Trucked Out

FIA European Truck Racing Championship is exactly what you think it is.

- Andy Kelly

Before you even think about entering a race in European Truck Racing Championship’s career mode, you need a license. Earning one involves a series of challenges designed to teach you the basics of navigating one of these weighty monsters around a track without overheating, oversteering, or toppling over. And it’s worth paying close attention to these tests because this is very different from other racing games.

If you’re used to playing more traditional racing sims such as Forza, where you can slam the handbrake and drift effortlessly around a corner, you’ll have some adjusting to do. These trucks will spin out at the slightest provocation and my first hour of the game was spent misjudging corners and twirling to an embarrassing standstill.

And then you have the wellbeing of your brakes to consider, a layer of micromanagement that really sets European Truck Racing Championship apart from other racing games. When you hit the brakes to turn a corner, a temperature indicator on the HUD will shoot up. Stopping a vehicle this heavy generates a lot of heat, which you must counter by spraying the brakes with cold water. This is as simple as pressing a button, but the mastery lies in the balance.