What do I think about the #WitchesOfBrackenreach Halloween event?

I fired up #ETS2 to dive into this year's Hauloween event, and right off the bat, I was stoked to see a dedicated event map—just like the last two Christmas ones. Okay, "surprised" might be stretching it since SCS Software teased it on their socials, but seeing it in-game still hit different.

Teleporting through that first portal into Brackenreach ate up 20 minutes of my drive time easy. I had to soak in every detail at the starting spot. A blue heron perched on some wooden beams greeted me, while nearby hissing and growling hinted at alligators lurking in the swamp. Couldn't spot 'em at first, but turns out they're in #ATS, swapping places with the heron. Took a bit to shake off the immersion before I even hit the road.

The GPS plots a straight shot down the main road to Brackenhelm Castle, but a massive fallen tree blocks it from the jump. No choice but to veer right onto this sneaky side path. I crept along at under 20 mph, not wanting to miss a thing. Glowing fireflies lit the way with their eerie hum, roots from ancient trees gripped the swampy ground like claws, and the whole vibe pulled me deeper into the mystery.

Luck was on my side for that first run—I nailed the route straight to a cave that screamed old mining tunnel, flickering with candle lanterns and scattered with forgotten gear. Emerging from it? Dancing flames floating in the air, leading me across a rickety wooden bridge that barely held my rig. Crossed it without a scratch, and boom—there were the Witches of Brackenreach, stirring up a potion in their cauldron, oblivious to my truck rolling in.

Grabbed the "Spooky Horn" reward and pressed on to the castle. Pulling up gave me instant D&D flashbacks—a cozy medieval town tucked inside those walls. Weaving through the streets to the marketplace for drop-off and pickup felt straight out of a fantasy quest, then it was back to the real world... or Europe, anyway.

On the return, I took the other fork from the castle. Another cave, twisting downward in layers—wait, was that a dragon skeleton? Yep, exited right through its gaping maw, claws outstretched like it was guarding the path from intruders.

So, for real—what do I think? It's straight-up magical! Huge props to everyone at SCS who poured their hearts into this. The attention to detail is insane, and the challenge of navigating from start to castle keeps it engaging without being frustrating. I breezed through my first few runs undamaged, 100% cargo intact. But the second I started streaming? Total chaos—stuck spots, dings, the works. LMAO. This map is a gem.

That said, one nitpick (not a complaint, just an observation): the GPS-teased main road stays blocked the whole time. I kept expecting a way to unlock it. Here's what ran through my head:

• Figured the Spooky Horn might clear the fallen tree and wagon—like in MudRunner, where honking blasts stuff out of the way with some weird energy. Nope, not here.

• Thought maybe after 3 round-trip deliveries (part of the personal goal), it'd open. Nah.

• Or fully completing the 15-delivery goal? Still locked.

Curiosity got me, so I fired up dev cam to bypass the wagon and explore. Hit a graphical glitch blocking progress, then another where the road just vanished into a wall. Teleported past that too, and finally reached the starting tree blockade. Crystal clear then: this road's not meant for trucks. It's unfinished on purpose. Hey SCS, food for thought for next Halloween—make it unlockable somehow?

I'll toss my unlock ideas onto the official forums for the devs. But honestly? Zero disappointment. I'm still hauling back to Brackenreach every chance, even though community goals let us run Hauloween jobs on the regular Europe map. That swampy, spooky vibe is too good to miss before it vanishes.

Massive kudos to the whole team! Event's not even wrapped, and I'm already hyped for whatever surprise drops next.

Check out the World of Trucks website to get the rules for this #WitchesOfBrackenreach event.