Bus Simulator 16

Lore & Background

Bus Simulator 16 was announced in July 2015. It was originally scheduled for release on 20 January 2016, but was postponed to 3 March 2016 due to technical issues. The game includes six buses from the German manufacturer MAN, allowing players to drive across five districts. A route manager lets players create their own bus lines, and a multiplayer mode is available. On 25 January 2017, a downloadable content pack added three licensed Mercedes-Benz buses, including an 18-meter long Citaro G articulated bus. The game received 'mixed or average' reviews on Metacritic. Richard Allen of Invision Community rated it a seven, noting that its handling was quite similar to American Truck Simulator by SCS Software, which was published in the same period.

Reader's Guide

Bus Simulator 16 occupies a modest place in the simulation genre as the fourth entry in the Bus Simulator series and the first developed by stillalive studios. Its use of licensed MAN vehicles and the addition of Mercedes-Benz buses via DLC lent it authenticity among bus enthusiasts. The inclusion of a route manager and multiplayer mode offered players more flexibility than some earlier simulators. However, its 'mixed or average' critical reception suggests it did not break new ground. The comparison to American Truck Simulator, a major title from the same period, indicates that Bus Simulator 16 was seen as a competent but not revolutionary entry. Its legacy is as a transitional title that set the stage for the sequel, Bus Simulator 18, released two years later.

Did You Know?

• It was the first game in the series developed by Austrian studio stillalive studios.
• The game's release was postponed from 20 January 2016 to 3 March 2016 due to technical issues.
• A DLC released on 25 January 2017 added three licensed Mercedes-Benz buses, including an 18-meter Citaro G articulated bus.