then, it’s time to kit out your vehicle with anchor points, extra fuel, some repair parts, or spare tires. There is also some long-haul equipment you can attach to your vehicle, like a radar, to see how deep the water is.
I was pleasantly surprised by my time with Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, and it was intuitive, frustrating, and also incredibly satisfying when I managed to pull off some of its missions. This isn’t going to be a game for everyone, but those who have loved the series or those who are into hardcore driving simulators are in for a real treat on March 5th, 2024, when Expeditions: A MudRunner Game releases for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch & PC.
