Car Driving School Simulator Review (PC)

Aside from that one time when I “accidentally” pulled the throttle back a little too far and bolted through the cones and into a parked truck, I don’t think I’ve ever been in an accident. Scratch that, I did “accidentally” knock a wing mirror off when learning how to tackle corners at a “comfortable speed.” But that’s about it. Suffice it to say that, over the course of, say, fifteen years of driving, I have been a relatively good driver. So tell me, why do I continue to “accidentally” roll into local citizens whenever I take to the wheel in Car Driving School Simulator? I’m without an answer to that pending court battle, sadly.

I’d love to say that the act of driving in a game that’s literally about driving is a great alternative to driving out in the real world, but it isn’t. It isn’t authentic, nor is it exactly enlightening. But it is, however, weirdly entertaining for all of the wrong reasons. I say that because, where there’s AI, there’s awful consequences—roadblocks that often come in the form of brash behavior or bittersweet road rage.

With simulation games being a dime-a-dozen thing, it doesn’t come as too much of a surprise to see a game based on driving tests. Of course, if it was just that, then it probably be much of a game as it would be an accredited tool for fledgling petrolheads. Thankfully, the game itself does offer a bit more than a few orange cones and an analysis tool; it also makes way for a batch of cities to explore, as well as a series of road-based challenges to cruise through. It isn’t brick and mortar, but at least it provides enough for you to get rolling in the right direction, so to speak.

Practice Makes Perfect

Car Driving School Simulator puts you in the slow lane, figuratively, emotionally, and literally. Alas, this isn’t your pedal-to-the-metal experience; it’s a game that is, quite simply, about getting behind the wheel of one of thirty vehicles, and completing a series of road-based challenges, which often involve reverse parking, speed control, and—wait for it—roundabouts. Simply put, it’s a game about learning the rules of the road—the highway code and the predicaments one might find themselves in during an ordinary road trip. There isn’t any racing, or even any adrenaline-fueled stunts. It’s just you, the world, and an AI traffic system that likes to test your patience. Oh, and the occasional car meet, weirdly.

The good news here is that, while the challenges are torn from real simulations of the modern practical test, the game itself does offer you the opportunity to branch out from the lessons to explore a batch of “highly detailed” worlds, including California, Canada, Aspen, Miami, New York, Las Vegas, Tokyo, and Norway. In each of these locations, you have the option to experience life behind the wheel, as well as carefully cruise through the streets whilst paying full attention to the minor details that, quite frankly, most of us tend to ignore in most video games—pedestrian crossings, for example. But that’s about the brunt of it.

Safety First

To answer the question of whether or not the driving is enjoyable — eh, it is and it isn’t; it’s slow and it’s limited, but it’s also thoroughly informative and educational. True to the concept that it fosters, it provides something of an authentic experience to help grease the hinges and enlighten fledgling drivers on the ins and outs of road safety. It isn’t perfect, but it does get some things right — and that counts for a lot.

Suffice it to say, Car Driving School Simulator isn’t the kind of game that you would jump into to wreak havoc on the world and conjure pandemonium; it’s a tool, if anything, that invites you to learn and develop your repertoire of skills. I suppose, to that end, it’s a lot better than your outdated theory exam. But again, that isn’t to say that it’s enjoyable. Well, it is, but only if you make it so.

On the bright side, there are plenty of things for you to do in Car Driving School Simulator, and the eight biomes that the game brings to the table ensure that you always have a lesson to learn or a challenge to complete. And the free roam mode, eh — it isn’t bad, but it isn’t quite as fleshed out or as immersive as your traditional vehicular experience. But then, this isn’t a triple-A racing game; it’s an independent tool that favors the fundamentals over frivolous components. With that, it settles for a simpler aesthetic—a vibrant, albeit not-so-photorealistic look that rejects the frills of a booming metropolis to frontline the most important aspects of big city driving. And I suppose it does it well, even though it doesn’t elevate the quality or excitement factor.

Verdict

I’m not going to sing Car Driving School Simulator’s praises, because frankly, I’m not overly convinced that it harnesses the “most realistic” car experience that it boasts in its elevator pitch. Don’t get me wrong, it is a lot of fun in short bursts, but I wouldn’t say that it’s the be all, end all of wheel-based simulation. As for whether or not you could turn to it to learn a thing or two about the highway code is another question, and one that, in all honesty, is likely to receive a platitude of answers based on player experience. But I will say this: Car Driving School Simulator probably won’t give you the tools to pass your practical exam. It will, however, give you the opportunity to explore the ins and outs of an array of vehicles at your own pace. Maybe that’s enough, maybe it isn’t.

To cut a long story short, yes, you should give Car Driving School Simulator a shot, but only if you’re willing to lose the authenticity of a real-world driving experience. It isn’t that it’s a million miles apart from the real thing; it’s that it lacks a certain kind of depth in its world design and external features. Alas, it isn’t quite up to the same standard as the likes of Gran Turismo or any other modern marvel, for that matter. But then, to give credit where it’s due, at least it tries to make something as painstakingly dull as learning to pass your test oddly enjoyable and, on the rarest of occasions, deadly satisfying.