Optimus Primed: Rig'n'Roll
Oh yes. I have review code for Rig'n'Roll, "the ultimate truck driving experience." This name and that statement alone were enough to ensure I was going to try this anyway, but the promise on the back of the box that it has an "exciting story with an unexpected finale" has pushed my intruigometer to maximum. Unexpected how? Turns out the driver's in a coma, imagining driving a truck? Or it's not a truck at all, but a sentient crustacean in truck form? Or it turns out the truck was in purgatory, waiting to be reunited with the people it loves the most? Nah, no-one'd write something that silly. It'll be a short while before I can fire this rare beauty up, but in the meantime let's look at some videos. RAWK videos.
So that's the noisy one, but this is the one which really pleases me. It nails the strange blend of purpose and distracted aimlessness that I can only imagine results from driving a lorry day in, day out. Then, all of a sudden, the bouffant-haired trucker apparently visits the bar from True Blood to chat up waitresses and pick up work. Later, he suffers one of the most humiliating arrests I've ever seen. All in Russian, alas, but I do have the English version here. Waiting for me, Gordon. In the test chamber.
Stalker with lorries? Oh, I do hope so.
Over 1200 miles of road, apparently, and 40 Californian cities. It is nothing if not exhaustive. Also, the version I tried at 1C's pre-E3 event in Prague yesterday featured a truck which looked just like Optimus Prime. That's all it takes to win my affections, if I'm honest.
Rig'n'Roll is available from various digital distribution channels now. I hope to bring you some hands-on road trips from it soon.