When you are sitting in a shack in the Louisiana Bayou, the lure of the big money driving the big rigs can seem like a pretty glamorous life.

Afterall, it beats seeing the same rerun of Hee Haw for the 1-billioneth time. May not be any Hee Haw Honeys, but give me a can of Skoal and call me Jimmy Joe-John Earle, the truckin’ life beats swatting flies.

Ok, apologies to truckers – who happen to be some of the good folks that are the lifeblood of the country. It takes a special kind of individual to handle those big rigs, and drive relentless across the country.

In Rebel Trucker: Cajun Blood Money, you aren’t required to drive across the country, only throughout the state. This PC title from Global Star and 3 Romans is a mission-based vehicle that allows players to sit in the driver’s seat of some of the 18-wheelers, and either work for the feds or transport illegal contraband for the Louisiana underworld.

And if you want to, just for fun, you can run over pedestrians, wreak havoc on structures and otherwise be a menace. But don’t think of this as a GTA: Vice City version scaled up to bigger vehicles. Nothing could be further from the truth. The game’s graphical content, while decent, can’t measure up and the repetitious sound elements will drive you up the wall faster than a mouthful of hot sauce that has fire shooting out both ears.

Along the way you see some of the actual city roads and highways recreated, and get to meet a lot of stereotypes – including the toon you get to play – Keri Thibiodeaux.

It all begins with some certification tests. You start off simple, and the tests get progressively harder. You not only will have to learn to control the cab of the vehicle, but to negotiate tight streets and turns while dragging a trailer. You’ll also get to drive front-end loaders, flatbeds, car carriers and tankers. For sport, jump aboard a motorcycle, and perform some wheelies.

There are three types of jobs – Vieux Carre routes, AAA long haul, or Stromboli Import/Export. Guess which one is the mob? The first involves completing a series of city pick-ups and deliveries while working against the clock. The second is a little more mundane. You have to traverse the highways, make weight, and record gas and lodging.

The third is story-based, and your decisions will have an impact on the outcome of the tale. Want to bribe some police? Go ahead. Someone gets in your way – turn them into a speed bump. There are icons spread throughout the game that allow you to go on killing sprees, using a rifle.

The game’s controls are simplistic. Arrows will steer the truck, the control applies the air brakes and you can shift easily. The spacebar is the action button.

Rebel Trucker will not have broad appeal, though it certainly has challenge. Controlling those big rigs with the simple control scheme is not that easy. For driving enthusiasts and those who just can’t get enough of games that allow you to drive and kill, this title will have some appeal.

This game is rated Mature for blood, mature sexual themes, and violence.

Gameplay: 7

The driving is well done and the game does sport arcade elements. The game AI, though, is only average.

Graphics: 7.2

Not the best-looking title, still the driving mechanics are well rendered.

Sound: 6.5

The accents and Cajun music get old really fast, and that has solely to do with repetition.

Difficulty: Medium

It is quite challenging to drive these rigs. Throw in three difficulty settings and you up the ante.

Concept: 7

The game is a mish-mash of stereotypes, and misplaced game elements. While entertaining, it certainly does little to bring focus to the game.

Overall: 7

This is clearly a game that wanted to be a lot of things to a lot of people and while it does a decent job of bringing entertainment and challenge, it is merely an average title.