SnowRunner

SnowRunner
Cover art featuring the Freightliner M916A1 and the Hummer H2
Developer(s)Saber Interactive
Publisher(s)Focus Home Interactive
SeriesMudRunner
EngineHavok
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
macOS
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Nintendo Switch
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X/S
ReleaseWindows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
April 28, 2020
Nintendo Switch
May 18, 2021[1]
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
May 31, 2022
Genre(s)Vehicle simulation
Mode(s)Single-player
Multiplayer

SnowRunner is a 2020 off-road simulation video game developed by Saber Interactive and published by Focus Home Interactive.[2] Following on from Spintires and the sequel MudRunner, the game was announced as MudRunner 2 in August 2018.[3] Focus Home and Saber Interactive re-revealed the title a year later as SnowRunner. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on April 28, 2020, which was followed by a port for Nintendo Switch on May 18, 2021. It was released for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on May 31, 2022.[4] SnowRunner has the player control off-road vehicles as they traverse locations to complete objectives. The game features over 60 different vehicles and more than 15 locations.[5][6] Much of the content is delivered across 4 anniversary year editions as DLC.[7] A spin-off title, Expeditions: A MudRunner Game was released on March 5, 2024.

Gameplay

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SnowRunner is an off-roading open world simulation video game where the player's job is to deliver cargo, completing construction projects and/or repairs at different locations while driving over rough terrain. The game has a damage system in which there is both damage on the physical model and damage shown through the user interface (UI). Each of the game regions is set after a disaster has taken place, whether natural like a flood or manmade, such as a pipeline breaking. Every location is in a rural region in either North America or Russia. As the player progresses by doing certain missions, they earn money which can be spent on either upgrades for their current vehicles or better vehicles altogether. Both of these usually make it easier for the player to traverse the game's terrain. Along the way the player encounters optional timed missions in which the rewards for completion get better the faster the player completes them. Each region has its own story associated with it, usually involving the player fixing the damage caused by the disaster that occurred in the region.

The game features a mix of aesthetic and mechanical customizations, ranging from changing the color of the player's vehicle, to changing the type of tires on the vehicle or installing a frame attachment. SnowRunner has a large selection of trucks, such as the Chevrolet Kodiak and the BAZ-69092; trucks found in the North American or Russian regions match their location. The Russian trucks usually have names differing from real life, while the North American trucks are officially licensed. Mechanical improvements to trucks usually require the player to reach a certain progress threshold before being able to purchase and install them.[8] Downloadable content (DLC) available for the game includes skin packs, map expansions, and additional vehicles.

Development

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See also: Spintires § Development

SnowRunner is based on the same physics engine developed by Pavel Zagrebelnyy, as MudRunner. During development of SnowRunner, Zagrebelnyy was mainly involved as a consultant, rather than deciding on the gameplay.[9]

Regions

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SnowRunner is set in a variety of worldwide regions, with fictional locations.

Base Game: Michigan, Alaska, Taymyr

Year 1 DLC: Kola Peninsula, Yukon, Wisconsin, Amur

Year 2 DLC: Don, Maine, Tennessee, Belozersk Glades

Year 3 DLC: Ontario, British Columbia, Scandinavia, North Carolina

Year 4 DLC: Almaty Region, Austria, Oil & Dirt, Expansion 4

Reception

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The game received "generally positive" reviews according to media review aggregator website Metacritic across its three platform releases.[10][12][11] Some critics praised the visuals and pacing of the game.[14] The game sold more than one million copies by July 2020.[18] More than 2 million copies had been sold by May 2021.[19]

References

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  1. ^ "SnowRunner Will Make An Out Of Season Appearance On Switch In May". Nintendo Life. 2021-03-30. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  2. ^ Donlan, Christian (May 4, 2020). "Snowrunner's another beautiful game about getting nowhere slowly". Eurogamer. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  3. ^ Grubb, Jeff (August 20, 2018). "Spintires: MudRunner gets a sequel that will deform terrain even harder". VentureBeat. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  4. ^ "Snowrunner Ploughs Through to Xbox Series X|S on May 31st 2022". XboxEra. 2022-04-04. Retrieved 2022-05-14.
  5. ^ Chalk, Andy (August 21, 2019). "Check out the first trailer for Snowrunner, the renamed sequel to Mudrunner". PC Gamer. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  6. ^ Autoblog Staff (July 21, 2020). "'SnowRunner' Gamers' Notes | Virtual off-roading game leaves split opinions". autoblog. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  7. ^ "MapRunner SnowRunner Interactive Maps, Hidden Upgrades, Vehicles and more". MapRunner. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  8. ^ "SnowRunner review-in-progress — Thrilling vehicular action at 3 mph". VentureBeat. 2020-04-27. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  9. ^ Jeremy Peel (2021-04-14). "How one man's love for spinning tyres birthed Mudrunner". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  10. ^ a b "SnowRunner for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  11. ^ a b "SnowRunner for PS4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  12. ^ a b "SnowRunner for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 11, 2020. |
  13. ^ "SnowRunner for Nintendo Switch Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 29, 2021. |
  14. ^ a b "SnowRunner Review". IGN. 29 April 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  15. ^ "SnowRunner review". PC Gamer. 27 April 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  16. ^ "SnowRunner Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life. 21 May 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  17. ^ "Test SnowRunner : Le successeur de MudRunner répond aux attentes". Jeuxvideo.com. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  18. ^ "Focus Home Interactive Strong Revenue Growth Continued in the First Quarter of 2020/21, up 51%". Business Wire. July 23, 2020. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  19. ^ Takahashi, Dean (May 20, 2021). "Embracer sells 6.8M copies of Valheim, has 160 games in development". VentureBeat. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
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