If you want better polish
Choose Forza Horizon 5. It scores 5.0 vs 2.3 for polish, with a 4.3 overall score.
Bus Simulator 27 Review
Bottom Line
Choose it if you want a deep, flexible bus sim with a huge fleet, strong management and co-op. Skip it for now if bad traffic AI, unfair penalties, crashes or rough performance will ruin the ride.
Best for
Best for bus-sim enthusiasts who want deep vehicle interaction, a large licensed fleet, company management, flexible realism settings, and co-op route running.
Not for
Not ideal for players who expect polished AI, reliable penalties, consistently smooth performance, or a frustration-free launch experience.
Verdict
Bus Simulator 27 has an excellent foundation: Felicia Bay is large and memorable, the licensed fleet is extensive, the simulation can be tuned from relaxed to demanding, and company management gives every route a purpose. Co-op, cross-play, on-foot exploration and deep bus interaction add even more range. The problem is launch polish. Traffic AI repeatedly jams intersections or causes collisions, the penalty system can punish players unfairly, and several reviewers report bugs, crashes and uneven PC performance. Recent Xbox hotfixes are encouraging and some reviewers already find the game highly enjoyable, but the experience still varies sharply by platform and tolerance for rough edges.
Feature Scorecards
Summary
69 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.028 (41%)
-
Positive 3.5-4.418 (26%)
-
Neutral 2.5-3.410 (14%)
-
Negative 1.5-2.413 (19%)
Pros highlights
-
Felicia Bay is one of the most consistent strengths: large, attractive, varied, and full of distinct districts, highways, towns, coastlines, and points of interest.
-
Despite the rough launch, many players still find the bus driving, route planning, and company growth genuinely fun; the harshest critics say the bugs and AI overwhelm that enjoyment.
-
Driving is divisive: many like the weight, precision, and bus-specific controls, while others find the handling loose, awkward, or less refined than competing bus sims.
-
Menus range from clean and quick to overloaded and confusing; the radial bus-control menu works well for some players but feels cumbersome to others.
-
The 45-plus licensed buses across many brands, sizes, and powertrains are one of the most consistently praised parts of the package.
-
Controller and wheel support are generally strong and precise, though one negative review found the handling poor and some wheel-feedback features remain weak.
Cons highlights
-
Traffic AI is the clearest weak spot: cars stop, ram buses, jam intersections, and trigger unfair penalties, though later Xbox hotfixes appear to have improved it somewhat.
-
The foundation is strong, but the launch build repeatedly feels unfinished, with bugs, AI problems, penalties, crashes, and presentation issues adding up across normal play.
-
Cockpit systems, ticketing, passenger incidents, on-foot exploration, and random road events add impressive interaction depth, though several of those systems can be buggy or repetitive.
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The grading and penalty systems are a recurring frustration, often docking points or money for signals, collisions, or other situations players believe were handled correctly.
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Bugs are widespread in the launch experience, ranging from visual oddities and broken interactions to traffic glitches and gameplay penalties, although later patches have reduced some problems.
-
Visual opinion is mixed: Felicia Bay and the buses can look impressive, but blur, weak character models, lifeless streets, and inconsistent image quality hold the presentation back.
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other Video Games, this product is above average in marketing accuracy, map and navigation design, difficulty balance, near average in driving mechanics, environmental detail, below average in gameplay mechanics, load times, writing quality.
Comparison summary
69 compared features-
Above average 0.4+ pts higher35 (51%)
-
Same as average within 0.3 pts10 (14%)
-
Below average 0.4+ pts lower24 (35%)
Largest category differences
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| gameplay mechanics | 1.8 | 4.1 | -2.2 |
| marketing accuracy | 5.0 | 2.6 | +2.4 |
| load times | 1.5 | 3.7 | -2.2 |
| writing quality | 1.5 | 3.6 | -2.1 |
| performance optimization | 2.0 | 3.8 | -1.8 |
| map and navigation design | 5.0 | 3.2 | +1.8 |
| soundtrack quality | 2.5 | 4.3 | -1.8 |
| difficulty balance | 5.0 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
Consider This Instead
If you want better world interactivity
Choose SPRAWL zero. It scores 5.0 vs 3.4 for world interactivity, with a 4.0 overall score.
If you want better crash stability
Choose over the hill. It scores 5.0 vs 1.8 for crash stability, with a 4.1 overall score.
If you want better user interface design
Choose Kirby Air Riders. It scores 5.0 vs 2.0 for user interface design, with a 4.3 overall score.
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
Bus Bound
- Worse: simulation depth It is considered deeper than Bus Bound, even though its driving is less satisfying.
- Better: overall preference and driving engagement Bus Simulator 27 is deeper in management and customization, but the reviewer still prefers Bus Bound overall.
- Better: overall bus-sim quality The reviewer still ranks Bus Bound higher overall, though Bus Simulator 27 remains close.
Bus Simulator 21
- Compared: successor quality It has the foundations of a successor to Bus Simulator 21, but the reviewer says it still needs AI improvements.
busbound
- Worse: passenger and world events Its random passenger and bus events are considered stronger than busbound's.
FAQ
Is Bus Simulator 27 worth buying now?
Enthusiasts may enjoy its depth immediately, but several critics recommend waiting for more patches because AI, bugs, crashes, and penalties still hurt the experience.
How good is the actual bus driving?
Many find the buses weighty, precise, and satisfying on controller or wheel, but some critics dislike the handling and consider competitors more refined.
Is Felicia Bay a good map?
Yes. The large fictional Mediterranean setting is one of the strongest points, with distinct districts, highways, coastlines, landmarks, dynamic weather, and long-distance coach routes.
Does it have co-op multiplayer?
Yes. Up to four players can run routes and manage a company together, and the game includes cross-play as a listed feature, though multiplayer disconnects and crashes have been reported.
Is it beginner-friendly?
Mostly. Story mode, concise tutorials, automation, and adjustable realism help newcomers, although the number of controls and route-management systems can feel overwhelming at first.
How is the bus selection?
The roster is a major strength, with more than 45 licensed buses across many brands and vehicle types, including coaches, double-deckers, articulated buses, and electric models.
How is performance and stability?
It varies by platform. PC reviewers report frame drops, crashes, and demanding hardware requirements, while later Xbox coverage says rapid hotfixes have improved many launch problems.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
Video Reviews
YouTube - The Scarlet Seeker
- Review score
- 3.6
Article Reviews
thexboxhub.com
Pros: Sunny city to explore Good mix of driving and management Story mode Cons: AI traffic is annoying at times Some bugs Review Information...
- Review score
- 3.9
completexbox.co.uk
Bus Simulator 27 Xbox Series X Review - A Bumpy Ride That’s Finding Its Route After a Few Hotfixes. Really enjoyable, with lots to play with
- Review score
- 4.4
technetbooks.com
Bus Simulator 27 brings deep cockpit mechanics and an impressive bus fleet to Felicia Bay but struggles with severe AI traffic flaws and...
- Review score
- 3.2
softpedia.com
Experience what it means to be a modern bus driver
- Review score
- 4.0
lootlevelchill.com
Rather than being a satisfying driving game, Bus Simulator 27 instead chooses to bombard you with non-essential systems and details in a...
- Review score
- 1.5
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