RECYCLE

It’s Time to Take out the Trash

Admit it, the first time you saw the title of this game you thought it was a joke, right? We, Garbage Truck Simulator is an actual game and everyone is invited to play. Read on to find out if the game is really as dull as it sounds or if it offers some hidden surprises.

Hi-ho, hi-ho, it’s off to work we go. Garbage Truck Simulator is all about work, and there’s plenty of work to be done. After all, it’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it. But in the world of gaming, trying to accurately represent the realities of the working world is probably not a good move.

The aim of the game is to become the most successful rubbish collection company in the city. Even this small pleasure is diminished, however, when you discover that there are not actually any other rubbish collection companies to compete against and you are simply being pushed to work as quickly and as efficiently as you can.

Players complete their tasks by driving a lorry through the almost deserted city streets in search of waiting bins. Despite the lack of traffic, players are forced to dutifully follow the rules of the road by stopping at red lights, avoiding hitting any crossing pedestrians and sticking to the speed limit. There is not really any sense of urgency and the pace is very slow.

As soon as players reach the bins they take control of one of their colleagues and slowly bring the bins to the lorry. As the rubbish flows through the air, you may well be splattered by nappies, the liquid from leaking bags and other gunk. This is definitely a thankless task that will make neat freaks cringe.

There are lots of ways that the creators of Garbage Truck Simulator could have added a bit of fun to the mix by allowing players to smash gates and knock over bins along the way. Sadly, all of these opportunities were missed and it feels more like a training simulator than an actual game that people play for fun.

Pros

• Collecting rubbish can be surprisingly fun at first
• The animations are so bad they are actually funny
• Driving the truck can be a weird kind of fun

Cons

• The game is very slow
• Repetitive missions feel more like work
• The magic wears off very quickly