''Hard Truck'' is a series of

trucking Road transport or road transportation is a type of transport using roads. Transport on roads can be roughly grouped into the transportation of goods and transportation of people. In many countries licensing requirements and safety regulations ...

simulators and

racing video game Racing games are a video game genre in which the player participates in a racing competition. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to fantastical settings. They are distributed along a spectrum between more realistic raci ...

s published in the United States by ValuSoft. The series consists of three main titles and a spin-off.

Games

Main series

''Hard Truck''

The original ''Hard Truck'', also subtitled as ''Hard Truck: Road to Victory'', was developed by

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

n developer SoftLab-NSK published by Buka Entertainment, and released on April 20, 1998. It emphasized truck racing, in which players can race against trucks without cargo on a 3-lap circuit or with

cargo In transportation, cargo refers to goods transported by land, water or air, while freight refers to its conveyance. In economics, freight refers to goods transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. The term cargo is also used in cas ...

to deliver on any of 3 linear courses, with no other vehicles present. All racing courses, including a training course, are accessible from a central base of operations where the player can obtain cargo, as well as purchase upgrades or even new trucks. This game featured the following trucks: DAF,

ZiL OJSC AMO ZiL, known fully as the Public Joint-Stock Company – Likhachov Plant () and more commonly called ZiL (, was a major Russian automobile, truck, military vehicle, and heavy equipment manufacturer that was based in Moscow. The last ZiL ...

, GAZelle, MAZ T-Storm, Mack Vision,

Kenworth Kenworth Truck Company is an List of American truck manufacturers, American truck manufacturer. Founded in 1923 as the successor to Gersix Motor Company, Kenworth specializes in production of heavy-duty (Truck classification#Class 8, Class 8) ...

Peterbilt Peterbilt Motors Company is an List of American truck manufacturers, American truck manufacturer specializing in the production of heavy-duty (Truck classification#Class 8, Class 8) and medium-duty (Classes 5–7) commercial vehicles. The names ...

, Freightliner Trucks Century Classic,

Navistar International Motors, LLC (formerly Navistar International Corporation) is an American manufacturer of commercial vehicles and engines, established in 1986 as a successor to the International Harvester company. International Motors produces ...

(International Trucks), and

Renault Renault S.A., commonly referred to as Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English), is a French Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company curr ...

Magnum.

''Hard Truck 2''

''Hard Truck 2: King of the Road'' is a 2000 sequel to ''Hard Truck''. Like its predecessor, it is open world, but grants far more freedom with a larger world that only requires one loading screen per play session, while shifting focus from racing to cargo transport across various cities (although competition with rival truckers is still present). It also adds traffic, police and the Russian mafia, and trucks can fall under attack if drivers do not practice safe driving or are spotted by the Russian mafia. Making money with successful deliveries is crucial to the overall gameplay of the game itself, as running out of funds would result in a game over, and the ultimate goal of the game is to achieve dominance of the trucking market (with at least a 51% stake), but not before gaining enough money to start a company first. The sequel incorporates the same truck brands from the first game, while also including

Volvo The Volvo Group (; legally Aktiebolaget Volvo, shortened to AB Volvo, stylized as VOLVO) is a Swedish multinational manufacturing corporation headquartered in Gothenburg. While its core activity is the production, distribution and sale of truck ...

, Scania AB and Mercedes-Benz Actros. Cars that can be encountered in gameplay include the

BMW M5 The BMW M5 is a super high-performance variant of the BMW 5 Series marketed under the BMW M sub-brand. It is considered an iconic vehicle in the sports saloon category. The M5 has always been produced in the saloon (sedan, US English) body s ...

, the Renault Megane, the Fiat Marea, the Offroad HL/PS, the Oka and the

Volga The Volga (, ) is the longest river in Europe and the longest endorheic basin river in the world. Situated in Russia, it flows through Central Russia to Southern Russia and into the Caspian Sea. The Volga has a length of , and a catchment ...

''Hard Truck: 18 Wheels of Steel''

In 2002, a third ''Hard Truck'' game developed by SCS Software was also released, subtitled ''18 Wheels of Steel''. Unlike the previous two ''Hard Truck'' games, it removes racing altogether and focuses entirely on delivery of goods, playing more similar to ''Hard Truck 2''. It also incorporates a traffic system, as well as elements of business management simulation, where drivers can be hired and routes set up to make a profit. This is also the first game of ValuSoft's '' 18 Wheels of Steel'' series, consisting of several games and spanning nearly a decade.

Spin-offs

''Hard Truck Apocalypse''

'' Hard Truck Apocalypse'', released on June 26, 2006, is another spin-off of ''Hard Truck'', but its connection to the themes of ''Hard Truck'' is remotely in name only. Developed by the Russian developer Targem Games, ''Apocalypse'' is a completely different take on the ''Hard Truck'' games, set in an apocalyptic, '' Mad Max''-like future. A disaster occurred and everyone on Earth has to wear special masks to survive. Trade runs between villages to make money can still be done but the main method for making money is to loot destroyed enemies of cargo and weapons. The game takes place in an apocalyptic version of Europe, with different zones depicting countries like Germany, France, England, and many more. Five vehicles, from a simple van to the gigantic

BelAZ BelAZ (, ) is a Belarus, Belarusian automobile plant and one of the world's largest manufacturers of large and especially large dump trucks, as well as other heavy transport equipment for the mining and construction industries. ''BelAZ'' is a ...

, are available to drive. The guns vary from roof-mounted machine guns, shotguns, and mortars to laser and energy weapons. The game was soon followed by '' Hard Truck Apocalypse: Rise of Clans'' (original Russian title "Ex Machina: Меридиан 113"), the official standalone expansion to ''Hard Truck Apocalypse'', also developed by Targem Games. It takes place in an apocalyptic version of North America. In the game the player is a vagrant, a strong loner who is searching for the mythical city of

Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...

in Canada. The game reuses a lot of material from ''Hard Truck Apocalypse'', but most of the vehicles, weapons, and enemies are the same. There are four new zones and a whole new storyline.

Reception

In the United States, the ''Hard Truck'' series sold 790,000 copies between January 2000 and August 2006.

References

{{Reflist 1998 video games Trade simulation games Truck racing video games Video game franchises introduced in 1998 Video games developed in Russia Video games developed in the Czech Republic Windows games Windows-only games