PC Gamer - USA 2019-09)

SIMULATORS

The best sims you can play on PC right now. By Andy Kelly

STAR WARS:

TIE FIGHTER

Ye a h , Star Wars: X-Wing is cool too,

but fighting for the Empire is just so

much more fun. Set just after the

Battle of Hoth, this classic space sim

sees you piloting the titular Imperial

fighter, engaging in battles, completing

missions, and following a surprisingly

fun story. It’s showing its age, but it’s

much easier to play than X-Wing

thanks to the introduction of a HUD

that handily displays your orientation

relative to your target.

D

rive a truck and deliver

goods around a vast,

interconnected replica of

Europe. Few simulators

are as polished and fun as this, and

you’ll be surprised how hypnotic such

a seemingly mundane job can be.

The map is enormous and each

country has its own distinctive look

and feel, making long drives feel like

a real journey.

From the French countryside to

the mountains of Norway, this is the

greatest road trip on PC.

EURO TRUCK SIMULATOR 2

WORLD OF SUBWAYS

3: LONDON

UNDERGROUND

If you’ve ever seen a subway train

and thought it looked like a cushy job,

well, try playing the third World of

Subways sim. Operating these ancient,

rattling trains is incredibly complicated,

and driving them without massively

overshooting a station requires an

immense amount of concentration

and foresight. Throw in a rigid timetable

and you have one of the toughest

sims on PC. I’ll never underestimate

a Tube driver ever again.

OMSI 2

Have you ever wanted to drive a bus around Spandau,

Germany in the ’80s or ’90s? Dream no more, because

OMSI 2 puts you behind the wheel of a MAN NG272 bus. It’s

weird, but OMSI is a quality sim, faithfully recreating the

look, feel, and sound of a creaky old city bus.

A

lthough a few have
appeared on consoles,
PC is historically the
home of the
simulator. As such,
there’s a huge amount of choice,
from driving heavy goods vehicles

and subway trains, to collecting

garbage and flying spaceships. It’s a

crowded but worthwhile genre,

with a sim to fit every taste. If you

don’t know where to start, I’ve

gathered up some of the best sims

available today.

THE CLASSIC

CHALLENGE YOURSELF

GO BACK IN TIME

START HERE

LEARN TO LOVE A NEW GENRE

BEGINNER’S GUIDE