We previewed Euro Truck Simulator 2

SCS Software program has been within the enterprise of constructing digital renditions of the true world for a few years now. I’ve been a fan of its merchandise since childhood. You’d suppose that in spite of everything this time, something new would set off only a tiny completely happy response from somebody like me. That stated, I wasn’t fairly ready for the expertise that Euro Truck Simulator 2 – Iberia has to supply.

That is, with none form of hyperbole, nearly the very best enlargement the studio has put out but. Regardless of Euro Truck Simulator 2‘s advancing age, this enlargement — mixed with the current graphical overhaul in replace 1.40 — makes this one thing that any truck sim fan must get pleasure from for themselves as a way to get the total sense of what I’m about to explain.

Oh, and it’s essential to say that you simply don’t want the Vive la France! enlargement as a way to entry the Iberian peninsula. You’ll be able to sail to the northwestern shores of Spain by the use of a ferry from the UK. Alternatively, it’s also possible to are available from the east by the use of Italy. So, anybody can expertise this nice new map — and it certainly is value it. Why?

First impressions are every thing.

Magnificence from the primary kilometer

My journey started by choosing up a job in Toulouse, France. I headed southwest previous the newly added metropolis of Bayonne, after which throughout the border. The rapid transition between the 2 nations was much more delicate than I used to be anticipating, however the adjustments rapidly began to grow to be obvious. The foliage modified, the topography turned extra mountainous, and street networks had been extra intricate. Quickly, I used to be rolling by the Spanish countryside of its northwestern area, admiring the sheer fantastic thing about all of it.

They are saying first impressions are every thing, and this introduction was concluded fairly properly when coming upon the primary settlement of Bilbao.

Instantly, I seen the density and nice element of the buildings and total infrastructure. That is true for the overwhelming majority of different settlements all through the map — and there’s a mind-boggling 49 of them, rather more than previous expansions. Bilbao additionally supplied one other first: an enclosed trailer depot, which there are just a few of across the peninsula. These are much more trickier for deliveries, however fortunately I solely came across it to select up one other trailer for the subsequent job and it was already parked outdoors. From right here, I moved additional west alongside the coast to A Coruña.

The surroundings element is wealthy and plentiful.

The journey alongside the coast supplies some epic views of the numerous lovely cities that straddle the shoreline. Lots of these cities are labeled all through the map. Nevertheless, I seen that a few of them are thought-about ‘Found’ even if you happen to’re a bit of methods out, whereas others appear to require you to drive immediately into them. This turns into a problem in the event that they don’t join again to the Autopista.

A Coruña proved to be one other nice instance of SCS’ surroundings designers simply straight up flexing. The economic and concrete sectors of the town are on full show right here, and the entire fashions look well-made and really plausible. Actually, that is one thing that I seen when driving by quite a lot of the brand new settlements; they’re so effectively detailed that I really feel like if I ever get to go to Spain and Portugal in actual life that I’ll find yourself having déjà vu.

Portugal has its personal distinctive magnificence too.

Twin-country wonders

Talking of Portugal, that’s what the subsequent a part of the journey contains. From A Coruña, I drove south to Lisbon, the capital of the nation. Most of this part of the journey passed off at evening, however I arrived in Lisbon simply in time for dawn. With the brand new lighting engine illuminating the setting and the aforementioned wealthy surroundings element, the doorway was fairly the sight for me.

With Portugal being a lot smaller than Spain, the subsequent job from Lisbon to Huelva would take me throughout the border once more. That stated, I did get to get pleasure from Portugal’s distinctive magnificence whereas alongside the way in which crossing over lovely earth-toned valleys and farmlands, surrounded by hues of brown, inexperienced, and gold. Even on this extra rural a part of the nation, quite a lot of tremendous minor settlements are modeled and visual, additional including to the general immersion issue that this enlargement has to supply.

City luminosity.

By the tip of my brief time rolling by Portugal, I got here throughout a shock: a scenic Viewpoint (which there are 5 of all through Iberia). These had been launched within the Idaho enlargement for American Truck Simulator: cinematic cutscenes which exhibit attractive views of essential surroundings. On this case, it was the Guadiana Worldwide Bridge that connects this southern a part of Portugal to Spain. It might be good if main landmarks like this had been higher labeled, like in Microsoft Flight Simulator. In any other case, you’ll be able to simply drive previous them with out realizing their significance apart from, “Oh, that appears neat.”

Again in Spain, I ventured eastward to go to Algeciras. Nothing about this metropolis is especially particular, apart from the truth that it’s now the southernmost of your complete map of Euro Truck Simulator 2. It sits on the southern coast of Spain, immediately north of Morocco. I made a decision to go to simply to see if I might spot even a touch of Africa throughout the Strait of Gibraltar, however sadly that’s not the case. However, this seemingly going to be the furthest south you will get within the sim endlessly.

That is now the southern fringe of ETS 2‘s map.

Bringing it again

At this level within the journey, it has taken me roughly six hours to get from the French border within the northwest all the way down to the southern tip of Spain. I contemplated if I ought to proceed alongside the coast, however determined I wanted to be the central portion as a way to give an excellent overview. So, after a fast shuttle run eastward to Málaga, I picked up a job that will carry me to Spain’s capital of Madrid.

This part was additionally shrouded within the cowl of evening, however like earlier than, I reached my vacation spot at dawn. I used to be anticipating a grand entrance, however Madrid is surprisingly fairly modest. It looks like solely the commercial sectors on the outskirts of the town are modeled; the street community even goes round in an oval. A bit disenchanted in what was anticipated to be the massive finale, I made a decision to cowl one final swath of the land by heading northeast to a different main metropolis, Barcelona.

I really feel like I’ve taken an actual street journey.

This was probably the most modest a part of the journey by way of surroundings complexity; not as vivid as the opposite components of the map, although this simply is perhaps how this area of the nation actually is. Like Madrid, Barcelona’s core metropolis doesn’t look like rendered, simply the outskirts. But, it didn’t damper my sense of satisfaction to know I had made it round an excellent chunk of the brand new map.

Take the good distance ’spherical—you’ll like it

In all, the journey took a whopping seven hours. And that’s not with out even correctly driving by half of the mapped settlements. I nonetheless haven’t seen a lot of the japanese coast of Spain, nor the northern-central inside. However, I felt like I had seen sufficient to say you undoubtedly want to provide Iberia a playthrough.

Iberia is very large, and that’s nice.

After having scouted out the land by the use of Microsoft Flight Simulator, I had a good thought of what to anticipate from SCS’ full ground-based rendition. And by all means, the designers have captured it amazingly. Contemplating I lately bought the Vive la France! enlargement to ‘correctly’ enter the brand new map, I used to be stunned by the distinction in complexity. That older enlargement appears much more primary in comparison with the immense quantity of element that this newer Iberia enlargement has. Clearly, SCS’ expertise have grown since then.

With a lot new stuff to see on this new enlargement, it’s going to maintain you trucking for hours on finish.