I’m pretty sure 7-year old me would have loved Train Sim
World. Being able to explore every inch of a train and move all the switches
and press all of the buttons in the cockpit would have blown my little
train-loving mind. What about thirty-four year old me? Not so much. I went in
expecting it to be somewhat dry and boring, since it’s a sim and all, but I
wasn’t expecting it to be quite this hardcore. Most simulation-style games,
particularly on consoles, make concessions in favor of accessibility and fun.
Not this game. Not Train Sim World. This is a real-ass train SIMULATOR and you
better know what that means before you hop on board. Die-hard railfans and
trainspotters will absolutely adore the attention to detail, but I’m not sure many
other folks will. See all of the details in our full Train Sim World review for
Xbox One.
Game Details
- Publisher: Dovetail Games
- Developer: Dovetail Games
- ESRB Rating: “E” for Everyone
- Genre: Simulation
- Pros: Detailed interiors w/ real controls; great for train lovers
- Cons: Not a ton of content; complicated controls; kinda boring; performance issues
- MSRP: $30
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There are three different train engines in Train Sim World
to use, and all three of them have different cockpit layouts and slightly
different start up sequences to memorize. You play from a first-person
perspective and move a cursor around to push buttons, activate switches, and
move levers. Like I said above, people that are crazy for trains will
absolutely love the attention to detail and mechanical accuracy of it all. You
aren’t limited to just the driver’s chair, either, as you can walk around and
look over every aspect of the train, inside and outside. You can even opt to
not drive at all and just ride along with the passengers and watch the scenery
pass by. Train fans will freaking love this.
Modes include a scenario mode where you complete one of five
challenge scenarios as well as a services mode where you take on a route and
have to actually make all of the stops. The services mode is the closest to a
“do whatever you want” type of mode, but you’re still meant to keep a schedule
and play the way the game wants you to. As I keep saying, this is a simulator,
after all. The game offers three different trains – two passenger and one
freight – and around 40-miles of track through the British countryside to
explore. You can set the time for any time of day and there are multiple
weather options as well. There isn't a ton of content, but this release is technically the "Founder's Edition" and more content will surely be added later.
I think if you’re a die-hard train fan, you’re going to find
a lot to like here, but folks that aren’t absolutely gaga nutso for trains are
going to struggle. Train fans will appreciate the extreme attention to detail
and the realistic cockpits full of controls, for example, while casual players
will likely just be overwhelmed with how complicated it is. Likewise, train
fans will enjoy the solitude of running a long route and feel satisfaction at
keeping a schedule, but casual players will just get bored. Unfortunately, I
fall into the latter category. I love simulation games like Truck Simulator,
Spintires Mudrunner, Elite: Dangerous, and Farming Simulator but Train Sim
World is just a bit too hardcore even for me.
The presentation in Train Sim World is quite good overall.
The graphics are surprisingly detailed and the landscapes you pass through are
generally nice looking. Weather effects and lighting changes are very well
done, too. The game has massive screen tearing, though, so every time you move
the camera the game looks like it is just shredding itself apart in the middle
of the screen. It doesn’t affect gameplay, but it certainly looks terrible. The
framerate is also wildly uneven as well.
All in all, even though Train Sim World isn’t a game I
can see myself personally continuing to play, I can definitely see its quality
as a train simulation for fans of the genre as well as fans of trains in general. For more casual players who, like me, enjoy other sim-style video
games and think you might be interested in this, you might want to pass. It’s
just not as accessible or interesting or satisfying as some other sims can be
and without an intense burning love for trains it’ll be hard to break through.
I know there are a lot of train fans out there both young and old that will
have a good time with Train Sim World, though, so if that sounds like you (I mean,
you’re really, REALLY into trains) absolutely give it a look.
Disclosure: A review code was provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: A review code was provided by the publisher.