I'm on the record here as being a big fan of storm chasing, and I've seen "Smokey and the Bandit" more times than is probably healthy. But, while video games have given me the opportunity to chase storms or drive a tractor-trailer, they've never been so bold as to give me both of those dreams at once — until now. A new game called "Road Kings" from Saber Interactive finally promises to let me aim an 18-wheeler directly at a tornado and put the hammer down. There's also some sort of "plot," I hear,
but I'm here for the twisters.
If the name Saber Interactive sounds familiar, it's the studio behind classic Jalop titles like "Snowrunner," "Mudrunner," and "Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn." That experience with inclement-weather driving sims should help Saber navigate the physics behind driving a fully loaded semi straight into the core of a tornado, which is exactly what I plan to do in game. Repeatedly. Even if it means a game over.
Read more: Why American Semi Trucks Usually Have Long Noses (But European Trucks Are Flat)
Thre's Also Some Kind Of Story
"Road Kings" puts you in the shoes of a baby-faced owner-operator, allowing players to build a reputation and make a name for themselves as they carry loads across the American South. The game promises not only the ability to "face down rivals," presumably of the Sheriff Buford T. Justice variety, but a plot involving a "ruthless corporation ... expanding across the South, threatening catastrophe in the name of profit." This sounds like the setup to a "Stardew Valley"-style small-town-versus-giant-megacorp showdown, in which the humble self-employed player character must build enough of a reputation to prove the worth of owner-operators and prove there's a viable alternative to the major shipping company, particularly when the description goes on to say "Rescue communities, deliver critical supplies, and prove that out on the road, a helping hand can make all the difference." It's also possible, though, the villains will simply be Tornadoes, Incorporated and you'll be in charge of delivering anti-tornado munitions.
I'm looking forward to playing "Road Kings" on my roommate's PlayStation 5 when the game drops in 2026 (I certainly won't be able to afford one of my own with the new price hike), and it will also be available for PC and Xbox Series X. It's early to declare a Game of the Year for 2026, but I think we already have a solid contender.
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