18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal Review

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18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal

Build Your Own Personal Trucking Empire From the Ground Up!

Avg. Rating: 4.68 / 5

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DFG Exclusive Review Summary

A superior game, one of the very best in its category.

Pros

  • Three ways to experience the truck driving world. (employee, owner operator and company boss)
  • Entertaining blend of driving simulation and business management.
  • Deliver to cities in the U.S.A., Canada, and Mexico.
  • Adjustable settings like police, traffic and timed loads lets you adjust the game to your style of play.

Cons

  • Long hauls across the country can get boring.

8.5

Great

DFG SCORE

Read Full 18 Wheels of Steel PTM Review

Game Description

Operate Up to 35 trucks to Deliver Goods to 30 Cities All Over North America!

With 18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal, you have only one goal: make it in the world of long-haul trucking! Accept jobs and move cargo all across North America - Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

It's a race against the clock because for maximum profit you need to get it there on time and undamaged.

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18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal is a very realistic tycoon-type trucking simulation game which mixes the best of two worlds: business and driving!

Once you make a little money, upgrade your trucks, take on more lucrative jobs, and much more. Live out the quintessential rags-to-riches story!

Start Small and Work Your Way Up!

You begin your first game as a low-level trucker - just an employee working for the Man. As you move along, successfully completing deliveries, you'll soon have the means to become an owner operator of your own truck!

The fun doesn't stop there, though: keep on doing what you're doing and you just might make it all the way to the top to become a company boss and build the largest trucking company around!

Once you've reached the pinnacle of the profession, you have the option to start new games at any of the three levels, providing the most varied game experience.

Completely Open-Ended Gameplay Gives You the Freedom to Roam

Pick your headquarters from all the major cities on the North American continent. With 30 destinations to deliver to and lots of interesting jobs to take, 18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal comes with a huge game environment that'll have you lost in the world of trucking!

Choose any of 35 different trucks based on real-life models, and pick your favorite paint jobs for the coolest looks! Once you get out on the road, there's a lot of work to do with over 45 different types of cargo to transport from place to place.

Sure, you can haul cars, logs, and pipes, but you can also haul army vehicles, dinosaurs, and nuclear waste!

A Very Realistic Trucking Simulation With Sharp Graphics and Lifelike Physics!

18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal is a game that's easy to learn and fun to play, but at the same time it has lots of elements which let you feel like you're really driving an 18 wheeler.

Watch your brake fluid level and your fuel tank - it wouldn't do to run out of gas in the middle of nowhere! Adjust things like traffic density, police activity, and fatigue effects to fit your preferences.

A Few Things You'll Have to Deal With

  • bad weather
  • road hazards
  • accidents
  • and truck maintenance

Just like the real thing!

Cool Details

Your trucks are visually detailed and handle like real big rigs, and there's an almost endless expanse of beautiful natural landscapes.

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But wait, what are you admiring the scenery for? You've got a deadline to meet, get a move on!

For that matter, what are you reading this for instead of playing 18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal? Download it now!

18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal Review

Jim Rosenquist Avatar

Review by Mick

The 18 Wheels of Steel (18 WOS) series provides the most realistic truck driving experience imaginable. In this installment of the series, Pedal to the Medal, the game gets even better with the addition of more business elements. You get to live the American dream as you work your way from employee clear up to the company boss. All this while still delivering cargo up and down North America.

Basic Gameplay

Starting a game is very simple. At first you only have the choice of being an employee, but after you have unlocked the other options you can start at any level. Once unlocked, the levels to choose from are Employee, Owner Operator, and Company Boss. In the Employee mode everything is picked for you, the routes and loads. Once you save up $100,000 you can purchase your own truck and begin the Owner Operator mode. This mode allows you to pick which loads you want to take as well as managing your own enterprise. You will need to do things like upgrade your truck and hire new drivers. When you have progressed far enough in the Owner Operator mode you will be able to move up to the Company Boss mode. In this mode you no longer drive trucks, you just take care of all the business matters.

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Controls

The controls in this game are very simple and anyone can learn them. While there is no tutorial, every time that player interaction is required there is a box that pops up telling you the appropriate command. There are also many other controls that are unnecessary to gameplay, but can add to the realism like turn signals and windshield wipers. All the controls can be found in the options menu. The controls are virtually identical to previous versions of 18 WOS.

Ah, the Life of a Trucker

Most of the game will be spent on the road delivering goods. That being the case, the well done graphics add a bit of realism to the game. Every detail is carefully crafted down to working dials in the dash of the truck. The highways are all correctly named and placed and even have street signs that can help point you in the right direction if you get lost. If your computer can handle it turning the graphics to the highest setting is a must. The level of detail achieved in this game is amazing.

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Hope You Enjoy Driving

If you have played other 18 WOS games or are interested in playing this one you should be prepared to invest lots of time. While at first your runs are fairly short, only requiring 10 to 15 minutes, the most profitable hauls later in the game can require a much more significant amount of time. Luckily in this version of the game you can save mid haul and come back to it later right where you left off. Also this game removed the challenge of backing in the trailers. You only need to stop on the designated icon and release the trailer.

Conclusion - Best Trucking Sim Yet

With the new expanded business features 18 WOS: Pedal to the Metal expands on the classic game and keeps all the elements that made it a great game to start with. You can work your way up from workin' for “the man” to being “the man”. This game is simple to learn and can be played by virtually anyone. This is definitely one of the best in the series.

Player Reviews

Gameplay Video

Developer created video showing different trucks hauling trailers in town and on the open road.

 Video of game play for 18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal

Screenshots

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18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal - Screen 1 18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal - Screen 2

Fast Facts

  1. 18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal was released August 30, 2004
  2. The game was developed by Czech company SCS Software
  3. The game was published by ValueSoft, Inc. a division of THQ
  4. The game was released only for PC
  5. 18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal is part of a series of truck-driving simulations. Other games in the series include Hard Truck: 18 Wheels of Steel (2002); 18 Wheels of Steel: Across America (2003); 18 Wheels of Steel: Convoy (2005); 18 Wheels of Steel: Haulin' (2006); 18 Wheels of Steel: American Long Haul (2007); and 18 Wheels of Steel: Extreme Trucker (2009)
  6. There are 35 different rigs to unlock, and 45 types of cargo to haul
  7. The game takes you to 30 different cities in North America
  8. SCS Software has developed over 25 other titles, including the other 18 Wheels games and the Hunting Unlimited series
  9. ValuSoft has published over 100 games, mainly in the family and casual games categories

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