You did a terrible job tbh. Four patches later and the game still isnt't finished? It crashes constanlty. NPCs just stand in the middle of the road a lot and block buses from getting past, or just walk straight into your bus or straight out in front of it which costs 20 grand each time. Was also a problem in Bus Sim 18, thought you would've fixed that. NPCs fail at taking corners in a double decker way too often, they don't open the doors on the Blue Bird Sigma or the Alexander Dennis Enviro200 single decker. Sort it out.
Looking at the past games of the studio, I kinda knew how sim like the experience was really going to be and was happy with that when I bought it. I do agree though that if a title has the word "simulator" in it, one would likely expect "sim-level" quality. I don't think you should have to look at the past games of the studio to gauge how sim like the product will be, but maybe it is worth doing to double check.
Yes, one of my main niggles about BS18 was the 'garage' - which was so lacking as to be useless. It was an end of shift parking point and setting off point and that all. I wanted a proper garage and office where timetable and maintenance could be undergone IF you wanted. I wanted the ability to be 'promoted' to an inspector or a manger IF you wanted! IRONICALLY, I am not a 'hardcore' sim fan, just a more casual fan but I STILL feel these features are essential and wanted. I have decided to skip BS21 and wait for the next implementation, where I would like to see mini-buses, taxis and tourist coaches and event coach hire included. Excellent video, thank you.
Very good video, and a great review! I just discovered your channel and I am really enjoying your content! I'm pretty sure that some of the buses e.g. Grande West, Blue Bird haven't had their audio recorded for the game yet due to lockdown, hence why some buses have inaccurate sounds. One thing that disappoints me a bit, is that buses such as the Scania don't have their unique indicator sounds, which is unrealistic.
i loved 18 more, the route system was better, now you have take over a bus from a driver, in the 18 version you started at the garage and when your route was completed you returned the bus there, i liked that better, perhaps its possible because i am new to 21 and havent figured it out yet.
I like the changes to the route and payday system tho its very confusing and takes getting used to. In its current state, I wouldn't buy it until further updates. What annoys me the most in this game is the cockpit dashboard and the fact I can't play in realistic mode because of the buttons are blocked by the name pop ups. Also the steering doesn't feel as smooth as Bus Sim 18 currently. And the AI cars can be weird sometimes and just not move and keep u waiting but pedestrians crossing the road have been improved a lot and will run or stop so u can avoid hitting them.
I completed both 16 and 18, and what I liked about 16 was that you could do 3-digit line numbers already (which got taken away in 18, for whatever reason). I had hoped that 21 would eventually give the player the opportunity to change the destination boards on the bus (at least front) from one trip to another fluently without having to create two lines facing opposite directions and naming them 3A and 3B respectively. The timetable function is definitely a big improvement, but it still isn't what I had hoped it to be. Why no busses between midnight and 4 AM? Why is there no variable peak time? In Switzerland for example it's more like 6:30 to 8:30 in the morning and 16:00 to 19:00 in the evening rather than 4:00 to 9:00 and 14:00 to 19:00 (both way too long). Also, why only one type of day? Why no weekend day or holiday? I still have low hopes that there will be a major update some day which will enhance the planning aspect.
Great review mate, was very helpfull! So far the main negative point for me are the reused sounds on the new buses, with so many of them they berly spend the time to dedicate to each one some love.
omsi has the best physics calculation, try some good optimized maps, u will feel everything is so true to the game called earth online, plus u can write scripts to make all kinds of stuffs(electric,hybrid) come true
It kills me that this game is so amazing yet the sensitivity in acceleration and braking is disgusting. In 18 I felt the real amount of pressure when pressing on the brakes and gas when driving. In 21, it feels like I'm playing on a computer. All pressure equals an immediate stop and while accelerating mo matter how slight I press it, it keeps accelerating. This is highly annoying and don't know if I'm doing something wrong or the game is bugged with performance
@@SimUKReviews I praised your review on the steam post as well. And don't worry about the 10 dislikes. That's not that many, and after all you can't make anyone happy
Simple answer is NO. Its Not better than 18, not even close. Graphics are bad, dull, gameplay is Over complicated now, with its crazy menus etc. Controls more weird and difficult. Glitches like sitting down, you can't get back up. Roads are not clearly visible, bus stops not clear or the map!! Definately NOT worth the extortion price they charge for the game! Bus 18 was easy to control, roads, graphics were clear, visible and really nice map. Was a joy to drive in 18. No silly time warp or confusing menus. All they had too do, was leave the game as it was in 18 "perfect".. And just add new maps, areas and missions. Simple really. Just leave the mechanics, controls, graphics, way they were.
I agree with you!!! I wanted to buy a bus simulator and i watched first Bus 2021 as it was new and the graphics were so bad,the roads not visible as they should be for a 2021 game as well for the map.Even the tram they added was a disappointment for that i would like 2018 to add.As i as saw this i decided to watch 2018.The map the Ai,the controls the graphics much better for an old game than 2021.
im looking to buy this game! I am also thankful for the very honest yet detailed review...for me its not worth the 30 usd they are asking i will prlly wait for a sale tysm again!! sub'd and lov'd ♥
of course it's better than 18 have everything with all content of 18 but with the 21 mechanics even with the bugs , game still looks and plays great for any bus enthusiast player it's a most buy
Some are saying that the bus of bs18 are better the 21 one, they just the same and there is more bus on the 21 one but I respect the opinion of other, for me bs21 is better
I’d say I’d get it But it isn’t very high on my list because other games do exist and are better games Here’s my list 1: The Bus This game doesn’t compare The Bus holds better road detail because the roads in this BS21 are more arcade like and doesn’t really carry the same immersion and realistic driving Let’s not forget the buses carry full realistic weight and honestly feels a lot more realistic in terms of AI because there are larger roads 2: Omsi 2 Although the graphics are tacky sometimes The buses are very realistic and the AI is less realistic but the more maps routes buses and you can call it the biggest open world game 3: Munich Bus Simulator This game feels like the better version of BS21 if earlier suggestions I’ve made were added in and I hope to see this on Xbox 4: Bus Simulator 18 The map is better in my opinion
@@ninofromkitchennightmares1497 my list is: Omsi 2 I think its the more realistic bus game (not with graphic)alot of bus, good dlc and mod Bs21 and bs18 Realistic graphic, alot of bus, good dlc, multiplayer The bus The best bus game with graphic Big map
Lack of Engines sound and transmission authenticity is what makes me upset the most. Grande West supposed to have Cummins/ZF transmission setup all the bus sounds the same. Bendy buses can’t even reach 30mph fast. In my state NJ Transit had an 2004 Neoplan that had CAT/ZF transmission 6 speed bendy bus that hit 70mph. These buses in this game can’t reach highway speeds fast enough. It’s like they locked the acceleration and force feed back bug is locked at 10,000%. I’m at level 117 now.
@@SimUKReviews for real man don’t make me cry. Although I’m not in expert in European buses. I wish they more US brands, and do you know when the transmission update coming?
may i ask which on of your pcs was running this game as the frame rate fluxuated quite alot just to know how demanding this is as my pc is decent at best
What would you recommend buying The Bus or Bus sim 21 ? I’m playing on PC and have a sim rig so after the best experience sim wise I play a lot of ATS/ETS 2 but I have no previous experience with Bus games
The busses feel like they're riding flat all the time, there's no suspension feel whatsoever. I took a corner going 40mph and the bus stayed flat like a sports car and went right around it, very weird indeed. I want to feel the suspension depress and bus to feel like it's dipping and bumping all over the road, Truck Simulator was able to add this effect with sliders. I don't see why they couldn't fix this.
Thanks....in my pre release version, maybe. Although the type of bugs I suspect will be fixable and hopefully not part of release :-) I have loads of gameplay footage on the channel which is unedited, so you can see for yourself too.
Nice review as always. I say the same thing on my channel to leave a comment as it helps the algorithm, as I feel like RU-vid hates my channel as well lol.
I have like 3× double decker and also it has a reality to it.But it's like crashing somewhere like in the roundabout I am playing it right now.I made it pink with something on oakwood.
Oh well, looks like I will be sticking with OMSI2 for some time to come, you didn't let us hear the sounds, but looking at the video, it looks so gamey, with the bus just floating along, no reaction to bumps at all, maybe the sounds would have helped a bit, but no, it looks like yet again, it is a game with no atmosphere at all.
lol indeed. Well I am pushing V hard for a freeplay mode & they cannot cater for refuelling etc because their license does not allow it, so I am pushing for MODDED buses to have all these features...I doubt that will happen.
Cracking review Mike. Still on the fence about buying it though. Being an OMSI nut-job, it's not easy playing these other Bus games. Why do you say the RU-vid hates this channel and would like to see it gone? You're a game player/reviewer, not someone that says things bad in a political way that upsets the lefty loonies.
Oh but I am lol......I have many faces :-) Regarding OMSI, have you tried Yorkshire v3.0? DLC it is brilliant, I was working on a FIRST LOOK REVIEW Vid, but I tweak OMSI to run better and now nothing works!!! lol F%^&ing OMSI!!!
Hey there I got bus sim 18 & 21 on PS4 I do love this game but there’s to much bugs in 21 like on old map seaside valley there’s no trains People still walk in front of the bus driver’s drive in posts it’s lag’s when go night and morning and its lagging when it’s raining and when you driving a bendy bus and stop at bus stop you see the back end moving I have emailed astragon telling them all this I’m hoping you can see what I’m talking about thank you if you see this
Bit late to the party but how is the game now in terms of bugs etc? Thinking of buying for ps5 but I’m on the fence and can’t find any new videos on it… maybe that’s a bad sign lol.
@@SimUKReviews they've said they are aware of an issue effecting performance on mid to high end systems and are working on a fix, hopefully to be included within the next patch 😀
How does this compare to ATS or ETS2? im looking for a bus sim that can be played with mouse and keyborad but it dosent feel too arcade and can run on a lower end asus tuf laptop
@@SimUKReviews Thanks for the reply! So speaking of specs do you think a lower end laptop can handle it okay? I have a Ryzen 5 3550 with a Radeon RX 560X. It can handle a lot of sim games at 20-30fps okay so dunno if it will be okay with this one or should i get one of the older games.
@Sim UK NO, it's just that people say if you want the more relaxed driving around, then fernbus is the 1, I can't be bothered with the repairs and stuff like that.
Nice review, but somehow seeing you drive bus with G29 just seems wrong.. I do have T300 and usually sit in iracing with vr, but this game even on hardcore mode seems to be more like relaxing game which you play with a keyboard when you just want to relax and enjoy the moment rather than something which requires a decent rig, but that's at least what I think about it, but will be getting it, glad to know that it was an improvement, especially on management side of things compared to previous games.
Question... can you call dispatch when bad stuff happens? Can you kick passenger's off the bus and can you play as a walkable sim in the supervisor role watching your busses go around with the ability to stop one of them? Or can you test your system by waiting for the bus and passing as an undercover boss mixed as a mystery shopper to see how it works
No for the first few, but YES you can as a walkable sim in the supervisor role watching your busses go around with the ability to stop one of them? And Yes you can test your system by waiting for the bus and passing as an undercover boss mixed as a mystery shopper to see how it works
Actually, no. I spent almost $100 on this plus all of the DLCs on Xbox, and it's nowhere near as good as Bus Simulator 18. In fact, it's a lot worse than its predecessor. I can't get into story mode despite the fact that I put my company name.
2021 is overly complicated it's predecessor was much better in gameplay you can't or I haven't figured how to increase the vehicles mass it feels too light and over responsive give me BS2018 anyday.....
@@SimUKReviews But it looks exactly the same. In a previous game there was no ffb on wheels, they felt weird and unrealistic, AI was bad, buses had no physics. How is this one in that area? I'm not talking about the graphics, looks like a game from 2010 but i can live with low quality graphics if the gameplay is good. Don't care about free play, all i want is career. I find free play boring.
I am pushing for FREEPLAY which means all the financial stuff, but none of the campaign missions....so just run the business how you want. SANBOX is 100% free and then campaign. I really find it simulation(esc) not hardcore sim but close enough to feel good.
Not ripping at all buddy? This is a hardcore sim channel, it's what I prefer, but if you like casual that's your ball. Is it because I say kids and casual gamers?? Because if you let your child play that is the setting you would use....not a criticism, a compliment to the game design because it caters for all sorts.
@@SimUKReviews The acceleration is fine till 30 km/h, afterwards it becomes really slow, which got me wondering. Also it feels like the busses can barely go over 50 km/h. Another thing that really annoys me is the transmission. When I accelerate slowly it should change gears quickly to keep the rpm low and save fuel etc. When I push the gas pedal all the way down the transmission should stay longer in the current gear or even downshift to supply the needed power, but it actually just acts like in the first one I described. Sorry for my broken english, it's not my native language
Well first of all I applaud your English, it is excellent. I see what you are saying and I agree, I did mention in my review that it isn't fully simulated (gears being one of the missing elements & its associated audio). TBH it could be more sim, but it is still very much casual with a hint of simulation.
Don't buy it. Don't make the same mistake I did. It seems like 35 bucks was worth it the first place, but after spending a little time playing it, you will realise the horrible mistake you've done, especially when you've hit the 2 hour mark. Do yourself a favor and wait a few months before buying it, it is so full of bugs as of now. Why? Never know when and if Astragon will fix those game-breaking bugs, or are they gonna disband the game like they did with Bus Sim 18
@@SimUKReviews Hardcore with a wheel yep. The wheel is working fine with the game, no problems there, but it's rather bugs that ruin the gameplay experience that bother me.
@Eddie. Me too. OMSI is the benchmark that all other wannabe bus Sims out their try to beat but OMSI will always wear the crown. Steam Stats prove that when looking at the amount of players playing on any one of those Bus driving Sims on any given day where OMSI always comes out with flying colours. BS21 looks like a clone of 18, The Bus looks like a clone of Fernbus with dreadful physics in both. Despite it's 32 BIT architecture and glitches and quirks, it's still a very playable and enjoyable experience. I just cannot say that about any of the more recent Bus Sim/cades out there.
@@SimUKReviews Everything I just saw a clip on FB where the bendy bus I swear cd not even sit on the ground when it went uphill and end up crashing into a curb or something..these idiot developers fail their job I swear!