Frank-ProvoYou may not believe this–
–but Big Mutha Truckers, Empire Interactive's little driving game about a redneck trucking company, sold more than a million units (350,000 on the PS2 alone).
Success brings sequels, and in 2005 you can expect to see another Big Mutha Truckers game on store shelves. Tentatively titled Big Mutha Truckers 2: Truck Me Harder , the game is currently in development at Eutechnyx, the same development house responsible for the first game as well as the critically acclaimed Street Racing Syndicate .
Part 2 picks up where the first game left off. You're now in charge of Mama Jackson's BMT Hauling Company, but the general goal has changed from trying to outdo your siblings to competing with rival companies for jobs and cash. There are multiple characters to assign missions to, each with their own attributes and customized rigs, and play mainly involves getting cargo to the destination while avoiding bike-riding mercenaries, truck jackers, bad drivers, and corrupt cops. Every time you collide with something, you damage the cargo and lose a little of your fee. Ultimately, players will want to take as little damage as possible to ensure a good payout.
Sounds familiar. So what's new? For starters, there are twice as many cities to go between this time (10 as opposed to 5) and players will be able to drive other vehicles besides 18-wheelers. Sometimes, a family member will take the wheel of the big rig while the player runs decoy with a sports car or motorcycle. Visually, the graphics engine is undergoing a major overhaul. Big Mutha Truckers 2 will feature visible rig damage, day-to-night environment changes, and a number of reflection and particle effects that weren't in the first game. We're talkin' shattered windshields, sparking hunks of metal, and all sorts of vehicle-related shrapnel.
Big Mutha Truckers 2: Truck Me Harder * is coming to the PS2, PC, and Xbox in early 2005.
Oh, and how about that title? "Truck Me Harder" sure sounds like a play on words.
I have a funny story to share related to that.
About a year ago, I was putting together a cheats page for Toys R Us "R Zone" and one of the games I was going to include was Big Mutha Truckers . Mind you, the company doesn't mind covering T or M-rated games, and they certainly don't mind selling them in store, but they did in fact nix the inclusion of Big Mutha Truckers on the cheats page. Why? The title. They felt that kids would see "Big Mutha Truckers" and immediately swap an "F" for the "TR" in "Truckers."
Personally, I bet the title helped the game's impulse sales. Who doesn't see something like "Big Mutha Truckers" and immediately develop a burning curiosity? Empire Interactive is certainly hoping for a similar effect with Truck Me Harder , but at least this time out they're trying to make a good game to go with the risqué subtitle.
