Hard Truck Apocalypse: Rise Of Clans / Ex Machina: Meridian 113
Hard Truck Apocalypse: Rise Of Clans / Ex Machina: Meridian 113
Game
Game2014
Hard Truck Apocalypse: Arcade / Ex Machina: Arcade
Developer Targem Games
Hard Truck Apocalypse: Arcade/Ex Machina Arcade - is the races through the deserted prairies and canyons of northern America, infected by a fatal virus. You are to find the reasons of the global catastrophe described in the original game Hard Truck: Apocalypse. From the Steam store page
48 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy) · newest Sep 25, 2026 · last updated Oct 9, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
16
Rotten
7 positive · 36 negative
95% range 8–30%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 7 | 36 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 2 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Mostly Negative
14 of 58 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
24% recommend · 12 yes, 38 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 50 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Mostly Negative (84 of 265 positive).
Players report the game is buggy, crashes often, and fails to launch on modern systems. [1][2][3] Many complain the store page uses misleading screenshots from a different game. [4][5][6] Some find the arcade spin-off lacks the depth and fun of the original Hard Truck Apocalypse. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [1]
Sure the game might crash if you try to change the resolution. Sure the game might crash if you try to alt tab it. Sure the game might crash if you change any of the graphical settings. Sure there might be invisible mines that lead to an instantenous and unavoidable death in level 6. Still I found this game to be quite fun and enjoyable. It has some flaws for sure, but nothing that can't be overlooked and it is …
- [7]
HTA Arcade is an attempt to dumb down the original Hard Truck Apocalypse (aka Ex Machina) into an arcade shoot-em-up. However, it does not support controller, and the keyboard/ mouse controls are horrible. The game is also extremely unbalanced, and there's NEVER enough heal. The in-game purchases to improve your trucks are EXTREMELY expensive, and lack of savepoints or checkpoints make the entire game extremely …
- [3]
Tried a variety of different workarounds to get this to run on Win10-64. It doesn't 0/10 Let's see if I can get this POS to 2 hours to get the cards. Avoid unless your still on a Windows XP machine. Update: Don't know how but I got it running. Win 8 compat, reinstall, no other tweaks. Don't touch anything if you get to the intro vid. Takes about 3 min but you'll get into the game. For the love of god, DO NOT TAB OUT …
- [5]
Screenshots are from original Ex Machina not the Arcade. Arcade have only one car and a small number of upgrades. Missions are long, repetative and boring. Physics are stupid, graphics are aweful. Tornados in second mission made me delete the game because they make it almost unplayable. Avoid unless on a huge sale and you want cards.
- [15]
Infuriating gameplay. Can't get passed the first mission because the tornados are complete ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. They'll grab you from a mile away and once they do, you might as well shut the game off because they will either a) never let go, or b) throw you into the water and end your game anyway. This game is a horrible stinker.
Summarised from 31 of the 55 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Hard Truck Apocalypse: Arcade / Ex Machina: Arcade talk about some players find the game fun despite its flaws; those who didn't talk about game crashes or fails to launch on modern Windows. Which matters more to you?
Reactions
48 of 48 · most liked firstIf I could get the program to start, I might be able to review it. But it fails to launch with the error "App already running". Am trying to trouble shoot, but the Steam error corrections are not confidence inspiring. When I played the game before, it had troubles with XP as well and would not start. In its current form, I cannot recomment this game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →HTA Arcade is an attempt to dumb down the original Hard Truck Apocalypse (aka Ex Machina) into an arcade shoot-em-up. However, it does not support controller, and the keyboard/ mouse controls are horrible. The game is also extremely unbalanced, and there's NEVER enough heal. The in-game purchases to improve your trucks are EXTREMELY expensive, and lack of savepoints or checkpoints make the entire game extremely frustrating. You're much better off playing the actual HTA, not the arcade game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →GE-Proton9-24 Released. Proton: - Added patch that adds PROTON_PREFER_SDL option. If `PROTON_PREFER_SDL=1` is set proton will not prefer hidraw and instead will expose both sdl and hidraw. it can fix input in a few games when not using steam input - Added patch that adds PROTON_NO_WM_DECORATION (and WINE_NO_WM_DECORATION) option. If `PROTON_NO_WM_DECORATION=1` is set, it sets `WINE_NO_WM_DECORATION=1` which will disable window decorations. This can fix an issue where if clicking on a window…
neutral · AI labelView post →GE-Proton9-24 Released. Proton: - Added patch that adds PROTON_PREFER_SDL option. If `PROTON_PREFER_SDL=1` is set proton will not prefer hidraw and instead will expose both sdl and hidraw. it can fix input in a few games when not using steam input - Added patch that adds PROTON_NO_WM_DECORATION (and WINE_NO_WM_DECORATION) option. If `PROTON_NO_WM_DECORATION=1` is set, it sets `WINE_NO_WM_DECORATION=1` which will disable window decorations. This can fix an issue where if clicking on a window…
neutral · AI labelView post →This game is significantly unlike the other two HTA games on steam. It is much narrower in scope and to me, much less interesting. I like the other two games enough to tolerate the bugs and mayhem but this one is just not recommendable.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tried a variety of different workarounds to get this to run on Win10-64. It doesn't 0/10 Let's see if I can get this POS to 2 hours to get the cards. Avoid unless your still on a Windows XP machine. Update: Don't know how but I got it running. Win 8 compat, reinstall, no other tweaks. Don't touch anything if you get to the intro vid. Takes about 3 min but you'll get into the game. For the love of god, DO NOT TAB OUT OR IT WILL LOCK YOUR SYSTEM. Pro: Fun driving a APV Easy controls WASD…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Screenshots are from original Ex Machina not the Arcade. Arcade have only one car and a small number of upgrades. Missions are long, repetative and boring. Physics are stupid, graphics are aweful. Tornados in second mission made me delete the game because they make it almost unplayable. Avoid unless on a huge sale and you want cards.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →just go and buy Hard Truck Apocalypse instead of this
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game locked up my system on the first attempt to load, and only successfully started after a second attempt. I really do not care for the way this game runs, and I would advice people to hold off until the bugs are worked out. BTW, I could never get HTA Ex Machina to load, and because I haven't played it for a minimum of five minutes, I cannot write a review of trhe game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →screenshots are missleading
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game doesn't even start up -10/10
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Boring, a waste of money and it has not a single one of the nice aspects of the old Hard Truck Apocalypse titels in it. A shame.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not working piace of ♥♥♥♥!!! Give my money BACK!!!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The actual game is much different from it's store page images. Report this game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →it's bad enough, though very much evident from the title, that it's a basic arcade spin-off of an open-world, truck-based post-apoc trading/fighting/etc. game. some might even prefer its straightforward nature, just drive around, shoot and collect stuff, buy really expensive upgrades between missions, the usual. non-rebindable controls can be problematic, just like sparse checkpoints and not many healing items, plus ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ tornadoes. they pick you up from far and won't let go, so give them a…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →♥♥♥♥ this game and its tornados. You'd better spend your 50 cents on lollypop
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hard Truck Apocalypse: Arcade / Ex Machina: Arcade is an ancient game from 2007. It's a whopping 16 years old at the time of this review. The game lacks support for any modern gaming display resolutions (or widescreen monitors), hasn't been modernised or updated to run smoothly on modern gaming PCs. Despite this lack of modernisation, it carries a pretty high price tag for such an ancient game. This seems to have been put on Steam as a nostalgia gouge, or just a cash grab to try profit from…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I can recommend it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Infuriating gameplay. Can't get passed the first mission because the tornados are complete ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. They'll grab you from a mile away and once they do, you might as well shut the game off because they will either a) never let go, or b) throw you into the water and end your game anyway. This game is a horrible stinker.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game is unfinished. There is no map, clear instructions for quests, although plot is interesting.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →How can i remove this from my library?
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Sure the game might crash if you try to change the resolution. Sure the game might crash if you try to alt tab it. Sure the game might crash if you change any of the graphical settings. Sure there might be invisible mines that lead to an instantenous and unavoidable death in level 6. Still I found this game to be quite fun and enjoyable. It has some flaws for sure, but nothing that can't be overlooked and it is cheap as dirt most of the time.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Today's stream: Post-Apocalyptic Trucking Going to start with Vangers (1998) and then switch to Ex Machina / Hard Truck Apocalypse (2005) Starting earlier today, in about 2 hours
neutral · AI labelView post →One of interesting things, that Rig’n’roll games sometimes was localized as Hard Truck. And There was “Hard Truck Apocalypse” which was a different game from a different studio, just smashed with this title in the west. Originally it was called “Ex Machina” and it was developed in my hometown.->
neutral · AI labelView post →Characters speak in russian. Game plays at ultra low resolution. Although it shows 1600x1200 as supported resolution, once you're trying to get from menu to the game, the game crashes. Worked with 1024x768 resolution.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tags: Driving & Racing Additional Tags: Delete Local Content & Remove from Library TLDR: Broken. Does not launch. Windows dialog popup"error. cannot initialize 3d"
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The screenshots don't match reality, and it's hard to launch, too.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Arcade... So much in this, the game is pleasant but I would advise the usual or meredian 113, but if they are passed or you have, then maybe the arcade will come you
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →All I can see is a black screen. This plague should be removed from Steam.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game doesn't even start up 10/10
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →3. The Russian vehicular post-apocalyptic game, Hard Truck Apocalypse (Ex Machina). Yeah, a little fun, a lot of driving and shooting enemies. Some bugs and errors were unpatched and english voice acting is not euthanistic than russian. Then community mods made the game feel much better to play.
neutral · AI labelView post →Hard Truck Apocalypse: Arcade / Ex Machina: Arcade takes the grim vehicular setting established by its predecessor and turns it into a much more concentrated racing experience. Rather than attempting to reproduce the broader structure of the original, it focuses on driving through deserted prairies and canyons across a virus-stricken northern America. The premise still carries a sense of mystery, as the player is tasked with discovering the reasons behind the global catastrophe, but the game…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →terrible graphics and physics + tone of bugs
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Worst game in the series, don't buy it, spare your eyes, nerves and dollars.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A terrible spin-off of the main games: - tragic graphics; - tragic physics; - tragic mechanics like tornados; - tragic, repetetive, boring and long missions; - you only have 1 vehicle and can upgrade it only so many times; - you can choose to ignore any enemies that spawn randomly, because AI aim in this game is not well made; - the gameplay on the store page is not what the game is really like; - the screenshots on the store page come from the original game, this is an attempt to get the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you can, ask for refund. If you can't then 1. Right Click > Manage > Uninstall 2. Right Click > Manage > Hide
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →THE GAME DOES NOT EVEN START UP WHAT IS UP WITH THIS!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Maybe it works if you got a 2006 computer
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →how to play on win7
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This crap doesn't even work. I can probably find some guide to launch it after messing with game files but why bother? Got refund and uninstalled.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not so good as the first and second game. Btw the first game Ex Machina will always be one of my favorite games.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am 32 years old. My ex-wife and I have a daughter together, and we adopted our son together. Both are now 4 years old. When we were going through our separation, I felt lost and unhappy. I was self-destructive. One day, I was so angry with everything spiraling out of control that I punched a concrete wall in a moment of overwhelming emotion. This resulted in breaking my fifth metacarpal in my right hand—the hand I worked with, played games with, and used to carry my children to bed—the hand…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hated it, but I go against the grain.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What is this crap?
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fake screenshots. No camera control. No settlements. Very few weapons. Low fps all the time.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Oh my, this game is just 10 layers of junk in a trenchcoat pretending to be playable. One of the worst driving models in a game that is based around cars, misleading screenshots, power-ups are largely not worth picking up... The tornadoes are the single worst idea I have seen implemented into a game ever. Fighting 10 enemies at once is less dangerous than trying to drive 50 meters away from a tornado that is remotely close to water. The first time I got yeeted around like a ragdoll I…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this game is a rip off
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →if this game not working Steam\steamapps\common\HARD TRUCK APOCALYPSE ARCADE\data\video\video.xml delete file. if you want all delete video files.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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