Drive around a full-scale recreation of Berlin in The Bus

I don't have a fantastic history with Berlin's public transport system. Three years back, I was hauled off a tram by a scary-looking man for fare-hopping all week—and while the fine was about as much as I would've paid if I knew how to buy tickets, having my passport briefly confiscated and threatened to have the cops called in was still a hell of a way to end the week.

And yet, I am beyond excited for The Bus, a game that offers a 1:1 scale replica of the German capital to ferry passengers around.

Coming to Steam Early Access on March 25th, The Bus puts you behind the wheel of one of Berlin's bold yellow busses. Picking up and processing passengers, running against schedules, driving against variable weather conditions, or even getting out of the driver's seat to stretch your legs.

I don't live in Berlin (yet), but I've been there enough time to recognise the landmarks. The trailer flaunts landmarks like the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Tower and the Holocaust Memorial, sure. But I want to see how well it hits the run-down galleries by Warschauer Strasse, or the decrepit sports centre that houses the last pre-pandemic AMaze Festival. Spotting the odd-looking church across from my last Airbnb in the trailer already has my hopes up.

Driving a city bus is also an entirely different kind of vibe to something like Euro Truck Simulator 2, Andy K reckoned back when he looked at Bus Simulator 2018 (no relation)—swapping the lonely long-haul moods for a more stressful, if more involved urban ride.

Just remember to check that folks have actually paid their fares. I'd keep a particular eye on that shifty games journalist in the back.

20 years ago, Nat played Jet Set Radio Future for the first time, and she's not stopped thinking about games since. Joining PC Gamer in 2020, she comes from three years of freelance reporting at Rock Paper Shotgun, Waypoint, VG247 and more. Embedded in the European indie scene and a part-time game developer herself, Nat is always looking for a new curiosity to scream about—whether it's the next best indie darling, or simply someone modding a Scotmid into Black Mesa. She also unofficially appears in Apex Legends under the pseudonym Horizon.