RoadCraft

The vehicle and off-road simulations from Saber Interactive and Focus Entertainment continue to sell like hot cakes, and RoadCraft, the new game from the successful duo, is already generating a lot of interest ahead of its release. What makes this game so special?

Saber Interactive and Focus Entertainment continue to expand their line of vehicle simulations - what began with MudRunner culminated in SnowRunner, which has over 12 million players and is currently on its fourth annual DLC pass. Last year, the company launched a spin-off called Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, which focused more on exploration, but failed to match the critical and commercial success of SnowRunner. It was often referred to as a stripped-down SnowRunner.

Now the next attempt is RoadCraft (announced at gamescom), a game that is again more of a vehicle simulation, but not only. As the head of a company specialising in the reconstruction of areas devastated by natural disasters, players must use construction machinery to get local industry moving again. Many tasks require the use of heavy machinery, such as clearing debris, replacing broken equipment, planning transport routes across the map from depot to depot, rebuilding roads as well as bridges, and using resource convoys to produce new rebuilding materials. Road building is an important process. First, the bulldozer clears and levels the surface (with sand, not gravel). Then, the paver lays the hot asphalt and finally, the roller smooths everything down. While each machine has its own behaviour, not all tasks are simulated to the same depth.

For example, if concrete components or steel beams need to be lifted onto a loading area using a crane, the player must rotate the crane, extend and retract the boom and tighten the rope. – and that's not as easy as it sounds, but it just takes a little practice. The engine controls for driving vehicles through the environments are simpler. Compared to SnowRunner, however, they lack gear shifting, damage and fuel management. Instead, the process has been simplified: before driving off-road, you can select a 'generic' low gear, activate 4x4 drive, and engage the differential lock. There is also a sensor that can be activated to show the depth of water when driving through it. Scout vehicles also have a radar to detect 'interesting' objects in the vicinity. So rather than simulating one vehicle type in depth, multiple vehicle types with different functions are available. It's a construction sandbox with off-roading elements, but it's not primarily intended as an off-road driving game like SnowRunner. By the way: RoadCraft uses a customised version of the Swarm Engine (as seen in World War Z and Warhammer: 40,000: Space Marine 2) rather than the engine that powered SnowRunner and Expeditions. This is why many game elements had to be transferred to the new engine first.

"Each machine has its own behavior. Use your bulldozer to clear obstructions, your heavy transporter to carry multiple vehicles, or your fixed or gantry cranes to lift containers and equipment. Reconnect a factory to the power grid with your cable layer, lay down hot asphalt with your paver, and flatten it with your roller to create your own roads. Unlock over 40 vehicles as you progress through the story-driven campaign. Visit your garage to customize your machines with your company’s logo and repaint them with your personalized colors." - Saber & Focus Entertainment

Although it's not an issue on the first map, building roads is one of the central elements of the game. These roads can be constructed almost anywhere on the Sandbox maps. Without new roads, it will be difficult to rebuild and reopen factories. Players can also collect leftover wood, steel and cement and recycle them into useful building materials at recycling plants. As an operations manager, players can plot the routes of their transport trucks on the map, but the infrastructure must be in place first.

There are eight 4km² maps, each featuring abandoned factories, flooded dams and inoperative solar fields in various biomes. Each map can be fully explored in order to complete objectives and secure new contracts for extra cash and XP. Progressing through the story-driven campaign unlocks over 40 vehicles. As in previous games, four-player co-operative play is also available. After playing co-op and leaving a session in RoadCraft, everyone will be offered the option to save or discard the progress made in co-op.

RoadCraft is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on 20 May 2025. Distribution in the GSA region is handled by astragon Entertainment. It is available in Standard and Rebuild Editions. The Rebuild Edition includes the Rebuild Expansion, which adds two new maps, new contracts, new activities and new vehicles after the game's release, as well as the Invictus Type A scout vehicle. While there are no licensed vehicles in RoadCraft, the simulated vehicles are based on real-life originals. However, Saber Interactive and Focus Entertainment have not ruled out the possibility of adding licensed vehicles at a later date.