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Games primarily function as a means to escape from reality, enabling us to immerse ourselves in alternate worlds where our imagination feels tangible, if only for the duration of our playtime.
Simulations, on the other hand, diverge significantly from this formula, as their essence lies in striving for heightened realism. The closer a simulation mirrors real-life experiences, the more immersive and engaging it becomes for players.
Yet, what happens when a game becomes so absorbed in its simulation that the enjoyment disappears entirely? This is precisely the case with Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator. While the game boasts a promising concept, the extent to which it actualizes this idea remains uncertain.
Story
As with any simulation, the narrative often takes a backseat, as it's typically not the primary focus in these types of games. Instead, its presence serves to weave together the gameplay elements and provide a sense of purpose within the game world, and precisely because of that, I do not intend to linger for too long on this segment of this review.
The storyline revolves around a newcomer arriving in Barcelona and choosing to pursue a career as a taxi driver. The reasons for choosing Barcelona and the motives behind their arrival remain ambiguous and veiled in mystery.
The game begins with a tutorial on basic driving mechanics within a virtual driving school, a concept that may defy logic to some extent. However, such oversight can be overlooked for the sake of gameplay. After all, it's a bit perplexing to imagine someone who lacks any driving experience suddenly manoeuvring a taxi through the bustling streets of one of Europe's most populated cities.
A notable positive aspect of the game's storyline is the incorporation of Barcelona landmarks. While their execution in terms of gameplay may not be the most refined, they serve an educational purpose and can be particularly valuable for enthusiasts of history, art, and travel.
Gameplay
Certainly, my primary focus will be on discussing gameplay, as it remains the central aspect of every simulator.
As previously mentioned, the game begins with an introduction to fundamental driving mechanics. However, unlike other driving simulations where navigating may come easily, Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator presents a distinctive experience, aiming for unparalleled realism.
Let's begin with the perspective options. Similar to other driving games, Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator offers various camera angles, including one from the cockpit, one positioned over the hood, and one trailing behind the vehicle. Additionally, players can opt for automatic transmissions for a more straightforward driving experience or manual transmissions for a heightened sense of realism.
While traversing through Barcelona, adherence to all traffic regulations becomes imperative, as the success of your taxi driver career hinges largely upon it. For instance, when manoeuvring into an adjacent lane, activating the blinkers becomes essential.
You also have the option to drive in a GTA-style, disregarding traffic rules, but be wary: if caught by the police, fines will ensue. Moreover, your passengers will grow impatient, resulting in deductions of points and potentially missed tips.
Essentially, the objective of the game revolves around navigating the city, picking up customers, ferrying them from one location to another, and generating income in the process. You use the earnings to cover expenses such as vehicle maintenance, fuel, repairs, potential fines, and vehicle upgrades.
Once you accumulate sufficient funds, you have the option to expand your taxi business by purchasing additional vehicles and hiring additional drivers. Furthermore, you can invest in acquiring superior taxi vehicles using the earnings.
The taxiing mechanics are straightforward: identify a potential customer on the map, navigate to the designated waiting area, pick up the customer, and transport them to their destination. It's crucial to balance your speed, as arriving promptly allows time for additional fares, yet you must ensure not to fatigue or alarm the customer.
Certain customers initiate small talk, providing you with response options within the game. What caught me off guard was the inclusion of real voice acting for these conversations, delivered with impressive quality. While customers tend to recycle lines throughout the game, the incorporation of voice acting adds a positive touch, although it could have been achieved without it.
Aside from monetary earnings, you'll also accumulate XP, which you can use to level up your driver by unlocking perks. These perks are categorised and provide benefits such as improved driving skills, reduced vehicle maintenance costs, and more.
One significant flaw in this game lies in the poor implementation of AI for both vehicles and pedestrians. Other drivers frequently make unexpected manoeuvres, resulting in sudden accidents and disruptions. Additionally, pedestrian movements are reminiscent of older games, with unpredictable and unnatural behaviours that severely detract from the game's immersion.
Surprisingly, Barcelona, known for its bustling streets and abundant traffic, appears quite the opposite in the game. Instead of a vibrant metropolis teeming with people and vehicles, it resembles a quiet coastal town with sparse pedestrian and vehicular activity. Whether this design choice aims to simplify gameplay mechanics remains uncertain. Nevertheless, opting for a virtual, unreal city might have been a wiser choice, especially considering Barcelona's reputation as one of Europe's most densely populated cities.
Ultimately, what firmly categorises this game for me as one to swiftly forget is the overwhelming sense of tedium and labour it evokes. While taxi driving may not inherently be the most captivating occupation, it can offer dynamism and variety, as I've experienced firsthand. However, in this game, it's so overly simplified that it becomes tedious and unenjoyable in no time.
Essentially, the gameplay revolves around shuttling customers from one location to another, continuously repeating this cycle until you exhaust your fuel supply. Then, you're tasked with visiting the garage for repairs and refuelling, only to repeat the process ad nauseam. It's a monotonous form of entertainment, to say the least.
I recognise that my assessment is subjective, and perhaps this type of gameplay system may appeal to some. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide whether this form of entertainment aligns with your preferences. For me, however, it's clear that this isn't the type of game I enjoy.
Graphics and Sounds
Given that Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator runs on Unreal Engine, one might anticipate high-quality graphics. However, reality doesn't always align with expectations, and that's not necessarily a universal truth.
In terms of graphics, this game can be assessed from two perspectives: the meticulous detailing and effects on the vehicles, which are executed to perfection, and everything else, which, in my opinion, falls significantly short of expectations.
The vehicle models are truly remarkable, appearing almost lifelike. Every aspect of the car is meticulously depicted, from the flashing turn signals to the neon lights that can be installed, showcasing meticulous attention to detail.
I'd like to highlight the excellent lighting in the game, which effectively captures the Mediterranean ambiance of Barcelona through its colours and illumination. However, there's a noticeable contrast with the character models, pedestrians, vehicles, and buildings, which appear somewhat rudimentary and outdated. This creates a jarring inconsistency that may not sit well with everyone.
On the PlayStation 5, where I experienced the game, there's a lack of graphics settings options. Instead, it's limited to running the game at 60 FPS with a 4K resolution. Despite the high resolution, the subpar quality of the textures is glaringly apparent, further detracting from the overall impression.
The sound design doesn't fare much better in terms of quality, aside from the commendable voice acting mentioned earlier. Many of the sounds, particularly those of the vehicle engines, lack clarity. For instance, the initial vehicle you operate emits sounds resembling those of an electric vehicle, despite being fueled by gasoline, indicating a discrepancy with its classic engine. While the menu and driving music are adequate and inoffensive, they fail to leave a lasting impression as they don't particularly capture the listener's attention.
One aspect deserving of praise is the game's performance and stability. Throughout my entire playtime, I didn't encounter any performance issues, bugs, or crashes, which is a testament to its reliability.
Conclusion
Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator authentically captures the mundane aspects of taxi driver life, achieving its goal in that regard. However, whether it proves engaging for players is a different matter altogether, and in that aspect, I'd say it falls short.
This game entails repeating identical tasks to enhance your taxi and subsequently repeating them yet again, albeit with a more superior and aesthetically pleasing vehicle. However, for those who enjoy this repetitive gameplay loop and are willing to overlook the game's shortcomings, I'd say go ahead and give it a try.
The Good
Realistic driving mechanics- Very lifelike taxi models
- Stable performance without noticeable bugs or crashes.
The Bad
Limited variety in gameplay tasks, leading to monotony- Outdated and inconsistent graphics outside of vehicle models
- Lack of depth in the city environment
- Bad pedestrian AI
