American Truck Simulator: Valentine’s Event Review (PC)

There’s a small part of me that feels a little giddy when I’m out transporting boxes of fluffy dice and chocolate bonbons. I can’t say what it is, but there’s a different sense of accomplishment that you don’t often find when you’re out lumbering tools and other industrial cargo from A to B. It’s a strange thing, but as it turns out, a Valentine’s Event is an oddly enthralling add-on to the vanilla American Truck Simulator series, and it just goes to show that even a slight change in transferable produce is enough of a good thing to breathe new life into a familiar experience.

Of course, they say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. And to some extent, that’s true for this particular transport-centric sim, as it doesn’t do a great deal more than what its predecessor did. But, as a reminder, the Valentine’s Event isn’t a new thing; it’s a seasonal update that, minus the addition of some fresh cargo to loft around, pulls on all of the same trappings as its original. It isn’t American Truck Simulator 2.0, is what I’m saying. So, if you had high hopes of getting behind the wheel of a sequel, then you might be in for a bit of a surprise here. Oh, love may be in the air for the short term, but the roads are still as long and as taxing as they were back in 2016, folks.

As Valentine’s Day disintegrates on the back burner for yet another year, I thought I’d take one final trip and mop up any leftover love letters before the arrival of the second quarter. The question I was looking to answer was simple: Was it worth getting behind the wheel for for a second time? Second time? Twentieth?

Back in the Cabin

SCS Software made it clear right from the get-go that, while the newly fashioned Valentine’s Event wouldn’t bring about all that many changes to the world of American Truck Simulator, it would reward its users with a few nifty perks for making the latest journey across the boroughs and into the hearts of their lovestruck consumers. And that’s really what this annual event is, in a nutshell: a detour, of sorts, that takes you away from the usual routes of the States to explore another stretch—a fourteen-stint trucking gig that, once completed, will provide you with a couple of things, including a new achievement and a pair of dangly dice for your cabin, to boot. There’s also a fresh paint job to unlock, too—a cotton candy-like wrap that, granted, won’t boost your performance on the road, but will allow you the opportunity to shed your lovable livery.

American Truck Simulator comes with a communal milestone for both returning and new players to work towards—a collaborative project, if you will, that comprises a grand total of 600,000 shared deliveries. This isn’t a huge deal, I’ll admit, but the fact that SCS has made the effort to involve its long-term user base by creating beneficial content is another reason why ATS is so successful and sustainable. Admittedly, the perks of participating in these activities aren’t always worth the drive, but the mere thought of being a small part of a combined effort is, on the other hand, a good way to feel like a small cog on a big wheel. And to be honest, ATS has been able to capture that communal spirit in each of its DLC and bi-annual events every time without fail.

More Bang for Your Buck

American Truck Simulator has come a long way since its 2016 inception—so far, in fact, that it isn’t the same thing anymore. But that isn’t to say that it’s gradually gotten worse; on the contrary, the game has slowly improved and finessed its core formula, with better controls, steering support, and quality-of-life improvements enabling its shortcomings. And there’s still a great amount to do here, too—so much, in fact, that you could still quite easily lose dozens of hours to the act of making long-haul deliveries across the asphalt and beyond. Is it a taxing endeavor? Sometimes, yes — but with numerous destinations to visit, items to ship, and liveries to unpack, there’s always something new to discover and put your foot on the pedal for. It just so happens that love heart-shaped jank is the latest craze — and that’s fine.

Verdict

American Truck Simulator continues to elevate its decade-old bones with vastly improved updates and seasonal improvements over countless binge-worthy DLCs. Its Valentine’s Event, while nothing short of predictable, is another example that the game still has a lot of stories left to tell and a great deal of routes left to turf up on an asphalt platter. Granted, it doesn’t add a huge amount to the original extract, but it does generate a good amount of incentives for you to chase—a couple of nifty online achievements and a pair of iconic fluffy dice for your cabin, being two standout prizes of the bunch. Is that enough to persuade you into returning to the wheel to complete another set of deliveries? Weirdly, yes — and I’m not even ashamed to admit it; oddly, I found myself chasing those fourteen personal deliveries like a rabbit would with a carrot on a stick.

Given the amount of DLC that American Truck Simulator has to offer, as well as SCS Software’s long-term willingness to upgrade its shortcomings and provide a fun space for its loyal fan base, the game has become something of a staple in the simulation sphere over the past several years. And while I would usually say that it’s almost sad to see it go, it’s highly unlikely that the passing of this Valentine’s Event will be the final chapter in the book. To that I say, thanks for the memories, ATS, it’s been great — but I’ll be seeing you again in due course, probably.

If you have the chance, then I’d recommend making your final deliveries in American Truck Simulator before the seasonal event ends on February 26, 2025. If you’re cutting it a bit short, however, then don’t sweat it — there’s always next year.