One of two things are usually the case if a game has "Simulator" in its title. Either it's an overly earnest attempt to provide accurate simulation, or it's a joke. Euro Truck Simulator 2 is something of a rarity. It's the former, sure, but avoids the usual trap of being buggy, obtuse and transparent in its limitations. It's good. You're probably sick of people saying its good, but by all logic it shouldn't be, so it bears repeating.

Only one thing could make it better, and that's the inclusion of friends. Strong is the draw of a convoy , especially when filled with folks hauling concrete across Belgium. That dream is increasingly approaching reality. Today, the ETS2 Multiplayer mod launches into open alpha.

It's definitely an alpha. Having attempted to connect a few times this morning, its server has either been full or down. Still, if you have the patience to persist, you can download the installer from the mod's alpha page . At least, you can if it's working—it too has had more than a few wobbles since the mod's launch.

Naturally, this is just an early implementation of what will hopefully become a more robust creation. The life of a Euro Truck Simulator 2 driver is a lonely one, and the chance to populate its roads with other players will now doubt liven up an admittedly sedate experience.