American Truck Simulator - Illinois Review – Route 66, Chicago and Prairie Drives
I drove Route 66, navigated Chicago's streets and discovered sleepy river towns in SCS Software’s Illinois DLC. A lovingly built map with big wins and a handful of annoyances for long-haul sim fans.
Illinois for ATS feels like opening a well-wrapped present: flashy downtown Chicago on one side, long stretches of prairie and the Mississippi on the other. SCS has gifted players the starting point of the legendary Route 66 and a handful of faithfully recreated cities, and I spent more hours than I’d admit just cruising and sightseeing. It’s interesting because it leans hard into Chicago’s character while sometimes shortcutting suburban detail — which will delight skyline lovers and frustrate local purists. If you enjoy relaxed long-haul driving peppered with landmark moments, this DLC has plenty to offer.
Rolling the Heartland: Driving Illinois
Driving in Illinois is a mix of textbook SCS highway cruising and surprise moments. You’ll spend much of your time on interstate stretches and state highways hauling everything from construction equipment to intermodal containers picked up in Chicago. What struck me is how the game turns mundane transit into mini-adventures: a windy road through Shawnee National Forest, a quiet ferry-spot by the Mississippi, or the sudden clutter of traffic as you approach downtown Chicago. The Route 66 segment feels cinematic — that slow build from urban grid to open prairie is great for staged photo ops and relaxed runs. Missions vary enough to keep the cab chatter alive: city deliveries that require tight navigation and long hauls that ask for patience and planning. The economy feels familiar to ATS veterans: predictable contracts, occasional time pressure, and the satisfaction of lining up a perfect delivery.
Chicago’s Shine and the Little Things That Make It Feel Real
What makes Illinois stand out is the care in city centers. Chicago’s downtown is packed with recognizable landmarks — Buckingham Fountain, busy airport approaches, and underground sections that capture the vibe of places like Lower Wacker Drive. SCS didn’t aim for full 1:1 scale, but they nailed the essence: a compact, drivable core that reads like Chicago even when the map is compressed. The DLC also introduces new industries — from a construction equipment factory to marinas — giving variety to cargo types and job routes. Hidden roads, viewpoints and easter eggs reward the curious driver; I found myself detouring just to see if a viewpoint lived up to the screenshots. That said, outside the main nodes the map sometimes feels sparse: you’ll hit long stretches of farmland and forest quicker than you’d expect, which breaks immersion for players expecting dense suburban sprawl.
A Scenic Postcard with Rough Edges: Presentation and Performance
Visually, Illinois is a mixed bag in the best possible way: Chicago skyscrapers and Lake Michigan vistas are lovely and occasionally jaw-dropping, while rural areas are pleasantly tranquil. Sound design keeps the cab honest — engines, horns and ambient city noise add life to long drives. Performance on my setup was generally solid, but some players report texture pop-in, shadow glitches and CPU/GPU oddities; I experienced a few flickers at busy intersections but nothing game-breaking. Accessibility and controls follow ATS standards — very moddable and controller-friendly — which is a plus for a community that likes to tweak. In short: it’s a beautiful DLC with enough technical hiccups to be noticed but not to ruin the route.
Illinois is a mostly successful DLC that nails the Chicago moments and gives long-haul players fresh scenery and jobs. It’s ideal for those who love skyline sightseeing, Route 66 nostalgia, and varied cargo runs — less so for local purists craving perfect scale and suburban density. Buy it on a normal sale unless Chicago-centered cruising is your must-have, and expect a handful of technical wrinkles that SCS will hopefully smooth out.
Pros
- Beautifully realized Chicago core with iconic landmarks
- Route 66 start and scenic diversity — river, forest, prairie
- New industries and cargo variety add gameplay depth
- Highly moddable and familiar ATS systems for veterans
Cons
- Scaling and map sparsity outside major cities frustrate locals
- Some technical issues reported: texture pop-in, shadows, rare crashes
- Not a 1:1 faithful reconstruction — expect compressed distances
Player Opinion
Players praise the DLC’s Chicago fidelity and scenic moments, repeatedly calling out downtown visuals and the thrill of starting Route 66. Many reviews echo my experience: Chicago is the highlight, and the city’s underground sections and skyline earn genuine admiration. Criticisms cluster around scale and empty stretches once you leave the main hubs — several locals say important highways and suburbs are missing or oversimplified. Performance and occasional bugs are a recurring theme in user reports, with a handful noting crashes near Bloomington or shadow/textures flicker. If you like landmark-heavy runs and relaxed long hauls, fans say you’ll enjoy this; if you're from Illinois and expect full realism, you might be disappointed.