First calming, then nerve-racking and addictive
I can say that it's quite amazing how addictive this title can get, despite the fact that there are only three routes which, in addition, are entirely pre-programmed, meaning there is not much in the way of random events. You'll always service the same bus stops, and you will even start to recognise the same traffic patterns over and over again. While this makes the game a bit repetitive when played in high doses, it adds the arcade-style game play element of trying to memorise and get better at specific situations. The way that this makes the game fun and addictive is that it just keeps tempting and teasing you to do better and get that perfect run. You're just about ready to toss the game's disc out the window every time you hit the curb or forget to put the indicator just once towards the end of an otherwise perfect run. But a day, or even just a few hours, later you're determined to have another go and prove to everyone that, indeed, you could be the perfect bus driver if you wanted to!
The game doesn't throw you out immediately for every mistake you make. Unless you hit a pedestrian or create some other sort of devastating accident, you will be able the keep driving as long as you still have bonus points, of which you are given a lot on the Easy and Medium levels. All it will do is have a negative effect on your final rating. But as you get better at the game, it won't be enough. You want that flawless route, and every exceeding of the speed limit destroys your ego (why did I get so impatient/careless?)
My Japanese is not yet good enough to make much of the cut scenes that you unlock when driving well enough. But they seem to be some funny, everyday situations and conversations between a few of your regular customers. I'm sure they add to the game's atmosphere, because after all the social element is an integral part of public transportation. The game itself is no problem for non-speakers of Japanese, as soon as you got the basic controls and traffic rules down. (There's a very helpful English FAQ on this very site, if you can't figure out what you're doing wrong).
The routes that are represented in the game are diverse enough and all modeled very closely to their real-world counterparts (I checked in Google Earth!) All routes can be driven at noon, in the evening, or at night; all of which look nice. There's a route across the Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo's bay area, one through bustling Shinjuku, and a more rural, mountainous one in Ōme. The single bus model that you get to drive feels like it's actually a bus, and especially the slightly bobbing cockpit view adds, together with the rattling sounds of the bus' interior, a great deal of "I'm-there".
This is a really nice game, and one that might just yet grow on you more than you would have thought possible. If you don't always have to play the most action-laden high-speed games, and are in the mood for something more realistic (I wanted to say relaxing, but trust me, it gets tense) and low-key, definitely give Tokyo Bus Guide a try.