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Rail Simulator Review for PC

Rail Simulator Review for PC

The Rail Life

There’s just something about railway travel that possesses a meditative quality. To some, the clacking of the tracks, blasting of the whistle, gentle rocking motion, and passing scenery act as serene white noise to lull the senses into a state of relaxation. For others, their interests lie in the mechanics of train operation: a world full of switches, levers, meters, and dials.

Rail Simulator screenshot

Players can approach Electronic Arts’ Rail Simulator from either perspective, derive whatever form of enjoyment they choose from the game, and leave the rest. As a railroad sim, the game will be most appreciated by train enthusiasts who find titillation at the controls of a chugging engine as they thunder past countless mile markers, but prospective armchair travelers will find much to like in terms of sight seeing and “travel” without leaving the comforts of home. Of course, the pacing may feel more than a tad too slow for some.

Potential players who are not already well acquainted with the meticulous world of railroad simulation be forewarned: Rail Simulator offers something quite different from games in more common genres. For better or worse, it’s really less of a game in the traditional sense and more of a unique experience. It’s possible to literally spend hours just leisurely meandering along the tracks amidst lush green fields and open skies with no pre-determined goals. On the other hand, players can roll up their sleeves and dive into the structured routine of picking up and delivering passengers on a tight schedule, hauling cargo, and keeping your train from careening spectacularly off the tracks. It’s this duality and freedom that makes the game oddly interesting and well-suited for a range of different play styles. For the most part, players will get back what they put into the game; a little patience and an interest in trains will certainly help things along. Though slogging away on the rails sounds dull, it’s actually a very interesting experience when you approach it with an open mind.

The two primary game modes offer different ways to enjoy Rail Simulator. Free play mode gives players complete control over what they choose to do while a scenario mode gives specific objectives to complete on different routes. The game is packed in with fifteen scenarios across four unique routes and a reasonable selection of different trains to pilot. It features a strong mixture of old school engines alongside more modern train models. The routes themselves vary greatly in terms of scenery and design, but it won’t take long for hardcore rail buffs to work their way through all the basics of the main package. The ability to create custom maps may be one of the most enticing features of Rail Simulator for serious train enthusiasts. It also greatly extends the life of the game. Additional trains are available for download, and it shouldn’t be long before the online train simulator community begins whipping up voluminous custom maps, scenarios, and routes. The built-in world editor is tricky for the uninitiated, but it allows players to devise their own custom tracks right down to the fine details.

Rail Simulator screenshot

Audio in the game is virtually non-existent. You’ll find the basic sounds of the tracks, the hiss of the engine, and the blast of the horn, but there’s no music, and most of the time it’s fairly quiet. Each train is painstakingly detailed and the scenery is impressive, but closer inspection reveals the visuals to be rough around the edges in some respects. This is less apparent with the bells and whistles cranked up to the max, and it’s a minor point since the game looks good overall. The inclusion of an immense range of ways to view the train is the key to enjoying the railroad experience. The view can be made to follow the front or back of the train, zoomed in and out, or rotated around in any direction. You can drop the camera ahead on the tracks to watch your train approach from the distance, watch from a birds-eye view perspective, or even take a first-person perspective from the control room. That latter allows you to make adjustments on a highly detailed control panel using the mouse (each train has its own uniquely designed control booth) to operate the train. Also, the flick of a key will put players in a passenger car allowing you to gaze out the window from a first-person perspective. The camera controls are simply excellent.

Rail Simulator screenshot

Unfortunately, there’s a steep learning curve when it comes to figuring out exactly how to get things rolling with controlling the trains. A drop-down menu in the game is helpful for remembering which keys do what, but it will likely be daunting for first time players. Minimal details in the instructions also make matters more difficult. Several different control options are available: the beginner control scheme primarily uses the keyboard, while intermediate and expert schemes transfer many of the controls to the display panels in the engine room. After you’ve become better acquainted with the train mechanics, manually adjusting the dials, levers, and buttons in the engine room is pretty awesome; it’s definitely a nice touch.

Rail Simulator screenshot

The level of realism of Rail Simulator is a double edged sword. Everything happens in real-time; if your clock indicator says you’ve got 30 minutes to your destination then you’ve literally got 30 minutes to your destination. The game is best enjoyed on a lazy afternoon when there’s plenty of time to kill. Still, there are times when it drags along. The realistic gameplay also requires players to take other factors into consideration. It can take quite a long time and distance to bring your train from full-speed down to a dead stop. When dealing with cargo and passengers, it becomes increasingly important to begin braking well ahead of time since precious minutes can be lost to backtracking.

There are few issues that occasionally inhibit some of the enjoyment to be found in Rail Simulator and one that actually increases it in some cases. When goal-based scenarios can take an hour or more to play through, it’s incredibly frustrating when you’ve just spent over 30 minutes drudging along the tracks towards your first goal only to miss your gate switch and blow your objective thereby ending the game. It’s equally irritating when you’re well into a scenario only to accidentally lose track of your rate of speed in relation to the twisting terrain ahead; derailing earns you a big fat GAME OVER. Saving progress with a quick key press in mid-scenario lets you pick up where you left off in a pinch, which is especially helpful if you end anticipate a potentially sticky situation up-ahead. If you’ve failed to develop the foresight for such an occurrence, be prepared to start over from scratch. On a side note, pushing your train into extremely unsafe speeds with dangerous curves in the track up ahead is actually rather entertaining. Derailing at high-speeds sends your engine and cars flying every which way.

Despite a number of imperfections, Rail Simulator is a unique and strangely satisfying venture into the realm of railways operation. It can be extremely peaceful or bustling and chaotic depending on how you choose to play. The point is it’s very easy to tailor to a player’s own personal taste. It’s an absolute no-brainer selection for anyone with more than a passing interest in trains, but worthwhile to explore for those who simply wish to dabble. Whether you love the thought of controlling trains or just want to tag along for the ride, Rail Simulator has your ticket.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 3.9 Graphics
Beautiful landscapes and highly detailed train designs make up for a few minor blemishes. 3.5 Control
Difficult to pick up, but solid once you get acclimated. A good mixture of keyboard usage and using the mouse to manipulate control panel gizmos. 2.6 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
There’s no music to speak of, but the train sounds are realistic. It’s quiet…almost too quiet. 4.0 Play Value
It’s a deep and open railway sim experience for those with the enthusiasm and patience to explore it. Custom maps create an endless supply of creative control. 3.8 Overall Rating – Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

  • Drive eight trains of today and yesteryear in this customizable railway simulation.
  • Travel over 1900 km of track on faithfully reproduced UK and continental routes.
  • Expand your rail world with a range of professional add-ons.
  • Simple. Family-friendly interface delivers and authentic railway experience.

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